Before you start a job, you need to decide whether to accept a job offer. And over the course of your career, some will be no-brainers; others will be a little trickier.

Take these scenarios.

1. You get an offer that’s a little lower than you expected—even after negotiating with the hiring .
2. You’re juggling competing job offers with very different
3. A company you’re less interested in offers a better package than a company you’d really love to work

Here’s the thing: There’s a middle ground that people often don’t talk about. And it’s about time we explored it.

Here are four things to consider before you sign an offer letter.

1. Company Mission

Think about the reasons you’re excited to accept a job. Will they be just as exciting a year or two down the road?

It’s easy to get caught up in things like an unlimited vacation policy or epic company outings. After all, those are amazing perks—when paired with a company mission that makes you proud of what you do.

Ultimately, knowing you’re doing work that makes an impact—both within your company and beyond it—will keep you fulfilled as you build a career. For Erica Hirsch, a Senior Director at Thermo Fisher’s Business Segment, she’s found that at Thermo Fisher. “From my desk in Silicon Valley, I’m fighting to stop counterfeit drugs in Africa,” she says.

“The work I do at Thermo Fisher Scientific involves technology that helps professionals in the field quickly and accurately confirm that a pharmaceutical is what it says it is. In Ghana and Sub-Saharan Africa, our handheld products are invaluable tools that agencies use to stop the growing problem of counterfeit anti-malaria drugs. Our work has played a part in significantly reducing counterfeit drugs throughout the region.”

2. Your Co-workers

Assuming you work eight-hour days, you’ll be spending 2,080 hours a year with your co-workers (minus holidays and vacation days, of course). In other words, you’ll want to choose them wisely.

We know. You can’t learn everything about your co-workers from an interview. But you can probably learn more than you think. Find out as much as you can by asking questions about the team dynamic and company culture. Do your best to figure out if it’s a collaborative environment, and don’t be afraid to be direct.

When it’s over, take stock of your experience. Did you share a laugh during your interview? Were they genuinely curious about your past experience? Did you feel less like you were answering questions and more like you were having a conversation?

These are all signs you might’ve struck co-worker gold.

3. Opportunities For Growth

We’re talking the personal and the professional kind here. Not sure what to look for? Consider whether the company makes training a top priority—not just during your first few weeks, but throughout your career.

Will you have a chance to learn new skills outside your job description or work with other departments? Some companies also have formalized mentorship programs that pair more tenured employees with new hires. Both of these can help you acquire a mix of hard and soft skills that’ll prove valuable for the rest of your career.

It’s also important to consider job mobility. Companies like Thermo Fisher Scientific offer rotational programs for recent grads that let them explore several different areas (and locations) over the course of a few years.

Some of these opportunities were probably evident during your interview. But if you’re not sure, don’t be afraid to ask the hiring manager questions that will help you decide.

4. The Actual Job Description 

This one sounds like a no-brainer. But it’s easy to focus so much on an impressive salary that you lose sight of what you’ll actually be doing. So, before you make a decision, go back and read the full job description again. If you’re deciding between two offers, read both of them side-by-side.

Ask yourself: If the salary were the same for both jobs, which would I choose? Getting paid more to do work that doesn’t align with your career goals might not be worth a marginal salary difference. Plus, if you’ll be working steadily toward a higher-paying job, that lower paycheck might be more temporary than you think. It’s always helpful to ask about career growth opportunities before making a final decision.

They say money isn’t everything, and it’s true. So, what do you do if you get an offer that’s on par with the industry average for your role and location—but maybe a little lower than you had in mind?

Well, counterintuitive as it may seem, sometimes the best option is to take the lower offer.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you should do so every time. After all, everyone’s financial needs are different. We’re also not advocating for you to accept a salary that doesn’t seem fair based on your qualifications and cost of living.

What we ARE saying is, you should take these things into account, give it some thought, and then see where you net out. Who knows? You might be surprised where this process takes you.

Want to work for a company that offers everything you’re looking for in a career? Learn more about Thermo Fisher and apply for open roles by visiting their WayUp company profile!

The post 4 Things Other Than Salary You Need To Consider Before Accepting A Job Offer appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

Many full-time mechanical engineers that are recent graduates are expert problem solvers. They enjoy creating physical devices or products that enable people to do the things that they want to do.

What is an Entry-Level Mechanical Engineer?

At larger companies, entry-level mechanical engineers are often specialized and working on a single critical component of a far larger machine. For example, an engineer at Ford might work solely on the crash beam for a car to ensure it holds up appropriately in a collision and meets the needs of the industrial designers. At a smaller company, a medical device startup for example, an entry-level engineer might be simultaneously working with everyone on the team to refine an entirely new device.

Common Responsibilities of Entry-Level Mechanical Engineers

Some primary tasks include things like:

1. Researching problems to solve.
2. Sketching out possible solutions to the problem.
3. Using Solidworks and similar modeling software to flesh out possible solutions.
4. Constructing physical prototypes of devices or mechanisms.
5. Testing the quality and success of the prototyped contraptions.
6. Presenting or sharing test results and ideas with other engineers, industrial designers, product, and business team members.
7. Overseeing the actual construction of the products they’ve designed.
8. Seeking out feedback and iteratively improving their solutions.

Types of Entry-Level Mechanical Engineering Jobs

As you can see, there are quite a few different tasks that beginning engineers can be asked to do. When you consider that larger companies will often require specialization into a single task, it’s obvious that there are quite a few different types of entry-level roles for mechanical engineers.

• Mechanical Design Engineer
• Product Quality Engineer
• Automation Engineer
• Test Engineer
• Project Engineer
• Sales Engineer

Salary Expectations

The median salary for entry-level mechanical engineers is $63,792.

The range is $49,430 – $81,029.

Location is one the largest factors in calculating salary, so it’s particularly helpful to consider the entire salary range.

The Bureau of Labor expects the number of mechanical engineering jobs to grow by 5% (about average) over the next 10 years.

Who Typically Gets These Jobs

Every year, we survey over 20,000 students and recent grads in an effort to understand the internship and entry-level job market. Based on the results of our State of Hiring report, the students or recent graduates that apply to these entry-level jobs have several things in common:

• They are pursuing or have gotten at least a bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering or Product Design. Occasionally, Electrical Engineering majors will pursue and get hired into Mechanical Engineering jobs.
• Most applicants to mechanical engineering positions are looking to work at mid-size companies.
• San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, and San Diego are the most popular destination for engineering grads.
• They tend to be very career oriented. Not many mechanical engineering majors are looking for jobs other than those found under the Mechanical Engineering umbrella.
• 25% of graduating seniors majoring in engineering have no internship experience.
• Over 45% of seniors majoring in engineering have taken an online course related to their major.

Related Entry-Level Fields

Even though it’s unlikely that Mechanical Engineering majors seek jobs outside of their major, it does happen. When they do go outside, here are the areas they’re most likely to look at:

1. Electrical Engineering
2. Computer Science
3. General Engineering

Additional Resources

1. It never hurts to brush up on a few mechanical engineering topics. You can take a few online courses to get back in the swing of things.
2. For more salary information, head over to Payscale.
3. For more advice on starting your entry-level job search, check out our guide!
4. And finally, to prepare for an entry-level job interview, prepare for the top 20 entry-level job interview questions.

Search for Entry-Level Mechanical Engineering Jobs Now

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is an Entry-Level Job? and find answers to common interview questions such as Tell me about yourself.

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Being a business major opens up doors to all sorts of professional opportunities. In fact, business majors are among the most employable groups of recent grads. But with so many opportunities, picking a career path might seem a bit overwhelming. One way to narrow your focus is by taking on a paid or unpaid internship during your time in college. This will help you build some great skills while also helping you identify the type of career that’s right for you. In the process, it will give you a better idea of what type of entry-level job to apply for.

Here are some of the most common entry-level jobs for business majors:

Financial analyst

If you’re a business major with an interest in finance, a job as a financial analyst could be a great fit for you. This position is one of the most popular entry-level roles in the financial services industry and one that exists at any number of organizations including banks, security firms and even insurance companies. By becoming a financial analyst, you’ll get a chance to look into the performance of stocks, bonds and other relevant investments.

Sales representative

If you’re a pro at understanding the needs of a customer and turning that into a sale, a career as a sales representative might be right up your alley. Depending on the type of company you work for, you’ll be responsible for selling products to individuals, other companies or government organizations. From seeking out potential customers to closing sales and fostering long-term relationships, you’ll be making the most of your people skills while helping the company to increase its revenue.

Human resources assistant

As a human resource assistant, you’ll assist with hiring and onboarding employees as well as troubleshooting issues between managers and employees. In this role, you’ll be responsible for ensuring that employers and employees have a good working relationship and that the company is operating smoothly. You’ll also help out with preparing and conducting training programs.

Marketing coordinator

As a marketing coordinator, you’ll be making a product or company more marketable by highlighting its value to potential customers and to the media. In this role, you’ll be preparing marketing materials, assisting with marketing campaigns and helping to coordinate publicity events. This is a great opportunity to learn all about how marketing works and to develop strategies to market a company or product effectively.

Assistant buyer

As an assistant buyer, you’ll be evaluating suppliers, purchasing supplies, obtaining price proposals and ensuring that products arrive on time. You’ll also be expected to balance product quality with company budgets and to have a clear sense of how purchasing decisions fit into the company’s overall operations.

Brand marketing assistant

As a brand marketing assistant, you’ll learn to be savvy about current market conditions by reviewing reports and studying market trends. You’ll also prepare presentations and reports detailing the performance of a brand as well as its design and marketing strategy.

Operations research analyst

As an operations research analyst, you’ll be involved in various parts of the organization and will be using statistics, mathematical modeling and other analytical techniques to solve emerging problems and help senior management gather the information they need to make operational decisions.

As a business major, your career options are both extensive and exciting. In order to ensure that you pick a position that’s right for you, it’s important to figure out where your interests lie and to pursue a role that you’re passionate about. Whether that ends up a financial analyst or a marketing coordinator, the skills you’ve developed as a business major will definitely help you shine.

Next, learn more about this college major such as the Types of Internships for a Business Major and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Top 10 Things You Should Look For in a Company.

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Being a journalism major is a great way to build communication and storytelling skills. These skills that can be applied to any number of professional industries and having them will make you a competitive candidate in whatever career you choose to pursue. If you’ve already taken on a journalism internship during your time in college, then you know that a journalism degree can open up the door to plenty of career opportunities.

Here are some of the most common entry-level jobs for journalism majors:

Reporter

As a reporter, your primary responsibilities will be to researching and report on news stories. In this role, you’ll be conducting interviews, writing articles, fact-checking and networking. If you enjoy knowing about news stories right as they happen and are comfortable working with tight deadlines, this role could be a perfect fit for you.

Editorial Assistant

As an editorial assistant, you’ll be putting your speaking and writing skills to use. In this role, you’ll assist in all stages of the publishing process from helping to get stories commissioned to ensuring that writers submit their work on time. This is a role that can vary greatly depending on whether you’re working at a publishing house, a print magazine, a gossip website or a company newsletter but regardless of the publication you’re working for, you’ll be helping to curate content that is relevant to that publication. To succeed in this role, you’ll need excellent organizational skills, attention-to-detail and a passion for learning the ins and outs of publishing and digital media.

Copy editor

A copy editor plays a crucial role in the production of any print or digital publication and is responsible for ensuring that the final copy does not contain any typos or grammatical errors. As a copy editor, you’ll be on the lookout for omissions and inconsistencies in the articles you edit, as well as ensuring that the content you’re working with adheres to the particular style of the publication you’re working on. This is a wonderful role for anyone who is detail-oriented and passionate about showcasing great stories in the best possible light.

Digital Content Writer

As a digital content writer, you’ll be working with the editorial and creative higher-ups to bring marketing campaigns and strategies to life. You’ll also contribute to SEO-friendly content and develop ideas for future marketing content. This is a perfect role for a good communicator who is interested in writing engaging content.

Communications Coordinator

Your journalism major can also come in handy when it comes to landing a role as a communications coordinator, a role that involves coordinating a company’s promotional materials and social media activity, as well as building and maintaining relationships with media outlets. From writing press releases to organizing and overseeing promotional events, a communications coordinator strengthens the communication between the client, the company’s customers and the media. This is a great role for anyone interested in helping companies develop their public presence.

Being a journalism major will give you the skills you need to become a competitive candidate in almost any industry. The key to finding an entry-level job that works for you is knowing what you’re passionate about and what you can expect from the role. By having a solid understanding of some of the most common job opportunities for journalism majors, you’ll be one step closer to landing your dream job.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What is a Journalism Major and is it Right for Me? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as 6 Ways to Impress Your Boss.

The post Types of Entry-Level Jobs for Journalism Majors appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

Design majors are known for their creativity and diverse skills, qualities that make them employable in many professional industries. If you’re a design major and you’ve already taken on a design internship, then you have some idea of where you degree can take you and how you can turn your major into a rewarding career. From designing websites and graphics to assisting in the planning of Fashion Week, you have a range of opportunities ahead of you.

Here are some of the most common entry-level jobs for design majors:

Graphic designer

As a graphic designer, you could be employed by a nonprofit organization, a huge advertising firm or a media company. As part of your role, you’ll be involved in the process of preparing, coordinating and creating materials for everything from a logo to a branding campaign. This involves coming up with an initial idea, presenting it to the client and then delivering the finished product. In addition to being able to design and present your ideas, you’ll also need to regularly update your knowledge by keeping up to date on design and media trends and taking additional classes and workshops. This is a great position for someone who wants to maximize their creative skills while helping companies bring their brands to life.

UX designer

A UX designer is responsible for helping customers navigate an app or product easily by ensuring the navigation process is as hassle-free and exciting as possible. From designing the look and feel of a company’s website to developing a design that thoroughly reflects a product’s goals, a UX designer is in charge of all of the elements that go into creating a great user experience. In this position, you’ll use your expertise to optimize a potential customer’s experience by dialing up its functionality, ease of use and aesthetics to the highest possible degree. This is a perfect role for someone interested in the more technical and digital side of design.

Fashion designer

As a fashion designer, your creativity and sense of style will be put to use as you work with a clothing brand to design clothes for their customers. Your day-to-day tasks will consist of sketching designs, coordinating with manufacturers and working through the technical aspects of clothing design. You’ll also need to stay on top of current fashion trends both in the U.S. and abroad to ensure that your designs are both marketable and on-brand. This is a wonderful role for someone who is interested in fashion and knowledgeable about how to turn great designs into a stunning collection.

Personal stylist

If you’re a shopaholic with a design major under your (wonderfully chic) belt, an entry-level job as a personal stylist could be a dream come true. As a stylist, you’ll assist clients in finding exactly what they’re looking for and what fits with their personal style. This position is usually found in-house at a clothing boutique or department store and will connect with you clients from every walk of life, including business professionals for Fortune 500 companies and celebrities. This is a great position for someone interested in working directly with clients and who enjoys helping people look their best.

Teacher

Majoring in design can also prepare you for an entry-level teaching position such as a high school design or art teacher. You can even run design courses and workshops at a community college or at a private institution. This is a great opportunity for someone who is interested in sharing their knowledge with others and passionate about helping students learn all about the various elements of design.

A design major offers you a great chance to develop a broad range of skills that will make you marketable in design-related fields and beyond. In order to determine what position is best for you, take some time to assess your interests and then consider taking on an internship to find a career path that’s just right for you.

Next, learn more about this college major such as Types of Internships for Design Majors and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as 6 Things to Do in Your First Week at a New Job.

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Graduating with an architecture degree is an incredible accomplishment and one that opens doors to a lot of fantastic opportunities in the world of architecture and beyond. If you’ve already had a paid or unpaid internship in the field, then you have some idea of what to expect once you enter the workforce as a full-time employee. Even if you don’t, there are many great job opportunities that you should consider as you embark on your career path.

Here are some of the best entry-level jobs for architecture majors.

Assistant urban designer

If you’re interested in urban planning, working as an assistant urban designer is the perfect way to get started. There are openings at both public and private companies, and you will gain exposure to a range of responsibilities including surveying land, expanding or renovating a facility to meet present-day needs or even developing a transportation network. You will also likely be making presentations to community leaders and the public to raise awareness about plans for an upcoming project.

Assistant city planner

As an assistant city planner, you’ll be contributing to the process of determining the best use of the city’s land and resources. From gathering community input to preparing reports, drafting legislations, constructing new public housing and conserving the environment, there’s a lot you can learn in this position. And as you move through your career, you may go on to specialize in environmental or urban design, transportation planning or in other facets of city planning.

Junior architectural designer

This entry-level position offers a great start for aspiring architects. Your responsibilities will include ensuring the feasibility of building designs by using computer aided drafting, and working on different aspects of design with the principal architect and design team.

Project architect

As a project architect, you’ll make sure the project is completed on time and to the satisfaction of the client. You’ll also coordinate with your team, communicate with clients, work with designs and come up with an estimate of the budget.

Residential architect

If you’re employed as a residential architect, you’ll specialize in designing and building residential properties. Because of the differences between commercial and residential architecture, you may have more flexibility with your projects and could be self-employed, work for an architectural or construction company or be a real estate developer.

Graphic designer

The skills you’ve gained from your architecture major can be used in graphic design, helping an advertiser, public relations firm or small business communicate their message to the public.

Because of the varied skills gained during your major, graduating with a degree in architecture will allow you to apply your planning, problem-solving and design skills in a range of environments, giving you the opportunity to explore several opportunities and find the best fit for you.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Write a Resume That Stands Out and find answers to common interview questions such as Would You Describe Yourself as a Leader or a Follower?

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Being a communications major means learning all about the best ways to communicate effectively and help brands get their message across. And because these skills can be applied to multiple industries, communications majors are in high demand in almost every industry. If you’ve already learned about the most popular types of internships for communications majors, then you might be wondering what comes next. Are there just as many opportunities after graduation? The answer is yes.

Here are some of the best entry-level jobs for communications majors:

Marketing coordinator

As a marketing coordinator, you’ll develop marketing materials and assist with both internal and external communications. You’ll also help coordinate timelines and goals for the executive team and assist with their implementation. This is a job that requires a sound knowledge of marketing models, and even better communication and leadership skills.

Client services representative

A client services representative acts as an intermediary for the company and its clients, assisting the client with transactions, setting up meetings and ensuring customer satisfaction. In this position, you’ll be communicating with the client on behalf of the company, relaying important messages and ensuring a smooth working relationship.

Public relations assistant

As a public relations assistant, you’ll coordinate and review press releases, and help organize publicity events, campaigns and presentations geared towards maintaining a positive image for a company or brand. You might work on multiple projects, or in multiple capacities, often in a fast-paced environment that keeps you on your toes.

Editorial assistant

As an editorial assistant, you’ll coordinate editorial timelines ensuring that workflow between writers and editors is smooth and efficient. As part of your tasks, you’ll be communicating with writers to provide their assignments and following up to ensure that they submit on time. In smaller companies, you might also take on writing tasks, utilizing both your writing and administrative abilities.

Associate brand manager

As an associate brand manager, you’ll conduct initial market research and position the product you’re promoting in relation to similar products on the market. You’ll also develop marketing strategies aimed to increase the brand’s reach to its target audience. This position requires a solid understanding of the brand you’re promoting and its value in the marketplace.

Social media coordinator

As a social media coordinator, you’ll do more than just post to Facebook and Instagram. You’ll also interact with the brand’s online community, analyze the reach of different kinds of media and optimize social media campaigns for individual platforms. As the digital voice of the brand, you’ll be helping social media managers engage the brand’s audience effectively and learning how to capitalize on media trends along the way.

Irrespective of the field they choose to work in, communications majors play an important role in maintaining relationships between businesses and consumers, communicating with those audiences and presenting information. They get the message out there, resolve problems and analyze feedback. With all of those skills at their fingertips, it’s no wonder that communications majors are so sought after in workforce.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What is a Communications Major and is it Right for Me? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Tell Me About an Accomplishment That You’re Most Proud Of.

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If you’re a computer science major who is interested in pursuing a tech-based career, you might be wondering about the best options for entry-level jobs. Depending on your interests and familiarity with the various industry verticals, there are many options to choose from and each one involves a combination of challenging and exciting projects.

Here are the various roles you can pursue to kickstart your career.

Front-End Engineer

Front-End engineers make the interfaces we all love and use daily. If you like to see immediate, “tangible” results from your code and have a flair for design, then being a front-end engineer may be the role for you. As a front-end engineer, you’ll typically be working on the very front of the page. In a nutshell, you’ll be taking mockups given to you by the designer and turning them into web pages; implementing designs, prototyping and writing code that translates directly into what users see on the screen. The code you’ll be writing for this job is almost exclusively HTML/CSS and JavaScript, and it requires a strong ability to write cleanly in order to ensure long-term maintainability and future fast iterating. Deep knowledge of CSS and other front-end frameworks such as jQuery are a must.

Back-End Engineer

If you enjoy learning how to optimize read times on large data sets, crafting large data structures like an architect would a building, or making sure that your app has the best search function around, you may have a calling in back-end development. Back-end engineers are most concerned with what goes on behind the scenes — the business logic, data storage and retrieval, and key features that happen on the server. Knowing your SQL commands and relationships, familiarity with appropriate back-end languages such as Java, C++, Ruby, Python or JavaScript, knowledge of systems architecture and understanding of the hurdles of building applications at scale are helpful for this role.

Full-Stack Engineer

Being a full-stack engineer involves working with a combination of both front-end and back-end technologies, and it’s the perfect role for someone who likes building complete products or features. In addition to being able to develop back-end processes to connect servers and databases, you’ll also be working on the user-facing application to ensure that the product delivers seamless experience from end to end. However, it’s important to note that given the scope of this position, many full-stack engineers are “jacks of all trades but masters of none,” so it’s worth considering whether you want to be an expert in a particular discipline or whether you’re more comfortable when you’re constantly learning new things.

Mobile Engineer

Due to the rising use of apps, mobile engineers are in great demand right now. And since pretty much everyone uses either an iPhone or Android device these days, being familiar with their respective development platforms is a great way to secure your spot for this role.
The best way to show that you have what it takes is by being able to show off some apps that you’ve built on your own. If you already know Java, Android may be the best place for you to start, but if you prefer the iOS ecosystem, you’ll need to start learning Swift and XCode.

DevOps Engineer

The role of a DevOps engineer often differs from company to company, but at its core, DevOps engineers are responsible for the system infrastructure and “keeping the lights on.” If you’re fascinated by networking, intrigued by how the various tools and languages your team uses work and love setting up new servers, DevOps may be for you. The DevOps movement expands on the traditional responsibilities of system administrators to bring as much automation to the job as possible, so DevOps engineers are actually a hybrid of programmers and sysadmins.

Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer

Building scalable software requires that many levels of quality be considered. The first component is that the software must work, but it also must be written according to best practices and in a fashion that will not break other components of the program being developed. As a QA Engineer, you’ll be writing tests and testing suites while also running tests. Familiarity with software best practices and writing comprehensive tests that cover all edge cases will help you land your first QA job.

Product Manager

An increasingly popular role for computer science majors, being a product manager involves identifying opportunities for new products and working with an engineering team to design and execute them. As a product manager, you’ll be responsible for creating a roadmap of the product as well as market testing the product and launching it. This is a great role for someone who is interested in working on the strategy side of product development and someone who is passionate about the user experience.

Being a computer science major opens up a lot of exciting doors and offers you the opportunity to continue building your skill set as a programmer and beyond. The best way to figure out which opportunity is best for you is by pursuing an internship and figuring out which career path most closely aligns with your interests.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What Is a Computer Science Major and Is It Right for Me? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as 5 Technology Trends You Need to Know to Work in Any Industry.

* This article was written in partnership with the team at Outco.

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“Entry-Level Software Engineer” is a broad term. It’s often one used by larger employers to recruit computer science majors and other student seeking software development positions. During the interview process many of these employers will ask candidates to think about what specialization they’d like to focus on (e.g. front-end, back-end, etc.). These engineers spend most of their day writing code to make products and services function. The vast majority of employed entry-level software engineers work for large technology companies or startups.

Entry-Level Software Engineer Job Guide

Specialization under the software engineering is particularly common in an entry-level role. Most teams are composed of several specializations of engineers. Here are the most common types of software engineering roles:

1. Back-end engineers spend much of their time writing services, algorithms, and architecting the core bits and pieces of a system and the way it works.
2. Front-end engineers make the services that the back-end engineers are writing accessible to the end user through a UI. It’s not uncommon for front-end engineers to have some experience with UI design or partner often with a designer at the company.
3. Operations engineers are responsible for ensuring the infrastructure that supports a product or service is reliable and stays up and running. Another primary responsibility is ensuring a system’s scalability.
4. QA or test engineers are responsible for building systems that test the code that the other engineers are writing to ensure it’s stable and reliable.
5. Full-stack engineers do everything (back-end, front-end, operations, testing). These are less common as entry-level roles unless they work at a small startup.

Common Responsibilities of Entry-Level software engineers

The tasks that software engineers perform vary greatly depending on their specialization. Here are a few examples of what they do:

1. Building an RESTFUL API for consumption by another team at the company or a 3rd party. (Back-end)
2. Constructing an interface in HTML, CSS, and Javascript that accesses the API and allows users to perform tasks. (Front-end)
3. Spinning up infrastructure to support a new mobile app that the company is building, paying careful attention to how it might scale if the app takes off ala Pokemon Go.
4. Writing tests that automatically ensure that the new app remains reliable and can handle a large load of traffic.

Types of Entry-Level software engineer Jobs

As you know by now, specialization is important. However, when searching for entry-level jobs, it’s even more important to become familiar with all of the different verbiage that an employer might use to describe their position. If you know what terms to search by, you’ll be far more likely to be able to find all of the available positions and narrow them down to the ones you’re most interested in.

Another great search strategy is to use software languages as keywords. Employers are often working on a Java or C stack and need engineers that can work in those languages.

Here are a few search terms you could use to search for entry-level software engineering postions:

• Entry-Level Front-End Engineer
• Entry-Level Back-End Engineer
• Entry-Level Software Developer
• Web Developer
• iOS Developer

Salary Expectations

The median salary for entry-level software engineers is $75,275.

The range is $54,084 – $110,908.

The higher end of this range is quite high and is often skewed significantly by the larger tech companies (Google, Facebook, etc.) and the competitiveness for their entry-level positions. They’ve been known to give $500,000 signing bonuses to the best recent grads. Crazy!

Location is one the largest factors in calculating salary, so it’s particularly helpful to consider the entire salary range.

The Bureau of Labor expects the number of software engineer jobs to grow by 17% over the next 10 years. That’s incredible growth. It’s no secret that software development is one of the most promising career choices.

Who Typically Gets These Jobs

Every year, we survey over 20,000 students and recent grads in an effort to understand the internship and entry-level job market. Based on the results of our State of Hiring report, the students or recent graduates that apply to these entry-level jobs have several things in common:

• While many students are willing to look at jobs unrelated to their major, computer science majors are not. 72% of them only want to consider software development jobs.
• San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, and Seattle are the most popular destination for computer science grads.
• Surprisingly enough, 75% of graduating computer science majors have worked a paid side job. Employers see this as a major benefit, as one of their primary concerns with engineers is how they will fair in a post-college work environment.
• Only 28% of graduating seniors majoring in software engineer have no internship experience.
• Most computer science students will not have any student debt when they graduate.
• Almost 56% of seniors majoring in computer science have taken an online course related to their major.

Related Entry-Level Fields

Despite it being somewhat rare that software engineer majors seek jobs outside of their immediate major, it does happen. When they do go outside, here are the areas they’re most likely to look at:

1. Electrical Engineering
2. UX Design
3. Product Management
4. UI Design
5. Analyst

Additional Resources

1. It never hurts to brush up on a few software engineer topics. You can take a few online courses to get back in the swing of things.
2. For more salary information, head over to Payscale.
3. For more advice on starting your entry-level job search, check out our guide!
4. And finally, to prepare for an entry-level job interview, prepare for the top 20 entry-level job interview questions.

Search for Entry-Level Software Engineering Jobs Now

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is an Entry-Level Job? and find answers to common interview questions such as Tell me about yourself.

The post Entry-Level Software Engineer Job Guide appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

Junior graphic designers are problem solvers that communicate through visual mediums. In other words, they create and employ type, images, animations, and other design elements to help communicate ideas, advertisements, products, interfaces, and more. Another related, potentially confusing term is “visual design”. While graphic and visual design have subtle differences, they are very similar design disciplines in the current employment market.

What is an Entry-Level Graphic Designer?

It’s common for entry-level graphic designers to go 1 of 2 routes: join an agency, or work for a company that produces a product (in-house).

1. Agency designers typically work on a multitude of projects for a diverse group of clients. The beginning roles are often production related, requiring a designer to spend their days in Photoshop or Illustrator churning tweaking mockups, photos, and minute illustrations.
2. In-house designers typically work on a single company’s product, marketing or advertising teams. They are often responsible for the visual communication of the company’s product or service on their website, in written publications, on social media, and most other channels.

It’s easy to get confused by all of the different types of design jobs available to recent grads. Here is a good guide
to help you differentiate between the available careers.

Common Responsibilities of Entry-Level Graphic Designers

Some primary tasks include things like:

1. Creating or editing illustrations in Illustrator.
2. Building compositions with type and imagery for advertising.
3. Developing brand language and guidelines for companies to use to communicate their brand.
4. Creating a visual system to convey emotion and feeling through an interface (UI).
5. Implementing visual designs in CSS on the internet for clients / companies.

Types of Entry-Level Graphic Design Jobs

As long as you stick strictly to the terms “Entry-Level Graphic Designer”, you’re not going to find too many different types of jobs. The primary differences you’ll notice are agency versus in-house (as mentioned above), and the medium on which you’ll produce your work. Some companies are purely digital (e.g. tech startups) and will have you working fully digitally. Other companies will still work at least partially in print (e.g. publications) and you’ll be spending time in InDesign or similar programs as well.

If you step outside of the strict search terms, you’ll find there are several ways to search for relevant roles, for example:

• Visual Designer
• Production Designer
• Digital Designer
• Designer
• Agency Designer

Salary Expectations

The median salary for entry-level graphic designers is $39,645.

The range is $29,674 – $54,421.

Location is one the largest factors in calculating salary, so it’s particularly helpful to consider the entire salary range.

The Bureau of Labor expects the number of graphic design jobs to grow by only 1% over the next 10 years.

Who Typically Gets These Jobs

Every year, we survey over 20,000 students and recent grads in an effort to understand the internship and entry-level job market. Based on the results of our State of Hiring report, the students or recent graduates that apply to these entry-level jobs have several things in common:

• While many students are willing to look at jobs unrelated to their major, graphic design majors are not. 80% of them only want to consider design jobs. However, getting a full-time design job is hard. 43% of recent graduates currently employed are not working in a design role.
• New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle are the most popular destination for graphic design grads.
• Graphic design majors often work side jobs during school. Over 80% have had a paid side job. Employers see this as a major benefit when looking to hire a new employee.
• Only 26% of graduating seniors majoring in graphic design have no internship experience.
• 54% have taken a computer science course.
• Most graphic design students expect to have between $25,000 and $75,000 in debt when they graduate.
• Almost 40% of seniors majoring in graphic design have taken an online course related to their major.

Related Entry-Level Fields

Despite it being somewhat rare that graphic design majors seek jobs outside of their immediate major, it does happen. When they do go outside, here are the areas they’re most likely to look at:

1. UI Design
2. UX Design
3. Product Design
4. Industrial Design
5. Motion Design

Additional Resources

1. It never hurts to brush up on a few graphic design topics. You can take a few online courses to get back in the swing of things.
2. For more salary information, head over to Payscale.
3. For more advice on starting your entry-level job search, check out our guide!
4. And finally, to prepare for an entry-level job interview, prepare for the top 20 entry-level job interview questions.

Search for Entry-Level Graphic Design Jobs Now

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is an Entry-Level Job? and find answers to common interview questions such as Tell me about yourself.

The post Entry-Level Graphic Design Job Guide appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

If you’re an education major with a passion for teaching others, you might be wondering about the various career paths you can take after graduation. Should you apply for a job as a high school or elementary school teacher or look for a position in a related field like the nonprofit sector? The answer depends on your interests but the great news is that education majors are very much in demand.

Here are some of the most common entry-level jobs for education majors:

High school teacher

As a high school teacher of one or more subjects, you’ll make lesson plans, grade student assignments and prepare students for state-required standardized tests. You’ll also work with students both inside and outside the classroom on class projects related to the subjects you teach. A job as a high school teacher can be fun, challenging and creative because you’ll be constantly learning as you teach. This is a great role for someone who wants to work with teenagers and help them develop the skills and motivation needed to succeed in college and beyond.

Elementary school teacher

An elementary school teacher makes learning fun by engaging students and helping them grasp the fundamentals of different subjects. Even more importantly, elementary school teachers encourage students to express themselves, think creatively, solve problems and act empathetically. Being an elementary school teacher is wonderful opportunity to help young students build confidence and develop a genuine love of learning.

Counselor

As a high school or college counselor, you’ll offer students one-on-one attention on their academic coursework and their personal and professional goals. If you’re working at a college or university, you could also offer advice on financial aid and help with career-related decisions. This is a great position for someone interested in helping students navigate the challenges that come along with their academic lives.

Nonprofit coordinator

As a coordinator at a nonprofit, you’ll use your interpersonal skills to organize and execute programs and events. You could also work as an education coordinator, helping to coordinate educational activities and review existing educational initiatives. You might also be in charge of coordinating programs with family and community organizations and monitoring program evaluations. This is a great role for someone interested in working for a nonprofit and someone who thrives in a position where they can help others.

Teaching assistant

As a teaching assistant at an elementary school or high school, you’ll assist teachers with class preparation and grading, as well as help students who need additional help. This is a great role for someone who is interested in working with students in a hands-on way or someone who is considering becoming a teacher and wants to get some additional experience in a classroom environment.

No matter what type of entry-level job you decide to apply for, as an education major you’ll be in the unique position of being able to make a significant social impact. To find out which role is right for you, consider taking on an internship to get the kinds of skills and exposure you need to make your decision.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What is an Education Major and is it Right for Me? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Write a Resume That Stands Out.

The post Types of Entry-Level Jobs for Education Majors appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

A global studies major puts you in the running for a wide range of entry-level opportunities in exciting fields like civil service, politics and education. Best of all, many of these opportunities can offer you exposure to international relations and help you put your global studies skills to use.

Some of the most common entry-level jobs for global studies majors include:

Civil service worker

A career as a civil service worker, which requires a solid understanding of national and global issues, is a great way to explore work pertaining to human rights issues, U.S. trade opportunities, business processes and the promotion of U.S. diplomatic efforts.

Congressional aide

As a congressional aide, you’ll support a congressperson in everything from researching legislative bills to organizing administrative logistics. You may also get to attend meetings with the congressperson and communicate with the public and government officials on their behalf.

Consular/embassy assistant

As a global studies major, you can also succeed as a consular assistant where your responsibilities will include immigrant and nonimmigrant visa processing, conducting outreach and answering questions related to immigration policy.

Management consultant

Another exciting option that will allow you to explore your interests in business and economics is the field of management consulting. As a consultant, you’ll share your expertise and knowledge with your clients, adding a fresh perspective to each project while also coming up with results-oriented solutions.

HR for a global company

As a human resource representative for a global company, you’ll assist with day-to-day human resource functions such as employee onboarding and training, updating organizational records and employee-employer relations. Your global studies major will come in handy in preparing you to handle the needs of a diverse and multicultural staff.

Humanitarian relief worker

A job as a humanitarian aid worker (whether for a nonprofit organization or a private foundation) will take you to the frontline of areas in need of emergency aid. In this role, you’ll work with a team to coordinate emergency action programs for areas that have been affected by natural disasters or those that are located within a war zone. As an aid worker, you’ll make sure that people who are in need of aid receive it in an efficient manner.

International development consultant

An international development consultant works closely with international client-based project teams, providing direction and managing relationships while tracking the progress of specific projects and ensuring that those projects meet their goals.

International relations specialist

As an international relations specialist, you’ll focus on expanding a particular company’s international reach by analyzing business strategies and foreign policies from a global perspective. You might also be responsible for organizing public relations campaigns and communicating with international clients.

Journalist

A global studies major can also give you a great start in the world of journalism. Whether you want to work as an international reporter, a foreign correspondent or on any other type of journalism that requires a global perspective, your global studies major will put you in a great position to research and write stories of global importance.

Legal assistant

If you’re interested in branching out into law, a job as a legal assistant is a great first step. As a legal assistant, you’ll assist lawyers in preparing for trials, meetings, hearings and closings. From examining evidence to drawing up contracts or other types of agreements, you’ll get a lot of exposure to the legal field and get the chance to make a real impact through your work.

Whether you’re interested in going into management consulting, journalism or civil service, a global studies major gives you an abundance of skills to land a job that’s tailored to your interests.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What Types of Skills Are Best for a Global Studies Major? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as When to Start Applying for a Summer Internship.

The post Types of Entry-Level Jobs for Global Studies Majors appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

A health and medicine major is a great opportunity to learn about the many different aspects of the healthcare industry while also developing the skills that will make you marketable in the field. And because knowledge of health and medicine is in demand even beyond the healthcare industry, you’ll have your pick of entry-level jobs.

Some of the most popular types of entry-level jobs for health and medicine majors include:

Health educator

As a health educator, you’ll brief people on behaviors that prevent diseases and promote wellbeing. From assisting with the development of health education programs to analyzing data, identifying the needs of a particular community and designing and implementing programs to increase awareness of existing healthcare policies, this role will give you the opportunity to educate people on maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Registered nurse

As a registered nurse, you’ll work directly with physicians to assist with patient care and treatment. In this hands-on role, you’ll be responsible for everything from drawing blood for lab tests to administering medications and ensuring that patient records are accurate and up to date.

Assistant researcher

Healthcare research is always relevant and because of changing research methods, it’s a constantly-evolving field. If you decide to become a research assistant, you could work at a university, a healthcare organization, for a pharmaceutical company or even a nonprofit.

Physician assistant

A job as a physician assistant gives you training and insight into medicine-based professions. In this role, you’ll record patient histories, assist physicians in various capacities, prepare blood samples and enter patient information.

Medical transcriptionist

As a medical transcriptionist, you’ll transcribe medical records that are reported by physicians or other healthcare professionals. You’ll also develop relevant knowledge of medicine and medical terms. It’s an entry-level job that can prepare you for medical school or other healthcare-related opportunities.

Massage therapist

A certified massage therapist treats clients using massage modalities designed to relieve pain due to injury or stress. In this role, you’ll be responsible for helping clients achieve an overall sense of wellbeing and you’ll be able to work in a variety of settings including spas, clinics, at a physician’s office or a fitness center.

Occupational therapy assistant

For health and medicine majors looking to become occupational therapists, a good place to start out is as an occupational therapy assistant. In this position, you’ll provide therapy to patients and support therapists as they help those patients develop the skills required for daily functioning.

Dental assistant

As a dental assistant, you’ll assist dentists with dental procedures such as cleanings, X-rays and oral surgery. You’ll also contribute to the efficiency of the clinic and its procedures, and help patients feel at ease throughout the duration of their appointment.

School counselor

As a school counselor, you’ll help students navigate various challenges while also guiding them through their personal and social development. As a middle school counselor, you may offer academic guidance on which subjects to study while as a high school counselor you’ll be responsible for helping students apply to college.

Social worker

Social workers specializing in psychiatric treatment and mental health are often employed by nonprofits and hospitals. In this role, you’ll be responsible for assisting patients and their families with rehabilitation, helping them refine their interpersonal dynamics and work on achieving personal goals.

A health and medicine major is a wonderful way to build your skills and it can open the doors to a variety of entry-level opportunities. For those who are interested in going to medical school, these opportunities can also give you a sense of what a career in medicine truly entails.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What Types of Skills Are Best for a Health and Medicine Major? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as the Top 10 Things You Should Look For In An Internship.

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From writing a thoughtful essay to researching a particular type of literary theory, majoring in literature gives you the chance to develop your research and communication skills, while also learning how to think critically. But if you’re an English major, you may be wondering about the best way to apply your skills in the real world. Should you become a teacher or go into the world of publishing?

Here are some of the most common entry-level jobs for literature majors:

English teacher

Teaching is one of the most popular entry-level jobs for humanities majors and being an English teacher is an especially great fit for those who are majoring in literature. As an English teacher, you’ll help your students gain an appreciation for literature of all kinds while also teaching them how to interpret texts and improve their writing skills.

Publishing assistant

An entry-level job as a publishing assistant is a great way to get your foot in the door of the publishing industry. In this role, you’ll assist in the book production process and will take on tasks such as emailing authors and book distributors, managing social and media accounts and keeping track of budgets.

Editorial assistant

The most common type of editorial job for recent grads is an editorial assistant position. Based either at a specific publication, a publishing house or a literary agency, this position will give you great exposure to the many aspects of the publishing industry. From reading article pitches and manuscripts to communicating with writers and editing their work, you’ll gain a lot of experience very quickly while also learning what kind of content works best with your chosen audience.

Copywriter

A copywriter crafts engaging copy for websites, social media platforms and marketing materials. As an entry-level copywriter, you’ll put your writing skills to use by creating various types of content designed to resonate with an audience. Depending on whether you work for a marketing agency or as part of an in-house marketing team, you’ll be asked to create a specific voice for each of the brands you work with, and to maintain that voice in all of the writing you do.

Social media manager

As a social media manager, you increase the visibility of a brand, campaign or event on social media by creating engaging posts, answering customer questions and measuring the results of each campaign. You’ll also use analytics tools to determine what approaches work best and optimize your campaigns accordingly.

Copy editor

As a copy editor, you’ll be tasked with ensuring that the articles you’re editing are free of spelling and grammar mistakes and that they adhere to a specific writing style (such as AP style if you’re editing journalistic articles). Whether you work for a publishing house, a digital media company or marketing firm, you’ll play a crucial role in the day-to-day operation of the editorial department.

Whether you’re interested in journalism, publishing or teaching, a literature major gives you an abundance of skills to land a job that’s right for you.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What is a Literature Major and is it Right for Me? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as the Top 10 Skills Employers Want in an Intern.

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