Heady stuff for sure when you break it down to such basic terms. But the truth of the matter is that challenging an offer isn’t really a confrontation. It’s a matter of cooperation, with the aim of arriving at a mutually beneficial arrangement.

But to do so, you have to be willing to at least try. And that takes at least a tiny bit of courage. Here are some great things to think about when you’re feeling meek in the face of a job offer.

Power has shifted in your favour
Employers try to disguise this fact, but getting an offer is the time in the interviewing process in which power has finally shifted to your favor. The employer has stated in no uncertain terms that youíre their top pick for the job. All they can do now is sit and wait for you to say yes or no. Bask in the satisfaction of that and let it embolden you.

Do your homework
Get more confidence about asking for more money by finding out what people in your profession generally get paid. After all, it doesn’t take a lot of gumption to tell a hiring manager that the average salary for a position is $8000 more than what heís offering. That’s merely stating a fact. Start by looking at Websites like glassdoor.com

Employers don’t encourage negotiating but assume you will
When an employer makes an offer, they’re certainly not going to punctuate it with, Let me know if you’d like more money. It’s in their best interest for you to take the offer as it stands anything you question is certain to cost them more money. That said, they fully expect you to ask for more.

Remember that employers have built extra into the offer
Since employers assume youíre going to negotiate the job offer, they’ve allowed extra money for it. You can count on at least another five to ten percent more salary available in any job offer. And that’s not to mention other perks they could be willing to loosen up on.

It’s not a war
When you get down to it, there’s nothing to feel brave or cowardly over anyway. Done properly, a job search isn’t a confrontation. Itís a discussion in which both parties seek to arrive at mutual gains. You’re asking for more money, but youíre also giving them a better employee. And since they picked you over all the other candidates, they obviously agree.

When asked, stall… gracefully.
There is such thing as ‘artfully dodging’ the salary question, especially during the preliminary phases of a job application. If the employer has requested for salary history or information in the job ad, you could write,

‘Regarding your request for salary history, I would prefer to discuss salary at the time of my interview.’

or

‘Regarding my desired salary for the position, I would prefer to discuss my requirements during the interview.’

By doing so, you are letting the employer know that you are aware of their request but would like to learn more about the job before you state your preferred salary range.

If, however, you are being asked to mention your salary on an application form and you simply cannot leave it out, you could say, ‘Will discuss during the interview.’ Do not ignore the employer’s request for salary information. Chances are, you will be asked again. In a worst case scenario, your application could even get ignored if no salary information is provided.

Why do companies ask for salary information?
Employers want to assess whether or not a potential employee will be a good fit to the organization. By knowing your salary history or salary requirements, they will have a better idea if you’re under qualified or over qualified.

Will salary history affect your application?
That depends. When companies hire, they will already have a salary budget that’s specific for the position. However, the figure tends to be flexible, especially if you are a candidate with the kind of experience and skills that will be advantageous to the company. Most companies will try to resolve any discrepancies between your salary and their offer through a negotiation.

By stalling on the subject of your salary, you give yourself the opportunity to get to know the job and its responsibilities better. That way, you will have a fair chance at the negotiating table.

Here are the most common places that time does his dirty work of stealing power from you.

Procrastination
Every time you put off doing something, you have to rethink what you’re trying to do, hunt down files, and reacquaint your mind with where you were going with a particular idea. And then there’s all the time that disappears when you’re looking away doing something else. It’s easy to vow to “do it tomorrow,” and then have it end up being three weeks later before you get back to it. If you’re as busy as you should be in your job search, time will whiz by that quickly. Don’t let the important things get lost in the procrastination trap. Do it when you think of it and get it behind you.

Unrealistic longshots
One of the sneakier time traps during your job search is the pursuit of longshots – those jobs for which you have almost none of the necessary qualifications. You’d be surprised at how much effort these flights of fancy absorb. Especially when you could very well have to completely reconfigure your resume to take a swing at the job, since your basic resume doesn’t offer much to satisfy the position’s requirements. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you should never pursue an unlikely dream job in your search. But if you’re going after more than one or two a week, than you’re probably investing your time unwisely.

Perfectionism
The desire to make your cover letter ideal, or the perceived need to know absolutely every detail about a company before an interview can take you away from other things that matter more. Yes, there are exceptions that really do need to be absolutely perfect – the proofreading of your resume in particular. But in most aspects, you should aim to find that point of diminishing returns, in which increasing the quality of the product slightly will require enormous additional effort. That’s the point where you’ll generally be better off applying yourself to other tasks instead.

Lack of focus
Finally, when you jump from one direction to another, you dilute the overall effort and thwart any synergies that might develop from hammering on one clear, focused plan. For instance, by shooting for three different career directions at once, maybe you’re only able to find time for making two new networking contacts in each field every month. And that severely limits how deeply you can work through the secondary contacts offered by each one. By focusing on one of those three directions, you will effectively triple the concentration and power of your efforts.

But ambition can also make a person just plain crazy. Clouded by dreams of lofty achievements, some job seekers let their sound career plans become soured into delusional tales of miracles plucked from the jaws of impossible odds.

Are you one of those grand but flawed dreamers? Here are some key questions you should ask to determine whether you career plans are normal or nuts.

What do your peers think?
As with anything else, the people we know and respect can be the best reality check of all. Start by talking to colleagues about what you’re trying to do. Do they think it’s reasonable? Get opinions from a wide range of people, including friends, co-workers, and higher ups. Asking just friends may give you too rosy a picture of your possibilities. After all, who wants to tell someone dear to them that they’re hopelessly deluded?

What’s the normal job progression in your field?
Look at how everyone else in your profession seems to get where you’re trying to go. Sure, you might be able to skip some steps, get on the fast track, or develop the golden shortcut. But how often does that sort of thing happen? That’s not to say you should automatically rule out faster routes to your goals. But be open-minded and honest about how it really happens in most cases.

What might allow you to have a faster career progression?
As you consider what a typical career path is, look at the credentials, experience, and skills of those people who have already made it to where you’re trying to go. Do you have anything additional or unique that could allow you to make it there faster than they did? If you don’t, is there any way you could bolster your credentials so you can. Again, be honest.

Do you have detailed plans for your personal fast track?
Finally, if you do have something special that could allow you to climb higher faster than most people have in your situation, then what steps will you need to take to do so? Just because you have some kind of special talent or training, doesn’t mean people will jump at the chance to advance you along quicker. To the contrary, if you don’t work it right, they might not ever know that you’re anything unique. So plan your moves. Look at your advantages. Chart where you need to be at various points along the way. Without such a plan, any really ambitious career goals could be considered nuts.

Be Prepared
You arrange to take your date to a French film festival. Before you go, you do some research about the movies that will screen, French cinematography, and French culture in general. This preparation helps you impress your date; you’re smart enough to differentiate between cinéma vérité and film noir.

Similarly, you can dazzle your interviewer by finding out about the company. Many businesses have abundant information on their websites. Knowing the organisation helps you present as confident, intelligent, and motivated.

Preparing responses for job interview questions is essential. There are many possible questions. Popular ones include, “Can you tell me about yourself?”, “What makes you the right person for this position?” “Why do you want to work here?”, “What are your strengths?”, “What are your weaknesses?”

Competency and behavioural questions are also commonplace. These questions seek replies based on your experience. For example, you might be asked, “Could you tell me about a time when you went over and above the duties of your role to offer excellent customer service?” It’s crucial to do your homework by listing competency and behavioural questions and responses before your interview.

First Impressions Count
The much-anticipated date night has arrived. You’re acutely aware of your clothing, shoes, hair, make up, and accessories. Your breath is fresh, your toenails are trimmed, you’re spritzed or splashed with fragrance (but not too much), and your antiperspirant will go the distance to stop embarrassing sweat breakthroughs.

It’s the same with interviews. Pay close attention to your presentation. Err on the side of conservatism. Women should wear a black, navy, or charcoal pant suit or skirt suit, and a tailored shirt. Choose tasteful dress shoes that match the outfit. Heels flatter, but make sure they aren’t too high. Keep makeup light, and jewellery understated and timeless. Small pearls glowing against your ear lobes look classic. Dangling plastic earrings, a studded tongue, or barbs through any part of your face look unprofessional.

Men should opt for a navy or charcoal two piece suit, a long-sleeved white or pale blue shirt, a belt, and a tie. The tie should be low-key, not zany. The same goes for socks. Ensure your shoes are dark, leather, and conventional. Your belt ought to match your shoes.

Now it’s time to go and meet your prospective employer. Imagine, for a moment, you’re on your way to meet your date. Do a top to toe mental checklist: Is your hair clean and groomed? Have you removed or tidied your facial hair? Are your tattoos covered with clothing or makeup? Is your breath fresh? Do you smell hygienic? Are your fingernails pristine? Is your clothing immaculate, without any signs of wear and tear, like loose threads or stocking runs? Is your fly done up? Are your shoes shined?

Getting to Know You
The purpose of going on a date is to meet someone with a view to a long-term relationship. Ditto job interviews. You and your interviewer assess each other throughout the interview, just like you and your date check each other out over dinner and drinks.

In an interview, sit up straight and have open body language. Make eye contact. Smile and enjoy the process.

If your date asked you a question, you’d give an expansive answer, not an abrupt, conversation-killing “yes” or “no.” In an interview, give in-depth replies but avoid babbling. Remember, like dating, an interview is a two-way street. Have a couple of suitable questions up your sleeve to ask the interviewer. Asking about what training you’ll get is appropriate. Enquiring about when you’re allowed to take a holiday is not.

Thanks but No Thanks
When you’re dating, you’ll meet many people with whom you lack compatibility. Finding your soul mate can be trial and error. No matter how convoluted and tumultuous the dating journey might be, you should enjoy it and learn from it.

In the same way, not every job will suit you. Sometimes, this unsuitability will dawn on you at the interview. Other times, you’ll think you’re perfect for the vacancy but your interviewer won’t. You have to deal with the pain of rejection. Nevertheless, stay positive and savour every interview as a learning experience to help you improve for next time.

Good sleeping habits are not common amongst university students. Some students have strong discipline, and maintain a strict routine throughout their university years, but they are the exception. Most university students party late into the night, and then crawl out of the bed whenever possible. This might be fun during university, but it will wreak havoc on your career, not to mention your health too. An adult requires 8 hours of sleep each night to be fully refreshed. This is not always possible, of course, but developing a set bedtime and sticking to it each night will keep you healthy. You will find that after sticking to this routine your body will become its own digital clock, making you tired at your bedtime as a reminder to go to sleep.

Partying is great, sometimes it seems that university was really designed as one big party. Many university students drink alcohol in excess and use drugs on a daily basis while in university. There is an invisible line; a line that a person crosses when they turn from just partying too much, to becoming an addict or alcoholic. After university, there are two groups of people: those who stopped partying, and those who did not. The ones that didn’t usually landed in jail, rehab, or the morgue. Knowing how to tap a keg perfectly isn’t a highly sought job skill. Do yourself a favor and stop partying heavy after university, your life will be much better without it.

Being a university graduate means you are now a responsible adult, try not to laugh now. Finances can seem like a daunting task to university graduates. Learning how to balance your checkbook, pay bills, save money, and create a budget is important. Don’t live off your credit cards; credit rating is extremely important for many things in life, and delinquent credit cards will destroy your credit rating for a long time. If you do not have the cash available to purchase something, then you should not charge the item either. You should be able to manage your own life without anyone’s assistance. This is the part in life where you finally appreciate your parent(s) hard work.

Depression is a common reaction to leaving university, saying goodbye to all of your friends hurts because you know that you probably won’t see them again. Once you have moved, it is important not to isolate yourself from the outside world. Try to stay active to make the transition go smoothly; you are used to having numerous friends right near you at all times, this is likely not the case now. If you continue to suffer from depression for extended periods of time, then you might consider seeing someone professionally; many university students go through this after they graduate, so you are not alone.

Finding employment may be the most difficult goal to achieve upon leaving university. This also depends greatly on where you live, some job markets are hot, and many are not. If you have the option to settle down wherever you choose, then you should do some research to find the best employment areas. Big cities, like New York, are good places to look because they are usually pretty saturated with jobs. If possible, pay a resume service to create your resume and cover letter for you. Apply to numerous positions everyday, even if someone calls you back with an interview. The more interviews that you go on, the sharper you’ll be. Study interview questions in your field so you will have an idea of what you’re dealing with.

Above all else, stay focused on the fact that this is the time of your life where you pave the way for your future. Don’t get caught in a rut and watch the years tick by, if you do then you will regret it forever. If you are not sure what your next step should be then seek the advice of someone you trust, they might have the idea that you’re looking for after all.

You smile at yourself because you are absolutely brilliant. You’ll find a job in your degree field, after all isn’t that why you went to school in the first place? Actually, it was for the football games and the parties, but finding a job is a benefit as well. You think to yourself, “I have a degree in Computer Science. The IT industry is booming and I’ll have a job in no time.”
You go online, search for a job, and continually find that you’re not qualified. Your GPA is either too low or they want experience. How can you have a college degree that your parents spent tons of money on and not be able to find a job you qualify for? Something must be wrong!

You’re right. Something is wrong. There are thousands of college students graduating each semester finding out the same fact: a college degree does not necessarily equal a job. Either somebody forgot to stress to them how important their GPA is for finding or a job or they believed that it would have no impact on an employer’s decision. Or maybe you went to a school that didn’t emphasize the importance of landing an internship or getting involved in the co-op program at the university. It may be that you have a wonderful g.p.a and have internship experience under your belt. However, the company asks for experience in software programs or hardware that you were never taught in college. Whatever the reason, you’re not qualified and you’re unemployed. So, what do you do now?

Well, although your chances of finding a job in your degree field and avoiding the ever increasing trend of doing something totally opposite from what you went to school for look slim, they may be better than you think. There are a few things that you can do to increase your chances of landing a job that allows you to use a degree that it probably took you 20% of their lifetime to achieve.

First of all, one way to get around the low g.p.a blues is to leave it off of your resume. This won’t work for jobs that ask to see your transcript for proof before they call you in for an interview. However, for companies that have entry level positions open and state things such as “Good academic performance preferred” you will have a better chance of getting in the door, if you leave it off your resume. The idea is to get an interview. So use an educational resume, list the classes that are relevant to the position, and leave your g.p.a off. During the interview, when, or if, they ask about your g.p.a, have an excellent answer prepared to show them that there is a reason that your g.p.a is low. Hopefully, you worked full-time or have some other legitimate reason as to why your g.p.a is lower than they would like it to be. However, by leaving it off your resume you have gotten yourself into a position where you explain the situation to the hiring manager, are able to express to them the strengths that you do have that would make you right for the position, and have the opportunity to convince them that you are the person for the job.

Second issue, you don’t have any experience. If this is the case, you may want to use a functional resume to highlight skills that you learned in your classes. Describe projects that you have worked on that are similar to the job description for the position that you are applying for. You want it to be very specific and detailed so that the recruiter who is looking at your resume will find you qualified enough to send you on to the hiring manager for an interview. Again, the interview is the key. Once you are sitting down with the interviewer, you can explain to them how your projects relate to the position. Show them that although you may not have work experience, they can be confident that you can do the job successfully and up to the company’s standards.

Finally, you have the g.p.a and the work experience but don’t know the exact software or hardware that the company asks for. When you are in the IT field, you never stop learning. Something that is new today will be old tomorrow. So you have to stay up to date. Check out what technology companies really want you to know and learn it. Go to a bookstore and buy instructional books on learning various software or hardware components. Keep yourself updated and refreshed. Maybe the job description says that you only have to have knowledge of certain software, not be proficient in it. So, the best thing to do is gain the knowledge. Getting your degree was only the beginning. Many schools only teach a couple of main programming languages, software packages, or engineering classes. However, in order to succeed in the IT industry and land that job, you may have to show them that you have learned other aspects of the field and that you are self-taught. This shows that you have initiative and that you are capable of quickly learning new methodologies that the company may train you on once you start working.

So, now that you know how to get around that low g.p.a, your lack of experience, and your absence of knowledge on newer products, you can dive into the job search phase with a new outlook on your situation. Just get your foot in the door, prove to them that you are the right candidate, and you will be on you way to success in no time.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has a guide that has results that show that future graduating students will notice some difficulties in the economy now and in the future. This guide also cautions parents not to pester, but to enforce rules and not to be too helpful. Parents need to let their children make some decisions on their own and let go of them, emotionally. Parents that pester too much or ones that allow their young adult children to lean on them, financially and emotionally, too much will end up having their children continue to live with them until they are in their late 40’s or 50’s.

Conservatives believe that Secretary of State, Lord Mandelson should pay more attention to the economy instead of advising parents about how to rear their children.

Rachel Bulkeley states that young students seem to believe that living at home with their parents is a beautiful life. Rachel Bulkeley also makes mention of the unemployment levels for graduates and how these rates have reached the maximum level and have stayed that way for over 10 years. These levels are one reason why children believe they are better off living at home with their folks.

After Graduation

Recent studies about graduating students have shown that most young adults, around the age of 20-30 years old, do not leave home after school, nor were they getting jobs.
If parents wish to try a new approach, there is a list of things a parent can follow in the government’s new guide. The list includes things a parent can try and things a parent should avoid trying.

The guide stresses the fact that nagging young adults will cause undue stress and may cause graduate students to become withdrawn and unable to loosen up.

The guide also goes over the topic about being too supportive and supports the fact that using reality based techniques and allowing children to live in reality works a lot better in the long run. Children should be encouraged to seek work and to help their children to stop focusing on acquiring a “dream job”. The dreams of a perfect job will cause disappointment and may cause a child to continue to bounce from job to job and not gain stability in the world.

The government’s guide also discusses the scenario of letting the graduates move back home after school, even if it has been agreed that it is a temporary visit. This temporary visit could end up being a lot longer and will only prolong the inevitable. If parents can use tough love when the child does visit for this short term; not doing the child’s laundry and cooking and cleaning, the child might be more inclined to move out, find a job and have a more stable and independent life.

Although many would think that the advantages of having a degree would suffer as more young adults completed university and earned their own degrees, this is not the case. Although a high percentage of young people now hold degrees, those who have them still have many advantages over those who do not. Most employers all over the world would still prefer to hire employees who hold a university degree.

However, even though most employers prefer degrees, the number of open job positions is growing smaller in today’s economy. Ian Walker, a professor from Lancaster University, predicts that it could be very difficult for today’s graduates to find jobs immediately after graduation. The research completed by Professor Walker and his colleague, Yu Shu, from the University of Kent, is only one aspect in the examination of how valuable a degree can be in today’s labor market.

This research shows that, although the number of students attending university have almost doubled in recent years, the current labor market has been able to absorb them into its folds. Professor Walker’s research also indicates that women who earn degrees have seen the largest increase of earnings premium. Women who hold degrees often earn far more than women who do not.

Many researchers have debated over whether the increasing number of university graduates will, at some point, devalue the economic advantage of the actual degree. Some worry that increasing graduates will flood the job market, making it unable to withstand so many new job hunters. This could lead to a high rate of unemployment for recent graduates of universities worldwide.

However, current long-term research suggests that the value of a university degree will be maintained. This is largely attributed to the need for more skilled workers for today’s jobs. Thus far the economy has been able to support the job market for recent graduates, and research shows that this will continue to be the case.

Although the value of a university degree has been maintained, Professor Walker forecasts that students graduating in the coming months will face bleak job prospects. For example, ten students might be competing for one open position. The current economic recession could great affect the employment chances of these future graduates.

More Financial Sector Jobs – Fewer Public Jobs

Investment banks and the media intend to hire a third more graduates. High street banks and financial services firms also expect significant increases to their graduate recruitment. In addition, the retailer and IT sectors reported more than a 20% increase in 2010 vacancies

According to the research, the largest recruiters of graduates in 2010 will be PricewaterhouseCoopers, with 1,039 vacancies and Deloitte with 1,000 vacancies.

Employers in ten of fourteen industry areas increased their recruitment targets, while just three lowered them. The public sector has the largest drop in vacancies at 4.3%.

Jobs Filled, Applications Up, Salaries Stable

The High Fliers Research found that more than a quarter of these entry-level positions have already been filled. The study also found that three-quarters of the employers had received more completed applications.

Both the jobs filled and increased applicants include many 2009 graduates who had failed to find work.

Overall, salaries at the top 100 employers are expected to remain unchanged from 2009 levels

Final Year Students Are Concerned

In additional research with 1,001 final year students, High Fliers found that a quarter of them had applied for jobs in which they had little or no interest. About half the students thought they would have to take any job they were offered.

Half of the students surveyed also said they had little confidence of finding a position and a third were planning to enroll on a postgraduate course.

Martin Birchall, managing director of High Fliers Research, said the increase in vacancies for 2010 was encouraging.
“Competition for the remaining vacancies is therefore likely to remain extremely tough
“For those who have yet to begin job hunting, the chances of landing a place on a graduate programme in 2010 are looking increasingly slim.”

2011 Employer Optimism

In a hopeful sign, the research found that two-fifths of the employers expect to increase their recruitment levels in 2011, while only 8% expected to lower them.