Why Get An MBA Degree?

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Most people choose to do an MBA degree after concerted deliberation and meticulous planning. A full-time MBA at one of the world’s top business schools can cost anywhere between $30,000 and $200,000, depending on the program length and location you opt for.When proceeding through a checklist of reasons “for” and “against” enrolling in the degree, one encouraging point to consider is the continued buoyancy of the MBA employment market. Between 2015 and 2016, opportunities for graduates around the world grew by 13%.

To help with the “pro” side of your checklist, here are seven of the most common reasons why candidates choose an MBA, based on responses given to the QS Applicant Survey.

  1. Career acceleration and career change
    Most candidates aiming for an MBA apply because they want to improve their career prospects.

The post-MBA career change also appears to be a growing trend. On the premeditated end of the scale, 40% of candidates choose to do an MBA degree because they aim to change the industry they work in, their job function, their location, or a combination of these three.

In cases where the economy or business is disrupted, the MBA qualification can give students greater flexibility by opening them up to more avenues of opportunity.

  1. The acquisition of new skills
    The MBA degree has experienced something of a transformation over the last few decades, as top business schools remold their business management curricula to fine-tune course contents to the evolving demands of both MBA employers and the global economy.

Today’s MBA employers place importance in interpersonal, leadership, strategic thinking and communication skills. For the 59% of applicants who indicated that they want to acquire new skills, it’s comforting to know that the top business schools focus on teaching what’s relevant and what’s in demand. MBA graduates entering today’s workforce are likely to be better equipped as leaders, communicators and business strategists.

  1. Increasing salary potential and return on investment (MBA ROI)
    Students want a return on their investment (MBA ROI), yet, fewer than a third (30%) of QS’s applicant respondents cited an increase in salary as a primary reason for doing an MBA. Calculating the financial side of your MBA ROI isn’t a precise science and does depend on numerous factors, such as the wage forgone when you leave your existing job to study, the cost of the MBA program you finally choose, measured against the salary you will achieve as a graduate.

The large majority of candidates do earn a higher salary post-MBA, according to QS’s 2015 research into MBA ROI.

  1. Starting your own business
    Around 31% of applicants choose the MBA degree because they consider setting up their own business. Many top business schools offer specializations in entrepreneurship, and more institutions seem to be catering to student demand by building innovation hubs and startup labs where experts can support and guide, and peers can brainstorm.
  2. Top business schools and growing a professional network
    Half of applicants aim to build a professional network. It is estimated that as many as 85% of today’s jobs are filled through networking. Most, if not all, business schools promote the sizes of their alumni network and advertise it at as a key selling point on their websites.
  3. The chance to make a difference within an organization
    Some companies and organizations are willing to partly or fully sponsor their employee’s MBA study. Part-time, online and executive MBA program formats all enable students to work and study in parallel. Much of what is learned in a classroom setting can then be immediately applied in the workplace, allowing candidates to make an impact on business operations as early as week one (to the likely approval of senior management).
  4. The educational value of the MBA qualification and self-development
    In QS’s applicant survey, self-development and educational value are the primary motivators for 28% of applicants. An MBA isn’t purely a qualification on paper—it is the entire student experience, the skills and new information learned, the people and faculty met along the way, and knowledge that can offer career leverage in the short term and contribute toward an MBA graduate’s success throughout a lifetime.

Author-
Karen Turtle

View the original version of this article on topmba.com

‘Quiet’ is the workplace word of 2023
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By Madison Hoff, Business Insider

It seems fair to say that “quiet” is the workplace word for this year. “Quiet quitting,” “quiet hiring,” and “quiet firing” have all entered the work lexicon in the last several months, each marking a trend in how workers and employers are continuing to adapt to changes in how work works three years after the start of the pandemic. Experts think those “quiet” trends and more are set to continue throughout 2023 and beyond.

While not everything in today’s workplace are related to these quiet terms — there’s also rage applying, career cushioning, and chaotic working to name a few — there are a lot of quiet trends happening at work.

Quiet hiring

According to Vicki Salemi, career expert for Monster, quiet hiring involves shuffling workers into new roles within a company and “happens when people internally are being asked to move to another area internally.”

“Quiet hiring” is one of the “biggest workplace buzzwords” of 2023 per Insider’s reporting. That’s based on Gartner research, which considered it one of nine “Future of Work Trends for 2023.”

Emily Rose McRae of Gartner’s HR Practice said per reporting from GMA that quiet hiring is a workplace trend in 2023 in part because of a shortage in talent.

“We do not have enough talent for the roles that are available,” McRae said. “The jobs report that just came out said we had the lowest number of job seekers in months, so we’re not in a situation where we’re easily finding lots more talent.”

Salemi noted a few other reasons as to why quiet hiring may happen, including that it can be a strategy to get around having to lay off workers. She added that it could be the case too that “the company realizes that the employee’s talent are being underutilized.”

She pointed out that there can be pros to these internal moves like acquiring new skills, but some may find out they aren’t happy with this change. Salemi pointed out a Monster poll that half of those impacted by quiet hiring are in roles that actually don’t match their skills. This could lead to people joining the ongoing Great Resignation.

“Companies are redeploying resources and employees are — depending on their situation — it could be a move or stepping stone to a bigger opportunity or they could feel perhaps like they’re not in alignment with their goals,” Salemi said.

Quiet quitting

As Insider’s Samantha Delouya reported, “quiet quitting,” or just doing a minimum workload, was one prominent trend last year, and according to Payscale’s new 2023 Compensation Best Practices Report, it “isn’t going away.”

Today’s high inflation of over 6% may also be one reason people are not going above and beyond in their roles.

“In the midst of inflation, these employees who stayed, they’re being asked to take on more and more work for what feels like less pay if they haven’t got a raise or promotion,” Bonnie Chiurazzi, director of market insights at Glassdoor, told Insider. “So when you think of it through their eyes, it seems more of a natural response to the context that they’ve been living through.”

And layoffs, such as those at companies like Spotify and BlackRock, may not help this trend.

Amid those kinds of layoffs, “there is the likelihood that there’ll be increased responsibility for the employees that are left behind,” Ruth Thomas, pay equity strategist at Payscale, told Insider. “And that may potentially exacerbate that quiet quitting movement where employees become more frustrated at the fact that they’re having to take on more responsibility, so that’s a dynamic we see potentially happening.”

​​Salemi also said she thinks quiet quitting is still taking place in the labor market. Similarly, Chiurazzi thinks the “quiet quitting trend will persist until employers are ready to turn up the volume on employee feedback and really dig into these conversations.”

“I do think quiet quitting will remain prevalent until some of the underlying issues are addressed,” Chiurazzi said.

Chiurazzi pointed to Glassdoor findings that suggest some workers aren’t too happy with their employer. Chiurazzi said about a third “of employees feel a lack of transparency with their current employer,” but also about a third aren’t happy “with how their employer engages employees” and about a third are unhappy with “how their employers follow up on employee feedback.”

Other buzzwords of the year from Insider’s reporting relate to quiet quitting even if they don’t use the word quiet. That includes resenteeism, which Glamour UK’s Bianca London described as “the natural successor to ‘quiet quitting.'”

Another related buzzword of 2023 is Bare Minimum Monday — or as Insider’s Rebecca Knight and Tim Paradis wrote: “the TikTokian progeny of ‘quiet quitting.'” While this involves doing just the minimum on Mondays, it’s similar given quiet quitting includes not doing more than you are required to. However, not all buzzwords are about quiet things in the workplace. Newsweek reported that “loud layoffs” will be a trend this year, and Salemi told Insider “rage applying” is also happening usually because people want to leave “toxic workplaces.”

Quiet firing, thriving, and promotions

Quiet firing is another trend describing what has been taken place for some in the workplace. As Insider’s Britney Nguyen wrote, this quiet term means “employers treat workers badly to the point they will quit, instead of the employer just firing them.”

Continue on to Business Insider to read the complete article.

Kickstart Your Career With Public Health AmeriCorps
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As communities across the country work to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and build a healthier, more resilient future, there is an urgent need to grow our nation’s public health workforce.

Our communities also need innovative solutions to help break down barriers to good health and improve health equity. That’s why AmeriCorps and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are teaming up through Public Health AmeriCorps, a new program that supports the recruitment, training and development of a new generation of diverse public health leaders.

Opportunities Are Now Available Near You

AmeriCorps is recruiting thousands of people to serve in public health roles at health departments, government agencies, community-based organizations, schools and other settings across the U.S. Adults of all ages and educational backgrounds are eligible to join Public Health AmeriCorps, which aims to recruit members who reflect the communities where they serve.

“Public Health AmeriCorps members add much needed capacity and support for local organizations and help address critical public health issues — like health equity, mental health and substance use disorders, COVID-19 recovery and more,” said Michael D. Smith, AmeriCorps CEO. “This program will not only meet urgent public health needs, but also help fill the shortages in the public health workforce with thousands of Public Health AmeriCorps alumni who represent the rich diversity of the communities they serve.”

Depending on the organization’s and community’s needs, some common roles include:

  • Health education and training
  • Community outreach and engagement
  • System navigation, referrals and linkage to care
  • Research, data collection, analysis and assessment
  • And more!

For example, AmeriCorps members have helped more than 2.5 million people at COVID-19 vaccination sites and conducted 1.7 million wellness checks. Members have also served as recovery coaches to help individuals overcome opioid addiction by providing substance use prevention, education, screenings and assessments.

Why Serve with Public Health AmeriCorps?

For many AmeriCorps members, serving is a way to gain valuable, first-hand experience to help further or transition their careers. Members receive on-site experience in a public health setting and have access to a comprehensive training program. Serving is also a great way to help make a difference in communities and give back. In addition, members receive benefits including:

  • Professional development opportunities: Gain transferable skills employers value including leadership, teamwork and problem-solving.
  • Living allowance: Receive a living allowance to cover basic expenses during your service term.
  • Money for college and trade school: Individuals who complete a term of service will receive an education award which can be used for a range of educational expenses.
  • Loan deferment and interest forbearance: AmeriCorps members are eligible for forbearance for most federally guaranteed student loans. In addition, interest payments that accrue during service may be eligible for repayment by AmeriCorps.
  • Access to the national AmeriCorps alumni network: Be part of a network of like-minded leaders who are passionate about improving communities. AmeriCorps alumni receive access to unique benefits and resources.

Learn More & Apply

Is this a good fit for you? Visit AmeriCorps.gov/PublicHealth for a complete list of opportunities to serve and guidance on how to apply. Part-time and full-time roles are available in rural and urban locations across nearly every state, D.C., Guam and Puerto Rico. You can also subscribe to AmeriCorps’ newsletter (public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USCNCS/subscriber/new) and contact publichealth@americorps.gov with any questions.

The Woman Stepping Up to Take on Climate Change
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Environmental conservation is one of the biggest issues of the current times, bringing together representatives from every country to discuss what needs to be done to preserve our planet and its wildlife.

But thanks to one woman’s extraordinary expertise and her new position with the United Nations, we are improving worldwide efforts to help our planet.

Attorney and Army veteran, Monica Medina has been an advocate and a key player for sustainability and conservation efforts throughout her entire career.

She has worked as legal counsel on behalf of environmentalist organizations such as NOAA and the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, oversaw the Justice Department’s Environmental Division under President Clinton, led conservation efforts as the Commissioner to the International Whaling Commission under President Obama and has worked with various other environmentalist and ecological organizations.

Now, Medina’s expertise will be utilized in a whole new way: as the United States’ first ever Special Envoy for Biodiversity and Water Resources; a position designed to confront the environmental crises that directly affect our planet’s wildlife and water supply. In tandem with her position as the assistant secretary for the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs at the state department, Medina’s position makes her one of the biggest power plays in environmental conservation among world leaders.

“I am really honored to have this role and this title,” she told ShareAmerica. “We’re in a world where the loss of nature is overwhelming and a real potential threat to the health of the planet and the health of people.”

In her new role, Medina will be working to support two of the most important ecological crises that effect humanity: the protection of biodiversity and increasing water security.

Decades of evidence shows that water security is essential to global efforts to increase equity and economic growth, build inclusive and resilient societies, bolster health and food security, decrease the risk of conflict or instability and tackle the climate crisis. Meanwhile, environmental stressors, like the climate crisis, nature crimes — including illegal logging, mining, land conversion — and wildlife trafficking, have deep and detrimental impacts on the biodiversity of our planet and the availability of clean and safe water for human use. The two crises are inextricably linked, and the state department and Special Envoy Medina are committed to addressing the crises holistically.

“These have deep and detrimental and lasting impacts on biodiversity, and on the availability of resources like clean and safe water,” Medina stated. “We are committed as we can be to try to address all of these crises at the same time.”

Monica Medina (L), speaks with Cho Seung-Hwan (R), South Korea's special presidential envoy for the 2030 Busan World Expo
Monica Medina (L), speaks with Cho Seung-Hwan (R), South Korea’s special presidential envoy for the 2030 Busan World Expo, during a meeting on the sidelines of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). (WILLIAM WEST/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

As part of Medina’s position, she has attended and will continue to attend discussions and negotiation that will foster new conservation efforts to support biodiversity and water preservation. These conferences include the 2022 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27), the December meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of Parties (COP15) and the Intergovernmental Conference. She will also be in charge of forming partnerships with other countries to find climate solutions.

“I am really honored to have this role and this title. We’re in a world where the loss of nature is overwhelming and a real potential threat to the health of the planet and the health of people.” – Monica Medina

Additionally, Medina’s position will require her to implement a first-of-its-kind initiative dedicated to advancing water security in the U.S. and abroad. The White House Water Security Action Plan and the Global Water Strategy, both of which Medina will be leading, will identify the direct links between water and U.S. national security, and harness the resources of the U.S. government — from leveraging science and technology to informing our diplomacy, defense and development efforts — to advance global water security and foreign policy goals. Securing water safety is additionally believed to prevent conflict and promote global peace and stability.

Monica Medina makes a few remarks at a special preview screening of the Netflix film, “Mission Blue,” at the National Geographic Society's Grosvenor Auditorium in Washington, D.C.
Monica Medina makes a few remarks at a special preview screening of the Netflix film, “Mission Blue,” at the National Geographic Society’s Grosvenor Auditorium in Washington, D.C. (Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Netflix)

“We see water scarcity as a growing threat to peace and security in so many parts of the world, so we made it a priority,” Medina said.

Though climate change has been one of the top growing concerns for people of differing citizenships, political beliefs and cultures, Medina has faith that these new partnerships and programs will have a positive impact on the future of ecological conservation. “We are working to advance our climate ambition, to strengthen resilience to climate change and to really get as strong an outcome as possible from COP27. We as the U.S., are bringing an awful lot to the table there.”

Sources: ShareAmerica, U.S. Department of State, whitehouse.gov, Wikipedia

Top Photo: Monica Medina, assistant secretary for the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs of the United States, poses for a picture during an interview with AFP on the sidelines of the UN’s first session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-1) to develop a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution on November 28, 2022. (RICARDO FIGUEREDO/AFP via Getty Images)

Searching for a Remote Job? 5 Mistakes to Avoid
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By Jillian Hamilton

Remote jobs are a hot search term — even in national security. But while many say they want to work from home some or all of the time, it doesn’t mean candidates know how to find a remote job.

The candidate market may be hot, but that doesn’t mean that it’s easy to find the right job that fits you.

5 MISTAKES TO AVOID IN YOUR REMOTE JOB SEARCH

But if you’re in the market for a remote job and not finding one, you might be making some basic mistakes. Sometimes, you don’t have to overhaul everything — just make a few adjustments.
 

  1. Focusing only on the remote-side of the search.

When it comes to jobs, it’s really about lining up the right skills to the position. It may be tempting to apply for every and any remote job, regardless of whether or not you even want to do the actual work. However, if you want to go remote in national security, your best bet will be to keep your job search open to all requirements and focus on your specific skillsets. You may find that in a candidate market, cleared employers are willing to offer some hybrid options. You can narrow your search for specific remote jobs, but it’s important to keep your skillsets the key piece of the equation. Employers are most concerned with finding cleared candidates who meet the job requirements.

  1. Never changing your resume for the different jobs.

This isn’t a remote-only issue. It is a normal struggle for candidates, but it’s worth mentioning because it can have such a negative impact on the success of a job search. If you’re not adjusting your resume based on each job description, make that your first change you make. If you want the job, you have to connect the dots for recruiters, highlighting how your skillsets map to the job requirements. Don’t just blast your resume out to every opportunity without making adjustments.

  1. Searching remote jobs outside your geographical location.

When it comes to cleared, remote opportunities, the odds of having to make an appearance at the office or the client site are high. Unless the contract allows for billable travel, you will need to be close enough to commute in, sometimes at least once a week. Unless you have a personal SCIF at home or the contract has zero classified information that you will have to handle, then you should expect some in-person interactions will need to happen. Try narrowing down your search to opportunities that are at least a drivable distance from your home.

  1. Forgetting your network.

You build your network for many reasons, but one of the best times to lean on them is when you are job searching. Whether it’s to ask someone to review your resume or it’s to connect to a company that has remote openings, you have to remember to reach out. Asking for help isn’t easy for everyone, but every job search is made better when your network is involved. Don’t forget to reach out to recruiters as part of your network, as well as key associations in the industry. Those connections could be your ticket to answering emails in your comfy pants at home.

  1. Skipping your remote skills section.

You might not think this section is important, but you’d be wrong. If you want to have a remote job, you have to highlight how you are suited to it. Not everyone thrives or has the right skills to make the remote life work for them. Team communications and collaboration skills in a remote world need to be highlighted. How are you at tracking tasks? Don’t talk about how much easier working at home makes your personal and professional life. That shouldn’t be your reasoning for an employer to offer you a remote job. If you really want to land your next remote gig, you need to highlight on your resume your remote skills, as well as share that information during the interview too.

BE FLEXIBLE WITH REMOTE DEMANDS

Sometimes in national security, the remote jobs just aren’t there. But be sure that it’s because all the contracts are actually requiring 100 percent on-site support and not because you’re making some key mistakes in your remote job search. And you may need to be flexible on the amount of cleared remote work you can get. With federal agency offices opening back up, mask guidelines being adjusted and vaccine mandates on hold, more clients will be expecting more faces on-site. Being able to support the mission with a hybrid schedule is a win for the national security workforce.

Source: ClearanceJobs

3 Ways to Maintain Balance When Your Work World Shifts
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You may have heard of “quiet quitting,” a term that is creating a lot of buzz around setting boundaries at work. The idea is that rather than leave a job, some workers are deciding to keep doing their duties but not go above and beyond, sparking debates about what’s “normal” when roles shift and more responsibilities are presumed to be assumed.

“Quiet quitting” is making its rounds on social media and web forums everywhere for good reason. Imagine that your manager wants you to take on more responsibility at work, but doesn’t give you a promotion.

(It’s not an uncommon story. After all, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), U.S. workers work an average of 1,791 hours per year versus an OECD country average of 1,716.)

You can do one of the following:

  1. Grin and bear it.
  2. Demand perks, a salary bump or a bonus for your work.
  3. Desperately search for guidance because no one told you how to handle this situation.

Your answer will likely vary depending on what led to the change.

Team dynamics can shift for any number of reasons. A coworker could be taking leave or a new job, the company might be downsizing or your employer could simply decide to change your role. Whatever the catalyst, you’ll want to have a chat with your manager to define your new responsibilities, set boundaries and ensure that you’re treated fairly.

Understand the terms

Before deciding whether or not to ask for more money or a better title, find out if your new responsibilities are permanent and what prompted them.

For example, if you’re shouldering the workload of a coworker who will be out for parental leave, you might be able to negotiate an interim salary adjustment or bonus for your temporary workload adjustment. On the other hand, if your company is cutting costs after a round of layoffs, it’s probably not a good time to ask for a raise.

Read the room and think about how your needs and the company’s needs overlap and then you can make your move.

Ask for more

No matter how much you like to think of yourself as a “team player,” you don’t work for free. If your increased workload is due to temporary changes, like a colleague taking a sabbatical or medical leave, you should be paid for the additional work you’ll be doing. Be sure to ask for a specific number, whether it’s a raise or a bonus, and quantify that number with data.

If your workload is increasing because a colleague is leaving permanently, find out if the company is planning to fill the vacancy. If you’re absorbing duties for a vacant role that could be a promotion, ask for the promotion or even an “acting” title to demonstrate your skills.

In situations where a raise or a title change are out of the question, get creative. Explore perks like additional paid time off or even a one-time bonus. If the company offers educational reimbursement, you could even request more tuition or training reimbursement.

In either situation, don’t let negotiations continue indefinitely. If your manager asks for more time to figure out a plan, schedule a follow-up meeting right away.

Define expectations

Your employer shouldn’t expect you to do the jobs of two or three people in the same amount of time for the same pay. It’s neither fair nor sustainable. Setting reasonable expectations up front for your redefined role can help you avoid burnout later.

As you discuss your workload with your manager, try to create realistic estimates for how much time you’ll need to perform each task well and ask about reassigning some of your existing workload — or pieces of the new workload — to other team members. Before leaving the meeting, set a check-in date so you can reassess the situation after you’ve had time to adapt to your new role. Some of your new duties may be easier than you expected, but you may need more training or mentorship to thrive in other areas.

Put it in writing

Ideally, you’ll be completely aligned with your manager on expectations, but it’s always best to have written terms that you can reference. That doesn’t mean you have to ask your manager to draft a to-do list for you. Instead, take notes as you discuss expectations and new assignments — plus any changes to your compensation, benefits or title — and send your manager a follow-up email outlining what you discussed. If the company tries to renege later, you can point back to your email documenting the terms you agreed to.

Carpe diem

While taking on extra work is challenging, it’s also a chance to show that you’re ready for bigger roles. Setting expectations and boundaries with your manager before you jump into an expanded role can help position you for success.

Whether you use the opportunity to move up the ranks within your current company or seek another position with a new employer, shifts in your workload can sometimes be stepping stones to advance your career. Embrace the change.

Source: Glassdoor

14 of Financial Aid’s Biggest Myths Debunked
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The U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid provides around $112 billion in federal student aid annually. Yet Student Aid’s FY 2021 Annual Report found that only about 61% of high school students applied for financial aid.

Here are the top 14 myths about student aid, debunked:

Myth 1: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form costs money. 

FACT: Nope! The FAFSA form is free. The quickest and best way to fill it out is on fafsa.gov. Don’t complete your FAFSA form on websites that charge fees.

Myth 2: My family’s income is too high for me to qualify for financial aid. 

FACT: That’s one of the most common financial aid myths, but there’s no income cutoff. Most people qualify for some type of financial aid, which range from grants and scholarships to loans and work-study programs. Many factors besides income — such as your family size and your year in school — are considered to create your financial aid package.

When you submit the FAFSA form, you’re also automatically applying for state funds and possibly financial aid from your school, including grants and scholarships. In fact, some schools won’t even consider you for their scholarships (including academic scholarships) until you’ve submitted a FAFSA form. And you can’t know how much financial aid you’ll get until you fill it out.

Myth 3: The FAFSA form is really hard to fill out. 

FACT: Most people can complete their first FAFSA form in less than an hour. If it’s a renewal or you’re an independent student who doesn’t need to provide parents’ information, it can take even less time. Online, you’re asked only the questions relevant to you. And if you’ve filed your taxes, you can transfer your tax return data into your FAFSA form automatically.

Myth 4: I’m not eligible for financial aid because of my ethnicity or age. 

FACT: Absolutely not. While schools have their own eligibility requirements, federal student aid eligibility requirements do not exclude based on ethnicity or age.

Myth 5: The FAFSA form is only for federal student loans. 

FACT: Not at all. In fact, the FAFSA form is one of the most widely used tools to access student aid: one application for multiple types of funding. When you complete the FAFSA form, you’re automatically applying for everything from grants and scholarships to work-study funds and loans from federal, state, and school sources. States and schools can also determine scholarships and grants using your FAFSA information. And the funding can be substantial.

Myth 6: The FAFSA form kicks off on Jan. 1, and you have to submit it by June.  

FACT: Nope! You have more time than you think. The FAFSA form is available on Oct. 1 for the next school year and there are three FAFSA deadlines: federal, state, and school. But the sooner you submit your FAFSA form, the more likely you are to get aid.

Remember, too, that when you submit the FAFSA form, you’re also automatically applying for grants, scholarships and loans from states and schools, which may have earlier deadlines than the federal deadline. If you’re applying to multiple schools, check their deadlines and apply by the earliest one.

Myth 7: I need to file my 2022 taxes before completing the FAFSA form. 

FACT: No, you’ll use your 2021 tax information to apply for student aid for the 2023-24 award year. You do not need to update your FAFSA form after filing your 2022 taxes because only the 2021 information is required. If your financial situation has changed in the last year, you should still complete the FAFSA form with the 2021 information, submit your FAFSA form and contact the financial aid office at the school you plan to attend to discuss how your financial situation has changed.

Myth 8: You have to have good grades to get a financial aid package. 

FACT: Applying for admission into school is different from applying for financial aid. Good grades may help with academic scholarships, but most federal student aid programs don’t consider grades for your first FAFSA form. In subsequent years, you’ll have to meet certain academic standards defined by your school (also known as satisfactory academic progress) to continue receiving financial aid.

Myth 9: Since I’m self-supporting, I don’t have to include my parents on the FAFSA form. 

FACT: Not necessarily. You need to know how the FAFSA form defines a dependent student. The form asks questions to determine your dependency status. You’ll also need to learn who is defined as a parent for FAFSA purposes. Requirements for being considered an independent student go beyond living on your own and supporting yourself.

Myth 10: I should not fill out the FAFSA form until I’m accepted to school. 

FACT: That’s another widespread FAFSA misconception. Do it as soon as possible. To receive your information, the FAFSA form requires you to list at least one school, but you should list any schools you’re thinking about, even if you haven’t applied or been accepted. And don’t worry ― schools can see only their own information; they will not be able to see other schools on your FAFSA form.

Myth 11: I only need to submit the FAFSA form once.  

FACT: You have to fill out the FAFSA form every year you’re in school to stay eligible for federal student aid, but filling out the renewal FAFSA form takes less time.

Myth 12: I should contact the U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid to find out how much financial aid I’m getting and when.

FACT: No, the financial aid office at your school is the source for that information. The U.S. Department of Education’s office does not award or disburse your aid. Remember — each school awards financial aid on its own schedule.

Myth 13: The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is the amount you have to pay for school. 

FACT: The EFC is not the amount of money your family will have to pay for college, and it is not the amount of federal student aid you will receive. The EFC is a number your school uses to calculate how much financial aid you are eligible to receive. Other factors ― the largest being the cost of your school ― contribute to determining both the amount and type of aid you receive.

Myth 14: I can share my FSA ID with my parent(s).  

FACT: Nope. If you’re a dependent student, you will need your own FSA ID to sign your FAFSA form online, and so will one of your parents. An FSA ID is an account username and password that you use to log in to certain U.S. Department of Education websites. If you share your FSA ID, you’re risking identity theft and your FAFSA form could be delayed.

Source: studentaid.gov

6 STEM Scholarships You Should Know About
Diversity in STEMEducation
LinkedIn
woman scientist looking at test tube

Just about every career in the STEM field requires some form of university-level education. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to spend every penny you own and then some to pursue your dream job.

Whether it’s through federal funding, non-profit organizations or individual donations, there are tons of scholarship and grant opportunities for students wanting to pursue the world of STEM.

Here are just a few of the scholarships that you can apply for:

The Society of Women Engineers Scholarship

Since World War II, the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) has been doing all they can to support the needs of women engineers across the country. One of the ways they do this is through the SWE Scholarship Program, which provides varying fund amounts to those identifying as women and studying in undergraduate or graduate programs in the STEM field. While the specific amount you can receive varies, the program gave away over $1,220,000 in scholarships in 2021 alone. All students, from incoming freshman to graduate students, may apply but freshman must fill out a separate application form.

  • Amount: Varies
  • Number of Scholarships Given: Varies
  • Application Dates: Applications usually often in December for upperclassman and the following March for freshman
  • How to Learn More: swe.org/applications/login.asp

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronauts Scholarships

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronauts (AAIA) is an organization dedicated to supporting the future generation of people interested in the aerospace field. One of the ways they do this is through their scholarship program, where undergraduates and graduates alike can fill out a single application and be eligible for consideration for up to three scholarships from their program. To apply, you must be at least a sophomore in college and a member of AAIA.

USDA/1890 Scholars Program

The USDA/1890 National Scholars Program is a partnership between USDA and the 1890 historically Black land-grant colleges and universities. The program provides full tuition, employment, employee benefits, fees, books and room and board each year for up to four years for selected students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in agriculture, food science, natural resource science or a related academic discipline at one of 19 designated 1890s land-grant colleges and universities. The scholarship may be renewed each year, contingent upon satisfactory academic performance and normal progress toward the bachelor’s degree. Scholars accepted into the program will be eligible for noncompetitive conversion to a permanent appointment with USDA upon successful completion of their degree requirements by the end of the agreement period.

  • Amount: Full Tuition Coverage
  • Number of Scholarships Given: Varies
  • Application Dates: Varies
  • How to Learn More: gov/youth/scholarships

Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART)

In a collaboration with American Society for Engineering Education and the Department of Defense, the Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) program is for students wanting to go into engineering, biosciences, chemical engineering, civil engineering, chemistry and cognitive, neural and behavioral sciences. In addition to full tuition coverage, SMART students will receive health insurance, mentoring, internship opportunities and a guaranteed job offer from the Department of Defense. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA, be available for summer internships and are expected to accept the job position offered to them upon completing their education.

  • Amount: Full Tuition Coverage, plus more
  • Number of Scholarships Given: Varies
  • Application Dates: Varies
  • How to Learn More: org/smart

NOAA Undergraduate Scholarships

NOAA Office of Education’s student scholarship programs provide opportunities for undergraduate students to gain hands-on experience while pursuing research and educational training in NOAA-mission sciences. The Hollings and EPP/MSI Undergraduate Scholarship share a common application and students who are eligible for both programs are encouraged to apply to both. To be eligible, you must be a sophomore at a four-year university program, a junior at a five-year university program or a community college student transferring to a university.

The S-STEM Program

Recognizing that financial aid alone cannot increase retention and graduation in STEM, the National Science Foundation (NSF) founded the S-STEM Program, a fund that provides awards to institutions of higher education (IHEs) to fund scholarships and to adapt, implement and study evidence-based curricular and co-curricular activities that have been shown to be effective in supporting recruitment, retention, transfer (if appropriate), student success, academic/career pathways and graduation in STEM. While most of the students who receive this award are studying an area of the STEM field, proposals can be made for funds to be given to students who meet the same qualifications, but are studying a high-demand industry. The amounts distributed depend on the institution.

Sources: The College Consensus, National Science Foundation, USDA, NOAA, SMART Scholarship, AIAA, Society of Women Engineers

Big Ticket STEM Training to Develop the New Generation of the Innovators of the Future
Education
LinkedIn
Female architects discussing ideas for the new project

Your diverse background might be your ticket to personalized training and world-class mentorship from the best engineers across the tech industry

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, collectively known as STEM make up the fastest-growing and highest paid fields in the U.S. with diverse job opportunities in careers ranging from senior engineers, programmers to operations director, yet diverse professionals are underrepresented in the industry.

A Pew Research report finds uneven progress in diversifying STEM fields. It reports that while Hispanics make up 17% of employed adults, they represent only 8% of STEM workers. Blacks, according to the report, make up 9% of STEM workers, but make up 11% of employed adults.

According to the report, current trends in STEM degree attainment appear unlikely to substantially narrow these gaps. Black and Latino/Hispanic adults are less likely to earn degrees in STEM than other degree fields, and they continue to make up a lower share of STEM graduates relative to their share of the adult population. And while women now earn a majority of all undergraduate and advanced degrees, they remain a small share of degree earners in fields like engineering and computer science – areas where they are significantly underrepresented in the work force.

Nowadays it’s imperative that STEM students have some type of internship experience on their resume that will enable them to stand out from the competition as well as provide some real-work scenarios to talk through during job interviews. Though the main objective is to get experience, some students might find a job opportunity. That’s a real win-win for any student.

“At IOScholarships our priority is connecting untapped talented STEM students with scholarship and internship opportunities to help them achieve their academic and career goals,” said María Fernanda Trochimezuk, Founder of IOScholarships.

Netflix is launching a new program with Formation to build a world where people from every walk of life have a seat at the table in tech. Their program will be completely free of charge for students accepted and it is designed to unlock the student engineering potential with personalized training and world-class mentorship from the best engineers across the tech industry.

This program was built to provide rising senior college students from historically marginalized groups with the technical training, senior engineering mentorship, and career coaching they need to prepare them for Netflix engineering roles. Most importantly, it will help bridge the skills gap, and improve diversity head-on.

The program is an intensive, hands-on experience requiring a minimum of 15 hours a week and participants can opt-in to the maximum 40 hours a week. The program is 100% remote and requires applicants to be fully dedicated to the program to be considered. Applications close on March 5th. For more information visit https://formation.dev/partners/netflix

Who should apply?

College students pursuing a BS/BA in technical field (Computer Science, Engineering, Math, Statistics) graduating in Spring/Summer 2024. Students who come from historically underrepresented backgrounds or identities in the technology industry are strongly encouraged to apply.

For more internships – and the opportunity to see scholarships that perfectly match your credentials and career aspirations – check out IOScholarships

ABOUT IO SCHOLARSHIPS

The majority of the scholarships and internships featured on the IOScholarships website come directly from corporations and organizations, rather than solely from competitive national pools – thereby maximizing the number of opportunities students have to earn funding for their education and training for their careers. Each month IO Scholarships adds hundreds of new curated scholarships to its database and posts “The Scholarship of the Week” on its Instagram social media account (@IOScholarships), making it easy to find new scholarship opportunities.

In addition to providing scholarships, IO Scholarships website offers a free scholarship organizer, news articles designed to provide guidance on how to apply for scholarships, and money saving tips. The platform also offers a Career Aptitude Quiz designed to help students identify the degrees and professions that best fit their skills.

For more information about IOScholarships visit www.ioscholarships.com or for STEM scholarships email maria.fernanda@ioscholarships.com

The Dos and Don’ts of Using Social Media in Hiring
Careers
LinkedIn
hand on smartphone looking at social media image

Does your candidate screening process include checking out applicants’ social media? It’s a practice that has become common, but it introduces important ethical and legal considerations that employers should be aware of, along with potential impact on diversity and inclusion efforts.

Conducting general employment background checks is a well-established practice; they typically cover an applicant’s work history, credit history and possibly justice system involvement. But the practice of reviewing candidates’ social media accounts on platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook is much newer. Recent surveys indicate a majority of employers now use social media background checks to screen candidates, and that their findings range from alarming to impressive.

One use of social media information that seems particularly justifiable could be to eliminate candidates who demonstrate poor or even dangerous judgment and behavior in their personal life that might impact coworkers and the workplace if they were hired.

However, this — and any other — purpose for reviewing applicants’ social media raises the risk of legal liability because federal employment laws (including the Civil Rights Act and Americans with Disabilities Act) prohibit hiring based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability and more. Any of these characteristics would likely be visible on an individual’s social media, so searching candidates’ social media may increase the risk of discrimination, or appearing to discriminate, based on these qualities.

Companies may hire an independent service to conduct social media-based background checks, rather than perform them themselves. This is intended to shield the employer from seeing information about candidates’ protected status and preserve the legality of the hiring process. However, the employer is responsible for ensuring the integrity of the independent service and may also be required to disclose this practice to applicants in advance.

Some states bar employers from asking applicants for access to their social media usernames and passwords. However, employers may still conduct searches of information that is publicly available on social media. Besides legal risks, one of the primary arguments against social media background screening is implicit bias. To avoid recruiting based on stereotypes, it’s recommended that hiring processes follow the notion of “blind recruiting,” removing personal information as much as possible. Also called “anonymous
recruiting,” the concept keeps the focus on skills, work experience, education and training and other essential factors that affect how a candidate would perform on the job.

“Blind recruiting” excludes consideration of other features of job candidates that would not impact their ability to perform a job, such as appearance or political affiliation. These characteristics would also likely be apparent in social media and knowing this information about a candidate could compromise the ethics of a hiring process and impact an organization’s efforts toward expanding diversity and inclusion in hiring.

Source: CareerOneStop

4 Tips to Nail a Virtual Job Interview
Careers
LinkedIn
woman interviewing with man on website, close up, rear view

by Ben Laker, Will Godley, Selin Kudret and Rita Trehan

If you’re job hunting right now, chances are you’re also interviewing remotely. There are some serious upsides to this. You can avoid tardiness (no traffic snarls), reference notes without being too obvious and if you’re located in a rural area, you now have access to the same opportunities as city dwellers, saving you money.

There are also downsides. Combined with technical problems — like forgetting you’re unmuted or having a cat filter stuck on your face — virtual interviews can go horribly wrong.

Through our latest research on remote hiring, we wanted to know, given these pros and cons, how can job candidates really stand out during the virtual interview process?

Here are four practices you can use to turn your next virtual interview into a job offer.

1) Set up your space.

  • Have a clean, uncluttered background: Our advice here is not for you to start rearranging your entire room. Just find a spot that is simple and free of distractions. You can even choose a simple virtual background instead of propping yourself in front of a messy bookshelf. Contrary to previous research, we found that unconscious biases were less likely to creep into the decision-making process when candidates had a clean backdrop. 97 percent of the recruiters we spoke to preferred virtual backgrounds of office settings over beaches, mountains or outer space.

2) Prepare for the unexpected.

  • Keep notes handy, but don’t refer to them too often: During job interviews, it’s standard for recruiters to ask candidates for examples of their most impactful work. Don’t let this unnerve you in the moment. Create a printout or Word document of notes with crisp bullet points highlighting a few projects you want to share. Sort your projects under two or three headers: accomplishments, research and volunteer work.

We suggest no more than one page of notes. The goal is to refer to your notes minimally.

3) Rehearse.

  • Use hand gestures: In our study, 89 percent of successful candidates used wide hand gestures for big and exciting points, while moving their hands closer to their heart when sharing personal reflections. Your body language can impact what you’re saying and how you come across. Our research also found that you can connect to your interviewer just by keeping an open posture and remembering not to cross your arms. Look into your webcam, not at your reflection. We recommend framing yourself in a way where you’re not too far from the camera (we suggest no more than two feet). Make sure your head and top of your shoulders dominate the screen, and as you’ve heard before, look into the camera when you speak.

4) Don’t perform a monologue; spark conversations.

  • Ask questions: There’s always an opportunity to ask questions about the office and the culture in an interview, but when you interview remotely, you’re going to be left with more questions than usual. Whatever you want to know, ask. Don’t worry about looking silly. The recruiter will appreciate your curiosity.

We suggest asking questions about the kind of technology you’ll have access to when working remotely, if you’d be working in a hybrid team or how success is measured at the organization. 85 percent of successful candidates asked these kinds of questions to demonstrate their values and priorities, while revealing vital bits of information about their personality. For example, you could ask, “Do you have a flexible work policy?” Then bookend your question with, “I’ve been volunteering as an English teacher for marginalized communities twice a week, and it would be great to be able to continue doing that.”

For better or worse, remote hiring is here to stay. While there are many unrivaled benefits to this, you need to do your bit to ace this relatively new process. Remember, trousers are optional, outstanding delivery is not.

Source: Harvard Business Review

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