The graduating class of 2008 had it rough and now I’m sorry to say class of 2009 you have it much worse.  The job outlook is bleak and the competition is fierce so you must, must do everything that you can to stand out from the crowd.   The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) just completed its 2009 Student Survey. It shows that just 19.7 percent of 2009 graduates who applied for a job actually have one. In comparison, 51 percent of those graduating in 2007 (full story).

The staff at Recipe 4 Success have said it before and we’ll say it again…use your time wisely.  What does that mean exactly?  It means that even though you would much rather be working at a pool all summer where you can work on your tan or work for the family business because it’s easy and there’s no way that they would fire you – you absolutely need to do at least one if not two internships before you graduate.

Internships are a great way to gain experience in your field, develop contacts and most importantly build your resume.  I can’t tell you how many managers I talk to that say they are receiving resumes with NO work experience and they are from students heading in to their senior year of college!  In today’s job market this is just simply unacceptable.  There are plenty of online resources available to help you with your internship search as well as speaking with your counselors and professors at school.  Another great way to make use of your summer break is to attend some conferences in your area.  You never know who you are going to meet and they are a great way to network.    Upcoming Health Promotion Conferences:

• National Wellness Institute – Stevens Point, WI      July 18-23, 2009
• American Public Health Association – Philadelphia, PA     November 7-11, 2009

You’ve heard it all over the news and we have certainly talked about it here – social networking is a must for all job seekers.  Hopefully by now you have a profile created on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and have been adding contacts or friends to your network.  But as the old saying goes “there is strength in numbers.”  What does this mean in terms of your social network and your search for a job?  Read on to find out!

All social networking sites have groups, which I’m sure you have seen by now and have even joined a few such as your school’s alumni group or to show your support for a specific cause or organization.  In addition to those kinds of groups there are also ones created for specific professions and fields of study.  For example,  LinkedIn has a group dedicated to Health Promotion Professionals and is a great place to network, discuss current trends and find out the latest happenings in the world of health promotion.   Facebook has a Health Promotion group and you might also want to check out the Health Promotion Group on buzzable.com and Ning’s Health Promotion Network.

If it is an open group – headhunters can go in and look at individual profiles and it acts as a “one stop shop” for them.  Social networking groups provide active job seekers with opportunities to expand their range of contacts.  You can be introduced to your group members contacts and their contacts, and so on and so forth.   As a general rule of thumb while it is okay to ask your social networking contacts for assistance; don’t ask them directly for a job.  Even better?  Offer them assistance first and be one step ahead in the world of social networking.

I bet you thought that this day would never come and now that it has…are you excited, scared or a little bit of both?  Excited about the possibilities that lay ahead, but  a little scared about entering into an economy that has seen better days.  Don’t worry, you share the feelings of probably every graduate who just tossed their mortar board into the air and said “see ya later” to the good ole’ college days.

We are curious about what your next steps will be.  Do you have a job?  Are you searching and searching and coming up empty handed?  Are you holding off on joining the workforce and applying to graduate school?  Do you feel like you are adequately prepared to be a member of the health promotion profession?   Do tell!!  Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Wouldn’t you love to know what companies are thinking when they create those job ads that you have been looking at for that last few months?  Who wrote them?  Where did they come up with that  list of  qualifications and credentials?

The American College Health Association (ACHA) created a document that a lot of companies use when they are creating a health educator position to help them define the job duties and qualifications that are suitable for the position.  Take a look and see what companies think a health educator should be able to do and the qualifications that are a “must” for most positions.    ACHA Hiring Guidelines

Twitter is growing and growing and growing.  So fast in fact that the website twitter.com often can’t keep up with the demand (I hear that they are working to resolve those issues).   You may be asking yourself if you really need to take on one more form of social media to let your friends and family know what’s going on in your life.  Well, if you are  in the job market then my answer to you would be “yes.”   Job sites and career help resources are all twittering and post information in real time so that the information you are receiving is about as up to date as you can get.   If your searching for a job in the health and wellness field, check out hpcareernetjobs on twitter for the latest job postings.   Happy tweeting!

Building your resume has never been so important and internships are a great way make yourself more marketable when applying for that first job.  Take advantage of your summer breaks and use that time to find an internship or at the very least a job that relates to your area of study.  Have you searched and searched and just haven’t been able to find what your looking for?

These two companies have internships available for students and are worth checking out!  HEALTHBREAK, Inc. is a health promotion consulting company, which provides programs and services in all areas of worksite wellness including on-site fitness center management and are currently looking for a student intern.  The United States Water Fitness Association (USWFA) is currently looking for a student to fill thier 12 week full-time internship position at their headquarters in Boynton Beach, Florida.  Click on the links above to find out more information and how you can apply.

Melissa Towey – Lunch & Learn Video

Melissa Towey, National Recruiter for MediFit Corporate Services presented at HPCareer.Net’s Lunch & Learn on  March 27 about what students need to be competitive in corporate health and fitness.  Melissa gave some great advice to students and professionals about what to include on their resume and tips for a successful interview.  Click on the link about to view the full video and hear all of Melissa’s advice and suggestions for job seekers.  Interested in working for MediFit?  Check out their current job openings.

Social media sites such as Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn are immensely popular among students  and professionals as a way to find old friends, make some new ones and network with those in your field.  These sites have also become just one more way that employers can gain additional knowledge about potential candidates.  Can employers really do that?  Is it legal?  Yes they can do that and yes it is legal!

It may seem like an invasion of  privacy, but once you post information on your page or profile it is then made available to the public and anyone including employers can search and review your profile information.  What happens if an employer views your profile and doesn’t like what they see?  Can they choose not to hire you based on what  they have seen on your Facebook or other social media page?   Yes again!  As long as  employers do not violate state or federal discrimination laws in using social networking sites in making hiring decisions (i.e. race or ethnicity) they can choose to hire you (or not) based on what they find.

So, if you are a college student or professional currently looking for employment this might be a good time to take a minute to review your social media sites/profiles and update them so that they are as professional looking as possible.  Use them to your full advantage and think of your profile page as a marketing tool not just a social networking tool.

Have you ever had an employer ask to view one of your social media sites?  Post in the comments below!

The Lunch & Learn series sponsored by HPCareer.Net has welcomed some great speakers over the past few weeks – Dr. Mark Kittleson-Southern Illinois University, Dr. Jane Ellery-Ball State University and coming up this Friday – Melissa Towey, Recruiting Manager for MediFit Corporate Services.  Melissa Towey will  be discussing what students need to be competitive in corporate health and fitness in today’s tough economy.  If you can’t make the Lunch & Learn’s each Friday, don’t worry – they are now available on-line for your viewing convenience.  Visit The Health Promotion Network and scroll down to the videos section.