When it comes to interviews, there’s a generally held belief that emulating your future boss is a good idea. For example, stay standing until they sit. If your interview is in a cafe or restaurant setting, order something comparable to what your interviewer orders. But there’s one big exception to this rule: alcohol. Even if your potential employer orders an alcoholic beverage first.

New research conducted by Scott Rick from University of Michigan and Maurice E. Schweitzer University of Pennsylvania shows that people perceive you as less intelligent when you drink, even if they are drinking also. Their finding are published in a paper titled “The Imbibing Idiot Bias: Merely Holding an Alcoholic Beverage Can be Hazardous to Your (Perceived) Intelligence.” They simulated interviews and then asked observers to comment on them. Even with the dialogue unchanged, observers found anyone holding an alcoholic beverage less intelligent. If the conversation was a job interview, they found drinkers to seem less hirable. They found that the bias applied to drinkers of both beer and wine, and was unchanged by the gender of the drinker.

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One of the more complicated, yet important college majors that students can pursue is architecture. Architecture is the art and science of designing and erecting buildings and other physical structures. There are a lot of skills involved in becoming an architect and it’s the type of profession that’s good for those that enjoy drawing and numbers, as well as working hands on with a team on a public project. Without architects, some of the world’s most beautiful buildings wouldn’t be possible, and there is a sense of pride in seeing something you have designed and built yourself, for others to use and enjoy.

If you are interested in perusing a degree in architecture, you’ll want to go to a school well-known for its architecture program. Not only will you get an amazing education, but the school you attend can open a lot of doors when it’s time to get a job. Read the rest of this entry »

Cleveland

As a newly minted graduate, I frequently get asked why I chose to move all the way from Michigan to New York. The simple answer is there are more writing jobs to be found in New York. For many recent college grads there’s one issue that determines where they live or move: jobs.

I was actually surprisingly pleased to see that the Motor City didn’t come up as first on this list of worst places to live in U.S. from Wallet Pop. The major factors considered include the number of foreclosures, health and fitness of the population, crime rate and unemployment.

Here’s how the nation’s cities ranked:

10. Memphis, Tennessee

Not only does Memphis have a crime rate that’s 90% higher than any other community in Tennessee, it also suffers from corruption among city officials. Not long ago, a city administrator used government funds to purchase big screen TVs.

9. Miami, Florida

Florida may be the sunshine state, but things are not looking so bright in Miami. According to Children’s Health, it’s the second worst city to raise a family. It’s had nearly 40,000 foreclosures and also has a considerable problem with violent crime.

8. Newark, New Jersey

First of all, New Jersey has the most Superfund sites of any other state in the union, meaning its residents are exposed to high levels of environmental pollution. More than a quarter of the population lives below the poverty line, and the city is making drastic cuts to public services in an attempt to close a $70 million budget deficit.

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In today’s job climate, it can take applying to over 50 or more jobs before you land one interview. With such a drastic shortage of jobs, it’s very important to make the most of each and every interview opportunity you might receive.

There are so many people out of work that an interview is really your only chance to stand out, make a great first impression, and highlight your skills. Below are some tips to do just that, and hopefully land your dream job.

Know your resume: Make sure your resume is tailored to match the job description you’re applying for and you know it inside and out. The interviewer will likely ask you questions based directly on what your resume says, so it would be in your best interest to be ready to discuss anything on it.

Be honest: Answer every question honestly. If you’re unsure of an answer or don’t have direct experience in an area the interviewer is asking about, say so. If you are unsure about a question, make a point to mention that you are willing to learn or be trained in that particular area. It will go over much better than lying and being found out later in the interview. Read the rest of this entry »

The field of psychology is one that will forever be needed, and thus, there will always be jobs available. Psychology is the scientific study of human mental functions and behaviors. From therapists to counselors, a psychology degree can get you involved in the field of helping people by helping them to understand themselves.

Those that want to go into this field can choose to earn a psychology undergraduate degree or choose to continue their education all the way up to the doctoral level. The higher your education in this field, the more responsibility you’ll have with your employment. Those with a psychology bachelor’s degree can find careers in case management, as a career counselor, rehabilitation specialist or psychiatric technician. However, psychology is usually one of those fields where most students choose to get an undergraduate degree as a stepping stone to higher level degrees. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the more fun and flashy careers around is marketing. Marketing has a pretty broad scope, but generally involves the process of companies creating customer interest in the products or services they sell. Everything from commercials to direct mail to product placement in movies is a product of the marketing industry. Marketing as a career has been very popular because it involves different elements of creativity which opens up a lot of career opportunities.

Whether you decide to go into corporate marketing or work for an ad agency, it’s important to get good experience from your college courses and internships. Receiving an internship will offer you real life experience that looks great on a resume, which can be done while still in college earning your undergraduate degree. Read the rest of this entry »

The art of communicating isn’t often one that you would think someone would specialize in for a career. However, communication has become quite a popular college major. Communicating is a process where information is enclosed in a package and then given by a sender to a receiver via some medium. Pretty broad, huh?

A bachelor’s degree in communication can result in several different types of jobs because of its flexible nature. As a degree, communication combines convincing arguments with the appropriate channels to deliver your message most effectively. Some of the great careers that can be had by those with a communications degree include public relations specialist, corporate communications, publicist, communications director, among many others. Read the rest of this entry »

Teaching is one of the most important, yet underrated, professions on the planet. Without teachers, you can’t have students, many of whom become inspired to touch the lives of other students like their teachers did for them. For those interested in becoming a teacher, it is important to have a good background degree.

The demand for teachers is high, because unlike other current job markets effected by the economy, there are always students that need to be taught. Not only are teachers needed for public schools at the elementary, middle and high school level, but at the college level, as well. Read the rest of this entry »

Due to a challenging economy, many students are looking for anything that will help them stand out as an applicant for a job. Earning a master’s degree in business administration, or an MBA, is one way to gain an edge in the job market. As with any degree, earning an MBA from a school known for its MBA programs can give you even more of an edge.

Many schools well-known for producing quality MBA students serve as a pool for high profile employers to choose future employees. You can earn an MBA through all kinds of colleges, and even online, so because the MBA is so widely available and so popular, the only real way to differentiate yours is to earn it from one of the best schools. Not every school can specialize in every degree, so it’s important to do some research to find out what schools are the best for your particular degree. Read the rest of this entry »

College degrees are important and picking a major that you enjoy studying will help ensure you enjoy the career that hopefully results from that degree. For those who enjoy math, a bachelor’s degree in mathematics is a great, yet often overlooked, major. Math degrees can set the stage for a number of careers including an actuary, an applied mathematician, a pure mathematician, a statistician or a school math teacher. Those who have a way with numbers, work well independently and love problem solving could find a very fulfilling career in any one of these positions.

Despite the pictures you probably have in your head right now, a math degree doesn’t automatically limit you to solving math equations with paper and a pencil. Math degrees are useful in computer and information systems, health, the business industry or even operations research. The use of data and numbers makes it possible to apply your mathematics degree to many different career options. Like any degree, students that graduate from the best schools will find that they have an edge in their specific job market. Read the rest of this entry »