Job Search Best Practices

How students can use campus services to boost a job search
College students can get a head start on a job search by taking advantage of the career services offered on campus, Robin Reshwan, founder of Collegial Services, writes in this blog post. Students can get resume assistance at career centers, find mentors in academic departments and join student-run clubs to network and gain valuable skills, she suggests. U.S. News & World Report/On Careers blog (12/8)

Recognize your strengths at work
Too few people understand how to assess their value at work, argues performance coach Cheryl Hunter. One way to spot your strengths is to pay attention when co-workers say things such as "you always" or "you're known for," she suggests Fast Company online (12/8)

Other News

Higher Ed Employment Trends

Survey: 36 private college presidents making more than $1M per year
Presidents of 36 private colleges and universities made more than $1 million a year in salary in 2012, according to a new report from the Chronicle of Higher Education. The highest-paid president was Shirley Ann Jackson from New York's Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, who made $7.1 million. Median pay for private college presidents rose 2.5% over 2011 to nearly $400,000. Bloomberg Businessweek (12/7), CNNMoney (12/8)

Other News

Higher Ed in the News

How should MOOC completion rates be measured?
Completion rates for massive open online courses may depend on student intent, a new study finds. According to Harvard University researcher Justin Reich, who surveyed 80,000 students taking MOOCs, 19.5% of those intending to finish the course did so, while only 5.4% of those who didn't intend to finish completed the course. Overall, the completion rate of the students was 13.3%. The Chronicle of Higher Education (free content)/Wired Campus blog (12/8)

States must be convinced to invest in higher education, leaders say
As state funding for higher education decreases, college and university presidents must do more to convince lawmakers of the importance of education, leaders attending a recent Council of Graduate Schools meeting said. Increasing tuition is only a short-term solution, according to University of California system president Janet Napolitano, who said leaders must "change the conversation from the 'cost' to the 'investment.'" Diverse: Issues In Higher Education (12/7)

Leadership Focus

Departing Mercer Co. Community College president aims to leave legacy
Patricia Donohue will step down next June as president of Mercer County Community College in New Jersey. In the meantime, Donohue says her goal is to complete the school's accreditation process and implement a new program for first-year students. "Our real job is making everyone who crosses our door into a learner because many who come to us don't know how to do that," she said. The Times (Trenton, N.J.) (12/8)

HERC News

Have you checked out HERC's diversity resources?
Diversity is integral to institutional excellence. HERC understands the need to remove barriers to the recruitment, retention, and advancement of talented faculty and staff from historically excluded and underrepresented populations. HERC maintains a list of higher education and related publications, websites, associations, organizations, and professional societies that serve diverse constituents and publish diverse content. We hope this list is helpful for career development and networking resources.

Editor's Note

Last chance to 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 this month.

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