Archive for the ‘ Career Advice ’ Category

What makes one job good and another one bad? Is it true that some jobs are really bad and should be avoided or is it just that some people are better suited to one kind of job while others are to some other kinds? When we evaluate jobs, various factors are taken into account such as the economy and changes in the market trends. Other factors include evaluation on the basis of which jobs have less stress, better job environment and better career prospects along with good paying capability.

Every year the entries in the list of best and worst jobs change. According to the publisher of 2012 Jobs Rated Report of CareerCast, “The jobs that continue to fare very well are those that fare the best in a tough economy – primarily information technology and health care”. Keeping all these factors in mind, we have compiled a list of the best and worst jobs in America.

Top 5 Best Jobs in America

1. Biomedical Engineering is considered to be one of the best jobs in America as it includes various areas of specialization and the job prospects are very bright at about 72%. The average pay ranges between $43,097 – $120,335. It is considered to be the best job of 2012 as there is a growing demand of advanced medical equipment and devices. Graduates need to have in-depth knowledge of both engineering and biology.
2. Information Technology includes jobs like software developers, software architects, computer application engineers, data communications analysts. The job growth rate for these fields is about 24-53% and the average salary ranges between $40,800 – $134,838. There is an increased demand for IT professionals as they are trained to set up networks and check the performance of these systems. There is also demand for programming and systems analysis skills.
3. Nursing is also a very popular field which has a job growth of about 16 – 39% and the average pay ranges between $21,440 – $79,992. This is considered to be one of the best jobs as the demand continues to increase due to increase in elderly population and an expansion of healthcare industry leading to increase in clinics and a consequent increase in nursing staff.
4. Finance jobs related to finance like bankers, auditors, financial analysts, accountants, credit analysts continue to grow with a job growth projection of 41% and average pay of $73,150. These jobs require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree with can be either through traditional education or online learning.
5. Forensic Psychology involves jobs like social work and counseling and is one of the best jobs as its job growth projection is about 13% and the average salary is between $36,920 – $138,086. Forensic Psychologists are capable of performing various psychological testing and diagnosis. To work as a professional in this sector, you need to have a doctorate degree. You also need to have license to work as a social worker or a counselor .

5 Worst Jobs in America

1. Lumberjack is considered to be one of the worst jobs as you need to work outdoors irrespective of the weather conditions and the pay is also quite low.
2. The next worst job is that of dairy farmers. This is also a low paying job with tough working conditions. Farmers need to work in the dairy even in the worst weather conditions.
3. Enlisted military personnel are also climbing up the list of worst jobs. This is because it has a lot of stress and physical strain along and the pay is very bad.
4. Oil rig workers are entry level workers who have high stress jobs which are dangerous as they need to work on oil rigs in tough weather conditions. Though this field overall is well-paying, this job position is paid the lowest.
5. Newspaper Reporting is the 5th worse job as it is stressful and low paying. However with the advent of online and mobile reporting, the job conditions are expected to improve and this job might not be in the worst job lists in the next year.

So if you are looking for low stress, high paying jobs that are expected to grow in the following years go for the top 5 jobs.

According to statistics, more than a million students over the age of 50 are likely to enroll in colleges across the country in a year. These seniors are those who have their children well- settled and now have the free time to fulfill their dreams and aspirations or to help the community with their knowledge and skills. Distance education is an ideal opportunity for these seniors to pursue higher education.

Though many seniors are keen to return to school, they hesitate a little due to various misconceptions and myths. Here we show you the most common myths debunked.

Myths about Seniors Returning To Schools

Myth No. 1: Only a few senior people pursue higher education and you might be the only older person in the classroom.

Fact: This is not true anymore. More and more seniors are opting for higher education through various education formats like campus colleges or distance education. The numbers are increasing at a very fast pace with many online degrees for seniors and with some of the top online courses catering to their specific needs.

Myth No. 2: Professors might not be able to interact effectively with older students.

Fact: Adults usually feel intimidated when their teachers are younger. They feel they would not be able to express their viewpoints freely with their younger counterparts and professors. They also might not be able to clear doubts which might arise while pursuing a specific course.

Myth No. 3: There is regular interaction between seniors and professors.

Fact: Online courses enable students to pursue higher education without direct interaction with peers or professors. They can pursue their online college degrees at anytime and anywhere without interacting face to face with professors.

Myth No. 4: Higher education might be expensive and unaffordable.

Fact: Though the cost of higher education is increasing, pursuing online degree programs are quite cost effective. You can take up online courses which are less expensive than traditional campus courses and you need not pay as much as other private institutions. You can also seek financial aid by filling FAFSA form for government student aid. Some online courses are also offered with government scholarships. You can also opt for experience credit and you can save a lot of money.

Myth No. 5: They might not be able to match to the advancements in technology.

Fact: Matching with the technological changes is not too difficult. You can keep yourself abreast with these changes and learn how to use computer and internet to gain knowledge. You can opt for online degrees which are easily accessible and can help you to complete the online courses through simple instructions.

Myth No. 6: It is important to pursue higher education through traditional full time courses rather than part-time online degrees.

Fact: They need to be sure on why they want to pursue higher education and what they would gain out of it. They also need to look at reasons like flexibility and accessibility.

Myth No. 7: It is difficult to complete your degree after a certain age.

Fact: Some seniors feel that reaching a college campus might be strenuous and you will have to commute a lot or drive to college every day. However, with online degree programs, you cans complete the course at your own convenience and pace.

Myth No. 8: Degree coursework includes a lot of lab work or hands-on experience.

Fact: This however, depends on the online course that you plan to pursue. While some online courses do not include any lab, some like engineering includes hands-on training as well. They can choose from some of the top online courses

Going back to school is a challenging proposition for everyone, especially for seniors. However, online degree programs have made it easier than ever before for seniors to pursue these courses.

These were some of the most common misconceptions seniors have about going back to college by pursuing online degrees. If you are a senior wanting to pursue higher education and still have confusions and apprehensions, do share them with us below. We’ll try our best to remove your confusions.

Are you a busy professional that wants to assist law enforcement keep our communities safe? Then you need to look into online criminal justice programs for busy professionals. All inclusive online criminal justice degree programs can help you attain career goal. Online criminal justice degree programs are ideal for those working adults that have these ambitions. Online criminal justice degree programs help them gain the proficiencies needed to:

• Keep law and order
• Protect life and property
• Conduct administration
• Plan and research security services

Online Criminal Justice Degree Programs Designed forWorking Adults

Online criminal justice degree programs are made to prepare busy working adults for occupations like corrections, probation, criminology, forensic sciences, immigration, and security administration.

Coursework for Online Criminal Justice Degrees

Online degree programs have wide-ranging instruction on the U.S. criminal justice structure, certified corrections, and law enforcement hypothesis. Busy working adults can learn:

• The cause and development of crime and delinquency
• Reason and rationalization of criminal behavior
• Policies on evidence
• Fundamental investigative measures
• The objective of criminal law

Online Criminal Justice Degree Focal Points

Busy professionallearning in online degree programs that focus on criminal justice can concentrate on preciseareas of criminality for example;

• Gangs
• Drugs
• Probation
• Criminal justice management
• Computer crimes
• Incarceration
• Interview and interrogations

Occupationswithan Online Criminal Justice Degree

Online criminal justice degrees cancenter on anexactsynopsis of the criminal justice system, letting busy professionals upon graduation discover occupational options from entry-level positions to mid-level management and supervisory work in severaldiverse areas of criminal justice. So start your studies now by searching for the online criminal justice degree programs that can fit into your busy schedule.

Online Degree Programs Increased Availability

University degrees in criminal justice once could only be completed at traditional colleges after years of study and lots of money was spent.Currently, online degree programs have made criminal justice degrees available for everyone.

Online Degree Program for Busy Professionals Utilize Technology

Criminal justice online degree programs utilize course matter and online degree classes that make the most of teacher-learner communication and contribution. Numerous online degree programs use the most up-to-date technologies to smooth the progress of conferencing, lectures, and classes with live streaming video.

Challenging Online Degree Program

An online criminal justice degree program is one of the most challenging online degree programs and it is one of the top online degrees for busy professionals. Start now with an online degree program that offers these opportunities.

The agriculture industry is big business in the United States. Despite changes in the industry over the years agribusiness in America still remains a top industry today, with no signs of declining anytime soon. If anything, this industry will continue to grow to meet the rise in demand due to the increase in population. So if you are considering a career in farming or agriculture, now is the perfect time to do so. You can also consider a career with an Online Degree in Agriculture. Keep this in mind if you are a working adult who cannot attend traditional programs or if you live in a remote location with no access to a college campus.

The top 5 reasons to consider a career in agriculture are:

1. Broad professional range: A career in farming or agriculture has no specific specialization. This is a career path that has a wide-ranging area of expertise as well as a number of opportunities and options to pursue. An Online Degree in Agriculture may include biology, agriculture, chemistry, farming management and water supply management.

2. Increasing career opportunities: Today, advancements in technology are changing agribusiness. This industry is expected to see a significant increase in job growth over the next decade and beyond. Employment opportunities are expected to grow fast, especially for certain sectors of the farming industry, according to government statistics — making this profession one to consider.

3. Positive change to the environment and society: This industry will also make a difference that will contribute positively to the environment and to society as a whole. Crop irrigation and soil management requires the use of natural resources all of which will benefit the environment and society. If you care about the environment, now is your chance to make a positive contribution to the world around you.

4. Job stability and security. America and the rest of the world will always need food, so this profession will never become obsolete. Even though advancements in technology are changing some of the ways things are done these days and may decrease the amount of labor that was once needed in the past, there will still be a need for experts in the field. And according to statistics, agribusiness is expected to increase in several areas and sectors. This means that you will need to do extensive research on the industry and choose one of the in-demand specializations in agribusiness or farming to take advantage of these opportunities.

5. Do you have a passion for farm life? If your answer to this question is yes, then you should definitely pursue this profession. A little bit of passion with the right knowledge and training can provide a rewarding and fulfilling career in agriculture.

Be a part of the farming community and get a degree in agriculture to start a lifelong and rewarding career.

No one wants to go through the painful experience of losing a job or being unemployed. For most of us, our jobs mean more than just a way to make a living. They define who we are and how we feel about ourselves, and most importantly, how others see us. This is why being unemployed can be extremely stressful. Take a look at 5 hard-to-ignore truths!

1. Unemployment can change your life

Losing your job allows you to refocus. It provides an opportunity for you to look at your life and make changes where necessary. It also allows you to pay close attention to your career choices and to rethink your professional goals.

2. Losing a job is stressful

There’s no question that losing a job can add a lot of stress to your life. Losing a job can be one of the most stressful things you experience. But it is how you choose to handle the situation that makes all the difference in the world.

3. Unemployment is difficult to face

You can lose your self-confidence, self-esteem and your purpose in life. You might even feel scared at times. But only you can turn a bad situation into a good one. How you choose to handle the situation will determine whether the outcome is good or bad. It’s really all up to you.

4. Our jobs give us purpose in life

Many of us equate jobs with our purpose and without a job , sometimes life can seem meaningless. But it is not the end of the world. You still have time to pick up the pieces and move forward – hopefully to something better.

5. The sooner you get over the loss of a job, the better

Most people go through a period of feeling depressed due to being unemployed, which is normal, but for how long do you continue with it? It is best to focus immediately on finding another job, even if it’s something you are not really excited about. This way you can still have a source of income while you continue to look for something you really like.

No one wants to be unemployed. But how can you prepare for something like this? Is there a way to avoid unemployment?

If you’ve experienced job loss or unemployment I would like to hear from you. Please share your story and tell us how you managed to cope with the stress of unemployment.

The job market looks gloomy right now. The question is, Will it ever pick up? One thing’s for certain though; some industries will recover, while others may not. Have a look at the 8 industries that are thought to be doomed.

Struggling Industries in the United States

These industries are some of the worst hit industries in the United States right now. They have seen a decline in revenue over the past 10 years and the decline is expected to continue that way for some time. It is suggested that you should avoid these industries, at least for now until they show some signs of recovery after the recession.

The industries are deemed doomed due to various reasons like:

• Decline in revenue
• Greater competition
• Technological change
• Lack of innovation
• Not current with market trends

The Top Eight Doomed Industries in America

1. Video Rental
We’ve all seen several video rental stores make drastic changes to stay in business. But how can they compete with the Internet? These days it is so easy to get your favorite movies online, you can even order anything you want on cable TV, so why take a trip to the video rental store?

2. Record Stores
The same goes for record stores. Why go to the store when you can get what you want over the Internet? It is so convenient and so much easier online. This industry could not keep up with the competition and that’s the main reason why it has seen a decline in revenue.

3. Newspaper
Do you still read the newspaper? Most people feel that since they can get the most current news 24/7 online, there is no reason to wait to read it the other day. This is what’s sending the newspaper publishing industry into extinction.

4. Photofinishing
Digital cameras have changed the photo shop industry. No need to wait a few hours or days for the film to be developed anymore.

5. Costume Rental
Why rent a costume when you can buy one at a cheap price and reuse it year after year? Most people choose to buy rather than rent these days because it’s cheaper in the long run.

6. Apparel Manufacturing
Cheap labor overseas keeps the costs down at home. Therefore apparel manufacturing has moved overseas where labor is cheap.

7. Manufactured Home Dealers
This industry will not recover as there are more innovative competitors. The drop in revenue over the past decade is also due to the decrease in the price of traditional homes.

8. Wired Telecommunications Service Carriers
Everyone is going wireless these days, so goodbye to wired telecommunication carriers.

These are the 8 doomed industries to watch out for. They have seen better days, but it’s time for them to say goodbye!