Improve Your Job Skill Set without Leaving the House

Posted on December 19, 2018December 19, 2018 by Edna Crane

In today’s world of online learning, you have no excuse for not improving your job skill set. You can gain the skills to improve your career without ever leaving the house. In many cases, you can learn from your smartphone, so you don’t even need a computer. Here are a few ideas:

Learn a Language

Learning a new language is easily done from home, even if you’re on the lazy side! There are some great tools for helping with language learning from home which include apps and online courses. The great thing about learning a language online is that you can also talk to people who speak the language to help you develop a better understanding. Even if you just do short sessions while watching Netflix or while you’re waiting for dinner in the oven – it can all make a difference to your language skills.

Improve Your Typing Speed

They say that practice makes perfect, and while you might already have an excellent set of skills, it doesn’t hurt to brush up on them once in a while. Typing is a fantastic example – do you know what your typing speed is? Download the KeyKey Typing Tutor for Mac and get practicing! When it comes to your skillset, there’s always room for improvement, so be sure to spend some time making yours as sharp as possible.

Become a Social Media Whiz

The majority of businesses now use social media as a marketing tool, and knowing how to navigate your way around them can be a bonus when it comes to applying for new jobs – especially within smaller companies. Having social media skills can help you with many types of job roles, as well as help you develop your own networks. Use your own channels to experiment with creating content and you’ll soon feel more confident about getting creative with social media.

Take an Online Course

If you want to really boost your career and skills, then an online training course could be the way forward. Some formal training looks great on your resume and could help equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to move up the career ladder. Most online courses can be completed in your own time, so it’s a good thing to have to dip into now and then to help you accommodate your other commitments.

Related Posts

Growing your skills at home is a good way to take your career progression seriously and ensure that you equip yourself with the best job skills to help your future prospects. Why not set a challenge to yourself to learn something new and set yourself goals to help you stay on track? Learning keeps your skills on point, but it can also be a lot of fun and something different to what you usually do with your free time.

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Infographic: MBA Salaries

Posted on July 27, 2018July 27, 2018 by Edna Crane

If salary is a major motivator in your career choice, you should do solid research before you commit to a degree program. On average, people with master’s degrees do earn more than people with bachelor’s degrees. One of the most popular master’s degrees is an MBA.

Here are common job positions and their salaries for MBA’s:

Human Resources Director

Average salary with master’s degree: $92,000

Basic role description: Overall responsible for the running of the HR department and its profitability.

Director Of Operations

Average salary with master’s degree: $87,000

Basic role description: Overseeing the operations of most areas of the business, from finance to HR.

Marketing Managers

Average salary with master’s degree: $131,180

Basic role description: Management of all marketing activities, including developing marketing strategy and running campaigns.

Information Security Analyst

Average salary with master’s degree: $92,600

Basic role description: Planning IT security measures and putting them into place for systems, networks and data.

Not-For-Profit Management

Average salary with master’s degree: $64,680

Basic role description: A huge focus on fundraising efforts, along with creating strategic plans and managing personnel.

Healthcare Administrator

Average salary with master’s degree: $96,540

Basic role description: Largely responsible for budgeting, overseeing the running of the establishment, and managing staff.

Take a look at the infographic below for more information.

Infographic Design By SBU Online’s MBA Program

Infographic: The Benefits of Earning a BSN

Posted on July 27, 2018July 27, 2018 by Edna Crane

If you want to become a nurse, it’s not essential to complete a bachelor’s degree. You can study for a diploma or an associate degree, and it will allow you to begin your career in nursing. However, graduating with a bachelor’s degree can offer you a number of benefits.

You’ll Learn a Lot More

Obviously, you’re going to learn more over the (typically) four years of a bachelor’s degree than you will if you study an associate degree or diploma. You’ll get to go more in-depth, going beyond clinical skills. And you have the option of postgraduate education later.

You Will Be a Better Nurse

The evidence shows that nurses with bachelor’s degrees perform better than those without. People with higher education in nursing produce better clinical outcomes and deliver better patient care, according to the American Association of the Colleges of Nursing.

You’ll Make More Money

Another advantage of studying for a bachelor’s degree in nursing is that you will be able to earn more money. In fact, BSN holders could earn almost double what someone with a diploma in nursing. In 2014, people with diplomas earned around $39,000, while degree holders earned over $69,000.

It Will Improve Your Career Prospects

You will have better career prospects if you study for a degree. Having a degree means you’re eligible to apply for more positions. It also gives you more options for specializing and lots of opportunities to keep learning. After earning a bachelor’s, you might want to go on to get a master’s degree or even a doctorate.

Source: Why Nursing is a Great Career

Do Employers Care Where I Get my College Degree?

Posted on March 5, 2018March 13, 2018 by Katie Evans

Dear HR,

I am a 30-year old mother of three who is looking to return to work in a couple of years when my kids are all old enough to go to school. In the mean time, I thought I might take some online college classes and get a degree.

Some of the other moms I’ve talked to are taking classes at an online-only college from out west. I did some Googling, and the college doesn’t have great reviews. But, when I talk to the other moms, they say the classes are very easy, and they will be able to finish their degrees in just a few months.

Do employers care where I get my degree? Will I be able to find a job with a degree from a school with a questionable reputation?

Thank you,

Skeptical, but Hopeful

Do employers care where I get my degree?

Dear Skeptical, but Hopeful,

Congratulations on taking the first steps towards crafting your dream career! While your kids are small is a great time to get a degree. Having a degree will definitely help you when you return to the workforce—especially if you find online internships where you can gain experience while you pursue your degree.

Your question is a good one, and one we see a lot. There are a great many for-profit universities out there who target mothers and working individuals for their degree programs. Their sales pitch is fantastic. They tell you that you can earn your degree in just a few months by committing just a few hours a week to homework. Do you have college credits already? Great! They transfer them right over, with few questions asked. It’s almost too good to be true! That’s because it IS too good to be true.

Accreditation Means a lot to Colleges and Employers

For-profit universities offering this spiel usually have what’s called national accreditation. That sounds awesome, right? It’s not. National accreditation boards are not as rigorous as regional accreditation boards, and thus credits earned at a nationally accredited university will not transfer to a regionally accredited university or even to another nationally accredited university. So, if you start a program with one of these universities, you are stuck with that university to finish your degree no matter what. Just FYI, all state universities are regionally accredited, as are community colleges and most good non-profit private colleges.

Once you’ve earned that degree from that for-profit, nationally accredited university, you will find that your job prospects are limited. Many employers will not recognize the degree, and yes, reputation matters. Employers do look at how other students from that college are doing in the workforce, and if they aren’t doing so well with that “easy A” degree, they will assume that you won’t either. So then you have another problem: You need a better degree.

Now, remember how we talked about accreditation and how national=bad, and regional=good? If you take your degree from that for-profit, nationally accredited university and apply for a higher degree (say, an MBA or Master of Arts) at a local, regionally accredited university, you will not be admitted. That’s right—you have to have enough regionally accredited college credits to meet the minimum admission requirements.

Do the Math on the Online, For-Profit University

Does that easy online degree sound bad enough yet? How about this: The for-profit colleges are 2-3x’s more expensive than traditional colleges and universities, and their students graduate with more debt. Even more, students who graduate from for-profit universities are more likely to default on their student loans than those who graduate from regionally accredited non-profit universities.

How to Earn a Legit Degree while your Kids are Small

Don’t let this discourage you, though. You can still earn an online degree while your kids are toddlers. Local community colleges and your state universities offer online degree programs from AA, BA, and BS programs. Many universities offer graduate programs, too. So, use Google Maps to find your local colleges and start looking at their websites. Call advisors at a couple of those colleges and talk to them about what it will take to register for their programs. Likely, all you need are your high school transcripts. You may need to take a placement test, but there are study guides, so don’t panic.

In the long run, you will spend less money and earn a degree that employers respect. You will probably meet many other people with whom you can network and find a job when you’re ready. It’s a win-win all the way around. Seriously, call your local colleges and universities right now, before a well-meaning friend refers you to their university and some slimy for-profit degree salesman (I mean, “advisor”) starts calling you.

Best wishes,

Intern to Jumpstart Your Career

Posted on February 28, 2018May 27, 2018 by Jarell Fox

Becoming an intern, even when you aren’t paid, is a great way to break into the career of your choice. Believe us when we tell you that your education is not enough. Employers want to hire candidates with work experience. The best way to gain experience is to intern.

Find an Internship; It Won’t Find You

Internships are not hard to find, but no one is going to walk up to you on the street and say, “hey, do you want to be an intern?” You have to take the initiative to find the right internship for your career goals.

Start by doing a quick internet search for with the word “intern” and your location. Companies often list internships on websites like Internships.com, but don’t limit yourself to just the internet. Pick up the phone and call companies and ask if they have internship opportunities available. If they say “no,” ask if you can shadow someone in your career field at no cost to the company. Tell them you’re eager to learn, and you want to learn with them because they are the best.

Join people on social media who work in your chosen career field and ask them about internships. LinkedIn is a great place to start, and most every career field has a group you can join.

Don’t forget to tap your college network, too. If you are a current college student, talk to your instructors. Many have contacts in your career industry. Some will be able to offer you research assistantships, too. If your college has a career center, they often keep a list of local internships. Alumni are always welcome at the college career center, too! Local community colleges offer career services to their local community, so even if you have never attended college, don’t be afraid to call and ask for advice.

Try It Before You Hate It

Internships are an excellent way for you to gain first-hand experience. The experience will help you decide if the career you have chosen is a good fit for your personality and learning style. Remember: Most people change careers five times. If you can figure out that a career isn’t right for you while interning, you can save yourself a lot of time.

Network Like You Mean It

One of the essential elements of an internship is networking. During your time as an intern, you meet a variety of coworkers, supervisors, support staff, and managers. Make a good impression on everyone, and keep in contact with everyone you can. You never know who will be able to help you find a job later.

Networking goes beyond the company where you intern. If you are attending a training or conference with other companies, you can gain valuable additions to your network. Your network can help you if you find yourself needing a new job. The people in your network can also serve as references when you apply for jobs later.

Remember that networking is reciprocal. It’s not just about what your network can do for you, but what you can do for your network. If you see a job that is the perfect fit for someone in your network, you should recommend it to them. Look for ways to help the people in your network!

Work Your Resume

Internships help build your resume to make you the ideal candidate for a position. Many job postings have the tag “experience in…” Your internship fills this experience. Also, the company may not need to spend extra money or time training you if you learned job-related skills as an intern.

Make sure you are constantly updating your resume. It should be modern, and should reflect the standards in your industry. Research!

Make Your Career Intentions Clear

Often, internships lead to permanent employment. When the company is looking to fill a position, they will look at interns first, as hiring outside would require more time and money. However, don’t assume the company with whom you are interning will automatically see you as a potential employee. You have to let everyone know how much you would love to work there, and how well the company fits in your career path. Make sure your manager and the HR department know your intentions. They are not mind readers!

Create the Career of Your Dreams