Author(s): |
Fischer, Karin |
Source: |
Chronicle of Higher Education, Mar 2013 |
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Pub Date: |
2013-03-04 |
Pub Type(s): |
Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive |
Peer Reviewed: |
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Descriptors:
Job Applicants; College Graduates; Communication Skills; Employees; Career Centers; Education Work Relationship; Surveys; Adjustment (to Environment); Problem Solving; Personnel Selection; Employment Qualifications
Abstract:
Employers value a four-year college degree, many of them more than ever. Yet half of those surveyed recently by "The Chronicle" and American Public Media's "Marketplace" said they had trouble finding recent graduates qualified to fill positions at their company or organization. Nearly a third gave colleges just fair to poor marks for producing successful employees. And they dinged bachelor's-degree holders for lacking basic workplace proficiencies, like adaptability, communication skills, and the ability to solve complex problems. What gives? These days a bachelor's degree is practically a prerequisite for getting one's resume read--two-thirds of employers said they never waive degree requirements, or do so only for particularly outstanding candidates. But clearly the credential leaves employers wanting. While they use college as a sorting mechanism, to signal job candidates' discipline and drive, they think it is falling short in adequately preparing new hires. The tension may lie partly in changes in the world of work: technological transformation and evolving expectations that employees be ready to handle everything straightaway. And perhaps managers are right to expect an easier time finding employees up to the task--after all, three times the proportion of Americans have bachelor's degrees now as did a generation or two ago. While some institutions tout their career centers, internship offerings, and academic programs designed with industry input, others argue that workplace skills ought to be taught on the job. Higher education is meant to educate broadly, not train narrowly, they say: It is business that is asking too much. And if college graduates are not up to scratch, some campus leaders ask, why do employers keep hiring them? The unemployment rate for Americans with bachelor's degrees, after all, is less than 5 percent; for those with only high-school diplomas, it is nearly double. Well, because even though employers may kvetch about college graduates, they generally make better employees than those who finished only high school. If nothing else, having gone through four--or five or six--years of schooling proves that they can stick with a task.
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Author(s): |
Torpey, Elka |
Source: |
Occupational Outlook Quarterly, v56 n4 p2-13, 15-17 Win 2012-2013 |
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Pub Date: |
2013-00-00 |
Pub Type(s): |
Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive |
Peer Reviewed: |
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Descriptors:
Awards; Community Colleges; Certification; Allied Health Occupations; Fire Protection; Police; Maintenance; Welding; Business Administration; Information Technology; Building Trades; Employment Qualifications; Employment Opportunities
Abstract:
Certificates are nondegree awards for completing an educational program of study after high school. Typically, students finish these programs to prepare for a specific occupation. And they do so in a relatively short period of time: Most certificates take less than a year to complete, and almost all are designed to take less than 2 years. Among the questions about certificates that one will need to have answered are the following: (1) What occupations can certificates prepare me for?; (2) What are some benefits and drawbacks to getting a certificate?; and (3) How can I find a program that's right for me? This article answers these and other questions about certificates and certificate programs. The first section of the article describes certificates and some of the occupations that require them. The second section explains some potential benefits and drawbacks to these educational awards. The third section offers advice on evaluating certificate programs. The final section provides additional sources of information. (Contains 7 tables.)
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Pub Date: |
2013-00-00 |
Pub Type(s): |
Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive |
Peer Reviewed: |
Yes |
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Descriptors:
College Graduates; Labor Market; Competition; Work Environment; Occupational Information; Job Skills; Employment Qualifications; Communication Skills; Interpersonal Competence; Problem Solving; Teamwork; College Curriculum; College Students; College Faculty; Supervisors; Role Playing; Class Activities; Education Work Relationship; Student Behavior; Learner Engagement
Abstract:
Recent college graduates are entering a competitive workforce that demands strong communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. However, many recent surveys and reports describe college graduates as deficient in these skills. For two courses at separate institutions, we each framed a course as a job, playing the role of a supervisor or employer rather than a professor. We prepared an employment contract rather than a syllabus, and created assignments and class activities that required students to explicitly consider how their college experiences might apply to the workplace. Students at both institutions thought the framing was interesting and fun, and thought the professors should continue to frame future courses as jobs. As instructors, we found that students were more professional, prompt, and detail-oriented. It also provided us with multiple opportunities to engage students in serious discussions about transitioning to the workplace upon graduation. (Contains 5 tables and 1 footnote.)
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Pub Date: |
2012-10-21 |
Pub Type(s): |
Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive |
Peer Reviewed: |
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Descriptors:
Job Search Methods; Check Lists; Job Application; Job Applicants; Resumes (Personal); Portfolios (Background Materials); Task Analysis; Occupational Information; Employment Qualifications; Career Counseling; College Faculty; Resource Staff
Abstract:
For the novice, the logistical challenges of an academic job search can be exasperating, especially when dozens of applications are involved. Getting things right (providing the correct materials, from CV to sample syllabi, in the style and form most sought by a particular search committee) and submitting the application on time (via sometimes complicated e-interfaces) are never as easy as they may sound on initial prospect. It follows that obsessiveness is a good quality in applicants for tenure-track positions. Most fields (although not all subfields) are buyers' markets. With hundreds of candidates--many of them highly qualified--for one position in, say, 20th-century American literature, harried committees are often looking for some way to narrow the pool. A missing item, a late upload, or even a typo on the sixth paragraph of the cover letter may get an applicant passed up before he or she is even fully considered. So details matter. In this article, the author discusses how to get the materials and the procedures right. Getting all of the required materials done correctly and promptly will not necessarily get an applicant the position, but the effort will allow him or her to leap the first hurdle toward being considered for it. [For a follow-up to this article, see EJ988986.]
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