Job Search Best Practices

Why job seekers must show employers they are a good fit
Job seekers should be ready to tell an employer why they are a good fit for a job during an interview, sales and marketing expert Steven Tulman writes in this blog post. Also, he advises candidates to be ready to answer follow-up questions about what excites them about the job and specific ways they plan to contribute to the organization. B2C Marketing Insider (12/4)

Common bad assumptions about networking for a job
Career expert Susan Joyce lists three incorrect assumptions about networking for a job: that networking is difficult, that it involves huge rooms filled with people and that networking requires you to "use" people. The most powerful networking opportunities involve people you already know, such as longtime friends and family, she writes. The Huffington Post (12/4)

Other News

Higher Ed Employment Trends

Job market remains tough for Ph.D.s even as more degrees are awarded
The job market for students earning a doctoral degree remains tough, even as the number of Ph.D.s awarded in 2013 rose by 3.5%, according to National Science Foundation data. While 62.7% of graduates reported having a job or postdoctoral position, that's down two percentage points from the previous two years, this article states. The Chronicle of Higher Education (free content) (12/5)

Other News

Higher Ed in the News

Federal college rating system expected to be released later this month
The Obama administration is expected to release its federal college rating system by Dec. 21, but the proposed system already is causing concern among college admissions officials. One proposed version would cluster colleges with similar characteristics to keep smaller schools from competing for prospective students with larger, more prestigious schools. Los Angeles Times (tiered subscription model) (12/3)

Lawmakers grant $12M loan to financially troubled S.C. State U.
State lawmakers have granted a $12 million emergency loan to South Carolina State University to help the school pay off $7 million in debt and keep student services operational. The money, to be doled out over the next three years, is the second loan the state has given to the troubled historically black college as it tries to recover from a $10.8 million budget deficit. The State (Columbia, S.C.) (12/3)

Leadership Focus

How university leadership can create effective shared governance
College presidents, senior staff, trustees and faculty must work together to make shared governance effective as higher education faces growing financial pressures, Brian Mitchell, a director of the Edvance Foundation, writes in this commentary. "When done right, governance can create a sense of momentum and possibility," Mitchell writes. Diverse: Issues In Higher Education (12/3)

HERC News

HERC offers free jobseeker webcasts on demand
Want to learn how to target your cover letter, resume or CV for faculty or non-faculty positions? Care to enhance your preparation for the campus visit and interviewing for faculty positions? Interested in learning more ways to expand your career networks? Look no further. Visit HERC's on-demand webinar page.

Editor's Note

Cast your vote for the 2014 Educators' Choice Content Award
SmartBlog on Education this year launched a monthly Editor's Choice Content Award, which recognizes content written by educators, for educators. Our editors selected the two best original content pieces each month. Now we need your input! Cast your vote for the 2014 Educators' Choice Content Award by Dec. 10. Winners will be announced in mid-December. Vote now!

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