Entry level jobs are ideal for recent graduates or current students looking for experience in their chosen field. Entry level employment is a great way to gain experience so that you can make your way up in your ideal career. Entry level jobs include internships, seasonal jobs, part-time and temporary jobs.

You should make an appointment with your school career counselor because they can provide you with resume and cover letter help along with assistance in finding the job you want. You should do this before you begin you job search. Schools should also have various entry level career resources in magazines and books. Searching for a job can be a job within itself so to get the most out of the work some keys to success are:

1. Research the company and industry you want to enter.

2. Visit state employment offices for entry level job opportunities.

3. Professionally market yourself.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Utilize entry level job search engines

Your entry level career search begins with looking at job ads in the newspapers and on job search engines. These jobs search engines can also assistant in your entry level career management. When you create an account, the site keeps track of the jobs you've applied for and can send you job openings based on your preferences via your email.

I recommend: MonsterTRAK has plenty of entry level job openings along with various articles for recent college graduates about to enter into their careers. USAJOBS is for those who are interested in working for the federal government.

Obtain entry level jobs through employment agencies

Employment and staffing agencies are a way for you to get your foot in the door. These agencies usually represent a certain industry, but there are those that offer assistance is getting a job in a wide range of industries.

I recommend: Kelly Services is a general staffing agency placing people in jobs around the world, while Net-Temps has staffing agencies listed by state or metro area and gives you the contact information for the agencies.

Use headhunters to find entry level work opportunities

A headhunter is a personnel recruiter from a corporation or recruitment agency. They have two clients - the corporation they recruit for and the person whom they are trying to place into their specialized industry. They act as a liaison between you and a specific corporation.

I recommend: Headhunters.com is a comprehensive website in which you can search for recruiters by state, industry and by recruiter's name. Find a Recruiter.com allows you to search based on your field of interest or state and also lets you post your resume online.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When you are looking for a job, it is good to let people know so that you may get a job through them or they may point you to an entry level job opportunity.

There are many ways hiring interns can add value to your organization. They can minimize the impact to your hiring budget. They may work on projects that need to be completed that free up your experienced employees to work on more complex assignments. Oftentimes interns will bring new ideas and energy into an organization. They may even become great full-time employees who are already trained in job functions and are therefore immediately productive.

When considering a Paid Internship, be thinking of the following:

* Even though you are required to only pay the Federal or State minimum wage, consider the education and knowledge of the students you want to hire.
* Consider the job requirements, skills and responsibilities necessary for your internship. Will your intern need to perform basic skills, or will they be asked to perform duties that require a higher level of expertise?
* If you are not sure what the fair market wage is for the position you want to fill, make a quick call to your local college or university and ask for the career development office, or contact another local business to see what they pay. Most employers are happy to share information with you.

When considering Unpaid Internships, be thinking of the Department of Labor's Criteria:

Federal and State Laws dictate whether a particular job is considered an internship or a paid worker position. Although the Department of Labor doesn't use the word intern, or provide a definition of such, they have developed criteria to determine if a learner/trainee is a paid employee entitled to minimum wage and all other applicable laws, or a learner/trainee that is unpaid or paid a stipend. The definition of employee differs from labor laws and workers compensation state laws as well. Please be sure to check all applicable state laws in addition to federal regulations.

The 6 criteria developed by the Department of Labor that must be met in order for the positions to be an Unpaid internship are:

1. The training, although it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to the training which would be received from a vocational school.
2. The training must be for the benefit of the intern.
3. The intern must not displace regular employees, but work under the close observation of a regular employee or supervisor.
4. The employer provides the training and derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern, and on occasion, the operations may actually be impeded by the training.
5. The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the end of the internship.
6. Both the intern and the employer understand that the intern is not entitled to wages. A student may be able to receive a stipend however.

All of these criteria must be met in determining if the intern is a paid employee or a learner/trainee.

Of these 6 criteria, three of them are very straightforward:

* #3 - the intern cannot displace regular employees
* #5 - the intern is not guaranteed a job at the end of the internship
* #6 - the intern is aware and has agreed there are no wages due

The other three criteria are more open to interpretation. Be sure to verify state labor laws. Other areas to be considered when hiring a student are Federal and State Child Labor and Workers Compensation Laws.

Once you have developed a job description and the wages have been determined, be sure to let your employees know that you are hiring. Employees are oftentimes the best source for referrals. And don't forget to spend your money wisely. Interview the interns like you would a full-time employee. Do a few reference checks with their prior employers if possible, or contact a professor. The job may only be for the summer, but if you hire poorly, it can be a long summer.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Contact local colleges and universities

Many colleges and universities have departments dedicated to getting their students out in the field through internships and jobs. Developing a good relationship with these institutions can lead to a very beneficial relationship on all sides.

I recommend: Getting a list of local colleges at one of the many online directories. Any major search engine should have complete listings, visit this Yahoo! directory for more information.

Specify what kind of intern you are looking for

when looking for a new intern or new hire one of the most important aspects is making sure that the job description, and what you want out of the prospective employee/intern are accurate. Many times recruiters will try to sell the job instead of trying to match it to the right person, this leads to false expectations and can lead to low retention.

I recommend: Taking a look at some sample job descriptions and general tips on a free site, such as this one found on About.com. You can also visit online human resource compliance services such as HRSentry for this and all other HR related issues.

Don't treat them as 'the intern'

Good interns are made to feel as part of the team and given meaningful tasks that will challenge them. If all you want an intern for is to take care of your busy work then it will be a painful experience for both.

I recommend: Assign a mentor who is willing and able to interact consistently with the intern. This will give the intern someone to turn to with questions they may have. Read about the The Importance of a Good Mentor to find out more on what benefits can be expected.

Set realistic goals

Goal setting is a very important part of the internship experience. It gives the intern the ability to feel as though they contributed. Assigning interns to tasks that they will never see the outcome is not nearly as effective. Good goals will excite the intern and give them confidence to take the position to the next level, employment.

I recommend: Developing an internship program that includes goal setting for the intern. This should be done with input from the intern. This will allow them to feel included and respected right from the start, as well as providing a custom learning experience. Resources on goal setting can be found at the free online Management Library.

Provide effective feedback

Upon leaving the internship, an individual should be given feedback, both good and bad. With good interns it can be tempting to sugar coat their downfalls and present them as flawless. Taking the time to provide constructive criticism and tips for the future while recognizing their achievements results in a much more effective experience.

I recommend: Checking out the benefits of conducting employee reviews in this article on benefits of self-reviews , or going to the Management Library.

Entry level employment is necessary for a variety of people, including students fresh out of college and displaced career people who now have to transition careers. Finding a job position without prior experience is a job in itself but knowing what employers look for makes this experience easier.

Entry level career management basics means finding the available positions and knowing where to look for them. Use the newspapers to your advantage to locate all open positions in your area. Visit local job fairs to see what is available and find information for transitioning to a new career. Use online job search engines to locate open positions. Use the following entry level career resources to find the perfect position for you:

1. Scour newspaper ads for entry level job opportunities under your chosen category.

2. Visit local job fairs to find the entry level job openings they have available.

3. Network online to do an entry level job search.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Read the daily want ads for entry level business careers

Search newspapers' online employment ads. Use this entry level career management basics tool as your first line towards finding the new job position. State relevant information, such as your college major, any internship, volunteer work or part time position that would qualify you for the position.

I recommend: Recruiters Network lists almost every newspaper in the country. Find your local newspaper online by entering the name of the paper. Find all newspapers in your state by clicking on your state from the state drop-down menu. Then click on the newspaper for your city and surrounding cities and view the job want ads. Apply to all that interest you. Job Factory connects to newspapers in all states that allow online viewing of the job want ads. Look at all the relevant newspapers for your region and line up the job positions that interest you.

Look for job fairs in your area for entry level career planning

Job fairs give you the opportunity to meet many employers at once. Fill out applications and receive an interview on the spot for the job opportunity.

I recommend: Employment Guide lists over 200 job fairs across the country. Click on any that interest you for details of that job fair. Go to the ones that have openings in your chosen career. Monster lists job fairs in your area. Put your zip code in the box and all job fairs in the area will populate on the next page along with the date of the fair and relevant details. Targeted Job Fairs lets you locate job fairs by your location or by event type. Put in your details and the fairs populate on the next page. Arrange to go to the ones that interest you. CollegeGrad.com offers tips on how to be successful with job fairs. Do your homework before attending the fair and you have a better chance of landing the job.

Use online job search tools to find entry level job opportunities

Online job search engines provide current lists of job openings nationally. Filter the search results to your locality and filter further for the type of job position.

I recommend: Simply Hired lists current job openings. Look for positions in your chosen field and apply for the jobs that are right for you. Employment Spot lists jobs by city, zip code and/or job type. Key in your search details and the jobs will populate on the next page. Apply to the ones that interest you.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Many sites on the Internet offer to search for business entry level jobs for a fee. The advantage to these paid sites is immediately finding the jobs that may not advertise elsewhere.

While many entry level jobs won't require a college degree, it's a good idea to have some basic understanding of entry level management skills. This is especially useful a person gets entry level employment at a company that promotes from within.

Before you start your entry level job search, determine what your goals for promotion are. You should discuss these goals with potential employers. You may find it helpful to look for the following educational and training opportunities:

1. Look for entry level job opportunities that provide training.

2. Ask potential employers what entry level career resources they provide.

3. Determine whether your employer will cover at least a percentage of training and educational expenses.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Take advantage of online resources that provide training for entry level career management

The Internet provides free education and training. Companies that sell educational services often host free articles and educational information on their websites. Non-profit organizations also tend to provide educational information designed to help low-income individuals move into a better career opportunity.

I recommend: MindTools.com provides entry level career management education and training online. It covers the basic areas needed for an entry level position. Management Concepts provides certification courses to help you learn the fundamentals.

Attend a seminar dealing with the management skills needed for business entry level jobs

Seminars provide you with the opportunity to learn from experts in the industry. Unlike online training and education, you can ask questions as you go along. In some cases, seminars also help you network and promote your skills. Talk with your employer to see if you can be reimbursed for travel expenses or at least consider time spent on education as work time.

I recommend: The American Management Association (AMA) hosts management training seminars at various US locations. These seminars help you build entry level management skills. SkillPath also hosts a variety of management seminars.

Discuss on-site training for entry level career opportunities

Some employers don't consider the overall benefit of on-site training, so you need to take the lead and ask about it. On-site management training can help everyone from clerical workers to mail deliverers.

I recommend: The Supervisory and Management Training Institute hosts on-site training specific to the basics of management. It also offers other educational seminars. You can also have Training Services on Demand do an on-site training program. It offers a Team Leadership Program.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  A bachelor's degree in business can help you get entry level business jobs with the opportunities for advancement.
• •  Some employers require all employees to start in an entry level position regardless of experience. In this case, the company may plan to promote you quickly, but you'll still have to start at the bottom.

Today's entry level job seekers may be just as well educated as their counterparts of ten years ago, but they also face stiffer competition and a more grim economy. Career management consultants are urging entry level applicants to prepare for their career search by seeking professional guidance so they'll know winning strategies for job interviews, how to write follow up letters and even how to set specific career goals that don't stop once they've landed their first job. Here's an overview of entry level career management key terms to help you prepare for this considerable task:

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

The announcement letter technique

Career consultants today urge college graduates to establish a personal network of contacts as they search for a job. Once they've landed a job, the graduates are then encouraged to use the announcement letter technique, informing their contacts of their new career locations.

I recommend: College Grad explains why the announcement letter technique can be effective in the long term, especially if you decide to move on from your present job. Find out how this technique helps you build relationships within your field.

Career-critical time

HR professionals believe that prospective employers consider the length of time it took entry level applicants to find a job as a critical factor in deciding whether to hire them.

I recommend: Allen and Associates explains why the length of time you have been unemployed may be used against you during the recruiting process. Find out about statistics supporting the current wisdom that remaining unemployed can have adverse impacts on your career goals.

Career counseling

Some entry level job applicants would benefit from individual career counseling sessions in which professionals help them focus on specific career goals.

I recommend: At Career Management Consultants, you'll find out the factors that a typical career counseling program focuses on and the skills professional counselors seek to develop in entry level job applicants.

Mock interviewing

Mock interviewing is done so that entry level applicants get to feel what it's like to be 'under the gun' at a job interview.

I recommend: Go to CareerPro USA to find out what career management consultants hope to achieve in their mock interviewing sessions with entry level job applicants. You'll also get an idea of how these mock interviews are conducted.

Career coaching

Career coaching refers to an individualized career plan that does not necessarily stop once an applicant has secured a job.

I recommend: Mind Tools explains why a person may want to utilize career coaching.

Internship

For college students who are seeking entry level positions even before graduation, career management consultants recommend internships as the most beneficial real-life learning experience that will prepare them for full-time employment.

I recommend: Loyola University identifies seven characteristics that make an internship program successful. Find out why internships must be goal oriented and offer just the right amount of supervision. You'll also get a glimpse of the internship search process.