MyLifeMyCareer.com

It's been awhile since I have posted about actual companies hiring young guns like ourselves, and positions that seem more manageable than the normal run of the mill business positions which typically involve the cubicle or some variation of it.

This one if for all of those wannabe television hosts, those with experience blogging, vlogging, and pod casting online, and those that are in tune with our culture and the technology driving it. Revision3 produces and distributes internet television programming rather than your traditional over the air broadcasts streamed to your boob tube. One of their biggest shows that they offer is Diggnation - yes, the same Digg.com co-founder, Kevin Rose, hosts this show.

They offer applicable, cool, and entertaining content through the tv killer known as the internet. I can't speak to the quality of the company, the average work day, or how long they will be around but they are looking for full-time and intern positions at Revision3.

Depending on what you are into and what you would enjoy doing to put food on the table day after day, going to college may not be for you. According to a recent article in the Kansas City Star, the hot jobs now for the young and career-minded may very well be in technical, trade and skilled service occupations -- such as welders, auto technicians, heavy equipment operators and nurses.(Read more...)

Some of these positions will still require trade school or an associates degree, but just as many you could probably start working right out of high school with the necessary skills being taught on the job. I think that it is important that they mention the issue of perception, and how you will be perceived if you work in a factory or production plant of some type. A friend of mine worked at an auto manufacturing plant for a summer job (not internship) on the line and made $18.00+/hr. Show me a traditional business internship that pays that much by dividing out the salary into hourly portions, and I would be surprised if the business positions payed that much.

There is also the argument that you need to gain the experience from four years on a campus away from home. There is so much that you do gain socially and personally outside of the education, but is it worth $100,000 over those four years? That's definitely a debatable point.

If you enjoy working with your hands or have a technical skill, it's nice to know you have the option of not necessarily having to shell out dough for college. At the same time, many jobs do require an advanced degree of some type. Do what you want, and what you think will make you the happiest now while setting yourself up for future opportunities.

Here's a list from CollegeGrad.com that shows a list of hundreds of employers who have hired and may be currently hiring college students for internships or full time entry level positions. Keep in mind that many of these companies may not provide very enjoyable working opportunities or open cultures that are sought after by today's employees. This is merely a list to help you with your research.

Top Entry Level Employers for 2007 (listed by expected number of new hires) (ac. 7.28.2007)

In the May 2007 issue of Wired Magazine (the one with Heroes actor Masi Oka on the cover), a new type of position is mentioned in Jargon Watch.

Online Analyst
n. Hired by companies like Coca-Cola and AT&T to monitor what's being said about them on social networks and blogs, online analysts use the Internet as a vast upaid focus group.

I would think that many new college graduates would be perfect for this position with the knowledge of social networks, blogs, search engines, and maintaining a reputation online. Unfortunately, this isn't a widely available position and I could only find a perfect match for the position offered through New Media Strategies, a hot company out of DC. The downside is that the position requires 2-3 years of professional experience, so it would be more of a longshot for college graduates. Check out the NMS career page for internships and other positions to see if it is up your alley.

No, this is not a flashy new name for the US military. It's more of a portal for opportunities to volunteer all across America. It was an initiative started by President Bush back during the first term, and is still growing. I don't believe they have full-time positions and internships, at least not through the site. This organization is operated as a branch of the White House, so you will probably have to go through their job site, USAjobs, to search for full-time positions. If you're in college or on break and looking for an opportunity to volunteer, this would be another good site to search through.

CARE is a lesser known non-profit organization, but they are one of my favorites. Their goal is to fight poverty internationally, and they especially emphasize helping women and children overcome social status issues that keep them in extreme poverty. CARE offers full-time, internship, and volunteer positions. You could get placed internationally or in one of their domestic offices (headquarters in hot-lanta). They have only a few positions so it will be competitive, but if you are interested you should at least apply. There's no harm in trying. Check out their site, very cool.

That's right, the organization that builds homes for those in need. You may have assisted as a volunteer in high school or college, taking a week to be a part of a build team. They also offer various professional positions that are salaried, as they are indeed a business (non-profit, of course) and need to manage the various business functions. They have been around awhile, and are in almost every community in the States, giving you several location options to work after school. If you are in school, I would recommend volunteering for a summer or maybe over spring break if you aren't going somewhere warm. A lot of campuses actually have Habitat for Humanity organizations that will have call-outs to gather volunteers and get people interested, so be on the lookout. Plenty of opportunities. Check out their site and job postings if you are interested and want more information. Enjoy.

Americorps will provide a wide range of "volunteering" opportunities that include teaching but extend further out to all aspects of the communities around us. Again, I have known people that have committed a summer of their (in lieu of an internship, looks great on the resume) and people that have graduated from college and given 2 years of their time. Again you will be paid with a modest living wage, helped with student loans if you are graduating, and you will gain many intangible benefits that will serve you in whatever job you choose to do afterwards. There are opportunities all across the country, but I would imagine their is still a great need in the gulf coast region cleaning up from Katrina. Just another option for those considering a position with a solid organization doing something out of the ordinary before moving on in life.

This week, I want to cover several organizations that offer tremendous opportunities to those with big hearts and the desire to help others. I swear I will not talk about Greenpeace, nothing against hippies, but the tactics used sometimes scare me. The first organization is Teach For America, which provides opportunities for you to teach in areas that are experiencing shortages of teachers or are not as educationally sound as the rest of the country. You don't have to have an educational instruction background or major, just great leadership skills and the willingness to help out. These are not volunteer positions and you will get a salary, moving expenses, and intense training. I remember watching "Dangerous Minds", "Lean on Me", and some recent movie with Matthew Perry teaching in an inner city school - all of which involved teachers making big sacrifices to create change in the minds of misguided youth. I know it would not be as easy as in the movies (unless you are smooth like Matthew Perry), but it would be pretty cool to be in that situation and influence someone with hidden potential. Wow, that didn't sound the least bit cheesy. In all seriousness, check out their website. The next deadline for applications is in mid-February, so check that out.

I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays. After seeing old friends and finding out what everyone is doing now that college has expired I found that several of them are working as financial advisors for some companies that rank high in the internship and entry-level college graduate positions. Here's a few of them:

Northwestern Mutual company site | internship | entry-level financial rep
They were ranked in the top 5 for best college internships last year, and offer great full-time opporunities as well.

Edward Jones company site | internship | entry-level graduate
Opportunities to work in a corporate setting or start your own office and build up your own client base for all you with the entrepreneurial spirit.

Ameriprise Financial company site | careers
Not well known for internships (if any), but they offer the same type of financial advisor or corporate positions as the other companies for recent graduates.

The holiday season especially emphasizes giving...and the importance of the package handling and logistics business of UPS. One of the most recognized international businesses, and one that is growing in new directions. Not only do they ship packages, they are logistics consultants providing solutions for all different sizes of business managing manufacturing materials, inventory, and all of that other stuff. The 'just in time' manufacturing method depends on parts arriving no more than a few days before they are needed, and if they are late or early this untimeliness could cause big problems. This is a model of any business today that produces or stocks a product. UPS also provides positions for engineers, pilots, drivers, and all the usual business positions. If you're in college, they will help pay for school and provide work shifts around your classes, one of the best employers outside of campus position providers. Check out their career page.

Who wouldn't want a BMW? Every college student dreams of one day owning a luxury automobile, or at least something else that is nice and rather valuable. There are great career opportunities with auto companies, and the auto company that is becoming known for investing in graduates and young professionals is BMW. Their "Drive." program is a learning/rotational program that I don't remember being around even a year or two ago. I was looking at them for internships two years ago when I was a junior. It looks like it would be a good chance to learn the business process, work for a solid company, and build a great foundation for your career. They have some other opportunities as well, like a research thesis project that you work on with specialists at BMW. Definitely worth a look for all types of positions.

With the hype and long lines of consumers that come with every video game system release, I can guarantee that there are many opportunities for college students to work for different type of interactive media companies. You know the big companies like Microsoft (XBOX 360), Sony (PS3 and PSP), and Nintendo (Wii & DS). These are very popular, and you will have much greater competition getting into. Go small, and work your way up. Everyone goes for the big names or bust, and then when they don't get picked out of the thousands of applicants they complain why they can't find a job. You on the other hand will be working your way into the industry as a fresh out of college, very little professional experience, but ready to learn employee. Look into entertainment software companies first and foremost. You know when you fire up a game and you see the logos as the game is loading. Take note of them and look them up online to see what kind of careers they have. Another popular route to take more than ever is cell phone media and gaming companies. You know, those companies that provide ringtones, videos, and gaming. This segment of the market is very hot right now, and many smaller companies are around. These companies are not just for programmers or video game players. Again, they need all of the standard business positions such as accountants, sales people, and marketing associates. They also need many artists, both for in-game art and printed materials, logos, etc. The lessons here that can be applied to any other industry or company: think smaller companies with less competition among applicants. Also, remember that just because a company is in an industry unrelated to your major, they still have many business type positions. Just because you are applying with a slinky company doesn't mean you will be winding up plastic and dropping it down the test stairs. You could be designing new ads, balancing budgets, or managing business sectors. Horrible example, I know.

That's the answer to the question "Why am I supposed to research companies to the nth degree before I even apply with them? We live in the age where corporate scandal is more common than Hollywood break-ups, which also involve d-bags. Fortunately, our generation is just starting out and can start over if something goes sour. Unfortunately, our parents and their friends may have their life savings invested in their 401k and stock options that can disappear when one or a group of CEO's get greedy. Also fortunately for us, we live in the age of the internet where information flows freely. You can hop on any publicly traded company's web site, go to the investor relations section, and there you can access annual reports, conference calls, and other press releases. Numbers and spreadsheets may bore you, but listen to the conference calls and shareholder meetings just to get a feel for the upper echelon of mega management at whatever large company it is may be applying for. If you've learned anything throughout your college years, it's how to read people. Smell the bad ones out or the ones that rub you the wrong way, and pull yourself away from applying and interviewing any further if you sense something is off. This is an especially useful and valuable practice when applying with large corporations, so take advantage of this new knowledge. I like.

I'm not really sure, but when you see the line of people standing outside the door when it's raining or freezing cold outside you have to wonder. They assure me that it's beans, cream, espresso, fruit, and no addictive substances. Who am I talking about? Starbuck's of course. You may not be able to function anymore without starting your day with one of their delicious beverages, but have you ever thought of working for them. I'm not talking about serving up hot drinks to the crazed coffee crowd for a sweet hourly wage. I'm hinting at corporate careers, managing regional territories, working at the production plants as logistics experts, or maybe even running your own store. One of the hottest companies in the past few years without question, and they don't show a whole lot of wear and tear on the tires. They are the McDonald's of the A.M. hours and beyond. That was a bold statement, but I stand by it. They have great training and benefits that lead to solid career growth potential...and plenty of coffee in the break room brewer. You look at a large company like Starbuck's, and you have to look at the mastermind behind all the popularity. Howard Shultz and his entourage of management men and women took this single Seattle store and turned it into the global beast that is publicly traded and growing at a healthy rate. I'd hop on right now to enjoy an exciting first step in your career. Plus, I'm sure you get free coffee and espressos to feed that little need of yours. Check out their career page here.

I have already referenced GE before as a great company to start your career with, and here is another cool opportunity from the innovative company. The EcoChallenge is put on by GE and MtvU, and challenges college students to bring ideas to the table on how to improve the environment on college campuses. Now, I am not a treehugger or hippie by any means, but I enjoy a good reason to think creatively - outside the box, if you will. Your idea could be as simple as a new trash/recycling campaign or something as crazy as designated smoking areas that are giant bubbles with air filters that turn the smoke into something good for the environment, like more Al Gore's. Is that a little political humor mixed with sarcasm? Panel says....yes, lame, but yes. In all seriousness, someone out there has a great idea that could actually help the environment, and participating in this contest would not look too shabby on the resume. Work with some of your friends or fly solo, and just see what happens after you submit your idea. There is also a link to apply for jobs with GE on the EcoChallenge page, if you are interested.

There are tons of college students looking to get a job with their favorite sports team, usually on the professional level. Where do you go to find jobs like this? Once upon a time (sophomore year), I was interested in getting a job with the U.S. National Soccer Association. I found this site, TeamworkOnline.com, which is basically linked to every professional league in the United States. You'll find jobs for each specific team, league, and career fair events for the sports industry or a specific league. Your cheapest bet is to look for a sports career fair in the nearest metropolitan area. The two that I went to were $35 each, but included tickets to an Indiana Pacers game. Different levels and types of leagues are represented at these career fairs, and you will see professional organizations, minor league teams, and even high school and college representatives. Honestly, your best bet is to start on the low end with a farm league baseball team or even a high school or college program. Most professional organizations only accept experienced sports industry workers or interns who have paid their dues. When you intern for a sports organization, you end up passing out gifts at the handout nights, running promotional booths, or any other type of low end job. You have to start somewhere and work for it though, so if you work hard at whatever the task is and really want it when you graduate with a degree and the 2 summers of interning with whatever team it may be, you will have a much better chance of working in the front office. If you love sports, even the less glamorous intern work will be fun and worth it. Good luck!

The large, green rental car company is predicted to hire more graduating college students this year than any other employer. I swear they have been number one for at least the past 3 years. Should it be your number one job choice, though? The manager training program is a rotational program, so it has that going for it. You get to rock out in accounting, sales, and even wash some cars. They really do a good job of showing you the entire business, and you get to experience even the less desirable job duties so that you understand and appreciate how it all works. But it is a car rental business so you have to be good at selling stuff that customers don't necessarily need. I have rented cars from multiple companies and they usually offer insurance, which you don't need if you have personal comprehensive auto insurance, and other things that just increase the cost of the rental. I used to work in an electronics retail store in high school and we had to offer those extended warranties to every customer when we knew how often the services were actually needed (check consumer reports' archive on this, they did a revealing study). I hated pitching it, but others loved it because of the comissions earned. If you can handle the sales with a shade of gray, than I would say this is an excellent opportunity to learn about running your own company and then actually running it. Check out the Enterprise application page to find out about it for yourself.

You wouldn't think of a small mall clothing store as being a good place to work after college. But behind every small mall clothing store is a home office controlling hundreds of other small stores (actually there is a storage room for all of the inventory but you get the point). Urban Outfitters is ranked as one of the fastest growing companies to work for by Fortune magazine. At the home office they need accountants, IT people, graphic and new media artists, designers, logistics specialists, marketing people, and any other business position you can think of. My guess is that you will get to work in one of the small stores at some point in the early stages of your training, but you will most likely work most of the time at the base. The culture of this company is pretty cool from what I've heard, and I'm sure the dress code is pretty lax as well. I'm sure you get pretty sweet discounts on their clothes too (if you're into that, they are rather trendy).

I'm sure after a few years, you will have saved up some money and could probably run your own store for them if you have a little entrepreneur in you. Lots of opportunity here with a good company. Here's the direct link to UO's home office jobs. Good luck!