Posts Tagged ‘careers’

Career Spotlight: Pharmacist

Do you have a passion for science? Does chemistry interest you? If so, a career as a pharmacist is a great choice. Pharmacy is a high paying career and one where you are thrust right into the action as soon as you complete your degree. Yes, you do have to have a degree to be a pharmacist. That is because there is much to learn and you are responsible for making up and dispensing medication to people. In some instances theses can be life saving medications so you absolutely have to have exceptional knowledge of the medicines as well as be able to give sound advice to customers.

Pharmacists can earn anywhere between $50,000 and $150,000 per year depending upon where you are employed. Once qualified you can work in a storefront chemist, in a laboratory or in a hospital amongst other places. Graduate pharmacists will start earning very good money in their first year and it may continue to rise after that. If you are working in a large establishment you may be able to work your way up to head or supervising pharmacist and this can result in an excellent salary.

Pharmacists must have an excellent command of all sciences, but in particular chemistry. Entry requirements are fairly strict for pharmacy degrees and you will need good high school results in maths, physics, chemistry, biology and English.

Some benefits of being a pharmacist include:

- assisting people in their life health choices
– working in a relaxed environment compared to many other scientific fields
– Flexible working schedule
– Excellent pay
– Wide choice of where to work
– Constant demand for your skills
– Opportunities to work and study overseas
– teaching opportunities
– Room for career advancement

You will have to study hard and gain excellent skills, both technical and personable, to be a pharmacist however it is well worth it when you are qualified and looking for a job. You will likely to be able to find a position very quickly.

Being a pharmacist holds a lot of responsibility, and it is one of the most respected careers. As a pharmacist people in your community will look up to you and trust you. You will be serving them well and you will be well rewarded for the hard work you have put into becoming a pharmacist.

So what exactly do pharmacists do anyway? Learn more about this exciting career field from http://www.careertoolkits.com – get the scoop on pharmacy school degree programs and much more.

Career Spotlight: Scientist Career Options

If you tell someone you plan on becoming a scientist they may automatically imagine you in a white lab coat hovering over bubbling test tubes. But science takes on many different forms and only a small percentage of scientists actually work in laboratory. Most are actually out in the field doing real world testing. This can be a very exciting way to spend your life. Obviously it takes some studying to become qualified in any scientific field but once the university degree is behind you, you can look forward to a life of research, discovery and fascination. Some of the scientific fields that you can study include:

Anthropology – Study and research the development of humans through origin, culture, behavior and social interactions.
Archaeology -The study of human lives from the past.
Astronomy – Research and study space beyond Earth
Biochemistry – The study of chemical processes and substances in living things.
Biology – A life science. Study of all living things. Biologists generally specialize in a particular sub-field for example Marine Biology.
Botany – Study of plants and trees
Ecology – The study of living things in their environment.
Genetics – The study of genes, hereditary and traits of living things
Geology – Study the structure of the earth, rocks minerals and earth history
Medicine – You can either become a doctor or a medical researcher after studying Medicine.
Meteorology – The study of the weather and atmosphere
Oceanography – They study of the ocean.
Palaeontology – Fossil study and prehistoric life science
Physics – the study of energy, matter and force.
Volcanology – The study of volcanoes
Zoology – The study of animals

The above is just a small selection of the scientific disciplines you can choose from. All have their own challenges and the great thing about science is that you are always contributing to enhancing our knowledge of certain aspects of life and the earth. All science students complete a study as part of their degree, often for their thesis. You can also choose to go on and do a Masters degree in your field of choice.

Science is one of the most challenging fields to study and work in however is also considered one of the most interesting. If you have an interest in any type of science then consider a career in this field. There are many private, public and government jobs available in science.

So what is a scientist anyway? Learn more about this exciting career field from http://www.careertoolkits.com – get the scoop on forensic scientist salary ranges and much more.

Career Spotlight: Game Designer

There is no doubt that a game designer has an enviable job in the eyes of many people. If you are interested in computer games or video games and have considered a design career then you first need to figure out if you have what it takes. As fun as it sounds, being a game designer is certainly not all fun and games. In fact, its very hard work! But it is also very rewarding work as you work for many months, or sometimes years, on a game and see it all come together in the end.

A game designer works as part of a large or small team to build games for computers, consoles and increasingly – mobile devices like mobile phones.

The skills required to become a game designer are both technical and artistic. There are several paths you can take in this field. You may choose to be a game artist, or a programmer – although design generally refers to the graphical aspects of a game’s development.

There are now more and more schools and colleges popping up that specialize solely in game design and development education. Because gaming has really taken off in recent years, largely due to the success of consoles such as the Playstation and Xbox, these courses full up very fast. Some of them are quite expensive but your starting salary as a game designer will assist you in quickly paying back any debt.

Some of the schools that are considered the best for potential game designers include:

Savannah College of Art and Design
Johns Hopkins University
Pratt Institute
Animation Mentor
ITT Technical Institute
International Academy of Design and Technology
The Art Institute Online
Art Center College of Design
University of Texas at Dallas Arts and Technology
Digital Media Arts College

After Effects, Pixar Renderman, Flash and Anime Studio are just some of the programs that game designers use. It is vital that you are a good communicator as you will need to be able to put other people’s ideas and sketches into reality. Some game designers work solely on the plot of games, in which case you won’t need as much software and graphical skills, however they are desirable as when working in small teams you may need to undertake multiple roles.

So what is a game designer anyway? Learn more about this exciting career field from http://www.careertoolkits.com – get the scoop on video game design schools and much more.

Career Spotlight: Culinary Arts

Culinary arts is a great field of work to get into. It is diverse and allows you to use your creative streak. There are also many career opportunities awaiting you both after you graduate and after you have some experience. You will need to attend a culinary school or a college offering culinary arts courses.

There are so many culinary arts schools and more seem to be popping up. The demand for people who are good with food is high so you should have no problem finding work upon graduation. There are so many different places you can work including hotel, restaurants, cruise ships, schools and many more places. Wherever there is food being cooked there is demand for culinary professionals.

Some popular culinary arts schools in the USA include:

Lincoln College of Technology
The Culinary Institute of America
The Culinary Institute of Canada
California School of Culinary Arts Pasadena
Orlando Culinary Academy
Texas Culinary Academy
Pennsylvania Culinary Institute
The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago
Le Cordon Bleu College Of Culinary Arts
The Restaurant School, Philadelphia

In the UK one of the most recognized schools is the School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology in Dublin, Ireland. There is also the prestigious and relatively new International Centre for Culinary Arts in Dubai.

As a culinary artist you will be required to prepare meals as well as make them look pleasing. You may also be employed by food magazines to make up plates of food for presentations. There is now high demand for this type of work.

Some culinary schools focus specifically on certain aspects of pastry, corporate dining, event dining and many other niches. This provides an exciting opportunity to get experienced in a particular field so that your job search can be more focused. So if you can hone your skills in one area then you will be more employable and can command a higher salary even as a junior.

Other jobs that you can undertake after completing a culinary arts degree or certificate is a chef, sales person, teacher, food stylist, self employment and many other roles. There truly are now barriers in this wide and diverse field.

So what is the main qualification to become a chef? Learn more about this exciting career field from http://www.careertoolkits.com – get the scoop on cooking schools and much more.

Career Spotlight: Paralegal

A paralegal career is a smart choice. It requires some brains to become a paralegal but the training you will receive will give you the knowledge you need to succeed in this competitive field. Whilst there are many paralegals vying for positions, there are also many job openings.

One look at any job website or newspaper will reveal many opportunities for both junior and experienced paralegals. Salary will vary depending upon your experience level, the company you are working for and the type of legal work you are undertaking. But on the whole, paralegals earn good money compared with many other careers, particularly in the junior stages.

There are many tasks that a paralegal may complete on a daily or weekly basis. These can include for example:

- Contacting and liaising with clients and co-workers
– Drafting legal documents
– Organizing client files, history and cases
– Preparing clients for court hearings and meetings
– Reviewing legal documents
– Maintaining a schedule calendar for lawyers and attorneys
– Studying and researching pending legislation that may impact upon clients

Once you have decided to become a paralegal it is time to start looking into education. You will need to do a course at certificate level at the very least. These are offered in most colleges and universities, as well as law specific schools. There are now also many online paralegal courses. This line of study works well online as it is mainly theory work, although some courses will require you to gain work experience whilst you study and this is generally conducted with an employer in your local area. Thereby it is possible to complete your studies solely online whilst attending local work experience.

A paralegal career is exciting and rewarding, not to mention well paid and offering great career prospects.

Thinking about becoming a paralegal? Request free information from accredited paralegal schools. Learn more about becoming a paralegal from http://www.careertoolkits.com/

Cover Letters and Knowing Your Audience

When applying for jobs, cover letters can make or break your applications. Most employers receive so many applications that they don’t even look at your resume to start with. They will skim through the cover letter to see if what you have written tells them about you and if you are suitable for the position. Without a quality, professional cover letter you may have trouble finding work; even if your resume is of the highest standard. So it is certainly worthwhile to spend some time coming up with a cover letter template that you can use and modify for all the positions that you apply for.

When writing a cover letter you have to tailor it to the job you are applying for. You can certain have a pre-made design and outline but you will need to cover all the points that are valid for the particular job in question. Never generalize a cover letter for multiple roles; employers can see right through this. The goal is to make your cover letter stand out from the rest!

Some points to consider when writing cover letters include:

Knowing your Audience
Get an idea of who will be reading your letter. Will it be the CEO, receptionist, manager? Also know exactly what your role in the job would be and know as much about the company as you can. These days it is easy to research a company in depth thanks to the internet.

Straight to the Point
Don’t babble on in your cover letter. The person reading it just wants to know a brief overview of your experience and why you should get the job. Three or so paragraphs is more than enough for a good cover letter.

Contact Information
Don’t just leave your contact info for your resume. Instead also include it in your cover letter. Include your email, address, phone and any other methods of contacting you. The more the better.

Remember, don’t rehash your resume in your cover letter. Instead, summarize the major points and expand on a couple of important points such as past jobs that are relevant. Relevancy is the key to a quality cover letter.

Having a good cover letter will make you stand out from the crowd and will mean the difference between success and failure when applying for jobs.

If you want to really stand out from the crowd, you need to learn resume basics. Grab resume tips from http://www.careertoolkits.com

Career Spotlight: Insurance Agent

An insurance agent career is a potentially very profitable career choice. Everybody needs insurance so you can be sure of finding work at any time once you are qualified to be an insurance agent. As an insurance agent you can work in any one of several insurance fields including:

- Life insurance
– Auto insurance
– Property insurance
– Business insurance

Some of the daily tasks that an insurance agent may perform include seeking new clients, preparing reports, maintaining records of existing customers and claims, helping to settle claims and once you have gained more experience you may be able to offer financial planning services or assist clients in setting up retirement and pension plans.

The average salary of an insurance agent will depend on several factors including experience level and of course the company you work for. Large companies will generally pay more than smaller insurance companies but with experience you will find that your salary will increase steadily regardless of where you work.

Having a degree in economics or business will put you in good steed with potential insurance employers, however many people start after graduating high school and begin in a junior role. Although this will not pay a lot of money, it gets your foot in the door and ensures that you are now in a position to upgrade your skills and receive a job promotion. You will also get to see close up exactly what an insurance agent does on a daily basis.

You must be licences to work as an insurance agent. Depending upon the type of insurance you are selling you will need a different licence for each. A pre-licensing course is available in most states and you must pass this as well as examinations.

An insurance agent has the job of helping people choose the right insurance for their situation and budget. If you think you would enjoy that kind of work then consider either doing a course in business, economics or insurance, or simply getting your food in the door by submitting your resume as a junior in an insurance firm.

So want to learn more about becoming an independent insurance agent? Learn more about this exciting career field from http://www.careertoolkits.com – get the scoop on becoming an insurance agent and much more.

Career Spotlight: Attorney

If you are considering a career as an attorney then you have made a good choice. Attorneys not only have a very important part to play in the community, they can also be very well paid. There are several different paths that an Attorney career can take and once you have some experience at the ground level you can start to specialize in a particular field of the legal process. You will certainly never become bored when you become an attorney.

The median salary for an attorney is just over $100,000, so they are a well paid professional. Some attorney’s earn $150,000 per year or more – depending on who they work for and the type of work they are undertaking. You can also start your own practice which gives you the potential to earn even more. In general, the larger legal firms will pay you more and have more scope for advancement than a smaller family practice.

However keep in mind that the size of the firm is not the most important aspect; it is all about the clients they attract. If a very large legal business deals solely with family and residential law then income may be modest in comparison to a very small legal firm who attract large corporate clients. Do your homework before applying for a job as an attorney.

You will receive life and health insurance through your employer as an attorney and contributions will be made to your retirement plan. If you are working for yourself then you will need to work out your own insurance and retirement plans.

Before opening your own legal practice you may like to find other people to work with. It is always good to have an assistant as well as someone to answer the phones; this saves you from doing all the tasks yourself and frees you up to focus on the important work that will earn you the most money.

Attorney’s need to attend law school but getting accepted can be difficult. You will need good school grades and an ambition to extend your knowledge in this field. You can also do some night time legal courses in order to gain more qualifications before applying for law school.

As an attorney you can specialize in many fields including insurance, divorce and family, real estate, bankruptcy, corporate and many others.

So do you know how to prepare for law school? Learn more about this exciting career field from http://www.careertoolkits.com – get the scoop on legal careers and much more.

Career Spotlight: Physician

A physician holds one of the most important roles in society; you are charged with diagnosing and curing the ill, elderly, young and disabled. As a physician you will have a high standing in your community and in the world. A medical doctor is one of the most respected people in society but further than that, you can feel good in knowing that you are contributing positively to people’s lives every single day at work. In fact, most doctors don’t feel as though their profession is a job as it is done for the love of helping others and because there is a keen interest in health and medicine.

A physician can take on many forms. You can become a general practitioner – which is where most newly qualified doctor’s start. After a few years experience you may choose to specialize in a particular medical field such as dermatology, neurology, child health, childbirth and many more. There are so many paths that a physician can take but only you will know where your interests and passions lay.

You must complete several years of medical school; usually four years or more. After your studies are complete you will be a qualified doctor and can b begin working in a medical practice. Getting into medical school can be challenging but if you have good school grades and are determined to succeed then you will not have any problems. Many schools conduct interviews for pending students, so make sure you are prepared and have your future plans mapped out as well as reasons why you should become a doctor. In med school you will do a lot of theory work, but also alot of practical work in clinical rotations and getting experience in hospitals and medical practices. This is the only way to prepare for life on the job as a professional physician.

On a daily basis a physician may perform a large number of tasks including seeing patients, writing prescriptions, working in laboratories, advising other doctors and nurses, conducting operations and much more. There is never a dull day when you are a doctor.

If you have a passion for human health then becoming a physician is an excellent choice for you. You will not regret all that study when you start making such a positive impact on the lives of so many people everyday.

If you want the full scoop on how to becoming a medical doctor then check-out the free, online articles available at http://www.careertoolkits.com – learn what is fun about being a doctor.

How To Become a Licensed Real Estate Agent

Becoming a real estate agent is an exciting career choice. You will be able to experience the enjoyment of people buying their first home, as well as assisting investors to find their next great purchase. You will also play a part in assisting in the sale of your client’s properties as well. There are many different things that a real estate agent can do on a day to day basis. But first, you have to undertake the training to become qualified in this role.

All real estate agents must be licensed. To become licensed you do not have to attend university. You simply take a special real estate agents course. These are usually fairly short courses of 6 to 12 months in length. Once you are qualified you can start applying for positions within real estate offices.

Usually you will only be allowed to practice real estate in the state that you are qualified. To increase your job prospects, and this is especially vital if you live near the border of one or more states, consider becoming qualified in more than one state so that you can travel interstate to find other work if you need or want to in future.

The exciting thing about being a real estate agent is that your income can skyrocket if you are a great sales person. Most real estate agents receive a base salary, but if you can sell properties then you will receive a commission of each sale. Imagine selling one or more houses each week? You can really earn a considerable amount of money doing this.

There are several niches within real estate that you may choose to focus on. These include:

- Rural properties
Once you have some experience under your belt you may choose to specialize in one of these niches in order to become more of an expert in your field. Most people initially choose between commercial and residential real estate. There are benefits to both so the key is to find where your interest lies.

Although the times are tough for real estate right now, if you choose to specialize in foreclosure properties you will be extremely busy for the next few years as more ad more foreclosed properties come on the market – attracting first home buyers and investors.

Thinking about becoming a real estate agent? Learn more about this exciting career field from http://www.careertoolkits.com – get the scoop on online real estate schools and much more.

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