Restaurant managers do it all and are expected to know it all. This includes how to supervise workers who prepare and serve food; managing financial activities including daily receipts; monthly, quarterly and annual reports; ordering and managing inventory and keeping up with industry changes. Restaurant managers must train subordinates including junior managers and line workers; meet and greet customers; prepare menus; and conform to local, state and federal laws concerning employment and food safety; and market their restaurants.

Training

Food service managers receive the bulk of their training on the job. At some restaurants, particularly those serving fast food, managers come from the ranks of line workers, starting off as shift managers and working their way up to assistant and co-manager. Thus, experience is essential to attaining a lead manager’s position with education making the process smoother and faster for the talented manager. Apprenticeship programs, certified by the American Culinary Federation, offer another path to restaurant management for candidate managers.

Salary

The mean annual wage for restaurant supervisors, including managers, was $31,770 as of May 2010 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay, however, varies widely with the lowest levels of pay reserved for junior managers and those working at fast food restaurants. The pay range for this position was $19,550 to $47,630, with the median salary coming in at $29,560. The middle 50 percent earned $23,120 to $38,230 per year.

Employers

About half of all restaurant supervisors work for limited service restaurants, which includes fast food restaurants, cafes and cafeterias. These managers earned an average annual salary of $28,580 or almost $3,200 less than the national average. The second largest employers were full service restaurants, offering an average salary of $34,290 per year. Top pay, averaging $73,910 per year, was given to managers employed by the federal government. Those employed by states averaged $41,330 per year.

Location

Average pay for restaurant managers varies greatly across the United States, with top pay offered to those employed in the District of Columbia. D.C. restaurant managers earned an average salary of $41,000 per year. States offering top pay included New Jersey, Massachusetts and Vermont, averaging $38,870, $38,450 and $36,950, respectively. Among the states where pay was well below average were Idaho at $25,710 and Tennessee at $26,830. Top metropolitan area pay was found in the northeast, with wages ranging from $40,680 in the Edison-New Brunswick, New Jersey, area to $42,270 in Trenton-Ewing, New Jersey.

Job Forecast

The best pay and most coveted positions in restaurant management are those opportunities at high-end restaurants. These positions are also among the hardest to get, but offer career satisfaction to those who attain such assignments. The BLS forecasts that the growth rate for all restaurant supervisors will be about 7 percent from 2008 to 2018, but high turnover will provide additional opportunities for manager candidates.

Resources

O-Net Online: Summary Report for: 35-1012.00 – First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Food Preparation and Serving Workers

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition; Chefs, Head Cooks, and Food Preparation and Serving Supervisors

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; Occupational Employment Statistics; 35-1012 First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers

Education

A high school diploma may be all that is required to enable a police officer to make the transition to criminal investigator or detective. Federal agencies require candidates to have previous experience, college education or a combination of the two. A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or courses in accounting, information services, computer science or electrical engineering can be advantageous according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Other pluses include foreign language skills or a degree from an accredited law school.

Salaries

The mean annual wage for detectives and criminal investigators was $73,010 as of May 2010 reports the BLS. Those in the 10th percentile earned $38,850 per year while those investigators in the 25th and 50th percentile earned $50,020 and $68,820, respectively. Highest wages ranging from about $90,750 to more than $119,320 was realized by those in the highest percentiles.

Employers

Almost all criminal investigators worked for federal, state or local governments; a handful worked for the United States Postal Service or colleges and universities. Federal workers earned the highest wages at $93,210 per year followed by the postal service at $90,770. Pay dropped considerably for the next three best paying categories with higher education institutions paying $62,300 per year followed by local and state governments paying $61,930 and $54,340, respectively.

Locations

Top pay for criminal investigators was found on the coasts with the District of Columbia leading with an annual mean wage of $107,150. New Jersey and Delaware followed, with average wages of $92,190 and $91,910, respectively. Wages in California at $90,150 and Alaska at $87,800 were well above the national mean. Pay was lowest in the U.S. southeast with North Carolina at $50,990, Arkansas at $51,950 and Mississippi at $54,910 according to the BLS.

Job Forecast

The job forecast for criminal investigators is a bright one, with a 17 percent growth forecast for 2008 to 2018. That rate is higher than the increase projected for all jobs. Bilingual applicants with several years of law enforcement history are expected to have the best chance at finding work reports the BLS.

Resources

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition; Police and Detectives; December 2009

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; Occupational Employment Statistics; 33-3021 Detectives and Criminal Investigators; May 2011

Salary Information

As of May 2010, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that dentists earned a mean annual salary of $158,770. The bureau does not list salary limits for work that offers compensation of about $80 per hour or $166,400 per year, however dentist salaries range from $71,390 to well over $200,000 per year. New dentists can expect to make somewhere between the lowest percentile and the 25th percentile, or $100,650 per year.

Employment Information

Most dentists work for themselves or with other dentists in a private practice. Of the 87,700 dentists reported employed in 2010 by the BLS, approximately 90 percent work in offices of dentists, earning $161,410 per year on average. Doctor’s offices employ small numbers of dentists who earned an average annual salary of $135,890. Those working for state government earned $150,500; outpatient care services paid $138,980, while hospitals paid far below the national mean averaging $106,140 per year.

Geographic Data

Dentists are fairly evenly distributed across the United States, although there is a shortage of dentists in some rural areas. Average pay varied dramatically too with Utah having the lowest mean wages at $115,070 and New Hampshire with the highest average annual salaries at $222,860. Other states offering top mean pay included North Dakota at $207,810; Maine at $205,050; Iowa at $202,750; and North Carolina at $196,060. Other states reporting salary data ncluded California at $146,760; Texas at $163,990; and West Virginia at $133,540. Among metropolitan areas offering salaries well above the national mean were Rocky Mount, North Carolina, at $242,300; Chico, California, at $238,950; and Yakima, Washington, at $238,520.

Job Outlook

Students considering a career as a dentist know that extensive schooling and training is required to prepare them for this field. The bureau projects that demand for general practice dentists will increase by 15 percent from 2008 to 2018, which is faster than the rate for all jobs. As older dentists retire or cut back on hours, opportunities for new dentists will arise. This field, however, rises and falls with the economy, as patients will sometimes put off dental care if they don’t have insurance or other financial matters weigh in. Those dentists who choose to specialize, such as working as orthodontists and prosthodontists, will see even stronger demand for their skills.

References

O-Net Online: Summary Report for: 29-1021.00 – Dentists, General; 2010

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition; Dentists

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment Statistics; Dentists; 2010

Average Salaries

More than 250,000 pharmacists were employed as of 2010 reports the BLS. Salaries for those in the 10th to 25th percentiles ranged from $82,090 to $98,810 per year. The median annual wage was $111,570. Those in the 75th percentile averaged $125,740 per year and those in the 90th percentile made $138,620 on average.

Top Employers

Nearly 45 percent of all pharmacists work for retail outlets such as CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens, earning $1,620 above the national mean. Salaries for these pharmacists was $111,000 per year reports the BLS. Medical and surgical hospitals also employed large numbers of pharmacists, offering an average salary below the national mean at $108,430 per year. Those pharmacists working in grocery stores such as Harris Teeter, Kroger, Ingles, Farm Fresh and elsewhere earned $107,530 on average. Department stores and general merchandise stores paid $106,740 and $112,860, respectively. Top pay averaging $122,380 per year was given to those pharmacists working in residential facilities which includes substance abuse homes and mental retardation facilities.

Geographic Pay

Pay for pharmacists also varies depending on geographic location. Among the states where pharmacists earned top pay were Maine at $121,470; California at $118,810; Alaska at $118,060; Alabama at 117,930; and Vermont at $117,900. Nebraska, at $93,400, had some of the lowest mean wage averages for pharmacists in the nation. Metropolitan areas offering the highest wages in the country included three in California: Modesto at $142,840; Santa Cruz-Watsonville at $142,750; and Napa at $134,760. The Detroit, Michigan, area was next with average annual wages of $134,050, followed by Laredo, Texas, at $133,320 according to the BLS.

Job Outlook

Jobs for pharmacists are expected to increase by 17 percent as projected by the BLS for the 2008 to 2018 period. That rate is approximately 50 percent faster than all jobs. Credit an aging population that needs access to medications with fueling this increase, as well as a shortage of pharmacists occurring in some parts of the country as some professionals choose to work part-time and others retire and are not easily replaced. Besides jobs through pharmacies, grocery stores and other retailers, pharmacists will continue to be in demand at mail-in pharmacies which can efficiently dispense medicines at costs lower than the typical fixed based pharmacy reports the BLS.

References

O-Net Online: Summary Report for: 29-1051.00 – Pharmacists; 2010

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition; Pharmacists

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment Statistics; 29-1051 Pharmacists

Two decades previous, the recruitment process was limited to newspaper advertisements and successful job seeking included frequenting the local job center. This has changed somewhat so that job seekers can find their perfect career at the click of a button. Although this is generally construed as a positive development, employers can often be bombarded by the increased volumes of applicants. This can affect the recruiter at various stages of the recruitment process.

Job Advertisements

Computers and netbooks aren’t the only forms of technology that have had a significant impact on recruitment. Job hunters can now view and apply for job vacancies from almost anywhere. With the explosion of smart phone usage, applicants are able to assign “alerts” onto their mobile phones which notifies them the second the online recruitment website of their choice posts a vacancy. This ease of access, combined with the effects of the recession, has had a huge effect on employers whose numbers of applicants have multiplied. These large applicant numbers have resulted in employers outsourcing recruiting to online and flat fee recruitment specialists to do the main part for them.

Online Applications

The vast increase in online applications has sped up the job seeking process for applicants, but not necessarily employers. Interested candidates can simply send a generic email to the employer or fill in their application form online. This online application process has pros and cons for recruiters and employers. When applications were only received by postal mail some job seekers who weren’t particularly passionate about a role would probably dismiss the application.

The ease in which an application form can be submitted nowadays has increased the sheer volume of applicants, some of whom may have applied for the position on a whim. This faces the employer with a tough predicament of differentiating between the passionate applicants and the lackluster opportunists.

Filtering Potential Candidates

The laborious chore of whittling the applicants down to candidates who actually show interview potential is one of the main factors for an employer to delegate the duty to an online recruitment specialist. Many applications received are from job seekers who haven’t read the advertisement properly and have inadequate qualifications for the position — this can make the filtering process extremely time consuming.

First Impressions of the Potential Interviewee

There is one aspect of technology that employers can certainly reap the benefits of — the increase in social networking sites. The majority of applicants who apply online will be regular Internet users who likely possess a social profile. This allows employers to view the candidate’s true profile which often provides an ample insight into the candidate’s interests, personality and general demeanor. This provides the employer with more information on the applicant, which can ease the decision on whether the candidate is suitable for an interview.

The speed in which technology has evolved over the past 20 years has resulted in radical changes in the methods of recruitment. In some instances it can hinder an employer’s recruitment strategy, but in the majority of circumstances can really speed up the recruitment process for both employer and employee alike.

Author Information

This article was written by Stephanie Staszko on behalf of Blue Octopus Online Recruitment.

2011 Student Survey

The murky job picture college grads anticipated facing as they began looking for work this year appears not be as thick as some had expected. Certainly, the past few years have been challenging for all jobseekers, but the market is clearly on the mend.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers in its “2011 Student Survey” has found that job offers to members of the class of 2011 are on the rise, with 41 percent of students reported to having received an offer, up from 38 percent in 2010. Notably, students are being selective too, turning down offers in greater numbers than in years past.¹

Selective Students

Said Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director, “We’re seeing many more seniors applying for jobs this year, and we’re also seeing more turning down job offers.” That explains why the just 24 percent of college seniors say they have a job to go to once they graduate, the same percentage as in 2010. More offers are being made, but grads are carefully weighing their choices.

This year’s senior class appears more bullish compared to last year’s class too. Three-quarters of the students surveyed reported that they have applied for a job, up from just 45.5 percent last year. Last year, the economy was just beginning its slow rebound with unemployment about one percentage point higher than it is today. Many students “read the tea leaves” and decided to put off their job search for several months or signed up for graduate school, delaying the inevitable by a year or two.

Challenges Remain

Clearly, there are many challenges that remain for today’s graduates. For those still looking for work, networking is one way to help grads find employment. Dr. Katharine Hansen, writing for Quintessential Careers lists five career networking strategies for new college grads. She advises grads to conduct informational interviews; cultivate network contacts; make use of business cards as a form of networking; show gratitude; and make use of online social media to complement existing face-to-face contacts.²

Finally, you’re looking for permanent work consider the company where you interned while in college. NACE reported in April that companies turned more than half of all interns into full-time hires this year.

References

¹ NACE; Job Offers to College Class of 2011 Rise; May 5, 2011

² Quintessential Careers; Top 5 Career Networking Strategies for New College Grads and Entry-level Job-Seekers; Katharine Hansen

Not surprisingly, the reason most young people give for not going to college is cost. They expect to eventually pursue college credits, but money is the obstacle keeping them from doing so right now.

Employment Troubles

Students who have a high school education or less are also likely finding it difficult to obtain part time employment. The survey reveals that less than one-quarter of young people who are unable to find full-time work have part-time work.

The key for today’s workers is to possess some sort of training beyond high school. College is, of course, one option but training programs through specialized schools offering programs in hair design, computer applications, truck driving and other areas are options too. Such programs can be as short as a few weeks to a year or more. Private schools and government funded community colleges are two options for students who may not want to pursue a four-year degree. At most two-year colleges, credits may eventually be transferrable to a four-year school, an option students might want to keep open.

OTJ Training

Some young people may be under the impression that they can find a job and work their way up through the organization, relying on the company to provide on-the-job training. These days many companies simply do not want that expense and are expecting new employees to be prepared to take on a variety of tasks and responsibilities from the start reports “The Argus Leader” of Sioux Falls, S.D.

The AP-Viacom survey asked unemployed young people if they believe they were prepared for life after high school. About 6 in 10 felt that their high school provided fair or poor training to help them prepare for work. Three-quarters of these people said that they live from week to week with not enough money coming in to support themselves. Thus, most live with their families, in homes where the total income is below $50,000 or too low to support their higher education aspirations.

References

The Argus Leader; Economy Tougher on Those Who Forgo College; April 22, 2011

AP-Viacom; The AP-Viacom Survey of Youth on Education; March 2011

1. Your resume — You have a LinkedIn page and you’re extremely comfortable with telling everyone about your capabilities through social media. All well and good, but you still need a hard copy of your resume. Why? Because some companies require one, that’s why. Someday we’ll dispense with paper, but you’ll still need to show your capabilities to a recruiter in a traditional resume format, therefore head down to your college and career department for some assistance.

2. Look the part — Cut offs and t-shirts are fine around town or in your home, but not when you’re interviewing. We’ve been spoiled by high tech companies such as Google where employees can wear what they want, but most fields require applicants to be presentable. That means losing the nose clip, tongue piercing and covering up your tattoo. For guys, the five o’clock shadow look is much too grungy for more traditional companies.

3. Apply for federal work — The bloated federal government is hiring, but that hiring frenzy will soon come to an end if Congress takes an ax and whacks runaway spending. Workers are always needed and you may be able to spend a few months in D.C. learning how the system works. Search www.usajobs.gov/studentjobs/ for current opportunities.

4. Go back — Contact former employers to see if they’ll take you back. You’re already a known quantity and your paperwork is on file. If you left under good terms, you’re already a good candidate for whatever job is offered. You may even be able to take on more responsibilities this year too.

5. Visit your bank — Your family’s relationship with a bank can lead to a job as a teller for the summer. Teller turnover is always high and shortages occur during the summer as workers take time off to be with their families. Approach the bank manager with your resume, explaining to her that your family is a customer.

6. Flip burgers — Yeah, working at McDonald’s is beneath you. But, should it be? The burger giant recently put out the “we’re hiring” sign at retail outlets across the nation, with plans to hire 50,000 managers and crew. You can bet that some positions will remain open this summer until young people like you step forward.

7. Do it yourself — The Internet has opened doors for employment that didn’t even exist a generation ago. Post your talents on Craigslist and other websites, offering to help a company build its website, tweet on its behalf, walk or sit dogs, mow lawns, watch young kids or take on an assortment of other projects. Yes, do what your parents did and take on those odd jobs just waiting to be done this summer.

Will you find work? Sure, if you’re persistent. Jobs rarely fall into anyone’s lap, but you’re not “anyone” or are you?

Internships are not awarded to wallflowers. Waiting for an invitation or an opportunity may well cause stagnation and a poor impression in your field of endeavor. Don’t be left without a worm: Go out and get your internship!

Standard Venues

Don’t overlook standard methods and traditional selection processes. Apply for positions that may be highly competitive: Someone is going to get it. Throw your resume hat into the arena.

1. Business Applications: Send or carry your resume to a business that uses your career field. Complete an application while on location. The business may not have an opening at that time, but if you get your foot in the door, you’re already ahead of the game. If you can arrange an information appointment with a department head or a human resources representative, you can improve the impression you leave behind. Keep those appointments away from pleading for a position, but within more general terms. Find out exactly how that enterprise—and often others like it—use interns within your specialty. Discover how they view interns and internships. Always dress appropriately even when just dropping off a resume. Remember the impression you wish to leave.
   
2. Job Fairs: Job fairs offer the epitome of time management and consolidation of effort. Within a day or two, you have the opportunity to present applications and resumes to a plethora of potential employers or internship sponsors. Do not overlook this opportunity! It could be the only time a potential internship position is recruited.
3. Job Boards: Posting a resume and an internship request provides multitudes of employers a chance to review your initial qualifications and expectations. While not as interactive as job fairs, don’t surf the job sites only for openings: Advertise yourself as well.
   
4. Advertisements: Whether on electronic or traditional ad venues, posting an ad for your services and qualifications increases the exposure to the business community. The more chances of discovery you offer, the greater the chance that you’ll be found.
   
5. Social Networks: Touch up your social network sites. If your current ones are too personally oriented, make new ones with a professional profile. Become friends, fans or tweeters with businesses and industries that interest you. Comment on their blogs and, if allowed, link to your professional network pages. Use every social network on the Internet and link your pages together. Subscribe to RSS feeds. Join professional email and newsletter lists. Contribute content and use your resource box with your business-related email address or social network links. Don’t forget the oldest networking system in the world: Talk with people. Join professional clubs or organizations. Get your name known. Someone knows someone who knows someone who needs your qualifications. If people in the know don’t know you are available, who dropped the ball? Friends, family members, classmates, and school personnel may know of intern opportunities. Talk with them; touch base a more than once—don’t let time or timing lessen your chances.

Non-Standard Venues

Be creative in your quest for an internship. Attach your resume with a high-quality want ad instead of a standard cover letter. Don’t go overboard, but the alternative format certainly catches the jaundiced eyes of department heads and human resource managers.

1. Address inquiries directly to department heads and not just to HR directors.
2. Ask for information and not just an opportunity. If the reader has less opportunity to feel pressured, you increase your chances of learning of internships both within and without that company.
3. Don’t send just a handful of inquiries. Send one to every business, manufacturer and job recruiter that needs your field of study.

Summary

When searching for internship opportunities, don’t just ‘think outside the box.’ Think within the box, then think beyond it.

Author Information

JC Ryan is a freelance writer for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers helps people determine if an online education is right for them and helps them understand which online courses and online schools they can choose from to reach their goals.

1. Work colleges — Numbering just seven schools, work colleges provide students with the skills training they need while earning an education. Students earn while they learn, taking part in a campus-wide work program or participating in paid community service. Alice Lloyd College, Berea College, Blackburn College, the College of the Ozarks, Ecclesia College, Sterling College and Warren Wilson College each offer federal recognized work programs. Visit workcolleges.org for more information.

2. Earn college credit in high school — One of the more recent trends in higher education is to allow high school students to take college credit while still in high school. Under such arrangements, students obtain their high school diplomas and leave school with the first two years of college completed. Dual enrollment schools are sometimes free or charge a comparatively low fee for college tuition.

3. Plan to serve — If your goal is college, but you have a mind to serve others, then planning to join the Peace Corps or Teach for America will help defray at least some of your college costs. Loan forgiveness is possible through various branches of the United States military or through the federal National Institute of Health and the National Health Services Corp.

4. Get educated online – Not every student is cut out for taking college classes online. Certainly, some students benefit from the camaraderie interaction found on campus. However, if you enjoy a flexible schedule and different ways of learning, then an online education through Western Governors University can save you plenty of cash and allow you to learn at a pace that is right for you.

5. Seek college employment – While there are just seven official work colleges in the United States, many schools hire students to work for the college part-time to handle a variety of tasks including shelving library books, staffing the canteen, maintaining campus grounds and more. Or, if you are a parent and are considering a new position, your children may be able to get their education for free if your employer is the college that they attend. Students still must have the grades and test scores to make it in, but under this arrangement, most of the costs related to attending college can be reduced or eliminated.

These days, getting a college education means being creative without busting the family budget or consigning college graduates to many years of debt. Other ways to save include attending low-cost community college for the first two years, working full-time and seeking tuition reimbursement from your employer or pursuing every financial aid angle available.