Expert: Sharon Reed Abboud - 1/13/2008

Question
Hello, I am 25 y/o man and need some advice. I am about to move from a small town (Fyffe, AL) to a city (Tuscaloosa, AL). I am moving there in part to find a decent job (due to the horrible job market in the small town)and I am also planning on persueing some type of  college degree. My qestion is, do you know of any companies that I could possible start out with an entry level position while I get a degree and move up within that company when I receive the degree. Also, I am looking for a job in which the company would help pay for my schooling, considering I would be looking to move up within that company. Any help you might have would really help me. If you need some more info from me, pleae just let me know. Thank you.

Answer
Thanks for your question. I suggest that you start by researching companies in the city that you are moving. Here is the link for the website for the Chamber of Commerce for West Alabama: http://www.tuscaloosachamber.com/ You can look at the websites for companies that are of interest to you to find out if they offer tuition benefits to their employees.

Here are some other sites that might be of interest to you:

-- http://www.indeed.com/l-Tuscaloosa-Alabama-jobs.html
--http://tuscaloosa.jobs.topusajobs.com/
-- http://www.jobs.net/Alabama-Tuscaloosa.htm
-- http://www.job-hunt.org/jobs/alabama.shtml
-- http://www.jobstuscaloosa.com/

On most job sites, you can click on "advanced search"  and designate “tuition reimbursement.” For example, for www.indeed.com, click on “advanced job search” and put “tuition reimbursement” next to “with the exact phrase.” Be sure to put “Tuscaloosa” next to “desired location.”

Have you considered applying for full time jobs at the university that you plan to attend? Many universities offer tuition benefits to their employees. Here is the link to employment opportunities at the University of Alabama:
--http://hr.ua.edu/employment/

I hope this is helpful. Good luck!