How to Write an Entry-Level Resume for Your First Post-College Job

How to Write an Entry-Level Resume for Your First Post-College JobHow to Write an Entry-Level Resume for Your First Post-College JobHow to Write an Entry-Level Resume for Your First Post-College JobIf building your first post-college resume has you feeling under qualified, heres what you need to know.Its the classic post-college dilemma You apply for an entry-level job that could start you on the path to the career you really want. However, during your interview you are told that you do not have enough experience for the position.So, you need experience to get an entry-level job, but without the job, you cant gain experience. That makes sense, right?The key is to broaden your scope a little when it comes to the term experience. You went to college, you got your degree, and you did things that have helped you grow and learn its not like youve been hiding under a rock. You are a graduate who is full of kompetenz. As you think about your resume, focus on that word kompetenz. Its the k ey to building a great recent-graduate resume.Heres how you put that to work for you on your entry-level resume.Professional summaryThis space used to belong to the objective statement, which quickly spoke to what you were looking for in your career. The aufgabe with that concept is that its telling prospective employers what you want, not what you have to offer.Enter the professional summary. The professional summary in your entry-level resume should be short and sweet, and it should tell the hiring manager what kind of employee you are by highlighting your best qualities. Thats that hard part. You need to be able to brag a little here. Are you a good leader? Do you have exceptional computer skills? Maybe you are a creative problem solver. Think about the things that you do best and how those skills will make you good at your job.Keep your professional summary to one or two sentences. For exampleCreative problem solver with a focus on goals and exceeding them. Able to communicate w ell with teams and provide motivation.Dont use a lot of buzzwords or try to pack this part with information. Just write a couple of quick sentences that you believe sum up your best skills.Tip Avoid using words like punctual on your resume. Punctuality is not a skill, its an expected behavior. Emphasize skills that you have developed over recent years.EducationYou may not want to hear this, but once youve entered the workforce in the adult world, your education will continually diminish in importance on your resume. It may be important on your recent-graduate resume, but once youve been building your career for 10 years, employers arent concerned about what you did in college or even if you got good grades.Thats the bad news. The good news is that for your first entry-level resume after college, it is still very relevant. List out your school, degree, and GPA. You dont need to list your coursework, but be ready to discuss it in an interview.Relevant experienceYou may think that you need to have a portion of your entry-level resume dedicated to work history. In most cases, thats true. However, if you dont have a real work history or have only held one job, you can shift the focus to your relevant experience.Heres where you really need to think about the last few years and what youve done to prepare yourself for a careerDid you work part-time while you were in college? Even if it was cashiering at a department store or waitressing at a caf, you gained experience. Think about the things you learned and how they are relevant to the job you want.Did you have an internship? If so, thats great List it and describe what you learned and accomplished while you were there.Were you a part of any clubs or organizations? What kind of work did you do? Did you hold a leadership position?Did you do any volunteering? Volunteering is a great way to utilize your skills and build experience, and it displays character.While you may not have an extensive work history, that doesnt me an you dont have relevant experience. Think carefully about what you can include in this section to make it shine.Tip The key word here is relevant. If you are looking for a job in sales and your baking club taught you how to make a mean cupcake, thats not relevant. Did you sell more cupcakes than anyone else? Now youre talking.SkillsHeres the section of an entry-level resume that can really do the heavy lifting for you. What were you doing in all of those classes? You were learning skills. Fill this section and show prospective employers what kind of potential you have. Dont talk about your classes or worry about examples, just list out the skills that youve developed over recent years.Computer skills Programs, languages, etc. List them all out.Foreign languages Having a second language under your belt is a huge plus in todays job market.Communication Believe it or not, communication skills are frequently lacking in job applicants. If you have done public speaking, group emailing, etc., make sure youre displaying that ability.Trade skills Hopefully your education helped you learn some skills that are specific to the career field you want to enter.Problem solvingTime managementLeadershipYou dont want to go into how you gained each skill on your resume. This is a quick review of what you are bringing to the table. Be ready to discuss these skills and how you obtained them if you should get an interview.Tip While hard skills like being fluent in Spanish and being an expert HTML coder are fantastic, dont overlook soft skills. The abilities to communicate, manage your time, and lead others are harder for employers to teach, so they want to see that you are already proficient in these areas.RelatedAsk Amanda How Do I Create a Skills Section for My Resume?Sell yourselfAs your career grows, it will become easier to sell yourself and your experience. The first job out of college, while you battle the experience catch-22, is tougher and requires some creative thinking. Remember, employers arent necessarily looking to help you build a career. Theyre trying to fill a job and hire an employee that will make their company better.You do have skills. You do have experiences. If you want to get a foot in the door at your first entry-level job, you need to convince employers that the skills and experiences that you acquired during your time in school will help you become a star employee for them. If you dont have the experience they want, focus on the potential and show them that you can do this job and grow beyond. A well-written entry-level resume is the first step to launching your new career and building exciting new experiences.Click on the following link for more resume advice.Enter the workforce with a splash with a resume that impresses employers. Learn more about working with a professional resume writer from TopResume.Recommended Reading6 Ways to Rock Your First Entry-Level Job After GraduationTop Entry-Level Jobs for Recent College Grads14 Rea sons This is the Perfect College Grad Resume

How to Get a Job as a Nanny

How to Get a Job as a NannyHow to Get a Job as a NannyAre you interested in working as a nanny? Wages for premium nannies have been increasing steadily over the last couple of years. For many nannies, the position comes with great benefits, such as off-duty use of the car, health insurance, and paid vacation time. As with housing costs, the wages for nannies tend to fluctuate greatly depending on location, with big cities (e.g., New York, San Francisco, D.C.) having higher pay than smaller cities. Is a job as a nanny right for you? Learn mora about the typical responsibilities and wages for this position, as well as where to find jobs, below. Nanny Job Qualifications Obviously, the first criteria is loving children. Experience working with children is a must (babysitting counts). For positions caring for infants, documented infant care experience is often a requirement. A degree in Early Childhood Education or Elementary Education, or some coursework in either area, is a signific ant plus. The more education and experience you have, the higher your earning potential. For example, the English Nanny and Governess School offers a certificate program including courses on child behavior and development, child care, and cultural development. Several references will typically be required. Some organizations will require applicants to have CPR or first aid training and certification prior to placement. Depending on location, nannies may be required to have a drivers license and accident-free driving record. Nanny Job Listings How can you get hired as a nanny? You will find nanny job listings in the classifieds of most majors newspapers. However, many nanny positions are filled by agencies. If you do decide to work with an agency there should be no fees charged to the prospective nanny- all fees should be paid by the employer. The International Nanny Association has published guidelines that member agencies should follow. When working with an agency, review these guidelines to make aya your agency is handling your application and placement appropriately. Dont be afraid to request references- ask to speak to nannies who have been placed by the agency you are considering using. If you are interested in working internationally, visa restrictions apply in many cases. The agency you work with and your sponsoring family should be able to help you obtain the required documentation. Escape from Americahas employment, immigration and embassy information for a lengthy list of countries. Nanny Interview Tips Whether you are interviewing for a nanny job or hiring a nanny, its a good idea to review sample interview questions so you can prepare in advance for the interview. The most important questions will revolve around the skills, education and experience that are essential to do the job well. Other questions include availability for work, the tasks that need to be done on the job, how to handle children in difficult situations and emergencies, an d childcare philosophy. Its important that both the nanny and the parent(s) have a similar approach to raising children, so the children are treated consistently. For both nannies and parents, one of the most important criteria is that there is a good match between the nanny and the family. The more questions that are asked during the interview, the more you will learn about each other and the easier it will be to make a hiring decision. In addition, setting up a time for the applicant to meet with the children prior to offering the job to see how the nanny and child(ren) interact is another way to help determine if there is a good fit for all. Nanny Interview Questions Why have you chosen to become a nanny?What do you find most appealing about working with children (of specific ages)?Have you ever had to handle a medical emergency? What was it? How did you handle it? What was the outcome?What is your system of discipline?Would you be willing to work with the familys system of d iscipline, once you fully understand it?Do you have CPR and first aid training?What would be your typical daily routine with an infant?What would be your typical daily routine with a pre-schooler? What would the before and after school routines be with school-age children?Are you comfortable preparing meals, and doing light housework around the house with the children?Do you prefer a live-in or live-out arrangement?Are you willing and available to travel with the family on occasion?Are you available for overnight or weekend stays?Are you willing to watch an extra child if a friend comes over?Do you have early childhood education or certification?How would you deal with a child who is physically aggressive towards you? How would you deal with a child who is physically aggressive towards other children?What would you do to draw out a shy child?What is your strategy for maintaining authority when you are out with the children? How does it differ from your strategy in the home?How would you handle a child who has been sent home from school with a discipline dicke bretter bohren mssen?How would you handle a child using profanity, with you or his/her peers?How would you handle a young child touching themselves inappropriately?How would you handle a school-age child touching themselves inappropriately? How would you answer a young child who asks where babies come from?What kind of a discussion would you have with an older child who asks questions about sex?If a child was seriously hurt while in your care, what would you do first?What would you do if a child refused to go to school?What would you do if you saw a child behaving inappropriately (cheating, bullying) with his/her peers, but they werent aware that you saw? Would that be different from what you would do if they knew you were there?Have you ever bullied or been bullied? How does that color your attitude towards bullying? How do you feel about non-traditional families?Do you feel that you have any prejudices that could influence the way you would deal with certain situations, families, or children?How do you feel about multicultural families?What are your thoughts on interracial adoption?Do you believe that children should have age-appropriate household choresto complete?What types of chores do you think are appropriate for (pre-school, school age) children? What rewards do you find are effective for different ages? Is it more important for a child to be safe or happy?How do you try to balance playtime with chores and schoolwork?When would you be available to start?Can you provide me with a list ofpersonal references?Do you have any questions for me? Salary Information The International Nanny Association does a yearly survey on salaries and benefits for nannies. According to the organizations most recent survey, the average hourly salary is $18.77. While most nannies are paid an hourly wage, a significant percentage (27 percent) are paid a weekly rate. Wages are correlated with expe rience and education- nannies with more experience or education receive a significantly higher wage.?

What Not to Wear to an Interview

What Not to Wear to an InterviewWhat Not to Wear to an InterviewWhile what you wear to a job interview matters the most, its also important to consider what you shouldnt wear if you want to make the best impression. When you are dressing for a job interview,how you present yourself counts. Your image is the first thing a potential employer is going to notice about you before you even have a chance to say a word or shake a hand. In order to make a good first impression, you should dress appropriatelyand separate your social image from your professional presence. Even if youre interviewing at a start-up with a very casual workplace, its important not to dress it down too much. Your attire should either match or exceed the type and quality of attire worn by your interviewers. What Not to Wear to a Job Interview There are a few common-sense items on this list, along with others that you might not have thought of. Wearing any of the following items could give the impression that you d ont take pride in your appearance, or that you dont respect the company and interviewer. Its best to avoid wearing the following Flip-flops or sneakers.Underwear (bras, bra straps, briefs, boxers, etc.) that is visible to others. Avoid wearing any undergarments that show outside of your clothing, even if your bra straps match your top.Shorts.Jeans.Skirts that are too short.Pants that are too low-rise, too distressed, or too tight.Blouses that are too low-cut or too short. Your blouse should not show your cleavage or your belly.If wearing low-rise pants, make sure the top of your underwear, especially if its a thong-style garment, doesnt show above your pants waistline. Trendy vs. Classic Take note of how people dress in your target company or similar companies. Different industries have their own dress codes, and you could get away with more creative or trendy wardrobe choices in an advertising agency, while classic suits and conservative styles will go over well in a financial firm. Consider these points when you go shopping for your interview outfit A classic interview suit or outfit appropriate for your career field or industry that will last for years is a better investment than the latest trendy attire that will only last a season.Your idea of trendy might not match the interviewers perspective on whats fashionable, so err on the side of dressing conservatively when you interview.Shop wiselyVisit outlets, shop sales, shop online, and use coupons to get the most mileage out of your interview budget.Plan aheadIf you have that one classic interview outfit n your closet, youll be prepared for an unexpected interview, regardless of when it occurs. Your Professional Presence When you show up for an interview, youre there to put your best foot forward, not to create a distraction. If you wear risque clothing, strong scent, too much body jewelry or clothing that shows off your tattoos, you risk having people form snap judgments that could prevent you fr om succeeding in the interview or landing the job. Here are a few things to look out for Your social vs. professional presenceWhat you wear off-the-job and socially doesnt have to be what you wear for interviewing or at work. In fact, your professional presence may be very different from yourpersonal presence, and thats fine. You can have a closet full of fun clothes and a wardrobe of work clothes.Perfume and cologneYour scent (even if you smell good) can be an issue. Some people say they wont hire anyone they can smell from across the room. Also, a scent is one of the strongest senses and your favorite perfume or cologne might coincidentally be the same scent the interviewers ex-girlfriend or ex-husband wore. That subliminal negative impact could squash your chances of getting a job offer. With any type of scent, less, or none, is better. Pantyhose The question of whether women should wear pantyhose on a job interview creates a lot of discussions, and the answer is an overwhelming yes. Heres more on wearing pantyhose to work or to job interviews, including when its appropriate, and when you can go bare-legged.Tattoos and piercingsDepending on where you are interviewing, you may want to consider covering your tattoos and taking out your rings. Although employers are loosening up about these, there are still companies that have policies which limit both. Once you get hired for a new job if youre not sure what to wear, ask the hiring manager before you start. You can also visit the workplace to see what the people coming in and out of the building are wearing. There is no better way to make a good impression than to show up for your first day dressed appropriately and ready to work.

Women no longer have to wear high heels to work in this big city

Women no longer have to wear high heels to work in this big cityWomen no longer have to wear high heels to work in this big cityWomen working in the Canadian province of British Columbia - which includes Vancouver - wont be forced to wear heels at work any more.Government officials in the province, frequently just called BC,announced that corporate rules requiring women to wear heels were unsafe and discriminatory. The provinces existing Workers Compensation Act has been amended to liberate women from the requirements to wear pinching, painful high-heeled pumps.Premier Christy Clark commented on the new policy In some workplaces in our province, women are required to wear high heels on the job. Like most British Columbians, our government thinks this is wrong. That is why were changing this regulation to stop this unsafe and discriminatory practice and adding an enforcement modul by WorkSafeBC, Clark said.BC already gives female employees protection against sexual harassment and ge nder-based discrimination as part of itsOccupational Health and Safety Regulation and parts of its Human Rights Code.High heels increase injuriesThe new rule on high-heeled shoes comes because they are, as it turns out, are too dangerous - literally.Thats why the new rules come as part of the provinces workers safety rules. Previously, a local official,BC Green Party leader Andrew Weaver, had filed a private members bill to achieve the same end, designed to prevent employers from setting varying footwear and other requirements based on gender, gender expression or gender identity. The new rules, however, wont require a vote now as they would as a piece of legislation.And any woman who has worn heels can attest to how painful and dangerous they can be.The requirement to wear high heels in some workplaces is a workplace health and safety issue. There is a risk of physical injury from slipping or falling, as well as possible damage to the feet, legs and back from prolonged wearing of high heels while at work,the statement said.WorkSafeBC will reportedly release a more thorough workplace guidelineby the end of this month.The new rule is a response to years of rumbling on the topic for a while now.Dress codes are updated for the futureThe move welches expected, spurred by outrage over restaurants that required hostesses and other female employees to wear high heels, skirts, and other clothes designed to signal femininity.Canadian restaurant franchise Earls Kitchen + Bar in Vancouver announced that it would let employees wear black pants instead of skirts on the same day that the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) called for an end to sexualized workplace dress codes.Premier Christy Clark also commented on the move to ban mandatory heels last month,according to the BBC.Canada is not the only site of the revolution against heels.Last month, British lawmakers debated sexist workplace dress codes in Parliament afterformer temp worker Nicola Thorp started a petitio n to overthrow sexist workplace dress codes. Thorp became an icon to many English women after she refused to accept her companys rules requiring women to wear heels two to four inches high. She told to leave work in December 2015 because of her flat footwear.There welches alsoa parliamentary investigationinto dress codes, including a review of equality legislation in light of the high heel issue, according to the Guardian.

A Secret Weapon for Retail Manager Resume Sample

A Secret Weapon for Retail Manager Resume Sample Our resume builder will provide you with tips and examples on how best to compose your resume summary. Whether this Store Manager resume example was not sufficient for you, youre totally free to review several other samples and templates from our website. If this Certified Nursing Assistant resume example was not sufficient for you, youre totally free to review several other samples and templates from our website. Your resume was made to sell one particular productyou. Who Else Wants to Learn About Retail Manager Resume Sample? An outstanding Retail Manager resume, like this example, will incorporate a variety of impressive skills your employer or client is searching for in a candidate. Use this professional Assistant Manager resume sample to make your very own powerful job application very quickly. Communication is important in every facet of retail management. Setting goals are going to keep the manager centered on the long -term success of your organization. To be effective as a manager, having the ability to motivate employees is critical. If you are searching for a career in management, you almost certainly have years of skilled experience under your belt. Having abverkauf experience is essential for a retail manager for the reason that it usually means you can identify with your employees. The work market can be quite competitive. Introducing Retail Manager Resume Sample In addition, you can learn more on the topic of retail careers and client service careers on Monster. Taking the opportunity to compose a very good nurse aide resume tells recruiters you mean business and are intent on securing work. Not how much you are interested in getting the job. 4 Customize your resume for each job that you apply for. You need your resume to get an influence on the hiring manager reviewing it, so make certain your objective states a clearly defined goal. The particular job position that youre applyi ng for. As someone in the retail industry, you may not be sure whether to include things like a resume objective. To assist you write a fantastic retail manager objective that recruiters cant resist, you will need to assume the job of the employer. Companies want to learn how you contributed to the success of your prior employers. Research new positions in your area. In a large retail establishment like a department shop or supercenter, the manager could be assigned to a particular area or department, while smaller stores could have an overall manager. Retail store owners want to understand what makes you different. The hours in manager are long, and store managers ought to be well prepared to work a mean of eight to ten hours each day, six day per week. Making certain that each and every customer has a superb experience each and whenever they come into your store goes a ways toward the accomplishment of where you are. This sample comprises a list of required skill sets, w isdom and abilities alongside a set of interpersonal abilities needed for the aforementioned position. The education section needs to be brief. Its possible to download and edit depending on your experience and techniques. Excellent communication abilities and people skills are necessary in such a position. A Secret Weapon for Retail Manager Resume Sample A superb sample manager resume will comprise keywords a number of times throughout the document. Just make sure you double-check with the work description in the event the provider accepts PDF. Resume samples are a handy approach to direct your own writing. A sample is able to help you decide what type of content you should include, in addition to how to format your resume. Locating a well-put-together resume example may be a huge assistance to you as you want to craft the perfect resume for yourself. To stand a great possibility of course of being picked, you want to present a good resume. Resume is being thought to be an effective tool to advertise oneself for a specific job prospect. When now is the time to turn your wife feel pampered, then you should devote your money on precious gifts. The Retail Manager Resume Sample Game Part time sales associates work in a large selection of industries and companies, and are among the most visible work in the for world. Include hobbies associated with the job youre applying for. Remember that the objective section really isnt about what you would like in any way. To conserve space, you may even combine the initial two sections.

The STEM Talent Gap [INFOGRAPHIC] - Spark Hire

The STEM Talent gemeinsame agrarpolitik INFOGRAPHIC - Spark HireEven as many job seekers struggle to find work, and policy makers put job creation as a major priority, certain fields have a different problem. Talent gaps cause problems in several industries, and STEM careers are among the most disadvantaged. STEM Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math careers are experiencing a talent gap caused by a variety of factors.First, the demand for STEM-capable employees is higher than ever, due to the ever-increasing importance and profitability of science and technology industries. Despite the increased demand, enrollments in STEM education programs remain lower than enrollments for other fields. Additionally, many STEM-capable employees are defecting to other fields, leaving the science and technology industries further deflated. Theres the overview. Now, lets take a look at the STEM Talent Gap by the numbers with this infographicbelow.Between 2010 and 2020, jobs in STEM fields are expected to rise 16.8% an addition of over one million STEM jobs to the U.S. workforce. More specifically, technology (IT/computer) jobs are expected to see a 21.8% increase, architecture and engineering 10.3%. Science jobs can expect a 15.2% increase, and mathematics jobs 16.6%.How does this compare with the trends in the kinds of college degrees that have been awarded? Here is where we begin to see the talent gap problem. The number of visual/performing arts degrees awarded has risen 46% between 2001 and 2009, while the number of computer/IT degrees has dropped 14%. Business and engineering degrees are both more common than they were 10 year ago, but the business degrees outstrip the engineering degrees in terms of growth.However, it appears that the lagging number of STEM degrees isnt the biggest problem for the STEM talent gap. An alarming number of STEM degree-holders arent working in STEM fields. Only 40% of men with STEM degrees work in a STEM field. 33% of STEM undergraduate s work in STEM jobs, and an astounding 26% of women holding STEM degrees do not work in a STEM field.Speaking of women in STEM careers the talent gap is also a gender gap. Women make up close to half of the U.S. workforce, but occupy less than 25% of all STEM jobs. The numbers are similar for non-Hispanic Black or Hispanic workers only half as many workers have STEM jobs, relative to their representation in the overall U.S. workforce.Why are STEM degree-holders defecting from STEM jobs? Why do 3 out of 4 women who hold a STEM degree choose not to use that degree? Clearly we all wish that we could be actors, or join the circus (read rise in number of visual/performing arts degrees), but does this really account for the exodus from STEM fields?Let us know what you think in the comments below.

The Juggle Too Busy to Take Care of Your Health

The Juggle Too Busy to Take Care of Your HealthThe Juggle Too Busy to Take Care of Your HealthDo you feel like you are too busy to take care of your health?A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools.-Spanish Proverb Taking care of your health is a priorityBetween working, looking for a job, parenting, managing a household, and staying connected with friends and family- taking care of our own health can be difficult. I once read a blog post by an entrepreneur, who had never had a cavity, describe her shock at learning she had developed five cavities at a time when she had been entirely focused on building her company. We are faced with decisions every day that affect our health, but it can be hard to slow down and recognize the importance of these decisions.Here are some great articles on ways to take care of yourself while working from homeTight deadlines, tight muscles self-massage the job stress awayDrop and give me 10 minutes Sn eak some exercize into your work dayWork-life Balance How to balance life with a work at home job

Its OK to Be Sad When Your Work Friend Quits - The Muse

Its OK to Be Sad When Yur Work Friend Quits - The MuseIts OK to Be Sad When Your Work Friend Quits A week after I started my new job, Jessica started zu sichs and was assigned the cubicle next to me.It only took one lunch, and we were fast friends. We bonded over being the newbies on the team. We bonded over shared assignments. We bonded over lattes, lunch breaks, and post-work happy hours. When we both got engaged a few months later, we bonded over rings and flowers and wedding venues. And about a year in, when our jobs took a turn for the worse, we bonded over our misery.Before the term was even really a thing, Jessica was my work wife.I still remember the day her team moved to aelendher wing of the office. Mind you, her new cube was a mere 30-second walk from mine, but not sharing that grey felt wall sucked.So you can imagine how I felt when she put in her two weeks notice.Over coffee, she told me that the company shed been interviewing with had made her an offer, and that she was going to take it. And why shouldnt she? She was unhappy, and the new job was a big career jump (not to mention a big raise).I knew I shouldve been thrilled for her. The clink of glasses at her good-bye party was a real step toward the outcome wed both been working toward- she had just done it first.But in reality, it felt like a breakup. The confidante Id turn to after a difficult meeting, the friend I could count on to blow off steam with after a tough day, the constant presence in my daily life wouldnt be there anymore. I remember the first few days and weeks after she left feeling lost. Sure, I had other work friends, but pretty much every move I made at the office had involved her in some way. She was gone, and I wasnt quite sure what to do.I also remember feeling a bit silly that her departure hit me so hard. And when I first sat down to write this article, I meant to offer advice for not ending up in the same boat. Advice like not putting all of your eggs in one work wife bas ket, or remembering that the best office pals will be around long after your corporate tenure.Thats fair. But I realized that what most of us need in this situation need isnt advice, but a reminder that its OK to feel a sense of loss when our best work buds move on. Because theres something so special about this type of friendship. In some ways, our work friends become the closest people to us. As our lives intertwine, we start sharing things that we dont even discuss with our best friends. Besides our roommates and partners, who sees what we wear every day? Who listens to the details of what we did the night before, every single day?And who knows in intimate detail all about our work, which is, for many of us, one of the biggest parts of our identity? Not just the triumphs we post on LinkedIn, but the difficult meetings, the heated conversations, the stress. When you talk about your job with friends, family, even your partner, theres a mystery youre allowed to have (and that, frank ly, you need to have if you want them to continue hanging out with you). But our best work friends hear and see it all.Fast forward eight years or so to brde week, when my closest friend at my current job told me he was leaving. The person Ive shared every challenge, triumph, and in-between moment with over the past four years. The person whos cheered me on, whos helped me through the most painful phases of startup life, whos the first one I turn to when I need a gut check on a big decision. My work husband.And it stings all over again. Im happy for his new chapter, of course, but I know that not having him just a Slack or coffee run away will be tough.I also know that, just as Jessica and I did, well stay friends. It changes, of course. Its the adult equivalent of your best friend who lived across the street moving to the next town over. You cant see each other every day, but maybe you see each other on the weekends. Your workdays arent the same, but soon you create a new routine. You build closer relationships with other colleagues (or maybe you dont). You move on, too (or maybe you dont). No matter what, you find a new normal.This time around, though, Ill give myself permission to feel sad. Maybe it is silly. But maybe its also the best way to honor a friendship thats made me happier, even better at, my job over the past four years. (I guess the other best way would be refraining from sharing the details of the 2014 holiday party in public- but sorry, Elliott, this is what you get.) Photo of people saying goodbye courtesy of Hoxton/Tom Merton/Getty Images.

Pros and Cons of Working in the Internet and Social Media Industry

Pros and Cons of Working in the Internet and Social Media IndustryPros and Cons of Working in the Internet and Social Media IndustryThere are many pros and cons to working in the Internet/social media industry. Its important to know whats attractive and challenging about the industry so that you can be prepared to meet any challenges that come your way along your path to success.Pros1. Cutting edge. Its cool to be on the cutting edge of technology.2. Smart coworkers. The industry is loaded with creative, well-educated people who are often inspiring to work with.3. Career diversity. Jobs are available for people with every type of skill set, personality type, and educational background, and there are many opportunities to transition to other careers in the field.4. Financial rewards. Technical and marketing workers often receive high salaries and good benefits. Getting in on the ground floor of a promising start-up can translate into a big payoff if the company goes public.5. Geograph ic freedom. Opportunities are available throughout the United States and in foreign countries.6. Independence. Creative entrepreneurs can start their own businesses and build them into the next Google or Facebook.7. Great perks. Top companies offer excellent perks such as free cafeterias, paid maternity and paternity leave, complete medical/dental benefits, and the opportunity to telecommute.9. Good opportunities for advancement. With the right combination of education and experience, you can advance to a managerial or executive-level position.Cons1. Limited job security. The industry is constantly expanding, contracting, and restructuring. Expect to change jobs, and sometimes even cities, frequently.2. Deadlines. Deadlines are constant. This can create a stressful work environment.3. Long hours. Expect to work long hours as project deadlines loom. If you helm a start-up, plan to work 24/7 to launch your site or product.4. Compensation. Some jobs, especially at start-ups, are low-pa ying and dont provide benefits. 5. Lack of geographic freedom. Many top tech companies are located in California, the Pacific Northwest, and on the East Coast. Thats great if you already live there, but bad if you dont want to relocate.6. Sedentary work environment. Be prepared to spend a lot of time sitting in front of a computer.7. Constant learning. Technology changes constantly, and you will have to work hard to stay up to date.8. Fewer opportunities for women. The tech industry is male-dominated, which sometimes creates uncomfortable or even hostile work environments for women.The above welches adapted from theVault Career Guide to the Internet and Social Media. The full guide can be purchased and downloadedhere.Read MoreSo Would You Work for Amazon?The Problem with Netflixs Parental Leave Policy Why Is Silicon Valley So Un-Family-Friendly?