eShipGlobal

Category: Blog

  • Finding a College Organization to Join

    Finding a College Organization to Join

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    College is an exciting time in many people’s lives. It is a time of learning, discovery, growth and independence. College is also accompanied with numerous changes: more independence, living in a completely new city and being away from friends and family.

     

    Meet New Friends

    One of the best ways to meet new friends, find a new support system and grow while in college is to be a part of a college organization. There are MANY different organizations that can be found on campus: fraternities, sororities, clubs, interest-groups, associations, etc. Not only can these organizations help you while in college, they can also help you outside of college.

     

    Network

    Being a part of an organization always looks good on a resume. Not to mention, these organizations often maintain contact with previous members who you can network with. Networking with current and previous members can help you find jobs, internships or get references. This will greatly help you find a job after graduating.

     

    Great for International Students

    If you are an international student, there are probably organizations and clubs for international students and students from your home country. Connecting with people from your home country may help you feel more comfortable while you are living in the US. They will also be able to provide support on how to adjust to live in the US and on campus. They went through the same challenges and difficulties you did and would be a great support to you.

     

    Finding an Organization

    Many universities have a listing of their college student organizations, however, some only are viewable to students with a student ID. So how can incoming college students, especially international students, connect with clubs and organizations on campus and vice versa? That is where UEMSConnect can help.

     

    Online Community

    UEMSConnect is an online community that aims to connect incoming international students (domestic college students are welcome too!) with clubs, organizations, alumni and advisors from universities they are looking at attending. Using the groups and group forums, incoming college students and current college students can communicate, share stories or show off their college.

     

    Clubs and organizations can either create a group specifically for their club and/or they can create a forum board under their university’s group forum. They can chat, private message, share pictures and more all on one community.

     

    Being a college student can be difficult and adventurous at the same time. It is a time to spread your wings and learn. So, don’t graduate college with regrets. Join an organization, get connected, share your stories and have fun!

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • Why Blogs are Important to Businesses

    Why Blogs are Important to Businesses

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    The use of content marketing has grown over the years. More and more business are finding that content is important to growing business and keeping customer attention. The method of using content to market a product, business or service is not new. In fact, Benjamin Franklin used published a journal to market his printing business. Other companies have used guidebooks, cookbooks or other printed material to promote their products.

     

    Today, the use of printed content to promote a business is no longer necessary. There are many different ways in which businesses can market through content. Social media and the internet has made it easier to publish content that will reach the masses. Blogs are just one of those methods.

     

    Blogs benefit businesses in many different ways. First, if the content is good, it will keep your customers returning to your site and interacting with your brand. Second, it can help your business with SEO.

     

    Blogging helps to create backlinks and establishes your business as a subject-matter expert. When people search on Google, one of the determining factors that Google looks at when ranking websites is reliable and trustworthy content. They determine this by website traffic, the number of backlinks to credible sites and social shares.

     

    Blog content also provides a way to add more keywords, photos and videos to your company’s website, which improves SEO and gives Google more content to look at.

     

    By providing content through blogs, you have a platform to engage your customers while subtly promoting your brand and products. Most people do not like to be sold to. Blogs provide a way for your company to engage them and talk to them without openly pitching a product.

     

    In short, whether your business is a new start up or a long standing one, blogs can help improve and grow your business. The most important thing to remember about content marketing is that quality is more important than quantity.

     

    Want more great business tips? Check out our other business blogs on our website!

     

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • University Program Spotlight: University of Michigan’s Business Management Program

    University Program Spotlight: University of Michigan’s Business Management Program

     

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    If you are interested in studying management you may want to consider University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Their undergraduate management program is nationally ranked #1 by US News and ranked #5 for their graduate management program. The school also hosts over 7,000 international students.

     

    University Name: University of Michigan

     

    Location: 500 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

     

    Number of Undergraduate Students: 28,983

     

    Number of Graduate Students: 15,735

     

    Number of International Students: 7,630 approx.

     

    Cost of Tuition: in-state tuition – $14,402 (2016-17)

    out-of-state tuition and fees $45,410 (2016-17)

     

    The Program:

    University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business have a core belief that the best way to learn something is by doing it. They have numerous classes that are hands-on and work with large companies like Target, Kraft, Fox Sports and more. They even have a fully functional model trading floor.

     

    21% of University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business’ 3,295 students are international students and the school boasts 45,000 alumni in 88 countries. They also boast high employment rates after graduating their programs: more than 90% of their graduates get a job three months after graduating.

     

    A Preview of the Offered Classes (for more check out their curriculum):

    • Entrepreneurial Management
    • Applied Quant/Value Portfolio Management
    • Creativity at Work: Theories and Practices
    • Business Strategy
    • Business Analytics & Statistics
    • Behavioral Theory in Management
    • Operations Management
    • And more…

     

    If you want more information or just want to see what people are saying about the program, check out the business/management program’s website at: https://michiganross.umich.edu/.

     

    Are a part of the school or program? Share your experience or story through our community UEMSConnect. Just signup or login and share it under the university’s group!

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • Freshman’s Guide to College Textbooks

    Freshman’s Guide to College Textbooks

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    Getting ready for your first semester is college is filled with excitement and anticipation. Many are counting down the days for when they can ‘officially’ call themselves college students. Perhaps you have already started buying your school supplies. If you have already signed up for classes, you may even know what textbooks are listed for your class. Textbooks are another expensive cost to a college education. That is why you should be aware of these 5 things.

     

    1. Textbooks can be  EXPENSIVE

    Textbooks can range from $5 to $500 easily. There is no average cost for textbooks, because it often depends on the major. For instance, many science books cost hundreds of dollars, so a science major will spend more than a art major, which usually has cheaper books or does not require any. It is important to note that just because you spend $300 on a textbook does not mean that it is bound. Some books are loose-leaf, which means they are unbound and require a binder to put all the loose pages into.

     

    1. Don’t buy your books before class starts

    Many blogs and articles might tell you to buy your textbooks early, but that could be costly. Professors have little to no control on what books are listed as required on the class catalog. So, you may have bought that $100 book and it will not be used. Buy your textbook right after your first day of class, when you get the syllabus. If your course requires multiple textbooks, wait to buy the other books until about a week or two before you need them. Sometimes professors have to redo the class calendar due to circumstances, which could result in one of the books previously listed as required not being used.

     

    1. Look for off-campus bookstores

    Some textbooks may sell out fast in your campus bookstore, especially if it is a core class that all majors have to take. Usually there are one or more off-campus bookstores, usually somewhere near campus, that sell college textbooks.

     

    1. Rent or Buy Used

    As mentioned before, college textbooks can be expensive. One way to help keep costs down to to buy used textbooks or rent them for a semester. Renting is always a good option and there are several places to rent textbooks: Chegg, Amazon, off-campus bookstores, etc. Just keep in mind when the books have to be returned (usually the last day of finals). However, if you are going to need the book for future reference or it is a good book to keep around for your major, you can buy it used at a cheaper cost. Because they are used the condition they are in often varies between gently used to completely marked up and usually the condition does not affect the price.

     

    1. Borrow

    This is the cheapest of all the textbook options. Connect with someone in class or find someone who has taken the class before and see if you can borrow their textbook. You can even ask someone taking the class and offer to share and split the cost of the textbook.

     

    With the cost of college and textbooks being so high, it is becoming important to try and reduce costs as much as possible. By utilizing or being aware of these 5 textbook tips, you can help lower the amount of money you spend on college textbooks. Just think, for every dollar you save the less you will have to pay back in loans and interest.

     

    Have any other tips for saving money on college textbooks? We would love to hear them! Share your tips on our social community UEMSConnect and help other students learn from your experiences.

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • Improving Business Shipping Efficiency

    Improving Business Shipping Efficiency

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    A good business is built on organization, productivity and efficiency. The bigger the company grows the more important efficiency and management become. That is why there are so many systems, software and tools out there to help them manage their business. Businesses utilize tools like HubSpot, Salesforce, Quickbooks, Hootsuite, and many others to manage areas of business like marketing, sales, customer service, accounting, etc. With efficiency and management being so important, why does certain areas often get overlooked? For instance, shipping.

     

    Businesses, are often shipping products, supplies or important documents to customers, partners or other businesses. In fact, business-to-business shipping makes up nearly half of all shipments UPS and FedEx ship. UPS and FedEx shipment volume is usually divided up between business-to-business and business-to-consumer. Note that business is the common factor.

     

    When businesses ship a lot, they often have their own carrier account and are invoiced at the end of the month by the carriers they use. Managing one carrier might not be that difficult without a system, but there are several different carriers. DHL, FedEx and UPS are three big shipping carriers that ship both domestically and internationally. Managing all three carrier accounts and invoices is often troublesome. Not to mention that businesses may have multiple departments that ship documents or packages and keeping track of what department ships what is difficult.

     

    However, there is a system that helps manage business shipping, solving many of these challenges to improve business efficiency. eShipGlobal’s Enterprise solution is a customizable solution that allows business to manage their outbound shipping and consolidates invoicing.

     

    The web-based solution integrates with financial, ERP or 3rd party legacy systems and allows businesses to look at past orders and receive reports on shipping analytics. They will also be able to compare carrier rates, saving them more money.

     

    Another great aspect about this solution is the packages that be added on to the service. These packages are:

    • The Export Control Package, which helps businesses ship internationally in compliance with government regulations: ITAR, EAR, etc.
    • The Inbound Package, which provides businesses with more control over supplier inbound shipping.
    • Supply Chain Analysis Service, which is a more in-depth analysis of businesses shipping data to provide meaningful insights into their shipping habits and spending.

    It is important for businesses to be efficient because efficiency saves them time and money. One way businesses can improve efficiency is to utilize solutions, like eShip Enterprise, to manage certain aspects of their business. Is you business operating efficiently?

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • University Program Spotlight: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Engineering Program

    University Program Spotlight: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Engineering Program

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    The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s undergraduate engineering program, is ranked #6 in the US, just below the tie for 4th place. What is great about the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is the number of international students attending the university. They are ranked number 5 on the list of schools with the most international students.

     

    University Name: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

     

    Location: 601 E. John Street, Champaign, IL 61820

     

    Number of Undergraduate Students: 33,368

     

    Number of International Students: 12,085

     

    Cost of Tuition: in-state tuition – $15,698 (2016-17)

    out-of-state tuition and fees $31,320 (2016-17)

     

    Areas of Engineering:

    • Aerospace Engineering
    • Agricultural and Biological Engineering
    • Bioengineering
    • Chemical Engineering
    • Civil Engineering
    • Computer Science
    • Computer Engineering
    • Electrical Engineering
    • General Engineering
    • Industrial Engineering
    • Materials and Science Engineering
    • Engineering Mechanics
    • Mechanical Engineering
    • Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering
    • Engineering Physics

     

    A Preview of the Offered Classes (for more check out their catalog):

    • Intro Differential Equations
    • Computer-Aided Design
    • Univ Physics: Quantum Physics
    • Conservation Principles Bioeng
    • Analog Signal Processing
    • Solid Mechanics Design
    • Aerospace Control Systems
    • And more…

     

    More about the program:

    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has a college-wide program called the Illinois Engineering First-Year Experience (IEFX). This program incorporates your interest and aspirations with your engineering education. Student within this program take a project based course, developing or building things like: machines, prototypes, or an android apps.

     

    If you want more information or just want to see what people are saying about the program, check out the engineering program’s website at: http://engineering.illinois.edu/.

     

    Are a part of the school or program? Share your experience or story through our community UEMSConnect. Just signup or login and share it under the university’s group!

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • Tips to Help You Succeed In College

    Tips to Help You Succeed In College

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    The start of the new semester is just around the corner. The summer is nearly over and many classes will begin again starting next month. This is an exciting time for all the incoming freshmen. They are now college students. College is different than high school. Many professors won’t remind you when something is due. Your parents won’t get notified of any bad grades. You are in complete control of your education, including whether you succeed or not. To help you navigate the college lifestyle, here are some tips to help you succeed.

     

    Take Your Classes Seriously

    Some students come to class just because of attendance and do not even try to learn anything. Some sit in the back playing on their laptops or some just skip class entirely. You are spending a lot of money on your education. If you are not going to learn, why spend the money?

     

    Keep A Copy of Your Syllabus

    The syllabus contains a lot of important information like: when assignments are due, information about big projects, grading policies, and professor contact information. Having a copy of the syllabus on hand is always a good thing. For instance, when your professor thinks an assignment is due that week, but is actually in the syllabus as the week after.

     

    Sit Close To The Front

    Sitting up close will keep your attention on the lecture and less on the students next to you. When you sit up front, you also indicate to the professor that you are listening. Some professors associate the students who sit in the back as the ones not paying attention in class.

     

    Take Notes

    The act of taking notes can actually aid in remembering the class material. They also are great to have when studying for an upcoming exam or later as references for future classes.

     

    Talk To Your Professor

    There is a saying “If your professor does not know who you are, you are probably failing the class.” That is not completely true, but knowing your professor does help you succeed in a class. By talking to the professor you build a rapport with them which could be beneficial in the long run. Jobs will often ask for references and professors make great references. Also they may be more lenient if a mistake happens if they know you.

     

    Register For Classes Right Away

    Classes fill up fast. Especially classes with great professors and required classes. The last thing you want is to be stuck with hard professor (not easily understood or just a harsh grader) or have to postpone graduation because you did not get into a class you needed. This can be harder if you are new because upperclassmen will have an earlier registration date. However, pay attention to payment deadlines. Students will be dropped from a class if they haven’t paid by that time, allowing you to quickly grab up the seat they had.

     

    There are tons of tips and advice for students to help while in college, but knowing these ones will not only help you succeed in college, they will also help you succeed once you are done. These tips help you to build habits like: note taking skills, networking with important people, good work ethics, listening skills and more. You are paying for and spending time in college, so make the most of it and learn all that you can from your classes.

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • Managing Your Business’ Social Media

    Managing Your Business’ Social Media

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    Social media has impacted the way people communicate and interact. In fact people are spending more and more time on social media channels. This is why it has become important for businesses to not only be on social media, but to be active on it. Social media has become a way for customers to interact with their favorite brands and to communicate with companies.

     

    The problem many small businesses face is staying active with so many social media platforms.  The top two social media platforms to be on, generally, is Facebook and Twitter. Other platforms that may be important depending on your user demographics and industry is LinkedIn, Instagram, SnapChat and Pinterest. It is recommended that you post 1-2 times a day on Facebook, 3-5 (some recommend up to 15) times a day on Twitter, about once a day on Instagram, and 3+ pins a day on Pinterest.

     

    If you are a startup or small business, you probably don’t have a team dedicated to monitoring and publishing to your social channels. Luckily, there are tools that can help make this easier.

     

     

    Hootsuite

    Hootsuite is a social media management tool. It is an easy-to-use online platform that allows you to schedule social media posts across multiple channels (Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, WordPress, etc.).

     

    You can also monitor all your social media accounts on one platform. Hootsuite’s “streams” search your social platforms for words, hashtags, mentions, etc. This allows you to see at a glance who is talking to you, find content to curate, or keep informed on what’s going on in your industry.

     

    Hootsuite also has an analytic dashboard that shows you how your social platforms are performing, tracking information like followers, engagements and link clicks.

     

    Lastly, Hootsuite is budget friendly. They have several subscription packages. The first is free and allows you to monitor three social media accounts. Then they have two professional versions. The basic Professional plan allows you to have up to 10 social media accounts and is $19 a month. The Professional Plus plan allows you to monitor 20 social media accounts and have 3 different users for $99 a month. Their Enterprise plan is customizable so pricing may vary.

     

     

    Hubspot

    Hubspot is another tool that can help manage social media accounts. You can manage platforms like: Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Google+, Pinterest and more.

     

    Like Hootsuite, Hubspot also allows you to schedule posts to all your social accounts and create streams to monitor social media keywords, mentions, etc. Hubspot also provides analytics to help you analyze your business’s impact on social media. You can monitor engagement, clicks, visits, etc. Since Hubspot is an inbound marketing tool, you can also track to see what posts/platforms drive actual leads.

     

     

    Buffer

    Buffer is a content publishing platform, so its main function is to publish and/or schedule social media postings. You can hook up Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and Pinterest accounts to Buffer. Buffer does have analytics, but only for the content posted through the Buffer platform.

     

    Some great things about Buffer are the pricing and its compatibility with tools like IFTTT and Zapier. Like Hootsuite, Buffer has various plans. The free version is free and allows you to monitor 1 social profile per platform and schedule 10 posts per profile. Its Awesome plan is $10 a month and allows you to have 10 social profiles per platform with 100 scheduled posts per profile. Lastly, their Business plan is $99+ and allows you to monitor 25 profiles per platform, have 2,000 scheduled posts per profile with 5+ team members.

     

     

    There are many other great social media management tools: Sprout Social, TweetDeck, MeetEdgar and more. So no matter what your need is or how small your business is, there are tools out there can can help you manage your social media accounts. Have any other tools you like to use? We would love to hear about them!

     

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • What Degree Fields Attract International Students From The Top Origin Countries?

    What Degree Fields Attract International Students From The Top Origin Countries?

    Last week we looked over what degree fields are attracting the most international students. Knowing what degree fields are being sought can help universities know what programs they should show case in their marketing efforts. However, it is also important to know what degree fields to push in what countries. So let us look at the top countries of origin for US international students and the top three degree fields they populate.

     

    China

    Since China is the leading country of origin for US international students, about 32% come from China, it is not surprising that the degree fields they choose to study are among the top three most popular degree fields for international students. The majority of Chinese  international students come over to study Business & Management, about 24%. The next popular degree field with 19% is Engineering. The third most popular degree field is Math & Computer Science with 14%.

     

    India

    Indian international students make up about 16% of US international students and like China, their degree field choices are also in the top three. The majority of Indian international students can be found in two degree fields: Engineering holding about 36% of Indian international students and Math & Computer science holding 35%. The third most popular degree is Business & Management, but only with 10% of Indian international students choosing to go into that field.

     

    Saudi Arabia

    Saudi Arabia is slightly different than India and China. Their most popular degree choices for Saudi Arabian students are: Engineering with 26%, Intensive English with 19% and Business & Management with 18%.

     

    South Korea

    There is not a specific degree that South Korean international students flock to. Instead they have a handful of degrees that are more popular than the others. The most popular degree is Business & Management with 17%, followed by Other with 14%. Fine and Applied arts are technically in third with 12.9% (13% when rounded), but Engineering and Social Sciences are close with 12.8% and 12.6% respectively.

     

    Canada

    Like South Korea, the is no particularly strong degree field that attracts Canadian international students. The degree field with the most is Business & Management with 16%, followed by Other with 15.2% and then Health Professions with 14.9%.

     

    Nepal

    Nepal is not technically one of the leading places of international students (ranked number 11), but US universities did see a 18% increase in Nepalese international students for the 2016/17 school year. There are actually four degrees that attract the majority of Nepalese international students: 22.3% in Physical & Life Sciences, 21.8% in Math & Computer Science, 16.3% in Engineering, and 16.1% in Business & Management.

     

    Recruiting international students is a marketing effort and like all marketing efforts, the more targeted the better result. By marketing specific degrees in specific countries, it makes for a more compelling message. Universities would be marketing their degree-specific programs to students who are interested in the those degree fields. By having a more tailored message and focus, universities could attract more international students to their school and degree programs. This in turn, will help to increase the number of international students studying in the US.

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • Study Tips Based on Your Learning Style

    Study Tips Based on Your Learning Style

    –Everyone is different. We all have our own personalities. Nobody has the exact same personality as you. So why do we tend to think that everyone learns the same?

     

    When people usually think of studying, they think of taking a textbook and reading it somewhere quiet (like a library). Many people think that a quiet place to study is ideal, because there are less distractions. But some people actually study better with noise going on in the background. The traditional study habits, quiet place to read, would not benefit this type of learner.

     

    The real question is what type of learner are you. If you know that then you can tailor your study habits to improve your studying efficiency. There are three main learning styles: Auditory, Visual and Kinesthetic. There are many learning style quizzes on the internet to help you determine which one you are.

     

    The Learning Styles

     

    Auditory LearningAuditory

    If you are an auditory learner, you learn better by listening. You probably learn a lot when attending lectures. If you can record your lectures, then you can play them back when time comes to study for an exam or test. When studying from books read out loud or ask someone to read it to you. If you have someone to study with have them ask you questions out loud. They also tend to be able to study best when something is playing in the background (music, people or the tv).

     

    Visual

    Visual learners are people who learn best by seeing it. They prefer when professors write on the chalk boards and are probably avid note takers. Visual learners tend to do better in quiet study places away from audio distractions. Taking notes during class, writing down notes when reading textbooks, highlighting text in books and flipping through flashcards are great ways to study as a visual learner.

     

    Kinesthetic/Tactile

    The kinesthetic/tactile learners are doers. They learn by doing things. They also can learn while moving around, taking breaks, or drawing. Hand writing notes, creating flashcards, acting out stories, or hand-on activities.

     

     
     

    While there are three main learning styles, it does not mean that you are entirely one or the other. You may have a dominant learning style, but also have characteristics of the other two learning styles. The best online tests to take are ones that will show you what percentage you are in each learning style, like 25% Auditory, 40% Visual, 35% Tactile.

     

    The most important thing to remember is that what works for one person might not work for you and vice versa. Based on your learning style strengths you should develop your own study habits.

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • Using Twitter For Business

    Using Twitter For Business

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    Is your business effectively using Twitter? Facebook may still dominate the social media industry, but Twitter has seen some growth this year. In fact, it has been steadily growing in users and daily active users over the past few quarters. Twitter is also ranked as the 2nd or 3rd most popular social media platform in several countries, which is important if you have an international audience. So, are you ready to step up your Twitter game?

     

    Post Often (But Not Too Much)

    Each social media platform has a daily recommended posting amount. For Facebook, it is about one to two posts a day. Twitter, however, it is recommended to post more. The ideal number is often debated, usually somewhere between 3-5 tweets a day. However, there are a few that will recommend tweeting more (7+ per day). Test out how your engagement does with 3-5 posts. Usually after a certain point your engagement drops.

     

    When To Post

    The days and times you should focus on posting will vary. Tweets have an incredibly short lifespan, about 18 minutes. This makes timing very important. You want your tweets to go out at times that your audience will be on. Generally, it is best to tweet between noon – 3:00pm, Monday – Friday. With the majority of the US population in either the Central Time Zone or the Eastern Time Zone, it is best to use one of those two. Obviously, not all audiences are the same, so try to find out when your followers are on and adjust your tweeting schedule to them. Tools like Klout will give your recommendation on what times to post based on your audience engagement.

     

    Hashtags

    Twitter is based about the use of Hashtags. So it is important to use them when tweeting. They can help connect your tweets with a specific audience. For instance, #Fashion will be seen by those interested in fashion. However, DO NOT go overboard on the hashtags. Usually if you have more than two hashtags your engagement drops. So try to keep the hashtags between 1-2.

     

    Mentions

    Mentioning influencers and other businesses related to you or your industry can help improve engagement and retweets. So feel free to add a @twitterhandle onto a few of your tweets. You can also ask questions to influencers and talk to your audience to help improve engagement.

     

    Tweet Chats

    For those who are not familiar with Tweet Chats they are conversations held at a specific time and day using a set hashtag to communicate with. For instance, #SmallBizChat is a Tweet Chat for small businesses that meets every Wednesday at 8pm EST. Usually the chat is focused on a set topic for that week. Usually, the moderator asks a question and all the participants answer. It is a great way to gain new followers and connect with influences and other businesses in your industry.

     

    Advertising

    Just like Facebook, Twitter has a way to advertise through their platform. There are different types of campaigns that serve different goals, like website clicks or increasing followers. Similar to Facebook, you can set a daily budget or a total budget and it can run until the money runs out or through set days. You can target your audiences via locations, keywords, interests, behaviors, etc. While advertising will not make or break your Twitter success, you may find that it performs as well as or better than Facebook. We have had more success on some of our ads via Twitter than we did via Facebook.

     
    Twitter is one of the big social media platforms out there and it appears to be growing in popularity. Twitter is a great way to communicate, network and stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends. It also is a great platform to engage with your audience. So, now the question is, are you ready to create and/or improve your business’ Twitter account?

     

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • What Degree Fields Do US International Students Come To Study?

    What Degree Fields Do US International Students Come To Study?

    International students come from all over the world to study in US universities and institutions. With international recruiting efforts becoming increasingly more important, it is vital that recruiters and international student services know what degree fields are attracting international students.

     

    Engineering

    Engineering is the most popular degree field for international students with over 216,000 majoring in it. That is 10% more than the previous year. The majority just study Engineering as a whole, but about 13,000 study Engineering Technologies/Technicians and approximately 2,000 study Transportation and Materials moving.

     

    Business & Management

    Business & Management sees the second most interest from international students with just over 200,000 students deciding to study it. However, with only a 2% increase from the previous year, this degree field did not see the huge increase that Engineering did.

     

    Math & Computer Science

    This field of study saw the most growth between the 2014/15 and the 2015/16 school year. The number of international students coming to study Math & Computer Science went up 25% to over 140,000 students. The majority, over 107,000, are in the Computer and Information Sciences.

     

    Social Sciences

    There are over 81,000 international students studying Social Sciences, which is a 7% increase from the year prior. Social Science as a whole has the vast majority with about 53,000 students, with Psychology trailing behind with only a little over 14,000. Area, Ethnic, Cultural and Gender Studies are the least popular, only attracting about 2,600.

     

    Physical and Life Sciences

    The two areas of study that dominate the Physical and Life Sciences is Biological and Biomedical Sciences and Physical Sciences. There are about 75,000 students studying Physical and Life Sciences. About 40,000 are studying Biological and Biomedical Sciences, while about 34,000 are studying the Physical Sciences.

     

    Fine & Applied Arts

    Surprisingly, Fine & Applied Arts is the next popular field of study with almost 60,000 international students coming to the US to obtain this degree. The majority, approximately 45,000, are specializing in Visual & Performing Arts, while the other 14,000 are studying architecture.

     

    Intensive English

    This degree field, while still boasting over 40,000 international students, seems to be losing its popularity. Most of the fields of study saw an increase between 2014/15 to 2015/16 school year, Intensive English saw a 17% drop.

     

    Health Professions

    The US has almost 34,000 international students studying one of the Health Professions fields. Out of that number only 301 are in Residency Programs.

     

    Communications & Journalism

    This is another field of study that saw a decent increase, 5%, between the 2014/15 to the 2015/16 school year. This bring the number of international students studying a Communications and Journalism field to 21,000.

     

    Education

    The Education field saw a 10% increase from 2014/15 to 2015/16, bring the total number of international students in that field to approximately 20,000.

     

    Humanities

    Humanities has several different areas of study: Foreign Languages, Literature and Linguistics; English Language and Literature/Letters; Theology and Religious Vocations; and Philosophy and Religious Studies. There are over 17,000 international students studying humanities. While the majority are studying either Foreign Languages, Literature and Linguistics or English Language, Literature/Letters, these areas of study saw a drop in numbers, -1.2% and -5.4% respectively. Theology and Religious Vocations saw an increase of 17.6% and Philosophy and Religious Studies had an increase of 3%.

     

    Legal Studies and Law Enforcement

    There are over 15,000 students studying Legal Studies and Law Enforcement, which is a 9% increase from the year prior. The majority study Legal Professions and Studies, almost 13,000.

     

    Agriculture

    There was not much of a change in the enrollment for international students in the Agriculture field of study. The number still is just over 12,000 students. What did change was the area of study these students entered into. Agriculture itself had a -2.8% drop, but Natural Resources and Conservation saw an increase of 6.7%

     

    Other

    There are many other degree fields out there, if the student actually declared one. Liberal Arts and Sciences/ General Studies & Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies have the largest number with approximately 50,000 and 18,000 respectively. Others include Parks, Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies and Family & Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences.

     

    By better understanding what fields are attracting international students, universities can improve their recruitment efforts to match those interests. This is important if universities want to improve their international student population.

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • Social Community for International Students (and College Students)

    Social Community for International Students (and College Students)

    –

    Studying in the US

    It can be a scary and exciting adventure when you decide to leave your home country to live and study in the US. This transition is often filled with uncertainty and questions; questions like: how can I easily acclimate to the US, where will I live and will I experience culture shock. Even after moving to the US, you will probably still have questions.

     

    Knowledge is key

    There is a saying: knowledge is key. The same saying is true with studying abroad. The more you know and the more you expect, the easier your transition will be. Having resources to help guide you through the process, tips on how to live in the US and a directory of companies that help international students studying in the US, will help answer questions and ease the uncertainty.

     

    Resources Available

    Providing resources and connections for international students is the primary goal for UEMSConnect, an online community. UEMSConnect is an eShipGlobal initiative to help international students, advisors and other university staff or students connect. It serves as a library of knowledge. International students have access to resources like, blogs, infographics, videos and services aimed to help them live and learn in the US.

     

    The Online Community

    As mentioned before, UEMSConnect is an online community. It is a social platform designed to connect international students, international student advisors, and college students. One of the best ways to deal with the uncertainty is to be connected to advisors and students from the university you are looking at attending.

     

    Making Connections

    Through the community international students will be able to talk to other international students, advisors, or US college students via online chat, group boards and private messaging. This is a great way to learn about the school from the people actually attending. International students coming into or already studying in the the US can (and are encouraged to) share tips, advice events and stories. What better way to learn about the challenges you may face when living and studying in the US then from student who made the same journey.

     

    Connect Offline Too

    The connections made on UEMSConnect transcend the digital world. Once you enter the US you can connect with the students, clubs, organizations and advisors you talked to in the community groups. These organizations, clubs and advisors hopefully where using their ability to list events on the calendar, so you may even know about what events will be taking place during your first few weeks on campus.

     

    Join Today!

    Whether you are a incoming international student, a current international student, an advisor or a college student, UEMSConnect is a community designed to help you succeed when studying in US Universities. Sign-up is quick and easy. We hope to see you there!

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • Why Is Having a Brand Identity So Important?

    Why Is Having a Brand Identity So Important?

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    Brand identity is a term used often in business. But what exactly is a brand identity? A business’ brand is its identity. It reflects the business from its promise to its customers to the company’s work culture. A brand is far more than just a logo. It is the values, mission, promise and vision of the company. A brand is what sets your business apart and makes it memorable. So how can small businesses develop a brand identity?

     

    Questions You Need to Answer First

    • Who is your company’s audience? How do they see you?
      • This is key because your audience is who you want to remember your brand. Therefore, your brand should match their values and resonate with your audience. By determining how they see you, you can see what might need to be adjusted or what you are doing correct.
    • What is your company’s values?
      • These are the values your company reflects and it is a promise of what your customers should expect from your business. These values could be clarity, timeliness, dependability, etc.
    • What is your mission and vision statements?
      • Do not confuse your mission and your vision statements. Your vision is where you would like your business to be one day. This is the hopeful long-term goal. You mission statement is a more attainable short-term objective and how your business plans on getting there

    Knowing the answers to these questions will help you identify or define your brand. The next part of a brand identity is the part the customers with see regularly, the logo, tone, design style and copy.

     

    The Visual Elements

    Your logo, font and brand colors should reflect your business and its values. A dark, hard and edgy logo design does not match a whimsical, floral clothing business. Having a mismatched design or elements is like walking into a house that has some rooms completely modern and other rooms country. It can throw people off and/or give them the wrong impression of what your business sells or represents. Remember your first impression is important and these visual elements will often be that first impression.

     

    The Written Elements

    If you know who your audience is and how you want your company to come across, you can start to develop the tone for your company. Tones can be professional, conversational, humorous, playful, etc. A business targeting millennials, for instance, might use a humorous conversational tone, since that often appeals to millennials. Your tone should match both you and your audience. Everything should be written in the tone you decide to use, that includes all copy, content and your tagline.

     

    All these elements make up a brand identity. However, just having a brand identity is not enough. Consistency is key to a strong brand identity. This means that everything should be consistent and reflect this identity. If your business values and promotes timeliness you need to be timely. Your customers to see your brand identity at EVERY point of contact.

     

    Your brand is what sets your company apart and a strong brand identity will help your business stand out. It does not matter if you are a big business or a one-person operated eCommerce business, having a brand identity is important to success and growth.

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • Social Community for International Student Advisors, International Students and College Students

    Social Community for International Student Advisors, International Students and College Students

    When international students decide to live and study in the US, they often have questions. These questions can range from topics like acclimating to the US or how to apply for OPT. Coming to live in a foreign country is often filled with anxiety and uncertainty. After all, they are leaving their family, life and country behind to live in a different culture.

     

    International student advisors are often the ones having to face these questions and guide international students on their journey. It is an important job and often a busy one. They plan orientation, on-campus events, workshops, advising and sometimes even recruiting of international students. In fact, they have a long list of jobs that they are responsible for and unfortunately, many international student services (ISS) departments are understaffed.

     

    That is why it is important for ISS professionals to have resources for not only them, but for international students as well. UEMSConnect, an eShipGlobal initiative, is an online community where international students, advisors and other university staff or students can connect. Advisors will be able to communicate with other advisors around the country to learn and share tips about being an ISS professional. What better way to learn than from seasoned international student advisors.

     

    Not only can they talk to each other via online chat, group boards and private messaging, they will also have access to resources that can help them in their career. Content such as videos, blogs and infographics are available about a variety of topics, including: international student recruitment, international student statistics/studies and services that could help ISS professionals in their field. These resources are designed to help alleviate their jobs or at least shed insight into current trends.

     

    Advisors also have access to the calendar to post events they think would be relevant to potential or incoming international students. These events don’t just have to be on-campus either, you can set up an event for an outside webinar or schedule a group chat.

     

    There are also resources for international students: blogs, infographics, videos and services. These resources are designed to help international students live and learn in the US. They cover topics such as acclimating to the US to a guide on applying for OPT. Not to mention it is also a great way for them to connect with advisors, students and organizations from the university they want to attend.

     

    The more tools and resources advisors have at their disposal, the easier their jobs will be. If you are interested in being a contributing advisor to UEMSConnect we would be happy to hear from you! Check out our new community and see how it can benefit you.

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • Tips for Developing Good Content to Boost Your Business

    Tips for Developing Good Content to Boost Your Business

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    How much time are you spending developing content? Many businesses throw content creation to the end of the line, or forget it completely. However, content has become increasingly more important in businesses. Content is king. While having content is important, it is more important to have good quality content. Here are some tips to help you develop quality content.

     

    Research

    Before writing any content, first you must understand who your audience is, what they care about, and how you can align it with your company. Here are some questions you will also want to look at: what are your competitors talking about, how are they doing on social and how often do they post. Knowledge is key. Having content your audience does not want to read or having content that doesn’t relate to your business is counter productive. You want people to read your content, see you as a subject-matter expert and want to find out more about your company.

     

    Who Will Be Producing The Content?

    Because quality content is important, do not just pass this job off to the newbie or intern. Ideally, you will want someone who can write well. If you do not have anyone in house that can produce content, there are always services out there that will write content for you.

     

    The Content

    Once you have conducted the research you can start deciding on what topics/subjects you will want to write about. Your content does not always have to directly promote your products or services, but it should promote an area tied to your business, products or services. For instance, a home insurance company blogging tips about good home ownership. If you did the research, you will have a better idea about what topics to write about, what tone to use and how often you should be writing content.

     

    Formatting and length

    While Google still prefers long content, about 1,000+ words, the average reader tends to prefer shorter content. However, the formatting of the content is far more important than the word count. Most readers tend to get intimidated when seeing large blocks of text. A good way to prevent this is by breaking up the paragraphs into smaller sections. Each section should have an accompanying header, and if applicable a subheader. Bullet points are also a great way to break up long bodies of text.

     

    Good quality content not only brings potential customers to your website, but it also helps search engine ranking. Some businesses are able to make it to page one on Google search through good quality content alone. Content marketing and content creation are only going to become more important as Google adjusts their search algorithm to provide better results with higher quality information. Are you ready to produce higher quality content?

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • Top 10 US States With The Most International Students

    Top 10 US States With The Most International Students

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    The United States has fifty states and over one million international students. These students travel from all over the world to get the world-leading university education that the US is known for. So, where do the majority of these students live? Here is a list of the top 10 states with the most international students.

     

    1. California

    As of the 2015/2016 school year, California hosted around 150,000 international students. It is the home to many universities, like The University of California system and University of Southern California, that host a large number of international students.  

     

    2. New York

    New York is attributed with one of the most iconic representations of America, the Statue of Liberty. However, New York is also home to New York University, which has the highest number of international students at a single college, about 15,000. While the state cannot boast being the top destination it does have approximately 115,000 international students, despite being a much smaller state than California.

     

    3. Texas

    Texas is one of the biggest states in the US, so it is unsurprising that it would be home to a large number of international students, about 82,000. One of its colleges, The University of Texas at Dallas is ranked number 12 on the list of universities with the most international students having over 8,000 international students.

     

    4. Massachusetts

    Despite being one of the smallest states in the US, with only 6 states smaller, it is hosts almost 60,000 international students. Boston University and Northeastern University in Boston, are both located in one of the most historic US cities and attract many international students to the city.

     

    5. Illinois

    Over one-fifth of all Illinois 50,000 international students can be found in just one of its universities, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Some interesting facts about Illinois: most of it, about 80%, is farmland; the largest city in Illinois is Chicago, with about 2.7 million; and the second largest city is Aurora with about 200,000 in population.  

     

    6. Pennsylvania

    Pennsylvania is another one of America’s original 13 colonies/states. It was founded by William Penn and is not the home to a little over 48,000 international students. It is also the home to Penn State University and Carnegie Mellon University.

     

    7. Florida

    This is a state many people wish to go to, whether you are an international student or an American. While none of Florida’s universities make the list of 20 universities with the most international students, it is home to about 43,000 international students. That is quite a large number!

     

    8. Ohio

    Almost 38,000 international students call Ohio home and a large majority of them call Ohio State University their school. The largest city in Ohio is Columbus, which is where Ohio State is located. On an interesting note, is that 50% of America’s population can be found within a 500 mile radius of Columbus.

     

    9. Michigan

    Michigan is known for its automobile manufacturers and its city, Detroit, is known as the car capital of the world. It is also known for its nearly 34,000 international students. Nearly one-fourth of Michigan’s international student population can be found studying at Michigan State University and about another fourth can be found studying at University of Michigan.

     

    10. Indiana

    Indiana is set right in between Illinois and Ohio, just below Michigan, so it is no wonder it too has a large international population at about 30,000. Purdue University is home to one-third of Indiana’s international student population. Indiana University, another popular school for international students, has approximately 7,000 international students. These two universities host over half of Indiana’s international student population.

     

    There are so many great cities and states for international students to choose one. Connect with us on UEMSConnect and tell us why you chose your school and what you think makes your university such a great place for international students.

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • Recruiting International Students Using Social Media

    Recruiting International Students Using Social Media

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    International student recruitment is important for universities and it’s importance is growing. Universities market to and recruit international students using a variety of methods: marketing material, agents and digital tools. A part of these methods is social media, which is becoming even more important. According to Social Admission Report, 76% of the class of 2017 used social media when deciding where to enroll.

     

    Instagram, which many universities are now incorporating into their social media efforts, has shown to have a correlation between the number of followers and international student recruitment. While this is not a direct connection to international recruitment, it does provide some data which could push universities to use it more for international student recruitment. Instagram allows universities to showcase their campus, students, events and even local hotspots for international students to see. This can help student visualize how life would be if they attended that university and may help persuade them into attending.

     

    Other social media platforms that are popular with international recruitment efforts is Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. They all are the more well-known social platforms. Facebook is the largest social media platform in the world and YouTube arguably being the second biggest search engine on the web.

     

    Facebook pretty much dominates globally in popularity. However, there are some countries, particularly Russia and China, that have their own social platform that surpasses Facebook in popularity. So let’s look at the top social media platforms for the top origin countries for international students.

     

    China

    The most popular social media platform for China was QZone. However, WeChat may have more active users: 846+ million vs 632+ million. Another popular platform that many companies, universities and agencies are using is Weibo, which has 297 million active users.

     

    India

    Like most of the world, the most popular social platform in India is Facebook. Other popular platforms are WhatsApp, LinkedIn and Twitter. Instagram is gaining popularity in India doubling its monthly active users between September 2014-2015.  

     

    Korea

    YouTube is the biggest social media platform in South Korea followed by Facebook. Twitter is ranked at number three, tied with Instagram. However, Facebook appears to be losing popularity while Twitter appears to be gaining it. It is also important to note that South Koreans are known to be heavy smartphone users. Facebook and Instagram do not have apps for the country’s android users, which is why many of them are turning to local social media platforms such as Band and KakaoStory.

     

    Saudi Arabia

    Saudi Arabia is much like India in terms of social media platform popularity. YouTube is the most popular social network for Saudi Arabia followed by Facebook. Instagram and Twitter are close in popularity, with Instagram just coming in above Twitter at the end of 2016. Some statistics indicate that Twitter has more active users at 6.37 million compared to 5.41 million.

     

     

    Canada

    YouTube and Facebook are equally popular in Canada with Twitter coming in next. Interestingly though, is that Instagram is just marginally ahead of Pinterest as the 3rd/4th most popular social media platform.

     

    With international recruitment becoming such an important effort for universities, it is important to know how to connect with potential students. Each country has their own digital and social media trends. Proper usage of social media platforms, along with traditional recruitment tools, can help boost efforts and attract more international students. It is more efficient to know where potential students are and connect with them there, rather than tossing out content with the hopes that they may find it.

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • Spending the Summer Abroad

    Spending the Summer Abroad

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    Summer is usually the time to travel and explore the world. Many college students tend to do this by taking summer classes abroad or by volunteering abroad. In fact, over 300,000 students studied abroad in the 2014/2015 school year. About 1 in 10 undergraduate students study abroad before they graduate. It is a college experience that is truly invaluable.

     

    So where do they go?

     

    The top three destinations by regions is: Europe, Latin America & Caribbean, and Asia. The vast majority, 55%, of US students study abroad in Europe with Latin America and the Caribbean being the next top destination with 16%. Asia comes in third with 11% of the US study abroad students. The top countries to study abroad in is the UK, Italy and Spain. Other countries that attract US students is France, Germany, China, Ireland, Australia, Costa Rica and Japan.

     

    How long do they usually stay?

     

    The majority of people, about 63%, who decide to study abroad do so in the summer months and usually stay for a max of 8 weeks. 34% stay for about one semester and only 3% say for about one year. So summertime is the most popular time to go. This could be due to many universities offering summer semester classes abroad.

     

    Volunteering abroad

     

    If you want to spend your summer abroad, but don’t necessarily want do it for academic credit or as part of a class, you can always volunteer abroad. More than 22,000 US college students worked, interned or volunteered abroad in the 2014/2015 school year. The top three destinations were Mexico, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Volunteering abroad is a great way of giving back to the world, while gaining world experience. Not to mention it looks good on a resume!

     

    Staying connected with family and friends back home

     

    One of the hardest parts of going anywhere far away is dealing with the distance between you and your loved ones. There is always the modern methods of communication, such as email, text messages and phone calls, that will keep you connected, but it still can be hard. A great way to stay connected with your family is by sending souvenirs and trinkets from your abroad experience back home. eShipNOW, a personal shipping solution, can help you save money when shipping these items back home. Your friends and family can also send stuff to you while you are abroad, keeping you even more connected.

     

    Summer is a time where amazing adventures and journeys take place. Don’t waste your summer’s sitting at home doing nothing. Go out explore the world, experience new cultures and make the most out of your summer and college life!

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • Is Your Small Business Collaborative?

    Is Your Small Business Collaborative?

    Small businesses are just that – small. They usually have a small staff size and probably a small budget to operate on. They are focused on growth and productivity. That is why it is so important for small businesses to have a collaborative work culture. Here are some important reasons why you should be collaborative.

     

    1. Area of Expertise

    Collaboration allows employees to utilize their areas of expertise. This is great for small teams since someone’s weakness might be another’s strength. This also provides a chance to look at a problem, product or issue using multiple different perspectives. You can approach the problem from multiple angles in order to get the best solution.

     

    2. Better Communication

    When teams and employees collaborate with each other they build and develop better communications skill between them. Better communication means that it will be easier to share ideas and/or updates with other teams or other employees. Communication is important to any business. It reduces delays, improves work/management environment and it helps build trust with the company.

     

    3. Community

    A collaborative and communicative work culture creates a strong bond between employees and the company. Employees develop closer relations to each other and to the company, which helps to increase productivity and lower turnover rates. It also attracts the more tech-savvy generation, the millennials. They enjoy sharing their ideas and refining them with other people.

     

    Collaboration have many other great benefits for small businesses. However, collaboration is only as good as the teams that are collaborating. The key to good collaborative teams is diversity and an open mind. It is also important to foster individual thoughts and ideas. Innovative individual thoughts can lead to great things when combined with collaboration. A good team with innovative ideas that collaborates and communicates is key when growing a small business.

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • 5 Things to Do Over the Summer

    5 Things to Do Over the Summer

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    1. Try Out A New Hobby




    Hobbies are a great way to pass time while learning something new and developing more skills. There are many hobbies you can try: sewing, painting, drawing, fixing up cars, wood crafting and more. Don’t feel the need to limit it to just one. You have all summer to try and find a hobby you enjoy. Perhaps your new hobby will be a future career or produce extra cash.

     

    2. Volunteer





    Volunteering is not only good for the soul, but it also looks great on resumes and college applications. So don’t just sit around the house all day. Go volunteer at a soup kitchen, animal shelter or nursing home. You can even help build houses or read to children. No matter what type of volunteer work you decide to do, you will do doing something amazing.

     

    3. Take a Summer Class




    This probably won’t seem so appealing, especially since you just finished a long semester, but taking summer classes keeps your mind sharp and brings you one step closer to graduation. Taking a summer class at a community college could also help you save money, reducing your potential student loan debt.

     

    4. Travel




    When most people think of traveling during the summer, they think of going to far off countries. You don’t need to fly to Paris to have a great summer. In fact, you don’t even need to travel far to see some amazing sights. All you need to do is go to the desert to look at the night sky, climb one of the many mountains in the mid-west, or just head to a beach on the west coast. Even just traveling a few hours outside your city can be a great experience.

     

    5. Spend Time With Those You Care About




    This one can be one of the most forgotten or overlooked things to do during the summer. If you went off to college, maybe in another state or perhaps just a city a few hours away, you probably don’t get to spend as much time with your family and your childhood friends as you used to. These people are important, so spending the free time you have with them is a great way to spend your summer.

     

    Whatever you decide to do this summer, just don’t forget to enjoy it! We would love to see and hear about all your summer adventures. You can share your stories with us by using the hashtag #UEMSConnect when posting to social media. Don’t forget to check in to see other people’s stories too.

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • Why International Recruitment Efforts Are Important To US Universities

    Why International Recruitment Efforts Are Important To US Universities

     – 

    The 2015-2016 academic school year marked a great accomplishment for US universities. The number of international students studying in the US surpassed one million for the first time. However, we don’t have time to relax our recruitment efforts. Despite increasing the number of international students and once again being acknowledged as having the best higher education system in the world, we still face many challenges. While we still attract the most international students, the US has lost ground in the international higher education market.

     

    In 2001, the US attracted 28% of all international students. However, by 2016 that number had dropped 3%. Universities in China, Australia, Japan and Canada saw a growth in International Students. These countries have worked to improve their universities, increased recruitment efforts and/or offer incentives that attract students from nearby countries.

     

    The 2015-2016 school year saw a 7% increase in international student enrollment, which seems good. However, that is a drop from the 10% increase the year prior. In the US, nearly 50% our international students come from two countries: India and China. However, we have seen a drop in students coming from those two countries. In 2013-2014 school year, US institutions saw a 21.4% increase in international student enrollment from China but only saw a 10.8% increase the year following.

     

    With more competition worldwide, US universities are having to increase their marketing and recruitment efforts to international students. Recruitment efforts usually involve people in those countries supported with marketing material and digital/social media marketing. Some universities utilize agents or third-party recruiting companies to aid their recruitment efforts. However, all of these tactics require money and unfortunately, these universities have not seen a huge increase in budget to support the increase in recruitment/marketing efforts.

     

    With budget being tight, international student recruiters are faced with a daunting and difficult task. Luckily, there are ways they can save money and every dollar counts. eShipGlobal’s University Express Mail Service (UEMS) has helped international student professionals at many large and small universities for over a decade. It is a free solution that can help these international student recruiters/marketers/professionals save money when shipping documents or packages (up to 25 lbs) overseas through discounted shipping rates.

     

    International students play an important role in our higher education system. Which is why our recruitment efforts are so important. With increased efforts, perhaps the US education system will regain more ground when attracting international students.

     

    By Ashleigh Cue

  • Happy Father’s Day

    Happy Father’s Day

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    “I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection.” Sigmund Freud.

     

    People have different purposes in our lives. They are there to help us grow, provide support or to share experiences with. However, it seems to be that our family is what leaves the most impactful impression on our lives. Our mothers are the caring nurturers, the hearts of the home. They help kiss the wounds and provide emotional comfort to us when we need it. Our father’s, however, often play a different role in our lives. So how would you describe a father?

     

    Provider – Fathers are often the provider of the home. There are many ways fathers are able to provide for the family: they often are the ones that bring home the money, they provide the stability in the family, and they see to any needs the family may have. They are the handyman of the family, making sure everything is working and building or fixing anything that is not.

     

    Protector – Children and spouses often look to the father for protection. They chase away are the monsters that hide underneath kids beds or in their closets. They are the ones that check the house in the middle of the night after hearing a strange noise. They are the ones people go to when they are in trouble and need someone to stick up for them. Fathers are the security for the family.

     

    Strength – Mothers might be the ones to kiss away all the boo-boos, but fathers are the ones that encourage us to keep going despite them. They help provide strength and support when we are faced with difficult challenges. They also tend to be the ones that enforce the rules, providing a structure within the family. They hold the house up.

     

    Fathers are the head of the home. We often look to them for guidance and for solutions. They are the ones we call when we are stuck on the road with a flat tire or need to be picked up from somewhere late at night. They also are the ones to help teach us responsibility, work-ethic and determining what is right from wrong. Our fathers play a big role in our lives. The dedicate countless hours towards their family, making sure the needs of the family are met. That is why we want to thank every father out there. Thank you for all the hard work you do for your family. Happy Father’s Day!

     

    “My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.” – Jim Valvano

     

    For all you children out there, young and old, what have you done to show your father how much you love and appreciate him? Send him something nice this Father’s Day.

     

    by Ashleigh Cue

  • Living in the US

    Living in the US

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    You are about to take one of the biggest journeys of your life: living and studying in a different country. You will probably look back on this adventure as one of the greatest decisions you ever made. That is not to say you will not have any challenges when you come to study and live in the US, but they are worth it. Here are some tips to help get you started on your new journey.

     

    Tip 1 – Finding A Place To Live

     

    One of the challenges international students face when coming to study in the US is actually finding a place to live. International students are only able to enter the 30 days prior to their start date, which does not leave a lot of time to find a place. This can be particularly challenging since housing is limited, especially closer to the start of the semester. Luckily there are other alternatives that can make it easier for international students to find housing. Once such alternative is LoftSmart, a partner of eShipGlobal. They have a personal concierge service that will help you find an apartment near your college and will ensure that your documentation and lease application is properly handled. Since finding a place to live in the US is complicated, it is important to know what resources are available that will help make it easier.

     

    Tip 2 – Transportation

     

    You probably won’t have a car when you arrive in the US, which means you need to find other means of transportation. Your university may provide free public transportation passes, so you should ask your advisor or school where you can get or buy one. You can use these passes to travel around the city on buses, or in larger cities, trains and subways. You can also use services like Uber to get rides to places.

     

    Tip 3 – Get Acclimated

     

    Once you get to the US and get settled in, it is time to start acclimating. Getting acclimated will help prevent you from feeling alienated or segregated. So how can you get acclimated? There are many ways to get acclimated: you could get involved in campus groups or activities, connect with American students and experience the culture. Use your school’s resources if you find yourself needing help or someone to talk to. You are not alone.  

     

    Tip 4 – Stay Connected

     

    Don’t forget to stay connected with your family and friends back home. There are many ways you can stay connected: phone, video calling, email, letters, packages, etc. If you want to send something back home you can save money on shipping when you use eShipNOW. It is important to stay connected, but do not become too dependent on that connection or you will miss out on experiencing the culture.  

     

    You might find that things in the US are totally different than back home and experience a little culture shock. However, you will adjust, make new friends and develop some great connections while here. It might be challenging at first, but it will get better and it will be worth it.

     

    By: Ashleigh Cue

  • Happy Mother’s Day!

    Happy Mother’s Day!

     –

    “Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.” – Lin Yutang

     

    Mothers are often said to be the heart of the home, but what is a mother? Everyone has a definition of what a mother means. No mother is the same, just as no child is the same. However, here are some ways people have described mothers.

     

    Mothers are:

    • The Foundation:

    Mothers are the foundation that we build from, providing us support so that we may grow. They are what make us who we are today.

    ‘My mother is my root, my foundation. She planted the seed that I base my life on, and that is the belief that the ability to achieve starts in your mind.” – Michael Jordan

    “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” – Abraham Lincoln

    • Wonderful Beings:

    Mothers are the world to their children, much like their children are the world to them. There is something about mothers that is indescribable and unimaginable.

    “My mother’s wonderful. To me, she’s perfection” – Michael Jackson

    • The Forgivers:

    Mothers have this amazing ability to forgive and forget.

    “The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.” – Honore De Balzac

    • Endless Love 

    The love a mother shares with her children has no end. They can be total monsters, but at the end of the day, they are still her beautiful babies.

    “Motherhood: All love begins and ends there.” – Robert Browning

    Mother’s are the comforters, supporters and forgivers. They dedicate their lives to their children, spending countless hours worrying about them. The sacrifice mothers put in for their children is something that can never be repaid. Unfortunately, motherhood is often underappreciated and does not get the proper thanks it deserves. We wanted to let every mother out there know that we appreciate everything they do. Thank you for all the love you give and continue to give. Happy Mother’s Day!

     

    “A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.” – Agatha Christie



    For all you children out there, young and old, what have you done for your mother that shows how much she means to you? Send her something nice this Mother’s Day.

     

    By: Ashleigh Cue

  • India’s Growing e-Commerce Market

    India’s Growing e-Commerce Market

    The Growth of eCommerce

    eCommerce is a growing and highly competitive market. In fact, over 51% of the American population shop online and 40% of internet users worldwide have purchased items online. The eCommerce market is expanding about 23% every year.

     

    eCommerce in India

    Many countries are working to improve and grow their eCommerce market. In fact, it was predicted that India’s eCommerce could grow from $16 billion to $102 billion in five years, hitting that number by 2020. The Prime Minister of India has even proposed a major revamp of the India Post to help expand the reach of eCommerce businesses into more rural areas.

     

    Indian Marketplaces

    As mentioned before, eCommerce is a highly competitive market and that goes for the marketplaces as well. There is a major battle to see who will be the major marketplace for India. Currently, there are three big marketplaces in India: Amazon, Flipkart, and Snapdeal. However, the big battle is between Amazon and Flipkart.

     

    Flipkart

    Flipkart is India’s current number one marketplace and they are trying to keep it that way. Flipkart is rapidly growing their business and is working on business deals to buy eBay India. There is also talks that Snapdeal may merge with Flipkart, which could provide a bigger edge.

     

    Selling in an Indian Marketplace

    Unfortunately, it is not easy to sell on an Indian marketplace. Your business will need to be registered with India, you will need an Indian bank account, a value added tax (VAT) identification number and a permanent account number (PAN). Flipkart also requires that businesses have 10 unique products they want to sell on their marketplace in order to sign-up as a seller.

     

    Beyond Borders

    Luckily, for those wanting to sell in an Indian marketplace, there is an alternative or back door in. eShipGlobal’s Beyond Borders eCommerce solution works around the paperwork by integrating directly with Witch Wand, a branch company of Flipkart. Witch Wand is an eCommerce management tool and integrates directly with Flipkart. This integration allows US eCommerce businesses a way to sell their products on India’s biggest eCommerce marketplace. It will also help them to save money on shipping with discounted shipping rates.

     

    Open Up Possibilities

    With the highly competitive eCommerce market, it is important to stand out and get your products in the faces of many people. Selling your products on international or on other countries marketplaces is one way to help you expand your business.

    By: Ashleigh Cue

  • What Does Summer Mean To You?

    What Does Summer Mean To You?

     

    –

    Summer. This usually is associated with summer break, a time of no school and hardly any responsibilities. However, this “free time” is a great time to do new things or give back. Why waste your summer lazing about a house? It is the perfect time to get out there and be productive! There are many ways you can be productive during the summer, so let us start with our top three ideas.

     

    1. Try out a new hobby that can earn you some extra cash

    There are many great hobbies out there that can let you earn a little extra cash. For instance, making jewelry. One teen managed to $100,000 dollars over the course of three years by selling jewelry on Etsy. Not interested in jewelry? There are loads of other crafts that you can try, like painting or woodwork.

     

    1. Help those who really need it by donating or volunteering

    Volunteering or donating not only helps other people, but it helps you as well. Not only do you feel great when helping out other people, but it looks good on a resume or college application. Don’t have a lot of time to volunteer at a soup kitchen? Try gathering items from neighbors, friends or local thrift shops to donate to causes like Carry The Future. If you plan on creating and selling items online for extra money, you can also include flyers to Give Back Box to encourage your customers to give back as well.

     

    1. Explore and adventure

    How often have you traveled? Whether it be the seas or across the nation, traveling lets you experience and learn new things. Fly, take a road trip, or if you want to be a little different you can hop on a train. No matter where you will go you will broaden your horizons and grow as an individual. Just remember to send souvenirs back home to friends and family!

     

    Want a productive summer?

    So, what one are you going to do? Will you create unique items to sell online, donate to charities, or go on an adventure? Well, whatever you decide to do, whether you do just one or all three, you will have an amazing and productive summer.

     

    Don’t Forget

    While you are busy being productive this summer and perhaps earning a little cash, you may find that you need to ship something somewhere, like a product to a customer or an item to a charity. We want to help you save money when shipping items. eShipNOW is free to sign-up and will give you access to discounted shipping rates from top carriers. After all, if one of your goals this summer is to make/save money, this is just one way we can help you.

     

    Have a GREAT summer!

     

    By: Ashleigh Cue

  • 10 Struggles of a College Student

    10 Struggles of a College Student

     –

    College – a world of freedom, away from your parents and surrounded by friends. Unfortunately, college also comes with a lot of struggles. Especially if you want to succeed and actually graduate. These struggles can be consequences of bad choices, poor organization or utterly bad luck. No matter the cause of these struggles – the stress and frustration that accompanies them is real. So here are some of the few struggles college students may face and some tips to help avoid them.

    Struggle 1: Your computer died right after finishing an assignment

    Advice: Save your papers frequently and on many devices (cloud, flash drive, Google Docs) because you don’t know when your computer will die/crash.

     

    Struggle 2: Your printer won’t print because it’s out of blue ink.

    Advice: Beg your parents for a laserjet or print your paper out at the school’s computer lab.

     

    Struggle 3: Slow or no wifi on campus.

    Advice: While you can’t change or fix your college’s wifi, you can go to a cafe or library.

     

    Struggle 4: Group projects.

    Advice: Make friends in class, hope the professor does not assign groups and talk to the professor about any issues within the group. Don’t forget to talk to your group members after class to find out the best form of communication, assign tasks and to set up deadlines.

     

    Struggle 5: No matter how hard you try, you still have no idea about what to write for your paper.

    Advice: Believe it or not, reading relevant text can help you get ideas about what to write. Start with an outline and go from there. Don’t be afraid to write down what comes to mind, you can revise your paper as much as you want before you have to submit it.

     

    Struggle 6: Realizing after you wrote your paper, you still need another page to meet the minimum requirements.

    Advice: Be descriptive when writing and if possible add additional information relevant to the paper topic, such as a quote, another perspective or including another study.

     

    Struggle 7: When all of a sudden all your professors assign big projects that are due during the same week.

    Advice: Two words – time management. It is important to start working on what you can right away. Good news is that managing your time is a skill that will get better over time.

     

    Struggle 8: Class presentations.

    Advice: Have general notes about what you are going to say and practice before you have to get up and talk.

     

    Struggle 9: Pulling all-nighters.

    Advice: Try to avoid pulling all-nighters as much as possible. If you absolutely must stay up all night then take naps, drink coffee, avoid carbs and go to bed early.

     

    Struggle 10: Realizing you forgot to do an assignment.

    Advice: I know this is hard to do, but don’t panic. You can not change the past, but you can take steps to help the situation. The first step would be to talk to your professor. If you have a track record of being a good student, they may be willing to give you partial credit. In addition, complete any and all extra credit assignments.

    The number of times you face these struggles should improve over time. You will get better at time management, studying, and preparation. Just remember these challenges are minor, for the most part, and they are only making you stronger. If nothing else, they are lessons in stress management.

     

    We want to hear from you!
    Have any tips or advice you want to share? You can connect with us on social using the hashtag #UEMSConnect. We would love to hear all about your college experiences: both the struggles and the fun moments. Don’t forget to like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!

    By: Ashleigh Cue

  • Tips For All You Soon-To-Be College Graduates

    Tips For All You Soon-To-Be College Graduates

    –

    Preparing for Graduation

    Graduation time is quickly approaching and many students are anxiously awaiting their graduation walk or the parties that follow. However, there is still some time to do some very important things before you leave your college behind you. Here are some advice and preparation tips for students that are soon to graduate.

     

    Connect with Professors

    Believe it or not, your professors are professionals in the fields you are about to enter into. They have connections with other professionals in the working world. Therefore, if you have not already, you will want to talk with and connect to your professors. They may even be able to help you get interviews with companies that would not usually look at a newly graduated student. Also, connect with them on LinkedIn. If you do not have a LinkedIn, I suggest you get one. It is the social network for working professionals.

     

    Ask for a Recommendation

    This is important because employers will want to talk to people (not family or friends) for references. They may even want to see a letter of recommendation. If you are planning on attending a graduate school, then you are going to need letters of recommendation for your application. Most ask for about three, but it would not hurt to have more. Don’t hold this off until after graduation. Ask your professors if you can use them as a reference and/or if they would be willing to write a letter of recommendation while you are still fresh in their memory, not six months down the road.

     

    Attend a Career Fair

    Most colleges have career/job fairs. This is a great way to start looking for a career, since it may take a while. On average it takes a college graduate three to nine month to get a job. This is also a great way to ‘put-a-face-to-a-name’ for the companies attending. Also, don’t forget to take advantage of your university’s career center. They usually will have counseling, job listings or other resources that could help you land a job.

     

    Start Thinking About What Happens Next

    College graduation is a huge life event. The majority of students are coming out with college debt from student loans and are having to think about finances. Many will return home to live with their parents. If this is you, then you are probably thinking about what all you need to do to move. Luckily, there are options to make that easier and more affordable. For instance, eShipNOW can help you ship your personal belongings back home at discounted shipping rates. If you don’t plan on renting a trailer or driving back home it is a great option that can help.

     

    Relax

    This is another important one and one I am sure most of you will enjoy. Relax! You have just completed years of college education and probably are suffering from senioritis. You are almost done! Midterms are over and the only other thing you need to worry about are finals. Take a break and enjoy the last remaining weeks of college life!

     

    By: Ashleigh Cue

  • You Have Graduated, Now What?

    You Have Graduated, Now What?

    –

    You have just graduated or are about to. You are closing one part of your life and moving on to another. The first thing you will probably do after graduation is find a job. After all, that is one of the end goals you have when getting a college education. So, what are the next steps?

     

    Resume

    The first thing you are going to need is a resume. If you already have one you will want to make sure it is up-to-date. Resumes are recommended to be about one page. At the top of the page, you will want your name and contact information: email, phone number, address, etc. There is no set format for resumes and you will want to tailor them to match the job you are applying to, but here are some key things you may want to include: a career objective, your skills, the college you graduated from with GPA (if you did really well), any work/internship experience, and any awards/societies/honors/extracurricular activities you may have.  

     

    LinkedIn

    LinkedIn is a social network for working professionals. If you do not have one, you will want to create one. Not having a LinkedIn profile could hinder or hurt your job prospects. When updating or creating a LinkedIn account you will want to connect to all of your classmates and as many of your professors as you can. Do not use the generic connection invite, make it personal; let them know how you know them. See if you can get fellow classmates, or better yet professors, who would be willing to write a recommendation on LinkedIn. Lastly, try to fill out as much information as possible and use a professional profile picture.

     

    Online Portfolio

    Having an online portfolio or personal website not necessary for all career fields, but it can definitely help. It will help you stand out. It increases your online presence and visibility, as well as lets your employees see a bit of your personality. This is also where you can show off your projects, work samples, letters of recommendations, writing samples or anything else. You do not need to know HTML or CSS to have a great online profile. There are several tools such as WordPress, Weebly or Wix that can help you build and manage an online portfolio.

     

    Cover Letter

    The cover letter is important. It states why you are applying to the job, what you can bring that would benefit the company and will show your interest. You should not reuse the same cover letter when applying to multiple jobs. Like your resume, you should adjust and tailor the cover letter to best fit the job you are applying to.

     

    Applying for a Job

    Once you have all of the above it is time to start applying to jobs. Most job applications are online and are as simple as uploading the files and submitting it. However, should you need to send any documents you can always send them via eShipNOW, which will help you save money on shipping. It can also be used to ship personal belongings to a new home if you get a job that requires you to relocate.

     

    The Last Step – The Interview

    Now here is probably the most nerve-wracking – the interview. Look up some top interview questions beforehand and start practicing what you are going to say. It also doesn’t hurt to go to the location of the interview prior to see how long the drive is and to actually locate the building. Know what you are going to wear the day prior and make sure it is professional. Lastly, relax and be honest during the interview. Do not lie just to get the job. This can cause problems down the line for not only you or your employers.

     

    Final Thoughts

    The key to finding that great job is preparation. This is why it is important to start right after or right before graduating. You can take a little breather after graduating if you can, but don’t let summer pass by without working on this. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare, your are preparing to fail.”

    By: Ashleigh Cue