In the last blog post we looked at McDonald’s national hiring even that occurred on April 19, 2011 – since then the results have funneled in to media outlets rapidly. The fast food giant anticipated hiring 50,000 employees for its 14,000 stores across the country. Results have shown that the chain restaurant actually hired 24% more than projected with 62,000 new hires.

While this number may seem large it pales in comparison to the 938,000 that McDonald’s had to turn away. That’s right; McDonald’s received over one million applications. The company did not comment on how many of these jobs were management jobs, full time, or part time.

According to Bloomberg the number of applications for unemployment in the United States rose last week which is a sign that progress in the job market is lagging. So the exorbitant number of applicants for these entry-level restaurant positions should come as no surprise.

Working at McDonalds may not seem like the most ideal career choice for some, but unfortunately it may have been the only option available. Jobless claims are at a high in the last three months with 429,000. While it may seem bleak that McDonalds was only able to hire a percentage of the applicants, it is better than hiring no applicants. These entry level positions could ultimately lead to management positions for some of the new McDonald’s crew members.

McDonald’s may not seem like the most glamorous place to start a career, but many media outlets have reported that managerial salaries can sometimes exceed $50,000 after a certain amount of time with the company. McDonald’s has not revealed these average managerial salary but the Vancouver Sun reported that McDonald’s officials informed them that the average assistant manager annual salary was between $30,000 and $32,000

In the last week it has been impossible to look at management job related news without seeing the craze about McDonald’s national hiring event. The fast food chain that has restaurants around the world declared a hiring day nationwide on April 19, 2011 and anticipated hiring 50,000 new employees. McDonald’s officials believe that the hiring will not only lead to $1.6 billion in revenue but also stimulate the economy thanks to the formerly unemployed now having paychecks and paying income tax. Now that the hiring day is over there have been many interesting stories popping up in the news across the country.

The consensus in the news stories seems to be that far more people turned out for interview than there were spots available; but this did not deter applicants from applying. The open positions included grill cooks, specialty drink makers, assistant managers, managers, and a variety of other positions that are needed for the restaurants to run effectively. Some of the applicants were fresh-faced teenagers while others were workplace veterans who had been laid off in recent years and needed an income to support their families.

While some of these jobs are entry level some of them are also management positions – which will pay about $50,000 after five years in the position. Being a fast food restaurant manager may not seem like it is the most glamorous career but according to an article in the Herald News one manager is very glad to have his job:

“(Manager Dennis) Rosenwinkel has been with the company for 30 years. He started working as a cook at a Bolingbrook McDonald’s when he was in high school.

“It’s a good company, very stable,” he said. “And with the economy being the way it is, I still have a job. That’s the thing. Nowadays, if you’re with a company five years, you’re lucky.”

McDonald’s is planning to release the total number of hires sometime next week.

Finding a job can be one of the most difficult thingsfor a person to do,especially a management job. The job hunting methods of yesteryear may have included mailing a resume and cover letter in an envelope with a stamp, but as technology changes the world daily it also changes what people must do when searching for their dream job. Instead of using “snail mail” people are now using e-mail to submit resumes, cover letters and portfolios. And people are no longer turning to the classified section of newspapers to find a job but instead using Internet job boards.

But there are other technological advances that job seekers must keep up with as well in order to land their dream job. It is important to add keywords to your resume that head hunters and employers are looking for when reviewing the mass of resumes online. These keywords will help employers notice your resume before the others that do not contain the words. If you are not sure what keywords you should use on your resume review job postings in your field and look for frequently repeated words.

When taking some modern practices into your resume building there are some that you should leave behind. Do not include emoticons, text message lingo, or an abundance of exclamation points in your resume. And you may think that the names of word documents or PDFs may not matter all that much it is important to give your resume a document file name that human resources managers will remember and associate with your resume – try including your full name in the title. If you just call it “resume” it may get lost in the shuffle.

While advancing into the age of technology with your job search may seem intimidating it is actually something that is simple and will make your search easier. So remember to give your resume a technology refresher before submitting it for that next dream job.

If you ask any recent college graduate how they feel about the job market or how the job hunt is going you may get a dismal reply. With more college graduates being unemployed now than ever their dismay should come as no surprise. Moving back home with parents and taking jobs that don’t require a bachelor’s degree can be disheartening to some. Not to mention the cost of graduate school, which has become a resort for those who are unable to find jobs.

But according to The Philadelphia Inquirer the job market is beginning to turn around for new graduates. Two polls conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers has projected that hiring for the class of 2011 is going to be up about 13 percent from last year. Many employers, including Enterprise Rent-A-Car and TD Bank, have announced that they would be hiring numerous entry-level candidates this year.

I know this has been stressed before in this blog, but one of the most beneficial things you can do in a job search is to network. While your education and experience may make you qualified for a position there is a chance that there are dozens of other applicants who are equally as qualified. Networking will keep you a step ahead of the competition when searching for a job. If you know someone who works for your dream company don’t hesitate to ask them to pass on your resume if possible.

With a wealth of jobs opening up this year compared to previous years there is a good chance that the job market will be more competitive than ever. Not only will the class of 2011 be applying for jobs, but also the classes of 2010, 2009 and 2008 who may have a bit more experience than recent graduates. Unfortunately a lot of jobs today, even those that claim to be entry-level, require a year or two of experience. This often means taking internships or fellowships, so do not exclude these types of positions in your search.

Because of this competition it is important to stand out in your interview and to get noticed in a positive way. Interviewers often see dozens, if not more, applicants for one position so it is important to differentiate yourself from the pack. Even though you may not earn the position you will stick in the mind of the interviewer, possibly leading to more networking possibilities.

It’s that time of year again, when recently revamped resumes are going to begin flooding the job market from new college graduates. The job search has began for this group of young people who are hardworking and eager to begin their careers.

For many students employment may be an abyss they did not think of until smiling for a photo in their cap and gown. But the day has come; it is time for students to earn their first “real jobs”. With unemployment for college graduates being higher than it has in the past decade though the outlook could seem bleak. But it does not have to be that way!

In recent weeks I have found dozens of articles providing tips on job hunting for recent college graduate. One blog created an excellent top ten job hunting tips list for the recent college graduate.

1. Make sure your resume is posted on the major job boards.

2. Make sure you use relevant keywords, including courses, on your resume in the format employers would search for.

3. Clean up your Facebook profile, especially if you have photos you wouldn’t want future employers seeing.

4. Join LinkedIn and create professional contacts to network effectively.

5. Network at every chance – you never know when a job is around the corner.

6. Utilize Internet job boards

7. While Internet job boards are an excellent tool also utilize the social skills you gained in college by attending career fairs, alumni events and other possible venues for networking.

8. Consider taking courses if you can afford it to make yourself more marketable

9. Set reasonable expectations for yourself – don’t be disappointed if you don’t earn the first (or second) job you apply for. Remember, finding a job as a recent college graduate is going to be harder than it has been in years

10. And finally remember to be optimistic! Having a positive attitude will show at job interviews and could lead to being hired.

Happy job hunting!