Tag Archives: jobs

Grit, continued

Grit,” the latest educational buzzword, has been popping all over the place recently. This morning an NPR segment about the learning of grit talked about different schools/institutions that are incorporating grit, by way of determination at the face of defeat, into their curriculum. From charter schools to reports from the DOE, grit is making a presence. It’s often seen as the skills that surround formal education and how these skills help more students (and young adults, for our purposes) succeed as they leave primary and secondary education.

For our purposes, grit can find its way into the workforce at many different angles. Call up the histories of recent innovators and you’ll see people whose early careers were met with major setbacks, but who didn’t allow defeat and continued on to high levels of success—think of Steve Jobs who was ousted from the very company he created. Grit appears as job-seekers continue to search despite months of rejection, not accepting negative self-talk, and developing new systems to stay appealing to potential employers. I’m curious to see how concepts of grit will officially make their way into formal education and how this teaching will play out in the long run.

 

Medical Assistant Jobs

Curious about what a career in medical assisting means? Take a look at this great graphic coming from NYC LMIS as part of CUNY CareerPATH to show inquiring students where this career path can lead.

“Working under the supervision of a physician or nurse, medical assistants perform a combination of administrative and clinical functions. Clinical students may include taking vital signs, drawing blood and preparing patients for examinations. Administrative duties may include scheduling, maintaining records and billing and coding for insurance.”

Medical Assistant Career MAP FINAL 2014-1-21-2

Medical Assistant Career Map, created by NYC LMIS

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Let Them Struggle

A few weeks ago, we posted a TED Talk about “Grit”—the stuff that keeps pushing us to do the stuff we want to do. Last week I read an article from The Brilliant Report (a great source for discussions on learning) titled When to let learners struggle which talks about a study published in the Journal of Learning Sciences regarding the importance of failure throughout the learning process. Adults will encounter countless “failures” throughout their professional careers. By teaching young adults how to critically look at difficult situations and guiding them towards developing successful solutions, they’ll be better able to handle uncomfortable situations as they make their way through later academic and professional careers.

Please share your thoughts and experiences with failures. Can you remember your first professional “blip”? Something that, at the time, made made you want to crawl under a rock and never come out? How did you recover and did that process help you in later situations?

March Job Fairs/Events NYC

Since March is just around the corner, here’s your monthly update of job/career-related events happening around the city. Don’t forget to check out some of our older posts to get tips on compiling your resume, building your professional social media presence, and preparing for career fairs and interviews.

Upcoming Fairs/Workshops/Events*:

  • March 4, 2014 AND March 6, 2014 Coney Island Job Seekers! Before attending either of these events, you must register online. For more information, visit NYCHA’s website.
  • March 13, 2014 11:00a-2:00p—New York City Career Fair @ Holiday Inn Midtown 440 W. 57th St., NYC
  • March 25, 2014 9:30a-1:30p—Advance Healthcare Network Job fair @ Jacob Javits Center 655 W. 35th St., NYC
  • March 31, 2014 11:00a-3:00–Coast-to-Coast Career Fair @ Radisson Martinique 49 W. 32nd St., NYC
  • March 31, 2014 10:00a-1:00p–Diversity Job Fair of New York @ Affinia Manhattan Hotel 371 7th Ave., NYC

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Millennial Entrepreneurs

An interesting read for Entrepreneur Magazine: Why Millennials Should Become Entrepreneurs Now. While this isn’t a jump perfectly suited for everyone, author Mike Pugh raises points about changes to the overall job market, new technologies that assist budding entrepreneurs and the lower costs associated with running virtual businesses. Don’t forget to browse through the comments for more inspiration.

Gap to raise minimum wage!

Gap, Inc. has taken a stand in the debate about the effect of raising the minimum wage (See NYT, “Gap to Raise Minimum Hourly Wage”) to $9 this year, and $10 by next year (New York State’s minimum hourly wage is $8 as of December 31, 2013). Their belief is that raising the minimum wage for 60,000 of their 95,000 American-based workers is a step toward reducing turnover, and recognizes the value of front-line service staff. In his State of the Union address, President Obama spoke about raising the minimum wage across the nation, sparking discussions throughout the media about its effect on poverty rates, employment, the price of food and other goods, etc. While some members of Congress point to studies that indicate an increased minimum wage will lead to job losses (projections the White House contests), it is hard to argue with a major retailer’s willingness to push forward absent legislation (or an executive order). It will be interesting to see if other major retailers, foodservice operations, and other companies that depend on large numbers of minimum wage workers, will join Gap, Inc. and raise their minimum wage. For the millions who depend on these wages, this is a welcome shift. For policy makers, it will be an interesting case study, an invitation to watch and see whether there are accompanying reductions in jobs, rising revenues, or ???

The Value of Education

A report by the Pew Research Center evaluates the effect of education on earnings for Millennials (aged 25-32) as compared with previous generations. Most significant, according to this study, is the increasing pay gap between those with a high school diploma, or less, and those with a Bachelor’s degree. Put simply: compared to previous generations, high school graduates are earning less and those with a Bachelor’s degree are earning more. In addition to reporting data on salaries, and unemployment and poverty levels, the survey also looked at attitudes towards work and education. Visit the Pew Research Center for more about this report.

Project Rise Recruiting

ProjectRiseLogo

Last week we celebrated the completion of Project Rise’s Cohort 4. Cohort 5 is just about halfway through, but we’re not slowing down! If you’re looking to prepare for the GED®/TASC exam, contact us today to see if your eligible to enroll in Cohort 6. Fill out a quick online survey located on our Information Session page, and a representative will contact you with everything you need to know about this great program.

 

If deemed eligible, you’ll receive:

  • A full year of GED®/TASC preparation classes.
  • The opportunity to earn college credits.
  • Internship opportunities.
  • Job placement assistance.
  • Industry-recognized credentials to get your career moving.
  • Metrocards.

Project Rise participants continually show great success during and after the program. If you think this program is right for you, don’t hesitate to get in contact with us (online survey or call 718.368.6600) today. Classes begin at the end of this month.

Your brighter future is right around the corner!