After a two-week hiatus, the 1stGiG blog is back with a vengeance. Okay, so maybe that’s a little strong, but we’re certainly ready, once again, to deliver job advice to all you young professionals out there. Whether you’re looking to ascend the corporate ladder or get into grad school, we’re sure our career-minded perspective will help you out – or at least provide you with some lunch-break entertainment.

Before we delve into this week’s topic, we thought it was due time for a little boasting. Although we’re quite the humble bunch at 1stGiG, we’re proud to announce that eduinreview.com, a site that provides different resources for college students nationwide, has featured 1stGiG in one of its recent blog posts. The post, titled “1stGig.com Helps Graduates Find Their First Careers,” is an awesome rundown of the 1stGiG mission, how our service works, and most flatteringly, the many benefits we offer our members. Thanks a ton for the shout out, guys!

We were so thrilled to see another blog giving our service such great praise. At 1stGiG, we know how awesome it feels to get noticed, which is why we’re determined to find each of our members their ideal career. Stay tuned for this week’s next update, which will focus on figuring out exactly what you want in a job!

To read eduinreview’s full blog post about the 1stGiG service, click here.

Read more about what the press is saying about Generation Y.

New Generation Brings Its Values to Work

Are 20-Somethings Hard to Work With?

Generation Y Has More Debt Than Its Predecessors

Getting Through to Generation Y

Seen any other interesting articles regarding our generation?

While Gen Y is associated with some positive qualities like our adaptability, we still need to prove ourselves. The reigning generations see us as feeling entitled. Here’s a story that reflects exactly what NOT to do if we want to turn this perception around.

Gawker.com recently posted a real email sent to a New York company by an applicant for an internship. The potential candidate was following up, as we advise all applicants to do in their career search. So what went wrong? Well the post is titled, “The (Potential) Intern From Hell.” After not hearing from the company for “an entire day” the applicant went on a rant about the unprofessionalism of the office. He or she closed the email, “I’m sorry you have gotten us off on the wrong foot.” To read the rest of the post, click here.

When seeking an answer to an email question at a busy company, you may not hear back for well over a week. You need to recognize the influx of emails they’re sifting through everyday. It’s fine to check back after a week has gone by, but only in an extremely polite manner. This candidate showed no respect for the company and disregarded the many other eager-to-please candidates who were no doubt giving off a positive impression. It’s this attitude that’s contributing to negative feelings about our generation’s work ethic. Let’s prove them wrong!

How do you feel being part of the Entitled Generation?

Generation Y has been labeled the “Entitled Generation” by some scholars. Articles everywhere are labeling us as “entitled, narcissistic, altruistic, individualistic, wired, fast-learning and over-confident,” according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Data and surveys support these findings.

In comparison to Baby Boomers and Gen X, Gen Y was found to value extrinsic factors like salary, benefits and status more than intrinsic values, like being passionate about their work. “While Generation X valued money highly, they were willing to work hard for it. Gen Y has the high expectations of getting paid well and having more leisure time. They want [to have] their cake and eat it, too.”

Gen Y also seems to be depending on work less as a social outlet than previous generations. Young adults are choosing to utilize social networks from work, like Facebook and Twitter, instead of relying on workplace friendships.

The perceptions of Gen Y aren’t all negative though. We are also seen as tech-savvy and welcoming to diversity and change. It’s up to the young adults entering the workforce now to ensure that we reflect well upon the great opportunities that have been afforded our generation.

To read more from this article, check out New Generation Brings Its Values to Work.

Unfortunately, 2010 graduates will still have a difficult time finding jobs. A JobChoicesOnline.com article reports that employers will hire 7 percent fewer graduates this year than they did in 2009. The good news here is that hiring dropped an even more devastating 22 percent for 2009 grads. All in all, employers are characterizing this year’s career market at ‘fair.’

If you’re one of the many who will be clambering for a career opportunity this spring, here are a few things you should be aware of to better your chances. The national average for hiring is a 7 percent decrease, but when you look at the regions separately, you’ll see a different picture. Careers in the West are down an overwhelming 37 percent for new graduates. The Midwest and Southeast fall closer to the average, but the Northeast is the only region to see a hiring increase, 5.6 percent. So even if you’ve always imagined yourself working in California, you may find your place at a large company on the East Coast, where your chances are better, knowing that you could eventually transfer to their offices on the West Coast. Think about the long-term scenario before you rule anything out. The article also pinpoints government jobs as one of the hiring bright spots. They have a surplus of positions in various fields, including education and healthcare.

1stGig.com understands the complexities of today’s career market, which is why its unique matching system is designed for recent graduates. Sign up today and you’ll be notified when companies need someone with your skills and background for up to three years after your college graduation.

1stGig.com is pleased to announce its new partnership with Vonei, a company that provides easy to use web conferencing tools. The partnership allows 1stGig.com talent and employers to conduct career interviews via video conferencing. Users  who take advantage of the tool will receive the 1stGig.com service at a discounted price. Vonei announced the news on its own blog in an article title “Helping College Students Find Jobs.” Here’s a bit of what they said about the exciting joint venture:

“1stGiG.com has partnered with Vonei to add a video interviewing service to their site, allowing employers and college graduates to quickly and easily conduct video interviews over the Internet from their computer. In today’s economic reality, employers don’t have the time and money to visit as many campuses as they would like. Video interviewing allows the employer to recruit from anywhere without travel. Video Interviewing service starts as low as $99/year, so it is an extremely cost effective method to link employers and college graduates.

Now is a perfect time to consider using these innovative services. Help graduates start their career and begin benefiting from what only 1stGiG.com offers the early career professional!”

To read the entire article, go to http://vonei.wordpress.com/2010/01/24/helping-college-students-find-jobs/

For more information about Vonei LLC see www.vonei.com.

According to a recent article, Why Certain Cities Attract Gen Ys, Gen Y members have unique reasons for deciding where to make their big move after earning a degree. Because 20-29-year-olds are amid a period of significant life transitions, this move is in pursuit of both finding a job and building a life. Even though Gen Ys ranked the availability of jobs as an important factor, the number one feature they look for in a potential city is the social scene, or the ease of meeting people and making friends. Of course, many people hope to find their life partner at this stage in their life as well.

Interestingly though, the social connections Generation Y is seeking are linked to their career search. Networking has become increasingly essential for getting a foot in the door and moving forward on a career path. This may give cause to why recent Gallup polls show Generation Y moving to larger metropolitan areas. Larger cities often offer broader opportunities and provide a greater ease for building connections. Considering that today, “those under the age of 30 change jobs once a year,” 20-29-year-olds are seeking cities where the opportunities will continue to unfold. The current career climate has undoubtedly contributed to this trend, but the culture and attraction of metropolitan areas also provides a unique appeal for this age group.

To see the top ranked cities for Gen Ys, check out this slideshow:

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/06/0609_top_gen_y_cities/index.htm

Author Pamela Slim of “Escape from Cubicle Nation” has developed a list of 10 items for recent grads to consider. This list, which includes items ranging from following your passions to listening to your body, has some great simple hints. The tenth item on the list I found to be particularly important, as so many grads feel as though they can conquer the job search without utilizing their resources.

“Don’t try to do things on your own. Rugged individualism is highly overrated. By trying to do everything yourself, you will take longer, produce worse results, feel isolated and have fewer exciting experiences. Instead, build on your current network. Stay in touch with classmates, professors and old bosses. Fill your life with all kinds of smart, interesting and compassionate people. Aim to have peers and mentors of all ages, professions and backgrounds. The more diverse your network, the more opportunities will come your way. Us old folks think that you are the social networking generation, so leverage Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to maximum advantage. Ask for help and help others, and watch your career thrive.”

I know many friends and family who have failed to seek the help of their personal networks, later realizing that they passed up on significant opportunities. Using the sites mentioned above, along with others such as Brazen Careerist (which specializes in Gen Y professionals) grants you access to incredible resources. Additionally, you’ll never know that your former classmate or distant cousin so-and-so may have a brilliant idea for a project for you to piggyback on if you aren’t in contact with them.