THE IB GLOBE
THE FRIENDS OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS NEWSLETTER
Last update: 11/15/96
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IN THIS FALL 1996 ISSUE (Vol. 2 No. 1) |
Twenty Hot Job Tracks: Where the Action is! |
So you've jumped your first hurdle out of college. You got a job! Congratulations! Nearly 85% of IB graduates have made that same giant leap and now hold full-time jobs. And most are just happy that they landed anywhere within the boundaries of the Great Playing Field called steady employment. Now the cheering has died down, your training has paid off, and you've settled into the routine of the rat race. And you're saying to yourself -- "N-E-X-T!!"
With the "when are you going to find a job?" crisis behind you, you're now starting to eye your "long term prospects." Is this your career job? Does it have potential for growth? Will your job even be around ten years from now (remember, there once was a career in typewriter repair!) Take heart. U.S. News and World Report has come up with the twenty hot job tracks and guess what? Six of them require the background and training that you have as an International Business graduate. Here they are:
International Accountant
Description: To make international deals happen, companies want accountants who know international financial reporting standards, merger-and-acquisition protocol, foreign business customs and have language skills.
Entry Level Salary: $28,000-32,250
Training: An accounting or business degree and another language. Overseas experience a plus.
Description: Financial institutions are deciding that lending money is no longer the way to make money. Rather, managing money has become the "in thing". Hungry for fee-generating business, financial institutions have rapidly expanded their mutual fund and pension fund operations and they need pros to manage these investments.
Entry Level Salary: $28,000-$40,000 for an entry level position such as foreign exchange clerk.
Training: A degree in business or economics; M.B.A. a plus.
Description: Independent management consultants, recruitment reps, automated personnel systems analysts, and employee benefit specialists who work on a contract basis have replaced the "in-house" personnel manager.
Entry Level Salary: $40,200
Training: A business, math or accounting degree; M.B.A. a plus.
Description: Sports teams, sporting events, stadia and arenas are all competing for sponsorship money, logo rights, and advertising spots.
Entry Level Salary: $19,000 for an entry level position such as a public relations staffer.
Training: A business degree; emphasis in marketing a plus. Background in sales, media, or sports also a winner.
Description: Cyberpros who design and maintain a company's site on the World Wide Web are making it big time. They produce graphic and editorial content, public relations and marketing messages, and oversee technical decisions on hardware and software.
Entry Level Salary: $50,000
Training: Although many people think a Webmaster is a computer nerd, it is not so. Most webmasters have varied training. What's important -- online experience, knowledge of computer technology and good writing skills.
(Last Spring's IB Globe ran a story on a successful IB alumnus webmaster.)
Description: The wireless technology industry is booming. Salespeople are needed to market wireless phones, faxes, pagers and internet hookups. The best-paid jobs are with the manufacturers rather than the retailers.
Entry Level Salary: $41,000
Training: While an engineering degree is preferred here, many companies will train a person with strong marketing and sales skills / experience.
Design/Build Specialist - Architecture
English as a Second Language - Education
Software Engineer - Engineering
Computer Animator - Computer Graphics
Computer Mapper - Computer Science
Health Info Specialist - Health Mgmt.
Food Service Manager - Restaurant Mgmt.
Residential Counselor - Human Services
Employment Lawyer - Law
Online Content Developer - Journalism
Infectious Disease Internist - Medicine
Genetic Researcher - Biology/Chemistry
(This information came from U.S. News and World Report's Career Guide)
Life In a Global Village |
If we could shrink the Earth's population to a village of precisely 100
people, with all existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look like
this:
*There would be 57 Asians, 21 Europeans, 14 from the Western Hemisphere (North & South), and 8 Africans.
*51 would be female; 49 would be male.
*70 would be nonwhite; 30 white.
*70 would be non-Christian; 30 Christian.
*50% of the entire world's wealth would be in the hands of only 6 people and all 6 would be U.S. citizens.
*80 would live in substandard housing.
*70 would be unable to read.
*50 would suffer from malnutrition.
*One would be near death, one would be near birth.
*Only one would have a college education.
*No one would own a computer.
(Thanks to the Religious Studies Dept.)
NEWSPAPER NIBLETS |
You are not "a loan": On average, this year's college graduates owe $11,000 from federal loan programs and may owe up to $19,000 to other sources. Those finishing graduate schools may have total debts of $90,000 to $120,000.
The X Files: Financial advice aimed at Generation X's particular lifestyle and circumstances abound. Frances Leonard, author of the book "Time is Money", says that a 22-year old who invests just $87 per month for 46 years (earning an average 10% annually) can retire at age 68 with $1 million in assets. Also worthwhile: The Green newsletter at $5.00 for a one-year subscription. Call 1-800-477-2968.
How long must this go on? Average search time for a job in the fourth quarter of 1995 was just under three months. And the National Association of Colleges and Employers says 24% more graduates than last year will be hired in 1996.
One Bad Strike: Baseball may give you three strikes, but a majority of employers say one or two strikes on your resume is enough to rule you out in a job search. A survey of executives shows that 45% will call you out for one resume typo, while another 31% say it will take two strikes to eliminate you.(S.D. Tribune)
Begging for Business: Do you want a job in a friendly state with zero unemployment? Nebraska is looking for you! They want you so badly that the Governor has given out his number for you to call: (402) 444-5000. NBC News reports Nebraska to be the state with the best prospects for current employment.
Looking for a good independent business idea? The Council of Economic Advisers sees excellent small business potential in services that benefit the aging U.S. population. The baby boomers are coming of (old) age. As a group they are affluent, willing to spend money on themselves and are demanding more services geared to their mobility and comfort.
IB BITS THE FRIENDS OF IB BULLETIN BOARD |
Looking for our "Friends":
Annual participation in the IB Alumni Survey automatically extends your membership in the "Friends of IB", with benefits which include:
--THE IB GLOBE - bi-annually
--IB Alumni Survey Report - annually
--IB Alumni Directory - at cost
--Reconnect Services
--Internet Home Page
Just e-mail ib@rohan.sdsu.edu and in the subject line put the professor's name. Your message will be automatically forwarded to the professor's e-mail account.
If you are looking for lost IB alums, please contact us and request that we seek permission from them to give you their information.
38.1% of IB'ers are now on-line!
Good News for The IB Alumni Directory!
The IB Alumni Directory got off to a bumpy start last year, when not enough alumni gave us permission to use information about themselves in the directory. We decided to make a second plea in this year's survey and would bow to the collective wisdom if again this year not enough graduates said "yes".
We were very pleasantly surprised to find that 81% of this year's respondents agreed to have some or all of their personal information included in the directory. So we're now off and running and hope to have the Alumni Directory ready for publication in the spring. You will be notified when it is available.
VIRTUALLY CALIFORNIA is the brainchild of three SDSU business students -- Cathy Simmons, Neil Greer, and IB graduate, Kevin Dearing (1990, Japanese/Asia). Their company, Virtually Commerce Corporation (VCC), has created an on-line shopping mall and search engine that leads web surfers to hundreds of sites in, and myriads of information on, California. It is, one might say, an "awesome" site!
You may be surprised to hear that this "dream" job began in an SDSU classroom -- a course on entrepreneurship by Professor Alex DeNoble. Cathy, Neil and Kevin were grouped as a team whose mission was to develop an entrepreneurial business plan, a requirement of the course. While business class "teams" can sometimes be incredibly dysfunctional (as we all know!), this group was something else entirely.
They quickly agreed that they wanted their business plan to include the world wide web and have something to do with California. What about an on-line shopping mall? VITUALLY CALIFORNIA was born.
At the end of the semester, the three decided to form a company around their project and created VCC, the parent company. All three kept their regular jobs, worked toward their MBAs and began the daunting task of selling advertising space on their web site. In May 1995, they applied for a trademark on their "Virtually" name and opened shop in August. They registered their site with the major web search engines and started adding links to California information and services. Within two months they knew they had something. 37,800 "visitors" had logged onto the site.
The three entrepreneurs divided up their escalating duties along their talents and majors. Neil is in charge of sales, Kathy manages finance, and Kevin directs operation. Kevin reports that business is brisk and the team hopes that in the not-too-distant future they can devote their full attentions to their company. For now, they fit it in around their other professional and academic responsibilities, which means long days, nights and few weekends off. The site has added link request and e-mail buttons and receives 10-15 link requests a day.
Of course, the more links, the more information the site provides, and the more often "visitors" will visit. And the more visitors that visit, the more likely VCC is able to sell their advertising space.
The company makes its money by charging for advertising space on the VIRTUALLY CALIFORNIA page and charging a maintenance and negotiable percentage fee for the on-line shops. And with 500,000 visitors per month from all 50 states and 80 foreign countries, the future looks bright indeed.
What's next for the tireless trio? They have recently launched a second web site - VIRTUALLY MEXICO -- and are currently soliciting venture capital for "Virtually" expansion. Dream on, Kevin and Company!
You can see VIRTUALLY CALIFORNIA and MEXICO at http://www.virtually.com
"Voice" a factor in interview: Jeffrey Jacobi, author of "The Vocal Advantage", reports that nearly 40% of making a good first impression in a job interview is directly linked to the sound of your voice. "While most of us spend our money and energy on the way we look - clothes, haircuts - nothing you can do for your image can give you as much bang for the buck as improving the way you sound," he says.
Lunch hour isn't anymore: It seems the lunch hour might just have gone the way of the buffalo nickel. A survey by Boston Market, the fast-food restaurant chain, reports that 54% of American workers take less than half an hour for lunch and 37% take less than 15 minutes.
Bad places to work: Beware of the insurance, manufacturing and financial services industries this year if you need a paycheck. Right Associates, a human resources consultant, reports that 69% of financial service companies, 68% of insurance companies, and 66% of manufacturing companies have down-sized in the past 18 months and expect to do more.
MBA pays big dividends: The average offer to MBAs at last year's West Coast MBA Consortium was about $50,000, while offers this year were pushing $60,000. The booming industries of the '90s are driving the MBA market: high-tech, entertainment, consulting and health care. The most favored MBA candidate is one who has worked for three or four years and has high-tech expertise.
-----------------quoted from San Diego Union Tribune
PLEASE say yes at the bottom of your survey this year and allow us to publish at least one piece of contact information about you so that our directory will be a useful tool for all IB alums. Thank you.
IN THIS SPRING 1996 ISSUE (Vol. 1, No. 2):
CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'
Newspaper NIBlets
IB BITS
THE FRIENDS OF IB BULLETIN BOARD
CONGRATULATIONS to Heather Fellahuer, the 1996 Outstanding Graduate in International Business (who is also, by the way, Class Valedictorian!) and her Most Influential Professor, Esther Carvajal, Department of Spanish and Portuguese.
The IB Directory Has Hit a Snag (and we need your help!)The IB Alumni Directory is currently being produced, but we have a problem. Not enough of you agreed to list any of your personal information, such as current address, phone, and/or e-mail address. Is it our suspicious times, or what?
Want to reconnect with your favorite professors?Just e-mail ib@rohan.sdsu.edu and in the subject line put the professor's name. Your message will be automatically forwarded to the professor's e-mail account.
We ask that you please send one of your business cards along with your completed survey this year and it will be included in the IBusiness Card insert. It will give the Friends a quick, easy and fun way to see what each other is doing.
Our IB Alumni Survey showed that 9% of IB alumni are currently working abroad, but many more who are now working in the U.S report that they would ultimately prefer to work overseas. Working abroad is their number one priority regardless of what their job may be. They feel that getting overseas and meeting professionals who are working there will eventually land them a job within their field. In the meantime, if they can use their business skills, that's a plus, but oftentimes it is their local language skill coupled with their command of the English language which gets them a temporary position abroad. Here are some hints of how others found their way around the world:
TEACHING ENGLISH ABROAD: Working as a regular classroom teacher in a local public school, an "American" school, or a private tutorial school is a popular alternative. Requirements vary from country to country, with some, but not all, requiring certification teaching English as a foreign language or a teaching credential. The largest teacher placement service is the International School Service, a private non-profit organization in Princeton, N.J. that serves more than 200 schools in Africa, Europe, Asia, Latin American and the Middle East. There is a $50 registration fee. WorldTeach, a program affiliated with the Harvard Institute for International Development in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is another placement agency. The book, Teaching English Abroad: Talk Your Way Around the World, by Susan Griffith, is especially informative on this subject.
TOURIST AND SERVICE INDUSTRY: These jobs abound in foreign countries; foreign employer value the language and computer skill of recent American college graduates. Our graduates report working in European department stores and London pubs and all say they enjoy the experience immensely. The biggest hurdle is getting a short-term work permit, which most countries require. While these job are typically less than one year in duration and pay minimum wage, it is still an opportunity to live abroad and network at the same time. The New York based Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) provides work permits and visas for jobs in eight countries: England, France, Ireland, Germany, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Canada, and Jamaica. You must be a recent graduate to use their services, however. The CIEE charges $160 for its services and does not guarantee job placement, but 99% of CIEE participants do ultimately find job and housing through the program.
FOREIGN SERVICE: From 260 posts in 150 countries, foreign service officers say the appeal of their jobs is a combination of hands-on work, cultural diversity and a feeling that they are making a difference in the countries they serve. The State Department, the U.S. Information Agency, and the Agency for International Development all recruit from U.S. citizens with college educations and several years of work experience. For information about joining the U.S. Foreign Service, call (703) 875-7490 or write to the State Department, Recruitment Division, P.O. Box 9317, Arlington, VA. 22219.
PEACE CORPS: Since 1990, the number of business-oriented Peace Corps assignments has grown 200%. About 1,000 of the 6,900 Peace Corps volunteers currently serving throughout the world are working on business project. This makes the opportunity ripe for IB graduates. A candidate must fill out an extensive application and pass an interview and FBI background check. About 3,500 of the 10,000 people who applied last year ended up joining the Corps. A recent IB graduate serves in Honduras. Call the Peace Corps at (310) 235-7444, or write to them at 11000 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA.
INTERNSHIPS AND VOLUNTEER WORK: While 46.5% of IB graduates participated in an internship while at SDSU and the majority of alums felt that related work or internship experience was the #1 factor in finding them their present job, some of the remaining 53.6% who did not do an internship while in college are now turning to this endeavor to improve their future employment possibilities. They intern in an international field while pursuing their part-time, temporary jobs that they held while in school. Want to intern abroad? Read Alternatives to the Peace Corps: A Directory of Third World and U.S. International Volunteer Opportunities, by Food First Books.
And just where are most of these opportunities located? American Jobs Abroad, considered to be the most definitive survey available, lists more than 800 U.S. companies employing more than 75,000 American around the world. Teaching English Abroad opportunities are greatest in Japan, tourist and service industries in Western Europe, and Foreign Service and the Peace Corps in developing nation. In case you're interested in starting your own international business, the U.S. Department of Commerce lists the following 10 countries as the most likely markets for small, independent U.S. operations abroad: Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Korea, Mexico, Poland, South Africa and Turkey. In fact, the greatest growth in U.S. Companies abroad is in small and mid-sized firms whose business involves (in rank order) 1) energy, 2) health, 3) information, 4) finance, and 5) transportation.
International Jobs: Where They Are, How to Get Them, by Eric Kocher.
IB ALUMNI DIRECTORY to appear soon. The IB Alumni Directory, which will list approved contact information (address, phone, and/or E-mail address) on each IB alum, is currently being produced. It will be offered at cost to all Friends of IB. You will be notified when the Directory and its cost are available. Expected publication date is December 1995.
IB LISTENS! The IB Program responds to your survey suggestions. This year, as in last year's survey, alumni said that participation in internships while at SDSU was important in helping them to find a job. They suggested that IB 495, Internship, be made a requirement. As of this academic year, an internship is now required of all IB majors before graduation. AND As a result of the creative suggestions made by IB alumni on their surveys, the IB Curriculum Committee, made up of faculty from business, language, and humanities departments, will include an IB alum as a member consultant beginning Spring 1996. Thanks for the suggestions! Please keep them coming!
17.6% of IB Alumni Have Their Own E-mail Accounts! The Friends of IB also have their own SDSU E-mail address. Please send your messages, address changes, inquiries, suggestions, IB Bits or Alumni Profiles to: ib@rohan.sdsu.edu or simply click on "ib@rohan.sdsu.edu" at the bottom of the Friends of IB home page for instant access.Fall, 1995 Issue: (Vol. 1, No. 1)
--IB Abroad
--IB Bits- The Friends Bulletin Board
--Alumni Profiles
--1995 IB Alumni Survey Results
You can learn more about international employment opportunities through:
Work Your Way Around the World, by Susan Griffin.
How to Get a Job in Europe and How to Get a Job in the Pacific Rim, by Surrey Books.
International Employment Gazette, Greenville, SC
International Career Employment Opportunities, Stanardsville, VA.
Transitions Abroad, Amherst, MA.
Sources for this article came from the L.A. Times International Careers Special Edition, 9/11/95 and The 1995 International Business Alumni Survey Report, SDSU.
CONGRATULATIONS to Mehdi Salehizadeh, Professor of Finance, who was named this year's most influential professor by the 1994/95 Outstanding IB Graduate.
THE FRIENDS OF IB BULLETIN BOARD
FALL 1995
Friends Home Page