Time To Beef-Up The Resume

Now that the summer months are here, this is a great opportunity for you to dust off and update your resume. For students who have never developed a resume before, you'll want to piece together your first draft as soon as possible. Job recruiters will be returning in the Fall and especially next season for finding candidates for the few jobs that are available.

The Styles

There are two different ways that most people design their resume. The first, and most common is to list your job history from the most recent employment on back. The second, de-emphasizes specific jobs to focus on strengths and talents. The latter option can be especially helpful for the student who does not have a strong work history, but a good academic record. For the sake of brevity, we'll take a look at the first option today.

The Components

Every resume should feature the following from the top of the page to the end:

Your name, full mailing address, phone number, cell number and email address. A college mailing address is fine to use or you can use your home address. Whatever is the easiest way for you to be contacted by potential employers is the address you should list. Most important is your email address and phone numbers -- many employers initiate contact through email.

Your objective. What type of work are you looking for? What skills do you have that a company will need? Instead of emphasizing what you want write your objective to state what you can do for the company, e.g. -- Talented web designer seeks to utilize her web development skills to build and manage Dreamweaver and Flash-based sites for a progressive company. With this example, you are telling the company what skills you have, what you can do for them, and what you want. Their needs should be ahead of your needs.

Your Work History. This is your most important section depending on the job your are applying for. Be detailed about your job experience, expecially in areas where you have demonstrated leadership and revenue-generating activities. Employers want candidates that can add to their bottom-line. .

Your Education. Your education comes after you job history. Emphasize your degrees and academic performance (e.g., dean's list recipient, honor role, president of the Media Club, GPA, etc.). Be sure to list your university's name and city/state too.

Your References -- Do not make the mistake of listing your references on your resume. They belong on a separate sheet of paper. Instead, finish your resume with a statement such as, "References Furnished Upon Request" and leave it at that.

College costs are continuing to rise and at a pace higher than the rate of inflation. This trend, which shows no sign of abating, is a cause of concern for plenty of parents including those with young children. Suddenly, being a part of the Marquette Class of 2022 doesn't seem all that attainable never mind Georgetown 2012.

For parents wanting their children to attend the school of their choice, coming up with a plan to cover college costs is essential or settling on some lower cost schooling options may be the way to go. Let's take a look at ways you can turn the college financing nightmare into a good dream come true.

Unless your son or daughter is already a high school junior or senior, the following information could change by the time your child reaches college age. For parents of younger children, setting aside funds in a 529 account which is a tax-advantaged savings plan designed to encourage saving for future college costs, is a good place to start. There is no telling what college costs will be by the time your child is ready for college and what other relief will be available at that time.

Your Financial Aid Road Map

We've developed an eight-step guide to help parents finance and pay for college. One or more of these steps can be used to finance your child's education and help you understand the financial aid options for undergrads. The steps are as follows:

1. Review Financial Aid Steps -- Before applying for aid, you should fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and submit it to the federal government. Based on the information provided, the government will create a Student Aid Report (SAR) which will be submitted to the student's college of choice and a copy to sent to the student's family.

The college then takes the SAR and creates a financial award letter that lists the aid the student will receive. The difference between the cost and the award given is the family's expected contribution towards the cost of education. Once that information is known then the student and his or her family will be able to determine the steps they will need to take provide the remaining funding.

2. Scholarships -- Billions of dollars in scholarships are awarded annually therefore scholarships are an important way for families to close the funding gap. Scholarships can depend on financial background, race, ethnicity, course of study, school attended, and a host of other factors. Apply for as many scholarships as eligible as this can be an important way to finance higher education.

3. View Financial Aid Charts -- Trying to estimate college costs beyond school expenses can be difficult. Using supplied online tools can help you keep everything in order.

4. Apply For Federal Stafford Student Loans -- The federal government is a huge funder of higher education and Stafford Student Loans (SSL) are a great way to help pay for education. However, eligibility requirements are tight, therefore you will want to learn if your son or daughter is eligible as soon as possible.

5. View Other Aid Options -- Grants, using your home equity, 529 funds, withdrawing IRA money, tax credits, military service, work-study programs, and loan forgiveness are options worth exploring.

6. PLUS Loans for Grads and Parents -- These are government guaranteed, fixed rate student loans that can cover up to 100% of a dependent child's cost of education, less any financial aid awarded.

7. Use Private Student Loans to Close the Gap -- Families can borrow up to $30,000 annually and in some cases up to $40,000 thanks to private student lending. Private student loans are easier to get than Stafford Student Loans with a higher interest rate charged, but favorable pay back options available.

8. Manage Your Money During School -- Finally, once your child is in school managing college money is essential toward collegiate success. A budget can go a long way to helping maintain financial accountability.

Once you have gone through the college admission process, then following the financial aid road map will help you achieve your goals in a timely manner. College costs are rising, but a well executed plan involving a combination of choices could be the way to go.

Choosing the Right College For You

Preparing for college can be an exciting event for any high school or returning career student. But, it can also be a daunting task especially if the applicant isn't certain what his or her course of study will be. In addition, a college or university education isn't for everyone as trade schools, online schools, and junior colleges may open up a door of opportunity instead. Let's take a look at five options of higher learning that every career-minded person should know about.

Five Types of Schools

Colleges -- The majority of students who are seeking a bachelor degree attend a college. Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) are the two most popular degrees offered; some schools also confer an Associate degree for two-year students.

Universities -- Schools offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide variety of majors (e.g., business, medical, language arts, and humanities) have the university designation. Some universities also offer doctorate studies.

Community/Junior Colleges -- These schools offer two years of college study typically leading to an Associate degree. In many states students can start off at a community college and then transfer their credits to a state college in order to obtain a bachelor degree. In certain states schools offering two-year degrees are called Technical Colleges.

Vocational/Career Schools -- Schools offering specialized training for hair dressers, truck drivers, welders, automotive mechanics, medical assistants and other career options are called vocational or career schools. Training can range from several weeks to as long as two years, depending on the course study and certification requirements. Upon successfully completing the program, students will receive a license, certificate, and in some cases, an Associate degree.

Online Schools -- The online education revolution is transforming the way people learn. Students can take just about any level of course available to them offering certification, licensure, associate, bachelor, or a grad degree. The advantage of this type of schooling is evident -- most will allow students to learn on their own time and at their own pace.

College Search -- Making It Easy

No one wants to spend days, even weeks doing a college search therefore narrowing down your choices into three categories will expedite the process. Three categories recommended by college preparation experts are:

Schools You Can Definitely Get In -- List 2 or 3 schools where your enrollment application will absolutely be accepted.

Schools You Can Probably Get In -- List 4 or 5 schools where you stand a good chance of being accepted.

Schools You Would Like To Attend -- List 7 or 8 schools you'd be interested in attending regardless of whether you think you will be accepted or not.

If you can afford to apply to as many as 16 schools (application fees do add up), then go ahead and apply to all of them. Otherwise, consider applying to 3 schools on each list. To keep track of the application process use tracking tools and a college cost comparison wkst (FREE download) to manage the process. Also, learn about the financial aid qualifications to apply for assistance and the options you have to finance higher education.

Selecting a course of study will help high school students narrow down the list of schools to consider. Once that is complete, categorizing the schools and applying will soon yield several acceptances with the final steps to choose the school and arrange financing.

Online Study Comes of Age

Online education has been growing at a rapid pace thanks to widespread internet access and due to a populace who has responded in kind. At SayEducate, we're starting a series of articles about online education beginning with this article which takes a look at this important development. Please read on for background details about the online education movement.

How Did It All Begin?

Though there is some dispute as to who started offering the first classes online, it is clear that the for-profit University of Phoenix was one of the earliest schools offering online studies. Today, that school is the largest private university in the United States, with more than 200,000 students enrolled.

But the University of Phoenix, which has no official campus, isn't the only school offering online studies or distance education. Traditional universities such as Notre Dame, Penn State University, the University of California, and Duke University all offer online courses in addition to their on campus classes. Some degree programs can be accomplished completely off campus while others may require students to appear on campus for select courses. As long as students have access to a computer, then they can participate.

Degrees Offered For Online Continuing Education

Students have a wide latitude of studies available to them online. In addition, every degree choice is available online: associates, bachelors, masters and even doctorate programs. Certain career education certificates are available for students who want to take remedial or brush up courses not leading to a degree.

Convenience -- A Key Factor

One of the chief reasons why a student may elect distance learning is convenience. Most classes are held on your own time (via internet access or CD-ROM) which suits the lifestyle of today's busy adults. Balancing work and family is considered to be enough of a burden, squeezing in on-campus classes is downright impossible for many prospective students. Thus, accessing a class when free time comes up is what attracts many students to this method of learning for personal career advancement.

Financing Is Available For Online Courses

Just like on campus courses, tuition for most online courses can get expensive. Fortunately, major student financing options such as Stafford loans and private student loans will cover these classes. Financing career education can be enormously challenging, therefore students seeking online degrees need to explore all of their options.

Online Degrees -- Not For Everyone

Is online continuing education right for everyone? Yes, but some students prefer to embrace the entire college experience, therefore taking classes, attending sporting events, and participating in other student activities may weigh in their decision to study on campus.