If you have gotten tired of the day to day running and decided that there has to be a better way to go about, then you are ready for a career change.

Consulting on a freelance basis for companies who need the services of someone to do something they don't require on a daily basis is a good way to stay at home and still be able to support yourself and your family. Freelance consulting can take many forms.

Medical supply companies will hire nurses to oversee some of their technical writings and staff training while authors who haven't yet published that first Great Novel will find themselves well trained to pursue a path into technical documentation and the day to day writing that is necessary for a website or how to document.

Myriad sites have cropped up on the internet on which you may peruse jobs that are needed by various companies internationally who will hire from a pool of freelancers. On many of these sites, you will find groups or individuals who will pay a fair wage for a fair return. However, many will also provide for those companies and individuals who will do what is called Low balling on the cost of an item for their use. Writing particularly falls prey to this with companies bidding as low as one or two dollars for a written article of in excess of 500 words including the researching of the item. This is of course not cost efficient, in that your time is certainly more valuable than two dollars for an item that may take you in excess of an hour to write.

Signing on with a company to do a particular job and see it through to its completion will ease the concerns about that type of exploitation with a set fee arranged for each job that you tackle, much like the salaried employee would have. Specific courses that might aid you in a consulting career would be as varied of course as your choice of the career to follow.

Medical consultation would require that you have an intimate knowledge of the medical field while writing might be benefited by a course in creative writing, grammar, or English usage. So many fields are now open to the consultant that to choose a course that would serve well in all of them is difficult at best; however, the one that springs immediately to mind would be of course English or grammar. No group will want a consultant whose writing skills are less than they should be or to have to rewrite those things which their consultant writes because if they need do so, the reasons for hiring the consultant in the first place becomes a moot point.

Dependent upon your skills in the field that you've chosen you are well able to meet you needs financially by a career in consulting. Programmers will be paid nearly one and one half times what they might make working in house for a company in the US while Canada's offerings are similar in that respect.

Nurses who work as freelancers in the US make substantially more than they might do working in hospitals while in Canada, given the nursing shortage they may expect to be offered a great deal more than the United States companies do. Freelance Programmers and writers are in great demand by many US Companies, as are drivers, writers and medical personnel. Among the companies who use freelance assistance in some of their projects are:
*Google, the search engine giant
*Rent a Coder
*Kelly Temps: supplying writers, secretarial, programmers and many other types of temporary workers nation wide in the US
*Sun Microsystems, who hires on a per job basis and if they like your work, will provide a permanent place on their team.

Consulting can be rewarding both personally and financially as in the case of David R., who currently works for one of the largest computer firms in the world as an engineer.

David began on one of the smaller projects and worked on a temporary basis. Liking his work the, company hired him permanently where he works from a home office and travels internationally to achieve some of his projects. His salary has tripled from what he made when he worked for an ISP in his local area.

Many companies will hire those for a permanent place provided they admire their work. Freelance consulting may just be your step up to a new career path.

Labels: Careers in Consulting

Whether you have relatives who have entered the field ahead of you or you are simply looking for a field that will always provide you with challenges, careers in business are definitely one way to go! Careers in business can lead you to all sorts of interesting places.

To prepare for a career in business, one thing that you will end up doing is getting a business degree. As the market becomes flooded with business graduates and as the value of a business degree becomes inflated, the top salaries and positions are being snapped up by those that actually have a more than bachelor's degree in business. For instance, graduate degrees in business are one way to make sure that you will command the the top price in your chosen field. A Master's in Business Administration, also known as an MBA, can be an excellent thing to acquire if you are able; it opens up many doors in terms of getting jobs and being qualified for upper-level management positions.

There are a wide variety of classes that you will be taking to earn a business degree; you'll be expected to learn a wide variety of things, and why not? Everything from computers, to some finance basics, to sales to management will be on your plate when you enter a career in business. Embrace the opportunity to get training in any or all of these things and see your marketability soar.

In place of a formal education, you can also substitute experience. In terms of careers in business, either a skills-based resume or a time line resume are appropriate. Decide which is more impressive, your skills or the places where you've worked previously and send them out as needed. Remember to keep your resume up to date.

When starting, you might find yourself faced with entry-level positions. Here, you need to carefully evaluate your worth to the company. How long do people stay in entry level positions? What are the chances that they are promoted? Is there a plateau for promotions, and are you comfortable with that? There are many reasons to work for a company even if there is not much chance of promotion (good pay and good environment being among them) but be realistic as to how far you can go with any company.

There are a wide range of salaries that can be commanded by those who choose to pursue careers in business. In both the United States and Canada, the range depends on what else you can offer besides a simple degree in business. The best thing that you can offer is a experience, as well as a list of successful projects that you have worked and experiences that you bring to the table. When considering the salary that can be earned by someone involved in careers in business, it truly depends on the position

For example, a person who acts as a company's regional manager and probably holds a bachelor's in business as well as an MBA, can command anywhere from seventy five to eighty five thousand dollars a year, while a corporate executive with almost the same credentials might have a salary above one hundred thousand a year. The head of a department or an assistant regional manager, who usually have a business degree, will usually make around fifty thousand a year, while an office manager or regional assistant can look at an annual salary around about thirty five thousand per year. Keep in mind that this will change dramatically depending on cost of living in the area and the experience of the person involved.

There are many opportunities that are available to you when you are looking for careers in business, but a few definitely lead the pack. In terms of excellent companies, Google stands at the top of many rankings. Similarly, NewMarket and WescoInternational are excellent places for people interested in business to make their mark, as is Cleveland-Cliffs and Dick's Sporting Goods in America. There are many places to search for good companies to work for, and if you are a recent graduate of an institution of higher learning, you'll find that there are many networks that you can explore, especially via things like your Alumni Association.

If you are interested in careers in business, you are interested in a career that will take you places and provide you with new challenges every time you turn around. Take the opportunity to examine these careers and find yourself a new path today!

Labels: Careers in Business

If you're looking for a career that lets you use your body and your mind, you may be looking for a career in building and grounds maintenance. Careers in building and ground maintenance can be had with some hard work and determination on your part, but once you have it, you'll realize that you may have found a lifetime avocation.

Skilled workers who do building and maintenance work are always in high demand, with the current projection saying that the demand for people interested in careers in building and ground maintenance will double in the next ten years. Workers who are skilled in this area tend to command a significantly higher than average salary and have no trouble finding jobs. Do keep in mind that demand and salary varies the most based on training and location.

To begin with, there are usually no classes that are specifically required for a career in building and grounds maintenance. This is a very skills-intensive career and you will find that you will get your jobs based on what you can do. In this case, you may wish to redo your resume to being a skills-based resume. This is not to say, however, that some coursework will be completely out of the question.

There are many different skills that a career in building and ground maintenance might call for, and some of those are best learned at an apprenticeship or in a classroom. For instance, you may be more interested in the outdoors aspect of this type of career. If you end up working for a large corporation, say, a hospital or a college, it might be all you are required to be responsible for. In this case, one of the things that might help you prepare for the job and also to secure it, is to get a certification in a grounds maintenance training program. This essentially states that are you are trained in basic landscaping techniques. To find a course that will get you certified, you can take a look at the local community college and find out what the requirements are. Some of the classes you might be taking are classes involving plant growth and maintenance and some training to work with power tools.

If you are more interested in building maintenance, there are many courses that are designed to teach you what you need to do. This is a highly desirable field of study and you'll find that the classes designed to help you get certified are challenging and will encourage problem-solving. Once again, while there are certainly classes you can take to help you prepare for this sort of career, it will be more about the skills that you can acquire. A basic amount of electrician training will be very handy, as well some certification in health and safety. You'll find that some basic (or advanced!) carpentry and plumbing skills will be ideal as well.

Essentially, when examining careers in building and grounds maintenance, you'll find that the more you can bring to the table, the better. Certification is a good step in the right direction, but then so is experience. In terms of employment, you'll find that there are many places that will be eager to engage your services as soon as you start racking up some skills. Hospitals and universities were mentioned above, but careers in building and grounds maintenance can be found in almost any public location. Corporations also need a veritable army of maintenance workers, as do government buildings.

When you take on a career in building and grounds maintenance, you'll find that more often than not, you're required to be a problem solver or a troubleshooter. While a great deal of job will simply be maintenance, you might be surprised by the amount of time that you are forced to be proactive and take care of problems that fall outside of what you might expect with a simple maintenance job. The more you can offer, the more in demand your services will be and the higher a salary you can command.

If you're tired of jobs that keep you indoors, or you feel that your life would be improved with a lot of hands-on work, take a look at careers in grounds and building maintenance today!

Labels: Careers in Building and Grounds Maintenance

When pursuing a career in computer services, you will find many different jobs to consider that place you with constant customer contact or behind-the-scenes managing the daily operations of a particular department. Today, computer repair services are also in high demand when it comes to computer service careers. With varying levels of education and experience, a person interested in computers can easily locate employment within the United States and Canada.

Common Computer Service Career and Jobs

For starters, a Computer Operations Manager is responsible for planning, directing, and managing the day-to-day business of a computer department. They are in charge of creating department policies and procedures. Usually, an associate's degree in a related field and at least 8 years of experience are required for this position. Reporting to a senior manager is often expected. The typical salary for this job is seen between $65,880 and $96,211.

As a Computer Aided Design Drafter, one learns how to master the transformation of the beginning stages of a rough product design by using computer-aided design (CAD) to produce helpful documents. Some companies demand an associate's degree in a related area and 0-2 years of experience to land a position as a CAD Drafter. While working under immediate supervision, a drafter typically reports to a supervisor or manager. The average annual salary for a Senior CAD Drafter is between $38,831 and $50,323.

With an average base salary of $36,062 to $44,738, a Level I Computer Technician will maintain, analyze, troubleshoot, and repair computer systems and other components. This type of job often requires an associate's degree or its equivalent with 0-3 years of experience within the field. Sometimes, this job title is also referred to as a PC Maintenance Technician I.

There are also many positions available on the college or university level as professors apply for computer science jobs in the fields of computers and information sciences. Instructors often prepare and give lectures to filled classrooms, which then break into discussion regarding the material. Hands-on computer exercises and laboratories are led by professors to help students grasp the material. A professor must possess a bachelor's or master's degree in area of specialty, accompanied by 2-4 years of experience in the field of computers. An instructor in computer science usually receives an average annual salary between $36,811 and $68,932. Depending on the college or university, this figure may vary.

With all of the viruses, spyware, and malfunctions threatening computers, becoming a computer repairer can reap a decent salary. Many computer repairers also go on to own their own businesses, where they mend and maintain PCs and laptops, as well as audio and visual equipment. A high school diploma and 2-4 years of experience is needed to perform the duties of this job position. Usually, the completion of an apprenticeship and/or formal training is required. A Computer Equipment Repairer typically makes between $41,582 and $52,769.

Working in Computer Services: United States & Canada

When becoming a part of the Hewlett Packard family, employees receive a competitive base pay, as well as enter a satisfying performance-related pay program called Total Rewards. It is through this program that employees are offered the chance to share in the success of HP, which comes as a direct result of worker performance. Comprehensive benefits are offered through health plans, retirement and savings packages, as well as income protection. Stock ownership is given to HP employees through the Share Ownership Plan.

Microsoft is a well-known computer services company that has earned awards and rankings as one of the top 100 companies to work for, as well as earned high honors in the training department. A Software Developer at Microsoft earns an average annual salary of $118,500. They are also one of few companies that pay 100% of their employees' health-care premiums.

As an employee at Intel, workers enjoy the Employee Cash Bonus Plan that offers a profit-sharing plan with cash rewards given to employees that takes place twice per year. These figures are based upon a percentage of net income or pretax margin (whichever number is greater). A wide-range of comprehensive medical plans is available to employees, providing cost-effective and flexible choices. Dental benefits come in the form of two different dental plans.

Best Buy is known for selling consumer electronics and other products dedicated to computer software, cell phones, and cameras. Computer-related majors may find a home as part of the "Geek Squad," which is responsible for helping others with their computer problems. Common duties include performing system checkups and maintenance; hardware and software installation; crashed hard drive repair; virus and spyware removal; and setting up digital devices. Additional companies to seek decent employment in computer services include Dell and IBM.

Labels: Careers in Computer Service Industry

Architecture used to include all the aspects related designing a building and not much beyond that. The field has grown and expanded so as to be literally a hundred times more than what it was when it first began.

Innovations in buildings and the field itself lend it now to programs and designing schemes where it once was not used for anything other than the building of structures such as homes and apartments.

Architecture is among one of the most exciting fields available for study and when your studies are completed you will be called on to do such incredible feats as design a zoological park to provide for the security of the people and animals as well as to afford ready viewing of them and offer them their natural habitat in which to live. Another position that is becoming more valued and valuable in today's market is the position of landscape architect. Everyone loves to visit an enjoyable and attractive area such as a park or playground. College campuses are famous for their use of landscaping in an effort to provide a warm welcoming atmosphere to their students.

Architects design these areas so that they are functional, beautiful and fully at ease with the natural environment around them. The landscape architect will plan the exact location of each roadway, walkway and how the flowers and trees as well as the buildings are arranged within the campus unit as a whole.

A landscape architect may work for any number of groups or organizations from developers of real estate to municipal areas such as a small town to a larger city. Working side by side with the architect, the surveyor and engineer together decide the best arrangement for roads, buildings and pathways in everything from a campus to a housing community to an entire city mall or complex.

The landscape architect is required today to affiliate and collaborate with many other persons such as conservationist, foresters, environmental sciences and natural resource companies to make decisions necessary to carry out the project to its completion.

Once the major decisions such as buildings are out of the way, the addition of such things as fountains and other decorative items comes into play as well. When planning a site or building, an architect needs to consider the nature and purpose of the site he/she will plan, and the funding available to him/her to complete the project.

With that in mind, the educational requirements for each type of architect will be stringent and varied. Mathematics will play an important role as well as arts and artistry. Other aspects of learning a solid amount of common sense is required of an architect in that he/she must also analyze and provide for certain natural aspects of their project such as climate, moisture, soil drainage and natural vegetation that exists there.

Typically companies today pay architects vast sums of money for the design of buildings and complexes. Those which work for a single firm and make their home there over a long period of time may expect reasonably a six figure salary from about the third year on particularly if they display a high level of competency at their job.

The market for such services in Canada and the United States is very good and the reasonably good architect can expect that his services will be greatly in demand over the course of his career. Freelance architects are far more common today than those which sign on with a firm, given the higher rate of flexibility in their jobs and the greater satisfaction at being able to choose their own projects.

It is not uncommon that an architecture firm is composed of family members of a limited amount of members in the firm and new recruiting is not done on a regular basis. Most architecture firms are comprised of smaller numbers of architects in a company with draftsmen and other junior workers and the turnover of workers is not great.

Some of the more common architecture firms listed online and samples of those designs they have accomplished:

Colins, Gordon, Bostwick, Architects

Labels: Careers in Architecture field

When it comes to answering questions and assisting customers who have concerns with a product or service, it is the employees manning the customer and call center service that provides support. While you may become a customer service representative with a high school diploma, gaining a bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or any other related field accompanied by many years of experience will open the doors to numerous managerial and director positions.

Common Customer Service and Call Center Careers

In the customer service industry, representatives process orders and serve the needs of customers in hopes of providing satisfaction. A high school diploma or an equivalent (with 0 to 3 years of experience in the field) is required. An employee must possess knowledge of basic concepts, practices, and procedures of handling telephone contact with consumers. Using a computer and imputing data into a PC is a typical skill workers should become familiar with. Customer service representatives usually report to a supervisor or manager. A Customer Service Representative I position generally pays between $25,702 and $33,661. A Senior Customer Service Representative (Customer Service Representative III) can make between $33,655 and $50,074.

As a Customer Service Manager, duties include managing a collection of customer service representatives – making sure that customers are kept satisfied and remain a productive part of the company. A manager is often responsible for creating and implementing operational policies and other office guidelines. They will suggest changes regarding the products or services of the company in an effort to enhance consumer response and satisfaction. A bachelor's degree in business, marketing (or related field) with at least seven years of experience in the field is usually required to apply for this type of job. Often, a customer service manager will report to a senior manager. The typical salary for this position is generally between $56,367 and 78,468.

The Internet has become a great place for individuals to find a job in the customer service field. For example, an eCommerce Customer Service Representative is in change of handling customer inquires, orders, billing questions, and technical support. Usually, a bachelor's degree with at least 1 year of experience in technical support is suggested. This position often pays between $22,925 and $39,743. Depending on the company, one may work within an office or pursue this career as an at-home position.

Some people take their bachelor's degree with experience in the field and pursue a career as Manager of Customer Service Training. As head of training programs, one researches new ways on training new and old employees by enhancing current customer service training programs. Usually five years of experience is required to qualify for this position. The employee should be able to perform a variety of tasks, as well as lead and direct the work of others. The head of a unit or department usually oversees the progress of a Customer Service Training Manager, who may make an average annual salary of $51,622 and $72,105.

When working in a call center, the typical workstation usually consists of a computer, telephone set (with headset) and access to an extensive switchboard system. Call centers are found in an array of arenas, including educational institutions, hospitals, medical establishments, emergency services, and banks. The majority of businesses across the world also utilize call centers in order to communicate with their customers. This includes mail order catalog companies and utility companies. Depending on where the call center is situated, duties and salary varies.

Educational Requirements: Consumer Service Career

Usually, onsite training prepares an individual for the duties of customer service by focusing on sales, coaching, team building, and consumer interaction. People often take courses in performance management or undergo soft skills training to enter the fields of telephone-based customer service or sales. Those with a certificate in the field increase their chances of becoming a part of a call center or customer service department. High school diplomas and minimal experience help land jobs in the entry-level representative positions. For positions in management, a bachelor's degree with a higher level of experience is required.

Working in the Customer Service and Call Center Industry: United States & Canada

When it comes to working in the customer service and call center industry, the companies and businesses within the United States and Canada that provide the best work environment are usually those with the greatest reputation. For example, Wegman's grocery store chains have given away more than $60 million in scholarships to their employees. Senior management within the company oversees the call center interaction by listening in on phone conversations and working side-by-side with staffers. Additional companies with a knack for pleasing employees in the customer service industry includes the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., Starbucks, Lexus Automotive, Cadillac Automotive, and Nordstrom Retail.

Choosing a career is a very exciting, yet challenging task. There are many different fields that a person can choose from when deciding how they would like to spend most of their time in life. It is essential to select a career that offers you the ability to maximize the unique talents and abilities that you have. Sometimes, people who are researching career paths must take a step back to see what the future holds. For many of these individuals, a career in biotechnology seems to be the answer. Here, we will explore careers in the field of biotechnology so that you can better understand exactly what this career consists of, and the opportunities you may experience as a result of choosing this career.

When you pursue a career in biotechnology, you will be entering the branch of science that is responsible for taking basic living things, such as cells, and generating new items to benefit the quality of life for humans. The products that you will be taking part in creating may be various items in the pharmaceutical field, environmental products, items that can assist in various aspects of the agricultural field, as well as items that are diagnostic in nature. This career uses both science and technology in order to create items that will benefit society as a whole.

When working in biotechnology, you have the opportunity to choose from a wide assortment of exciting jobs. The following outlines some basic jobs that one may select from in the biotechnology field:

Administrative Positions in Biotechnology

Human Resources
Administrator of Patents
Recruiter

Research Positions in Biotechnology

Laboratory Personnel - These particular positions involve performing an assortment of tasks that are directly related to experiments that are occurring in the research department.
Research Specialists - This specialist works closely with others in order to establish important scientific data on the experiment being conducted.
Breeder in Plants - These specialists focus on taking various parts of plants and similar molecular setups and using them in order to create new and unique forms of life.

Information Positions in Biotechnology
Marketing Positions - This person is responsible for evaluating trends in the competitive market and promoting products in such a manner that will establish long term clients.
Programmers - Develops computer programs in order to conduct and track various procedures and operations within the biotechnology field.
Sales - This position is just as it states; a person who promotes the sales of products that are created within the biotechnological field.

Quality Positions in Biotechnology

Quality Control Specialists – This person will focus on reviewing materials used in various experiments to ensure that the proper level of quality is maintained for maximum results.
Technician - This job requires an individual to ensure that all jobs are worked on and completed by means of meeting all legal and regulatory standards as outlined for that particular task.
Engineer - This job requires one to ensure that a job or experiment is completed to finish while maintaining a high level of quality.

Clinical Positions in Biotechnology

Clinical Administrator - this job requires that all data is collected, preserved, and entered about tasks in the clinical part of the biotechnology career.
Coordinator - Establishes tasks as outlined on the basis of scientific process.
Technical Writer - Writes and edits operations, clinical studies, manuals, and similar documents.

When choosing to pursue one of the above mentioned careers in biotechnology, or any of the others not listed as examples here, it is important to understand what type of education is required. In order for this to be properly determined, it is important for you to conduct a search on the particular job in the field that interests you. You may do this by performing an internet search, or by contacting a company that you are interested in being hired with. Normally, you will require at least a two year college education with course work and laboratory experience in the job that you choose. Science and math courses are two essential keys in the education of a biotechnological science major.

There are many different wages offered for jobs in the biotechnology field. These wages are determined by many different things. The first is the education that is required to perform a particular job. The second depends on various job environments. The third depends on if the company is privately owned, or if the government owns the biotechnology company that you choose to work for. Basic jobs in biotechnology that require little education and training must pay at least the standard minimum wage in the particular state that it operates. The highest paid positions in the biotechnology field can offer hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.

Top Biotechnology Companies

Amgen - United States

Biogen Idec - United States

Gilead Sciences - United States

AEterna Zentaris - Canada

QLT - Canada

Bioniche Life Sciences - Canada

ZymoGenetics - United States

Unigene Laboratories - United States

Labels: Careers in Biotechnology