You never get a second chance to make a good first impression, so it's vital your interview skills are first class. Here's how to wow them from the word go.

Preparing for the job interview is very much like preparing for opening night at the theatre. Lines and roles need to be practiced, wardrobes must be readied, and actors must know their cues - when to speak and when to listen. Interviewing with composure takes reasearch, planning, strategizing and preparation.

Research

Get as much information as possible about the organization. What type of clientele do they serve? What is the culture like? Who is its competition?

Strategize

Once you know about the company, indentify how your skills, strengths and experiences fit into the organization.

Plan

Prior to the interview, plan what you will wear, how you will accessorize, and think about your hairstyle. Know how you will get there - the mode of transportation and the time it takes. Add an extra ten minutes to be sure you get there early.

Prepare

During the interview, convey motivation by showing your enthusiasm and utilize active listening skills, including paying close attention to the interviewer's questions. Be sure to make a good impression to whomever you meet at the company- after all people talk to each other! Answer interview questions with concrete examples based on your past experiences or training.

After the Interview

Send a "thank you" note acknowledging the time the interviewer offered you, reinterate your enthusiasm in working for the company, reinforce responses you were proud of and emphasize the skills you bring to the company. End by indicating that you will follow up.

For more guidance on job interviews, check out Boston Reed's Career Garden.

As the article indicates, there's no such thing as a dead-end job in healthcare!' This article on the 'Explore Health Careers' Site gives excellent examples of career ladders in healthcare.

Additionally, "Advancing in Health and Health Care Careers - Rung by Rung" is a good resource for employers looking for examples of how to initiate a work-based learning environment to allow incumbant workers to pursue career ladder programs.

Jobs to Careers is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in collaboration with the Hitachi Foundation and the United States Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration and with technical assistance provided by Jobs for the Future.

While all industries are projected to show major shortages of college-educated workers in California by 2020; the shortage has already hit the health care sector. And it's not just nursing. "Allied health" practitioners make up 60% of the health workforce with technical occupations such as medical assistants, pharmacy technicians, respiratory therapists and the like.

The Golden State will soon be hit by the 'double whammy' of California's aging population and workforce, with a generation of highly skilled Baby Boomers retiring from the industry. Despite having a projected growth in population in the coming years, the study found that California lags behind the rest of the nation in providing an adequate health care workforce.   The first study of it's kind in a decade, the Executive Summary of the report outlines the factors driving the demand of the allied healthcare workforce as well as illustrates the factors limiting the supply. The full report defines the allied healthcare workforce, the projected growth in California, limiting supply and demand factors and an analysis of nursing as it relates to the role with allied healthcare.

Stakeholders across the state overwhelmingly cited limited educational capacity in allied health education programs as the greatest factor restricting workforce supply. The study also offers policy recommendations both specific to health care training programs and to overall educational performance.

The research was funded by Kaiser Permanente and the California Wellness Foundation and conducted by Health Workforce Solutions, LLC. The study was sponsored by the Campaign for College Opportunity.  

You've taken your final exam, bid farewell to your instructors and partied with your classmates. Now the real work begins -- landing that first job.
If you still don't know what you'll be doing with your new certificate, don't be discouraged by all of the dismal pronouncements about the U.S. economy. In fact, a survey of employers conducted by CollegeGrad.com (www.CollegeGrad.com) , an online job-hunting resource, found that hiring for entry-level positions could be up as much as 12% this season. Drawing on your cyber savvy is a key to putting yourself in the running for those spots. Here are five ways to make the Web work for you:

1. Search Yourself
It's been said there's no such thing as bad publicity. That's not necessarily the case for job seekers hoping to nail that first impression. You've got to do some research on your cyber identity. And do it often, as many employers use search engines and social-networking sites to research job candidates. Does a simple search of your name on Google or MySpace turn up offensive writing, less than professional photos, or activities that could turn off a potential boss? If so, you need to clean up your image, fast.

2. Be Your Own Publicist
Use the Web to promote yourself as the best candidate for the job. First, take down anything on Facebook or MySpace or any other social networking sites and/or blog posts that could be construed as unprofessional. Adjust your privacy settings so that you control what the world reads about you. Heidi Hanisko, director of client services for CollegeGrad.com, says it's a good idea to reach out to friends who might have posted questionable photos, rants, etc. that could reflect poorly on you _*. If you run intotrouble cleaning up your image, you may want to consult with identity scrubbing companies, including Naymz.com, ReputationDefender.com and DefendMyName.com. It can be expensive, but potentially worth it if there is something truly defamatory getting in the way of your job hunt. Once your online identity is squeaky clean, showcase your portfolio or other samples of your work. Highlight your accomplishments and experience. Resist the temptation to embellish the truth.

3. Network It
Get yourself on LinkedIn.com or other professional networks. Robert Half International, a leading staffing services firm specializing in accounting and finance, advises job seekers to make the most of these sites by building contacts and asking mentors or former employers to recommend them. A recent survey by the Robert Half found that 62 percent of executives believe networks, including LinkedIn, will prove useful in the search for job candidates in the next three years. One in three respondentssaid they plan to tap Facebook or MySpace for recruiting -- yet another reason to take a second look at your profiles.

4. Strategize Before You Hit Send
The Internet makes it easy to send out resumes en masse. But CollegeGrad.com's Hanisko says you've got to consider quality over quantity. She advises job hopefuls to research each opportunity and to tailor resumes and cover letters to each employer and position. Adding key words to your resume that are industry-specific will show you are "in the know" and will also help employers find your resume more easily when they search for candidates on job sites.

5. Don't Forget To Say Thank You
Even when the Web helps you land the interview, remember to send an old-fashioned thank-you note as soon as possible. Handwritten notes make the best impression, according to both Robert Half International and CollegeGrad.com.

*The College Grad Job Hunter 6th ed Krueger

FACT: Employers who participated in the the National Association of Colleges and Employers ( NACE) survey reported that they offered jobs to almost 70% of their externs in 2007.

Externships: A Valuable Experience in Career Education

Gone are the days of stuffing envelopes in a dark corner without a dime to show for it. According to NACE, externships are becoming a significant component of college programs-and no wonder, since this apprenticeship is a win-win situation for both student and employer.

How can you benefit from externships?

• Substantially increase your chances of being hired for a permanent full-time job after you finish your college program
• Earn high pay ( average wage in 2007 was $16 /hour)
• Gain valuable work experience, which makes you more qualified for a good full-time position-even with employers not related to the externship.

Employers Appreciate and Hire Externs

Employees have found that externships are an excellent source of talented employees. Successful externs, like trained apprentices, are on-the-spot candidates for permanent positions, having learned the necessary skills on the job while also earning their completion certificate.

Employers also appreciate the job dedication that externships seem to encourage-it turns out those externs who accept full-time positions with their externship employer stay with the job longer than those not hired through the externship program. This probably because an externship gives the student and the employer time to build a relationship that works for both.