|
Betsy Ribera is the Vice President of Consumer Marketing for PayScale, Inc., a market leader in online compensation information, providing access to accurate compensation data for both employees and employers. With the world’s largest database of individual employee compensation profiles at her fingertips, Betsy provides immediate and precise insights on the job market.
February 4, 2008
Every job you ever have is part of your career journey, and you should be a traveler on that journey rather than a tourist. Noted historian and Librarian of Congress, Daniel Boostin, observed:
?The traveler was active; he went strenuously in search of people, of adventure, of experience. The tourist is passive; he expects interesting things to happen to him. He goes sightseeing.?
Your work life is what you make of it. Show me someone who ?lives for the weekends? and eyeballs the clock all day, marking each break as a milestone to a temporary nightly reprieve, and I?ll show you someone who needs a change, either a job change or a job-approach change.
?But I can?t change jobs,? you complain, ?I?m ?? What? Too old, too specialized, too under-skilled, too reliant on the paycheck, too scared? Well, maybe. But it?s a big world out there with lots of options and opportunities. A company called Vocation Vacations, started in 2004, even offers mini-mentoring experiences so you can test-drive your dream job.
The problem is not always with the job, but with our approach to it. We need to connect and engage more fully in what we do, realizing its importance to us and to others. Like anything else in life ? practicing a musical instrument, building meaningful relationships, volunteering community service ? we get out of a job what we put in it.
Whether you?re starting a new job or trying to put wind back in the sails of your old job, there are some immediate steps you can take to move forward. Think of these steps as the Immediate I?s ? or, ?things ?I? can do immediately to be a good traveler on my career journey.?
Get Informed:
Be curious about your job, your company, and your industry. Find out what?s going on, what?s most important, and what you can do right now to make a difference. You can?t learn too much about the world you work in, and you build vital skills and knowledge in any job that can be applied throughout your career. Learn, know, and grow.
Get Involved:
Throw yourself out there and join the dance. No timid hearts. Get to know your coworkers and interact with them with an open mind. Get to know your customers and learn how you can best meet their needs, right now. You don?t need an annoying, in-your-face style to be ?out there.? You can simply show interest, enthusiasm, and flexibility in your job and in the overall success of the company.
Get Inspired:
Don?t drag yourself out of bed every morning like a rock trying to turn itself over; find the thing that will spring you out of bed and energize you all day. A compelling goal and personal mission will get you up and going. When things get tough, have an optimistic, ?can do? attitude. The world throws a lot of tough stuff at us that can sap our energy or feed our energy, depending on our outlook and response. Also, have high expectations of yourself and those around you. Don?t settle for mediocre and ?good-enough? efforts or you?ll get mediocre and ?good-enough? results.
Get Innovative:
Take risks, think differently, and don?t fear failure. If you truly care about your work and are accountable for your actions, you will recover from well-intentioned failures and missteps, learn from them, and be better for them. Raise your big and small ideas and suggestions that will improve the company. Have a playful and creative approach to work. Just because you?re focused and disciplined doesn?t mean you have to be dull and rigid. Attitude is everything.
Get It Done:
That?s simple enough. Make a decision and make a move. ?Get off the porch,? as the old saying goes. Too often, we make promises to ourselves to be better people tomorrow, and tomorrow never comes. Be an action-oriented person with a purposeful step. Keep your head up, your eyes open, and your mind focused.
Journeys aren?t walks in the park. They challenge us and make us better people. Be a good traveler on your career journey and get the most out of every job, otherwise the journey probably won?t take you very far.
|
Dave Neal has helped develop thousands of employees and managers in organizations around the world for over 15 years. He is a senior partner at 4th Street Training. Web: http://www.4thstreettraining.com. Blog: http://www.4streetsmarts.blogs.com. Email: dave@4thstreettraining.com.
February 3, 2008
Have you ever wondered how it would be to live on the street and still survive? Well when you consider your career as a Homeless Person it is all about survival. For instance if you do not have what you need to eat, you could starve, run into health problems, get really sick and end up in worse shape. Mankind and the human body is capable of living in some pretty horrific outdoor conditions, after all before civilizations humans did just that, so genetically they are adapted to live as homeless people and a lot better than most people think too.
The modern day homeless person although it looks bad actually lives as well or better than peasants in the fourteenth century. There is food available and money to buy things. Panhandling is one way you can make money in your homeless career. Another is to collect recyclables and turn them in for trade in exchange weight to dollars.
The average homeless person on the streets of a big city can collect enough aluminum, glass and plastic cans and bottles to generate $19,000 per year in some states with CRV programs. Some states are more some less. Yes this is below poverty level, but realize that a homeless person does not need a lot of money, as they have so few needs.
Anything they buy they must carry and so they cannot buy much anyway. So if you are considering a job and career away from society as a homeless person then when you choose to be homeless please consider this in 2006.
|
‘Lance Winslow’ - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington
February 2, 2008
If you are an illegal alien then and you have illegally immigrated to the United States then chances are that public perception is indeed making it more tough on you to hold a job in America. So what can you do now that you are here in the United States after illegally smuggling yourself into our country simply to find a better life.
Well first you will need to hide out and you will need to make money. But you will need to be careful to stay in areas where no one will say anything and you can blend in. These are same strategies that International Terrorists Cells and Drug Dealers or even MS-13 Gang Members use too. They go to areas where they can blend in and try to act normal when they are not committing a crime.
As an illegal alien you must do the same thing. But where can you go and where can you work? Well luckily much of the US Population is Hispanic so you can blend in and simply hope no one asks you for your identity. Secondly, you can go to a Car Wash to get a job as car washes often hire illegal aliens and no one seems to care, notice or call them in for violations? I do not know why this is but I do know it is so.
Another place you can work is in a restaurant because you can work in the back preparing food where no one will see you. This also makes sense for you if you have TB or Hepatitis, because most smaller restaurants and some chains will not screen you for disease as you pass it on to unsuspecting customers who buy the food there. So, if you are in this country illegally you need to find equally law-breaking businesses who will hire you. Consider this in 2006.
|
‘Lance Winslow’ - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington
Many Muslim Youth see themselves as fighting the Infidels or Western World and they have the opportunity to show their manhood and join in the cause of the Jihad. Becoming a Jihadist is a rather dangerous choice and for instance in the Hezbollah-Israeli conflict in Lebanon a Hezbollah rebel had a life expectancy of 11.2 hours or 1.3 hours on the front line.
Needless to say it is a short career so if you are lazy and want to retire early then it could be just the job for you. But also realize there are no government regulations like OSHA to protect you from workplace injury or death and no personal injury lawyers to get you paid if you fall down with your body parts in multiple locations?
In studying this career path, well lets just say it is a dead end job with really no forward advancement for your cause or yourself and although you might be remembered as a mighty warrior for a couple of days following your demise, those who remember you may not be long for this world either. So, in conclusion of this job category and career path we give it a big two-thumbs down.
A Career as an International Terrorists in a Jihad simply has no future and the pay is next to nothing, with no long-term benefits. It is a dangerous job with an extremely low success rate. In fact since no one has ever made it to retirement age dying in battle in a Jihad, it is a wonder anyone signs up for it?
|
‘Lance Winslow’ - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington
One of the coolest jobs is to become a designer of consumer products and there is good pay in it. Think of the people who designed the Norelco Razors or the Automatic Tooth Brush or the iPod. Very fun stuff no doubt and all those we have interviewed love their jobs and liken it to designing futuristic cars for GM, Ford, Ferrari or Jaguar.
Even former aerospace workers, NASA scientists and race car designers have in fact enjoyed their careers so much that they become designers of a different type after retirement. What do all these people really consider when deciding what types of careers they can make their second claim to fame in? Believe it or not they choose toys. Why you ask? Well because they can put their full creativity into it without hard core project managers debunking their concepts and designs.
And you know what it seems to be working too as would you just look at all the cool new toys on the shelves these days? I mean come on, do you remember toys that cool when you were a kid? Certainly not. The average Wal-Mart Store has so many cool toys it makes you feel like a kid again simply walking down the isles and looking at what none of us had back then. No wonder a career as a toy designer is one of the greatest careers in design? Consider this in 2006.
|
‘Lance Winslow’ - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington
February 1, 2008
They often say crime does not pay and indeed there are numerous examples of this. There are also examples of careers in crime, which do pay, well at least for a while. For instance there is the bank robber who lives quite well for a little while with literally money to burn and then after his short career gets to retire with full benefits and live in a gated community; Prison. Well not exactly the career, pension or retirement at the golf course you had in mind is it?
You see a career in crime can pay off if you are lucky and talented but in the end it is not a very good career choice even though retirement does come with free food, laundry service and boarding. Occasionally, we hear stories of criminals who have made a life of crime and gotten away with it for a long time. Yet if we hear these stories the reason is that they are telling the story from behind bars. Yes it makes for a good book and movie, but even so with those new laws you cannot keep the money you make from the story of your dishonest life.
Recently an online think tank discussed this and we came to the conclusion that crime really does not make sense, because others suffer from your misdeeds and you will lose out in the end. So on a scale of one to ten we rate a life of crime as a TWO, and the benefits as a 1.5 at the end of retirement. We give a life of crime two thumbs down and recommend you go to college, get a degree and go legit. If you are considering a life of crime, re-consider ASAP for your own sake.
|
‘Lance Winslow’ - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington
January 28, 2008
There are many reasons why people decide to change jobs. Sometimes it’s simply about moving forward on long-term goals — about having choice and options. But sometimes an individual’s desire to make a change springs from frustration and/or desperation and the need is immediate and high priority. With this second type of change a person may be looking to get away from such things as a difficult boss, an uncomfortable situation with co-workers, having been passed over for a promotion, an uncomfortable or bad review, etc. As much as we hope to avoid this type of pressure situation, it is often here that we find our greatest opportunity for personal expansion and new perspective. There is no changing anyone but ourselves and with a lack of other options, we are motivated to look more openly at who we are within the context of our work.
In line with the Zen quote, ‘Wherever you go, there you are,’ a job offers each of us a canvas on which to display our perceptions, beliefs and habits. What we have is a mixture of thought patterns that sometimes work to support us in having what we want, and at other times can lead us into an unproductive, negative place. A snapshot, or scenario, of any given situation may look like the good, the bad or the ugly, depending on which buttons are being pushed and which patterns are at the helm.
The Good, Bad, and the Ugly
The ‘good’ scenario shows up when we are on top of our game, such as when we feel good about our work, clear about our value and values, get the results that we want, and generally speaking, enjoy what we are doing. During these times the more positive patterns of supportive perceptions and beliefs about who we are and how the world works, lead our way. These patterns are our autopilot system and guide both our routine behavior, as well as how we approach challenges, conflict and even our goals.
The ‘bad’ scenario may be more about when we lack something such as patience, organization, understanding, connection to our strengths, etc., and generally speaking, we lack enjoyment. In these times we are sometimes led by patterns that are comprised of limiting beliefs and unsupportive perceptions about how the world works or actually doesn’t work; about our limits and inabilities. Here again, the patterns that don’t support us in having what we want are basically invisible to us. They are an autopilot system that not only gets in our way but also keeps us from seeing how a given situation could possibly change.
The ‘ugly’ scenario often looks like a desperate place that we need to leave immediately. This is where prospective clients are at sometimes when they call needing to make a change NOW! The resulting pattern here may look something like ‘fight or flight’, or ‘attack and control’, ‘go underground’, or other charming varieties we can all imagine or have experienced. Sometimes the difficulties are about situations that are simply not right for us. Regardless of the fit, in many cases, a simple shift in our own perceptions can make an enormous difference.
An example of this was when Susan (not her real name) called me to help her sort out a job change. Susan had had enough of her current position and was feeling frustration and anger with both her boss as well as those she supported. She expressed the need to change her job immediately. The pressure and frustration she was struggling with was not only getting in the way of her enjoyment of her work, but was also getting in the way of her home life (not sleeping at night, arguing with her spouse, etc.).
Through some focused coaching, she saw that ‘contribution’ was one of her top values. She also saw that her perception and rules around what that meant and how she embraced that value in her life, were getting in her way. Once she could more clearly see that her silent patterns were preventing her from getting what she needed from her work, she was able to let go of this rule and allow herself to feel a true sense of contribution.
This is just one very specific pattern change, but what it did for Susan was significant. The following week she reported that she was feeling much better about her work and that the pressure to leave her position immediately had significantly lessened. With a critical need now addressed, she could shift from feeling desperate for a change to looking at where else she might want to get out of her own way.
For most of us, our patterns are so much a part of us they are difficult to see without some assistance in this area. If you suspect (have even an inkling), that some bad, ineffective, and maybe even ugly patterns may be leading you in your work or other aspect of your life, know that the ability to recognize them is a great doorway to creating more satisfaction and success in your life.
Steps to consider in sorting out an ‘ugly’ scenario
- First, determine if it is safe to stay. Sometimes standards around safety, health, abusive co-workers, etc. put you at risk and the need to change now is very real.
- Decide if you would like to make the current situation better so if you decide to leave it, it would feel more like a choice rather than a desperate need. Not only do you buy yourself some time and energy around finding the next thing, you get to look more closely at the ‘you’ that will be moving on to the next job.
- Chart the beliefs, perceptions, ideas and patterns that are showing up in this scenario. Notice which ones are fact and which ones are your beliefs.
- Think back and notice if you’ve had this kind of experience before. If you have been here before, accept the fact that it may very well be your thought patterns that have brought you here again.
- Consider what a new pattern might be and what you would do differently if this new pattern were leading your way.
Once your patterns are visible to you, you can recognize when they are leading you astray and begin to choose new patterns that will support you in having more of what you want. If you are in a job crisis or simply wanting more support with your goals or vision, consider hiring a coach to help you create new avenues to success.
Wishing you a clear path to happiness,
- Trish
|
Trish Pratt is a certified professional coach and consultant who helps people breakthrough their limiting patterns and beliefs. As a vision and pattern expert, she inspires, educates and empowers clients to take their careers, businesses and lives to higher levels of satisfaction. Visit www.MomentumCoaching.com to learn more about creating breakthroughs in your career.
January 12, 2008
Years ago, my dream was to work my way up the corporate ladder, which in a male dominated environment I managed to do; my last promotion making me a senior manager.
But, two things happened - I didn’t enjoy it and then I got made redundant.
So, it sounds like being made redundant was a good and timely thing, right? Yes, it was, and with a good redundancy package, it gave me time to think about my options.
On the one hand, I felt a great sense of release, but I then found myself feeling angry at the way I’d been treated, and felt that on the whole, I’d been used and abused in the six months leading up to the redundancy.
Out went all the corporate clothes, and even driving past the building was difficult. I wasn’t even sure what all the emotions were about, but somewhere in there was the knowledge that all that ladder climbing that I’d striven for had given me a sense of achievement but did not make me happy.
Having done years of personal development since, I can see where part of the problem arose. One of my top values is freedom, yet I’d adopted a coporate persona that felt like a straitjacket. Since then, I’ve been self-employed, which of course has brought its own problems, but generally feels much better.
So, if you have a sneaking suspicion that your ladder might be up against the wrong wall, have a look at your values. What’s really important to you about what you do? See if you can list 5 things.
Next, look at what you’re currently doing and ask yourself how well these values are being met. For example, if one of your values is recognition, and you’re working in a culture where achievements aren’t acknowledged, or your boss claims credit for your ideas, it could make you feel angry and frustrated.
Knowing why you do feel that way may not make the situation better, but at least you will know why it matters. Values do matter and even if you try and dismiss these feelings, they will keep coming back until you do something about it.
It doesn’t necessarily mean leaving your job, but maybe you could try making some changes.
Now there’s an idea for another article!
|
Pam Stokes is a Business & Personal Development Coach. Besides coaching, she provides interactive online programmes for busy people, supervises newly qualified and trainee coaches, runs workshops in stress management and a Diploma Course in NLP. Free downloads http://www.pamstokesassociates.co.uk
December 31, 2007
Biotechnology is defined as the manipulation of organisms to do practical things and provide useful products. A career in biotechnology is possible for those with a Bachelor?s, Master?s or PhD. While most biotechnologists deal with living organisms, there are a few areas of biotechnology that do not, such as the field of studying radioactive tracers.
Earnings as a biotechnologist can run from $30,000 all the way up to 6-figures. So it?s quite a range. Let?s delve into the exciting rewards this career choice has to offer.
Challenging Work
Some biotechnologists study medical processes. Job functions in this area include the designing of organisms in order to result in antibiotics and the engineering of genetic cures via genomic manipulation. Other biotechnologists deal with industrial processes. Job functions in this area would cover the designing of an organism that results in useful chemicals. Still other biotechnologists deal with agricultural processes, i.e. the designing of transgenic plants, and enabling them to grow under certain environmental conditions.
Other work in biotechnology includes bioinformatics or computational biology. The focus in these fields is on solving biological problems using computational techniques. This work includes many different areas: functional and structural genomics, proteomics, and components in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sector.
Career Tidbits
The following list highlights some interesting information about this career field according to top sources including the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.
- Biotechnologists generally work 40 hours per week, but may be asked to work more under tight deadlines and heavy work schedules. Their daily tasks often involve working in a laboratory.
- Biotechnology breakthroughs have occurred in new medical therapies. For example, enhanced treatment of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Diabetes, Cancers, Multiple Sclerosis, Arthritis, Hemophilia, and Bone Fractures have all been made possible via biotechnology.
- Biotechnology-related products have reached sales over $500 billion per year and experienced a growth rate of 24% since the beginning of this century.
- Job opportunities for biotechnologists are projected to increase at a faster than average rate through 2014.
| | | | | | | | |