New Federal Fact Sheet clarifies, complicates and reduces the number of internship opportunities for students.

Internships remain one of the best ways to enhance your education. They not only represent a great place to test the academic skills you have acquired in the job setting, they provide great learning experiences.

Interns continuously report that on the job training represents one of the highlights of their educational program. In some instances, students may be lucky enough to find a paid internship, but even unpaid opportunities can be truly beneficial.

However, during the recent downturn concerns have developed that businesses are taking advantage of students by replacing real workers with unpaid interns. Those concerns have led the federal government to recently provide a Fact Sheet regarding how internship programs should function under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The fact sheet provides general information to help determine whether interns must be paid the minimum wage and overtime for the services they provide to ‘for-profit’ private sector employers. Unfortunately the overall impact has been a negative one for students.

Employment Test

According to the Fact Sheet, “Internships in the “for-profit” private sector will most often be viewed as employment” unless they pass the following six criteria.

1. The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment;

2. The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern;

3. The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision of existing staff;

4. The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded;

5. The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship; and

6. The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship.

If all of the six factors listed above are met, then according to the FLSA “an employment relationship does not exist.” In such instances, the Act’s minimum wage and overtime provisions do not apply to the intern and the internship can be unpaid.

Negative Development?

As it seems with all the legislation coming out of Washington in recent weeks, there are detrimental effects. According to the NY Times, many businesses have abandoned their programs altogether.

Not too surprisingly, many businesses are fearful that their unpaid option may no longer qualify under the new regulations. For those attempting to continue unpaid options, the question arises as to how a business can demonstrate their internship offers similar training that could be obtained in an educational setting and the employer is not deriving any immediate “benefit” from the intern’s work.

To be safe, some companies have converted unpaid options to paid positions. But in tight financial times, more paid options translate to fewer total internships overall.

It is important that students understand that one way certain businesses have attempted to comply with the rule is to demand that the student’s school grant credit if they hire the student for an unpaid internship. To ensure they can access such options, students need to fully understand their school’s policy towards internships.

First many schools limit the maximum number of total credits a student may accumulate through the internship process. That stipulation means students may need to pick and choose the internships they consider.

Of course, if your school will not give you credit and you still want to pursue a specific internship that you feel would be of benefit, you can check with the local community college, state university branch or even some foundations to see if they would grant credit. Many students have been successful in securing credit from outside institutions even if those credits are part of the bachelor’s degree process.

However, the demand for credit means that students will generally need to shell out some funds, and in some cases, full tuition costs to the university in return for those credits. Given the average costs per credit hour today, the unpaid internship could become a significant expense in addition to being unpaid.

Make the Effort

The new rules clarification means it will be more difficult for students to find those critical work experiences in the years ahead. But students need to persevere as they move forward.

The overall impact on a student immersed in a quality internship experience is priceless. For that reason, students should work with their college, and if necessary, other schools, to find a way to continue what is most definitely one of the most worthy educational practices they can be involved in.

New report sheds light on value of college degree today.

There is little doubt that for the past two years college graduates have entered one of the worst job markets in history. Every one of us has heard monstrous tales of friends and relatives who have graduated only to have to move back in with their parents as they struggle to find meaningful work opportunities.

Such developments may have you wondering whether or not college is worth the significant costs, especially if one has to borrow money to pay ever-escalating tuition and fees. In fact, the job market, combined with the significant costs of attendance, has led many experts to now begin wondering about the value of a college degree as well.

A quick search of the Internet reveals two major articles from the nation’s most respected newspapers: the Los Angles Times and its front page story, Is a college degree still worth it?, along with a Sunday feature in the New York Times and the equally provocative Plan B: Skip College.

In addition to the general question of the value of a college education in today’s environment, one of the longstanding American traditions, earning a degree in the liberal arts is one receiving even more scrutiny. Once upon a time, the idea was that a general college education emphasizing a broad based curriculum was the ideal. The overall concept was quite simple.

Get the best possible education so as to prepare for a wide variety of career options, fire off resumes to the top companies, and then wait to see what career paths seemed to be the best fit. Under such a scenario, the cost of your diploma was incidental, a necessary expense to put you in the best possible position at graduation time. Also under such a scenario, the best possible education was delivered by elite, private colleges with a primary focus on the liberal arts.

While many students may well be wondering aloud, they do not have to look far to find defenders of the liberal arts degree even amidst our struggling employment situation. In direct contrast to its Plan B article, the New York Times recently ran two editorials, one by David Brooks, the other by Stanley Fish, defending the traditional liberal arts education. Throw in Peter Berkowitz of the Wall Street Journal, who insists that a liberal education “represents the culmination of a citizen’s preparation for freedom,” and as a student, you have to truly wonder what is up.

New Report from Georgetown University

To get some answers, we turn to Help Wanted: Projecting Jobs and Education Requirements Through 2018, a new report by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. First there is better news on the future job picture.

The study indicates substantial gains in employment will begin as soon as 2011. However, it will take until 2015 for job creation to overcome the job losses created during the recent massive economic downturn. In other words, most new graduates will likely struggle to find employment for the next couple of years as well.

But as for the importance of a college degree, the Georgetown researchers indicate that by 2018, nearly two-thirds of all jobs (63%) will require at least some postsecondary education. Anthony P. Carnevale, the Center’s director, indicates that America will need more workers by 2018 with “college degrees, certificates and industry certifications” then there will be workers with such qualifications.

Therefore, in an additional two to four years, those with credentials will be in the driver’s seat when it comes to employment opportunities.

The fastest growing industries will demand the highest levels of education, with the exception of sales support and health care support. By 2018, according to the Georgetown report, “75-90 percent of jobs in Information Services, Private Education Services, Government and Public Education Services, Financial Services, Professional and Business Services and Healthcare Services will require postsecondary education or training.

Perhaps most importantly, the Georgetown researchers determined that postsecondary education will continue to be the best way to access middle class stature. Approximately nine out of ten workers with only a high school education or less will be limited to three occupational clusters that either pay low wages, feature fewer jobs, or a combination of these two developments. Sadly, as the economy gains traction, those who choose to forgo advanced schooling appear to be locking themselves into predominantly low-wage jobs.

The Occupation Matters

But the real key element of the report is that what matters most will be the occupation you prepare for and not the degree you earn. Because of that development, more than one fourth of the people who earn an Associate’s degree (31%) or advanced certificate (27%) will earn more than the average Bachelor’s degree recipient.

Furthermore, today’s career pathways will be in occupations and not within industries. The Georgetown researchers found that “the day when people left high school to go to work in the local industry and then worked their way up is disappearing. Starting out, straight from high school, on the loading dock or in the mail room and climbing to the CEO’s corner office is no longer an option.”

Tomorrow’s careers and career mobility will be based instead on occupations. Therefore the emphasis will be on postsecondary preparation that features skill development.

Once developed, workers will then take those skills to a variety of industries, whether it is in education, healthcare, or retail. While some occupations will remain tied to particular industries, the consensus is that more and more occupations will be dispersed broadly across industries.

In Summation

Postsecondary education and/or training, already the fundamental pathway to the middle and upper income classes, will become even more essential for climbing the financial ladder in the very near future. But at the same time, it must be said that a bachelor’s or advanced degree is not the requirement for such entry for certain occupations.

In addition, given the cost of higher education, it is imperative that students today have some sense of the occupational cluster they are interested in pursuing prior to selecting their college. Of course, those who are super wealthy likely need not worry about the cost of college – they theoretically can still spend four years in college without some sense of what career option they want to pursue.

But those of fixed means, especially those needing to borrow money to help defray costs, must understand that simply earning a bachelor’s degree is not the answer. A certificate program in information services or the health care industry will more than likely trump the opportunities provided by a generic bachelor’s degree in a field such as psychology or history.

For those in need of watching costs carefully (most of us), the latest findings indicate the importance of choosing a school and a program based on future employability. And to be able to make an educated decision, students need to have a sense of the type of occupation they want to pursue.

To have a sense of what career path you want to pursue, students must take the time in high school to participate in internships and career exploration programs. First hand experience is the best way to have a feel for the occupation or career cluster you want to pursue.

Everything from the Georgetown report indicates that post-secondary education is the path to future prosperity. In other words, entry into the middle and upper classes will increasingly be available only to those who have earned more than a high school diploma.

But at the same time, post-secondary education does not necessarily mean a traditional bachelor’s degree program at an elite, private liberal arts college.

The past couple of years represent two of the toughest years to enter the job market in recent history. Sadly, the task of landing a job has been made all the more difficult by an ill-prepared group of graduates.

Researchers at York College in Pennsylvania recently released a study indicating that many college grads are unprepared for the demands of the workplace. It seems that while acquiring that diploma, too few individuals have learned the meaning of professionalism.

The Pennsylvania researchers asked hundreds of business leaders and human resource managers across the country about the set of qualities they would like to see in new college graduates. Those surveyed consistently mentioned three basic traits as being important:

• the ability to communicate and listen respectfully
• the motivation to finish a task
• attention to appearance

Of the three, only the second carries with it some academic connotations. Yet, those business experts responding questioned the professionalism of recent college graduates, indicating that all three of these basic skills tended to be lacking.

Perhaps worse yet, the one area where recent graduates tended to stand out was their collective sense of entitlement. Whether it be paid time off or the rate at which they might be promoted, recent grads did not seem to grasp that the tough job market demanded more humility.

The Ability to Transition

Certainly, one of the key elements for new grads to take the next steps in their lives centers upon their ability to transition from the academic world to the world of work. While you may be a multiple dean’s lister and possess a kick-ass degree, neither ensures a smooth transition to the demands of the work world.

In fact, while those attributes can help you earn that all important first interview, a lack of basic professional skills becomes immediately evident to skilled human resource officers during the interview process. Graduates without solid communication skills are quickly exposed during the formal questioning period. Sometimes it is the failure to listen to the actual question. At other times it is the failure to clearly articulate an answer.

As for the sense of entitlement, that too comes through during the interview process. Too many applicants ask questions about salary and time off. Others in turn offer a message “that it is all about them” by failing to do basic homework of familiarizing themselves with the company they applied to work for.

Maturation Process

There is no doubt college helps every student, at least to some extent, with the maturation process. For many college is the first chance for students to be on their own without mom or dad riding them hard about what they should be doing.

But too few college students focus simply on the academic side. Yes they attend classes and study for tests and yes they demonstrate academic drive as they work towards earning that coveted diploma.

However, college campuses are filled with opportunities to work on all pertinent skills. From participating in a variety of clubs to working on campus, college offers many learning opportunities above and beyond those simply related to the classroom.

It is while participating in clubs or working at menial tasks that we learn how to communicate with groups of people beyond our circle of friends. In such settings we also learn the importance of completing tasks, no matter how mundane.

And in such settings, we learn that the world moves forward based on the hard work of many. In other words, it is imperative that college students step outside their world into the larger world around them. It is in such settings that students round out their skills and even begin to put some of the important things they have learned into practice.

Continued Tough Employment

There are few indications that the tough job market will end any time soon. Given such, underclassmen have fair warning as to what they can expect next May.

Those interested in transitioning from college to the world of work have been given a wake up call. To be one of the lucky ones, start today working on your communication skills. Begin to dress and groom for success.

And while it is imperative to keep after your studies, it is also a given that you must seek opportunities to contribute to a club, volunteer for meaningful service or work on, or off campus. Such steps will go a long way towards helping you develop the relevant professional skills employers seek.

Last week we took a look at the various resume types and gave a few pointers as to the theory behind each format. This week we take a second step and look at the creation of a resume that will be submitted online via a job board or company web site.

It is extremely important for job applicants to realize that the same technology that allows you to create several different resumes and forward them at the click of a mouse is also being employed on the other end by large businesses. Today, resumes and applications submitted online generally go automatically into a database for storage and analysis.

What may be a surprise to readers is that those files are often scanned first by sophisticated software before ever being seen by a person at the human resource office. In fact, a resume submitted online will most likely need to pass specific muster or it will never touch human hands.

Applicant Tracking Software

With companies receiving hundreds of resumes (in some instances, thousands) for every job opening, recruiters today utilize technology to help them manage the volume of materials submitted. Applicant tracking software systems (ATS) are used to help recruiters in all facets of the process, from storing the applicant files to recording all communications that take place between the recruiter and an applicant.

Recruiters can handle the first step in the screening process by programming the software to review the submitted resumes according to key criteria. To do so, the recruiter will take some key words or words from the job advertisement or from the job description and let the software package scan the resumes for this specific language.

The ATS software will select from the database only those resumes containing the key words or phrases. Once the applicant pool is reduced, the recruiter may take the new list and run a second scan, a third, or any number for that matter, using another set of words or phrases each time.

Essentially, the recruiter, without ever laying eyes on the resumes directly, utilizes technology to weed them down to a manageable number that he or she can then review individually.

The Need for Targeted, Properly Formatted Resumes

First, when submitting online, you should avoid using the functional resume format and instead create a specific targeted resume that is adjusted for each opening. Most importantly, the resume must be loaded with the aforementioned key words and phrases.

To be sure you have included those words, review the job advertisement language carefully for the skills and expectations noted. Better yet, get a copy of the job description for the position and review it as well. To be sure you hit all corners, use both the title and the abbreviation at some points just in case – for a human resources opening you want to use the phrase human resources as well as the accepted abbreviation, HR.

Second, you should use global and generic job titles and descriptors and avoid using unique phrases or titles that a prior employer might have used. The suggestion is to use a simple phrase such as sales professional to describe any position held that involves sales (as opposed to inside sales, outsides sales, manufacturer’s representative, direct consumer sales, etc.).

Lastly, it seems that most ATS software packages cannot scan power point or PDF formats. Others also struggle with the use of fancy formatting.

Applicants should use traditional text formats such as Microsoft Word and minimize the use of text highlighting such as the use of italics, underlining or bolding. Though those elements might make the hard copy more visually enticing, they can only confuse the automated system.

Online Submissions

So remember, when submitting a resume online to a large job board or company you may well be screened multiple times by a computer software package. While such a concept clearly does not allow a company to personalize the process and may well weed out some great people in the initial phases, when a recruiter is receiving hundreds if not thousands of resumes for each opening, personalizing the process is out of the question to begin with.

While the buzz is on about green energy and information technology, these five career staples continue to stand the test of time.

If the current economic downturn has taught us anything, it is that not all career paths are created equal. Male’s are getting hit hardest, primarily due to their employment in the business and manufacturing areas, while women, more often employed in critical service sector jobs, are doing much better holding onto their jobs.

That said, the poor job market is exceedingly stressful for all workers. Even those who are fortunate enough to have a job may still be looking over their shoulder as their company downsizes to ensure profitability. And of course, if you are one of those who received a pink slip, you know all too well that stress it is having on you and your family.

Most of us want to believe that college will be the solution, that earning a degree will ensure a long, healthy career. But that is simply not the case. The fact is that a college education in and of itself does not make you immune when economic times are as tough as they are at this juncture.

Choosing a High-Security Major/Career Path

However, if you want to reduce the overall stress, there is clear indication as to the best career opportunities. A number of professionals have released books and published studies on recession-proof career options.

Below are five of the very best options. Because some only demand a two-year degree, current freshman and sophomores might want to consider working in one of these options as a minor ensuring they have a great career back up if the tough job market continues.

Nursing

Careers in health care generally resides somewhere on every list, often at the very top. Americans are getting older and living longer – therefore the need for trained caregivers continues to increase with each passing day.

One of the top options on the list is nursing (R.N. training). Far too many individuals tend to dismiss nursing from their consideration despite three factors that should prevent you from doing so.

First and foremost, current data indicates a quarter of a million new job openings will be available each and every year for the foreseeable future. Second, the median salary for registered nurses now tops $60,000 a year though earnings depend on where you work and your credentials. And third, as the sophistication of care grows, the menial nature of nursing has diminished greatly.

Perhaps the most important element is that workers can get started in the profession with just an associate’s degree, though to earn the highest salaries one will need to earn their bachelor’s degree and appropriate certifications. But at the same time, many health locations offer courses and training on site, with some even helping with the cost of courses.

Other Health Care Options

It goes without saying that there will also be ongoing openings for doctors, physician’s assistants, and physical and occupational therapists. Such positions demand extensive schooling (often five years or more) and an ability to handle extremely difficult coursework. If you can handle such demands, you will find head hunters searching you out.

But as health care demands grow, the profession offers a number of job options for secretaries and medical records and health information technicians as well. Here again, employment may be obtained with just an associate’s degree yet median salaries now top $29,000 a year.

Yet another option to consider is dental assistant/hygienist. With median salaries topping $30,000 and the need again only for minimal schooling, such options deserve careful consideration.

Secondary Education

Another definite consideration is the teaching profession, particularly teaching at the secondary level in the fields of math and science. While schools have not been immune to the economy, teachers of math and science remain in extremely high demand.

In addition, another high-demand teaching option involves languages. The ever-growing immigrant population in the United States has placed a premium on English-as-a-second-language teachers. At the same time, schools often face great difficulty finding teachers certified to teach a foreign language at the high school level.

Lastly, demand remains high for counselors. The break up of the family has created a need for social workers while vocational and guidance positions continue to be a critical staple for helping high school students move on to the next stage of their lives.

And a one stop-gap option for graduates is to consider a position as a teacher assistant. Though pay is not the best and your qualifications may exceed those needed, such careers generally offer above average benefits (healthcare, sick and vacation time) and a schedule that can be very conducive to a new family.

Early Childhood Education

In contrast to the secondary level, teacher openings at the elementary school level are tough to come by. Though many teachers retire each year, it is not uncommon for even small school districts to have 40-50 teacher applicants for every opening.

But an area of significant growth is the pre-school/child care arena. Whereas once upon a time parents were content to see their children placed in simple day care facilities, today’s more sophisticated workers know full well the importance of the early years in the overall educational process.

Therefore, it is now common for these facilities to hire credentialed workers who have training in early childhood care and educational techniques. Because these positions tend to pay a bit less than an elementary school teaching position, competition among those who have gained credentials is not as keen.

Law Enforcement

While most of our public attention is focused on terrorism, there remains the task of ensuring security in our neighborhoods, towns and states. And not only does crime generally not go down in a recession, it often times increases.

Certainly, there will always be a need for competent police officers and administrators within local departments and state offices. And while law enforcement is generally equated with people having to place themselves in harms way, there are a number of other important options that are less risky.

Probation officers, the individuals that oversee paroles, remain in high demand. A bachelor’s degree is required but employment carries with it a median salary of nearly $45,000 a year.

Two other options in high demand are court reporters and paralegals. In the case of reporters, only post-secondary vocational training is required and yet annual median salaries top those of probation officers. Meanwhile, paralegals need only an associate’s degree to get started and they too post a median salary of roughly $45,000 a year.

Money Isn’t Everything

When it comes to a career option, job security is now trumping pay for many people. But even before the recession, job satisfaction surveys indicated that only half of all employees were satisfied with their current employment.

In one such survey taken before the recession was underway (http://jobs.lovetoknow.com/Job_Satisfaction_Research), 55 percent of employees earning $50,000 or more reported being satisfied with their jobs but only 14 percent claimed they were very satisfied.

Meanwhile, for those employees earning $15,000 or less, 45 percent report being satisfied but an even higher percentage, 17 percent said they were very satisfied.

Clearly time off with family and job security remain key components of job satisfaction for the average worker. Given that scenario, current and soon-to-be college students would do well to think about these five work staples as they select their choice of school and major.

William D. Coplin, Syracuse professor and author of more than 110 books and articles, discusses how students can use their college academic and non-academic experiences to prepare for a rewarding career.

Today, we offer readers some valuable insight from professor William D. Coplin, the director of the undergraduate public affairs program at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. A Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence recipient, Professor Coplin is also the founder of the Do Good Society and the Chairman of Board for the John Dau Sudan Foundation.

The author of many books and newspaper articles, Mr. Coplin is also a regular contributor to the USA Today. But our interest in the man who has directed the Public Affairs Program of the Maxwell School at Syracuse University since 1976 centered upon two specific books he had written:

* 25 Ways to Make College Pay Off: Advice for Anxious Parents from a Professor Who’s Seen It All
* 10 Things Employers Want You to Learn in College

Professor Coplin is a strong proponent of reforming “both high school and college education to better meet the needs for the majority of students who see education as a path to better employment opportunities.” The 2000-2001 College of Arts and Sciences Award for Outstanding Faculty Advisor also is a strong proponent of internships as well as the other non-academic lessons that college can offer students.

Can you give us a brief overview of your philosophy regarding college studies?

My philosophy about college can be summarized in three statements I always make:

• A college and a dollar will get you four quarters.
• It’s the skills stupid.
• A college education is four years of experience and not 120 credits.

So, are you a proponent of a general liberal arts education? Or do you think colleges should offer a more career-focused job preparation approach?

Students should get what they pay for and most want to improve their chances of finding and succeeding in a rewarding career. A general liberal arts education should provide the basic skills and experiences students need to find themselves on a good career path. However, most of the formal academic requirements are aimed at creating professional scholars. In that way, liberal arts colleges are actually more vocational and narrower than most professional schools.

The argument that liberal arts creates well-rounded, educated citizens is a cop-out for two reasons. First, 85% of the students are not looking for that in college. Second, the highly fragmented and theoretical nature of liberal arts courses today do not provide a broad based educational but just intellectual chaos. So I think the concept of a general education would be a good one if it were focused more on skills than on learning some body of stuff which no one agrees on.

My understanding is that you are a strong proponent of internships. Can you talk a little bit about why you value this concept so highly?

The real world is the best teacher. Any kind of fieldwork is the key to developing the skills and exploring careers that will lead students to the next step after college graduation. Internships will help students decide what careers they want to pursue and will hold them to a higher and more difficult standard than college coursework.

Moreover, many internships lead directly to a great job with the organization providing the internship. Even if it does not lead directly to a job, it provides a network for a job search. By September 2009, two of my seniors had a $45K+ job starting in June 2010 with a major financial institution where they had done internships the previous summer, and we all know what kind of job market there was at that time.

Your book, 25 Ways to Make College Pay Off, focuses on “Advice for Anxious Parents from a Professor Who’s Seen It All.” My understanding is that the book seeks to provide advice on how to maximize the college experience for both future financial and emotional success. Can you give us a brief overview of some of the steps students should be taking while in school to ensure future financial success?

The book tells parents what they should do to help their students get the skills employers want and explore careers while completing degree requirements. The most important thing for parents is to treat their children as they would treat an investment in a business.

Among other things, it means not doing their college application for them or writing their papers which parents do all the time and making their children pay at least 20% of their education. Work ethic, personal responsibility and a focus on skills and career exploration will help to ensure success. Parents can contribute to their success by keeping their distance or contribute to their failure by not practicing tough love.

What are some of the critical elements students should focus on to ensure future emotional success?

I have two simple little charts I tell students to fill out to decide what kind of career they might want to pursue. The first gets at the three areas of work activities. Most jobs are some combination of the three.

CHART 1: Skill/Preference Matrix

Please rate each skill as High, Medium or Low, according to two separate elements, whether you are “Good At” the skill and whether or not you “Like to Do” that skill. The three skills are:

Information
People
Physical

The second chart helps students think about quality of life consideration. Students should put an x where they would like to be on each dimension and then use it as a guide and look for consistency.

CHART 2: The Career Field

Place an “x’ on the line which indicates where you want to be when you are 30.

Average Salary_______________________________ Top 5%

Graduate Education __________________________ 4 year Degree Only

What research process did you use (and which companies did you contact) to determine the list that makes up the 10 Things Employers Want You to Learn in College?

Most of it is based on my experience with students when I give them assignments in many of my hands-on courses. In addition, there are many lists around. The one most instructive was developed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) which is referred to in the book.

I also work with career services on campus and talk with many employers, some of whom are my alumni. I developed a major at Syracuse built around the skills, and my students are very successful in obtaining employment initially and go on to have successful careers. The Public Affairs Program website has testimonials from them that support the view that general skills are the key.

Reviewers have said of the book, it “teaches you to solve complex problems, influence people, and detect BS—real-world know-how your textbooks don’t teach you.” Can you briefly talk about the real-world know-how that forms the basis of the book that is often not part of the college curriculum?

The vast majority of degree programs in almost all fields in college are top heavy with theory and textbook learning. Theories are just the opinions of scholars that may or may not have application. Having students do community service or a research program for a community agency or participating in a summer internship gives them practice in the skills that are essential like solving complex problems, influencing people and detecting BS. They can develop their own theories, informed but not determined by what they learned in the classroom.

The range of activities students can undertake in college to get these experiences is unlimited. Some like coop programs generate academic credit but most do not. Students can learn a great deal by being a Resident Advisor, President of a Sorority, telemarketer for the alumni fund of the college, research or teaching assistant or managing a snack bar. In these positions, they will learn all about problem-solving and working with people as well as detecting BS.

Can you give us a bit of an explanation as to what you mean by “detecting BS”?

College is a great place to develop the ability to detect BS because there is plenty of it around ranging from what you friends tell you to what glossy college and program brochures tell you.

To detect BS, students need to assess what people say for accuracy. They can do this by checking factual statements through research.

Did the person present the facts selectively, omitting all basic information? Students should always ask what the purpose of the writer or person making a statement is. Is it to convince or to sell you on something they want you to do or believe? Or is it offered as information through which listeners can reach their own conclusions?

Finally, does what an individual say or write correspond with what they actually do? This is especially important in looking for a job because employers might not be completely honest. It is also important on a job where supervisors and co-workers may be trying to get you to do something they want you to do but you may think is not a good idea. You may not challenge them but you should know it is BS and act strategically.

Some of the listed items are extremely clear from the titles of each section of the book: the concept of work ethic, speaking and writing well, and the ability to think critically and problem solve. But please talk about three others you note as important: teamwork, influencing people and number-crunching. How do students go about gaining these critical skills?

Teamwork – More and more classes have teamwork components. Students tend to avoid these because “they hate working in teams; they would rather do it themselves.” However, they should bite the bullet and take those classes. In addition, they will learn teamwork in most jobs whether it is serving food or fund-raising for a charity.

Influencing People – What I said about teamwork goes for this also. Most students and college graduates will tell you getting along with roommates was a very big challenge. That experience will have much more impact than taking Introductory Psychology on their people skills. I also am a big advocate of Dale Carnegie. I make students practice the principles in his book, How to Win Friends and Influence People and give speeches demonstrating how a principle worked for them. You would be surprised how many students learn to avoid arguments with their roommates and convince the police not to give them a ticket by applying the principles.

Number-crunching – All students should learn Excel and make tables and graphs using Excel. Almost every internship and job requires it. Taking a course may work but in my experience unless there are practical applications the students will not be very good at it. Continuous practice of Excel and using percentages and statistics are crucial. I usually have students do a cash-flow projection using Excel based on what will happen when they graduate from college. Taking a statistics course offered by Mathematicians will usually be useful; taking a course in which students have to collect and present data to outside clients will always be useful in developing number-crunching skills.

Today’s job market is the toughest in recent memory and will continue to be as such for the next couple of years at least. What additional advice would you give current juniors and seniors that you think would most help position them to be one of the lucky ones to secure employment at graduation?

My students get jobs because they have the experience and the skills employers are looking for. As for additional advice:

• Minimize debt because the larger the debt, the less choice you have in finding a job.
• Graduate as early as you can because the faster you get into the real world, the faster you will be on a career track.
• Don’t go to graduate school unless you have job experience first.
• If you run into a dead end, take a job offered by a staffing or temp agency – it will lead to a full time job if you have the skills.
• Understand that all starting jobs are not a lot of fun.
• Finally, don’t turn your nose up at sales jobs -everyone eventually becomes a salesperson and it is a way to get ahead quickly if you pick the right company.