Back to school

Believe it or not, when you’re out of school, you’ll start to miss it. So, in the spirit of the start of a new school year approaching, this week’s blog features 10 jobs in education to consider pursuing.

Whether you’re still in school and pondering your future, or you’ve already graduated and you need a job, check out these positions in education as a field to look into.

PS- This probably isn’t the last of the back to school theme. Stay tuned!

• Teachers (preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary) help students learn and apply concepts in various subjects, depending on the age and skill level of their students. They help students understand abstract concepts, solve problems and develop critical thought processes. All 50 states and the District of Columbia require public school teachers to be licensed. General education teachers need a bachelor’s degree and a completed, approved teacher training program with a prescribed number of subject and education credits, as well as supervised practice teaching. Average salary: $45,205

• School counselors provide individuals and groups with career and educational counseling. In school settings they work with students, including those with academic and social development problems and those with special needs. They advocate for students and work with other individuals and organizations to promote the academic, career, personal and social development of children and youths. Counselors are required to hold a school counseling certification and to have completed at least some graduate course work; most require the completion of a master’s degree. Average salary: $52,858

• School nurses give healthcare services to students, plan school health programs, participate in medical examinations and reviews findings to evaluate the health status of pupils and progress of the programs. A school nursing position requires a registered nurses license. Average salary: $51,544

• Principals direct and coordinate educational, administrative and counseling activities of primary or secondary schools; develop educational programs through meetings with staff, review of teachers’ activities and providing directives. A master’s degree in education plus teaching experience is typically required for carrying out the responsibilities for this job. Average salary: $72,527

• Postsecondary teachers usually include college and university faculty, postsecondary career and technical education teachers, and graduate teaching assistants. They usually teach several different related courses in their subject and give lectures to several hundred students in large halls or lead small seminars. They prepare lectures, exercises and laboratory experiments; grade exams and papers; and advise and work with students individually. Educational qualifications for postsecondary teaching jobs range from expertise in a particular field to a Ph.D. Average salary: $68,505 (salary varies depending on rank and type of institution, geographic area and field.)

• Librarians in the school media center work with students and faculty to help find the information they need; show users how to access information; and may even help teachers develop curricula, acquire materials for classroom instruction, and sometimes team teach. A master’s degree in library science usually is required; special librarians may need an additional graduate or professional degree. Average salary: $47, 705

• Coaches in high schools are primarily teachers of academic subjects who supplement their income by coaching part time. They teach student athletes the fundamentals of individual and team sports and are responsible for instilling good sportsmanship, a competitive spirit and teamwork. They also manage their teams during both practice sessions and competitions. Average salary: $29,290

• Special education teachers work with children and youths who have a variety of disabilities using general education curriculum, or modifying it, to meet the child’s individual needs. Most special ed teachers instruct students at the elementary, middle and secondary school level, although some teachers work with infants and toddlers. All states require special education teachers to be licensed; licensing requires the completion of a teacher training program and at least a bachelor’s degree, though many states require a master’s degree. Average salary: $43,570

• Deans/Administrators direct and coordinate admissions, foreign student services, health and counseling services, career services, financial aid, and housing and residential life, as well as social, recreational, and related programs. In larger colleges and universities, separate administrators may handle each of these services. Most usually have a doctorate in their specialty and have held a professorship in their department before advancing. Average salary: $75,245

• Teacher Assistants tutor and assist children in learning class material using the teacher’s lesson plans, providing students with individualized attention and allowing teachers more time for lesson planning and teaching. Educational requirements range from a high school diploma to some college training. Average salary: $19,410

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Don’t take your job search on vacation!

Even though summer is halfway over, it’s not too late for this advice – especially because the longer it takes you to find a job, the longer your summer lasts.

Many job-seekers think summer is a bad time to search for a job. Don’t get stuck in the mentality that if everyone else is on at the beach or on vacation, you should be too. Take advantage of everyone else’s summer fever by making yourself known as the front runner for a job.

Follow these tips from Dave Sanford, executive vice president for client services and managing partner at Winter, Wyman, a staffing firm based in Massachusetts.

1. Spend more quality time with hiring managers. “It’s often harder to secure meetings and appointments with HR specialists and hiring managers because of vacation schedules, but many people who are in the office have lighter schedules and may have more time to spend with you.”
2. Network in alternative places. “Go on that HR professional association sunset cruise. Polish your swing and sign-up for the annual biotech golf tournament…You may choose to leave the seminars and workshops until the fall, but don’t let your networking skills go to waste.”
3. Keep your resume and references updated at all times. “You don’t need to post your resume or make it public, but you should always be ready with it in hand should someone request it or you uncover an employment prospect. There is a huge difference between giving a reference and giving a glowing reference. Seek out the great ones.”
4. Take advantage of relocation. “Plenty of people move on to new jobs or educational opportunities – many of them right before the start of a new school year. That means their employers are looking to replace them during mid- and late-summer.”
5. Enhance your talent. “Find at least one educational, professional or personal development opportunity during the summer to enhance your skills and knowledge.”
6. Get organized and stay motivated. “There are countless distractions in teh summer so dedicate one full day to getting organized. Gather up all your contact information, job responses, resume drafts and find an organizational system that works for you.”
7. Assesss your financial situation. “This will allow you to determine, before you head off to vacation, or put off the start date of your newly found job, how flexible you can be about salary, benefits and the entire compensation package.”

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Generation Y(awn)

I don’ t know about you, but I’m tired of being tired.

Not surprisingly, so are most Americans. According to a new survey, “Diet Pepsi MAX Yawn of Time,” nearly half (46 percent) of the 1,100 adults surveyed feel they are more tired than ever. Thirty-one percent blame the workplace.

What happens when you’re tired at work? Well, the most logical answer is that you yawn. Eighty-six percent of people think yawning is contagious, but the survey found that the younger you are, the more likely you are to yawn.

Here are some fun findings from the survey about Generation Y (that’s you!) and other demographics and their yawning tendencies. How do you weigh in?

• Gen Y’ers (age 18-28) are twice as likely to yawn as Baby Boomers (age 43-61). Gen Y is nearly three times as likely as adults over the age of 62 to yawn 10 or more times a day.
• Single people are twice as likely to yawn 10 more times a day (35 percent) than those who are divorced, separated or widowed (17 percent).
• Thirty-eight percent of people in Boston yawn compared to only 19 percent of Los Angeles.
• Twenty-three percent of Southerners fake yawns, while only 12 percent of people on the East Coast fake them. (What happened to southern hospitality?)
• Fifty percent of Americans are yawning about celebrity rehab attendance stories.
• Roughly two-thirds of Americans (67 percent) yawn during religious services.
• One-third have yawned on a date.
• Nearly one-in-ten has yawned on job interview (Note: Don’t do that).
• Nearly one-in-ten say they’ve had a bug fly into their mouth while yawning.

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Let Freedom Ring

Summer is synonymous with the Fourth of July, which is synonymous with independence, freedom and everything else that makes our country awesome. But, come Thursday morning, you might be wishing you hadn’t celebrated the 4th with quite as much freedom as you did.

Luckily for you, freedom doesn’t exist only in our country, but also in the workplace. Nowadays, flexible work environments are prevalent in numerous companies, big and small.

Some examples of your freedom and independence at work:

• Telecommuting
• Required breaks
• Extended vacation
• Flexible hours
• Flex time

Here are some positions that allow you to have some flexibility when it comes to your job. Most allow flexibility with shifts, how many days you work in a row, the number of hours you work, etc.

Firefighter

Nurse

Hospitality employees

Teachers

Happy 4th of July!

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Shake someone’s hand today!

I’m gonna be honest with you for a second – I’ve got a nice… handshake.

Men have commented on how strong my grip is “for a girl;” prospective employers have said it’s one of the best handshakes they’ve had in a long time. But believe me, a good handshake doesn’t come easy.

Tomorrow, June 28th, is National Handshake Day, according to Chase’s Calendar of Events. It’s the perfect time to make sure your grip is at its best.

Marjorie Brody and Pamela J. Holland, workplace/career experts and co-authors of Help! Was That a Career Limiting Move? offer tips on how to perfect your handshake:

3 steps to a proper handshake

Brody offers the following tips to make your handshake more effective:

1. As you’re approaching someone, extend your right arm when you’re about three feet away. Slightly angle your arm across your chest, with your thumb pointing up.
2. Lock hands, thumb joint to thumb joint. Then, firmly clasp the other person’s hand – without any bone crushing or macho posturing.
3. Pump the other person’s hand two to three times and let go.

6 tips to an effective meet ‘n greet

1. Stand up

2. Step or lean forward

3. Make eye contact

4. Have a pleasant or animated face

5. Shake hands

6. Greet the other person and repeat his or her name

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