In just 60 minutes, you could earn enough to pay for a tank of gas, the cable bill, gym membership, or dinner out. Thirty dollars still covers some of life's essential costs. Earn that much in just one hour on the job, and you have enough to build a comfortable life.
The latest U.S. Census Bureau figures put the median household income in the U.S. at $50,233. A $30-per-hour job brings in $62,400 before taxes, or 20% more than the national median. For many people, this extra margin is just one promotion or one credential away. To boost your economic security, consider these 10 careers with salary data as reported by the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics:
Database Administrator Mean Hourly Wage: $33.78 Salary: $70,260
Database administrators perform a vital role in our information economy, managing the database systems that help companies store, process, and access data effectively. Job growth is stunning in this high-demand field as well -- the profession is expected to grow 37 percent through 2016. Continuing education is a must to keep up with evolving technology, but entry requirements are modest. You can launch this $30-plus-an-hour career with an associates degree in database administration or information technology.
Registered Nurse Mean Hourly Wage: $30.04 Salary: $62,480
Historic demand for registered nurses is inspiring many people to reinvent themselves as health care practitioners. Nursing is projected to generate more new jobs than any other profession -- an estimated 587,000 positions through 2016, which represents a 23% increase in a decade. To take advantage of this boom, head to nursing school for your bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN). Accelerated programs are available for career changers who already have a bachelor degree in another field.
Technical Writer Median Hourly Wage: $30.18 Salary: $62,780
Technical writers interpret engineering and scientific information for a lay audience, producing product documentation, user manuals, project proposals, and scientific reports. Most writers come to the field with a college bachelor's degree in a communications or liberal arts field. Some colleges offer specialized certificate programs in technical communication, which incorporate IT literacy training.
Fashion Designer Median Hourly Wage: $34.22 Salary: $71,170
Fashion design has the reputation as an all-or-nothing labor of love -- you begin as a starving artist and ultimately attain celebrity stature designing haute couture. In fact, the majority of fashion designers -- 3 in 4 designers -- work secure, salaried jobs for apparel manufacturers. What these artists give up in suffering and glamour they make up for in a solid and stable paycheck. A job as a salaried fashion designer starts with an associates or bachelor's degree in fashion design.
Accountant Median Hourly Wage: $30.11 Salary: $62,640
Accountants should have no trouble finding work as businesses throughout the economy sort through the financial rubble of the credit crisis. Mounting federal regulation will also contribute to demand for trained accountants. Accountants working for accounting and bookkeeping services earn upwards of $30 per hour. These employers hire trained professionals with a bachelor's degree in accounting or finance.
Environmental Scientist Median Hourly Wage: $30.71 Salary: $63,870
Environmental scientists will be the heroes of the coming era, developing much-needed strategies to redress environmental damage to soil, water, and air. The field is expected to grow 25% in response to new federal regulations and funding, as well as private investment. A bachelor's degree in earth sciences will get you started in this fascinating and important field. Many scientists go on to a master's degree to secure the best opportunities.
K-12 Curriculum Designer Median Hourly Wage: $30.87 Salary: $64,220
Curriculum designers are at the forefront of educational research, developing new instructional materials and strategies to improve the quality of education in our nation's schools. The job typically calls for a graduate-level degree in the field, such as a master's degree in education (M.Ed.).
Dental Hygienist Mean Hourly Wage: $31.21 Salary: $64,910
To make about the same amount of money with a two-year associates degree, enroll in a dental hygiene program. Dental hygienists work alongside dentists to promote oral health and hygiene. Hygienists enjoy distinction as one of the nation's fastest growing occupations, with 30% growth expected through 2016.
Detectives and Criminal Investigators Median Hourly Wage: $30.05 Salary: $62,500
Solving crimes is all in a day's work for these criminal justice professionals. Criminal investigators can build their skill set by completing an associates degree in criminal justice, where they take courses in crime scene investigation, criminal investigation procedures, and more. The Bureau of Labor Statistics rates job opportunities as "excellent."
Television Producer Median Hourly Wage: $31.66 Salary: $65,850
Producers coordinate the television features we enjoy, from sitcoms to dramas to the nightly news. To build the necessary skill set, producers enter the field with an associates or bachelor's degree in mass communications or broadcast media.
A tight economy hasn't stopped employers in these ten fields from hiring qualified grads. With the right degree, you can upgrade your career and find job security in the form of a $30-an-hour paycheck.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Six-Figure Jobs You Don't Need a College Degree For
Six-Figure Jobs You Don't Need a College Degree For
14 Ways to Get to Six Figures Without Doing Four Years First
Maybe you don't want to spend all that time taking classes in obscure subjects while hoping to find your calling and piling up student loan debt. Maybe you don't really care so much about college. You just want to work and make money.
You can do it, but there aren't many fields where it happens very often. In our list (see below) of 14 potentially six-figure jobs that don't require a four-year diploma, only two have a median wage of above $100,000. For the rest, you'll have to be in the top 10% of earners, and even then you may find yourself working 50 to 60 hours a week.
Dr. Al Lee, director of quantitative analysis at Payscale.com, says that most of these jobs share a few qualities. (Payscale's research provided the numbers that made this list possible. The company measured the average earnings for people with eight or more years in their field.)
No test can tell an employer how good you might be at some of these lines of work -- real estate broker or fashion designer, for example. That's why a degree is less important to a potential employer than field experience and demonstrated past success. Either you're good at it or you're not.
Many of these jobs rely on variable pay (commission and overtime) to break six figures. Good plumbers, ultrasound techs and construction managers generally do a lot of overtime. It's far more valuable to a company to pay them extra than to hire an additional employee, Lee says. And that means workers can break past what they would earn if confined to 40 hours a week.
Stress is pretty much a given in all these occupations. A high price for failure is not uncommon. Cost estimators can't estimate too high on a project or they'll risk losing it to a competitive bidder. They can't go too low or their company won't make money on the deal. Radiation therapists and ultrasound technologists have to worry about the danger of malpractice suits. Court reporters mustn't miss a word in the courtroom. Air traffic controllers know that hundreds of lives ride on their actions.
Almost all these positions produce revenue that can give them a clearly defined monetary value. An executive chef at a hotel can pull in guests or send them fleeing. An ultrasound technologist or radiation therapist paid $100,000 a year can bring the hospital several times that. A sales manager's value can often be pinpointed in dollars and cents at the end of the year. Also, a few of these jobs -- air traffic controller, police supervisor, court reporter -- have unions to thank for their good pay.
Lee says now is as good a time as any to start on the path to one of these jobs. The market may be in bad shape, but companies will still need competent workers. When better to find out if you're truly good at something than when it's most difficult?
He says of people who make more than $100,000, "At the end of the day, the largest percentage of them are degree-holders." But you definitely can get there this way -- not that it's easy. "You learn on the job. You pay attention. You move your way up."
Could it be time to design your five- or 10-year path to six figures? Below is a list of 14 options for possible six-figure jobs without a degree.
1. Real Estate Broker
2. Air Traffic Controller
3. Small Business Owner/Operator
4. Fashion Designer
5. Plumber, Pipe Fitter or Steamfitter
6. Non-Retail Sales Manager
7. Network/Data Communications Manager
8. Construction Superintendent/Manager
9. Radiation Therapist
10. Police and Detective Supervisor
11. Ultrasound Technologist
12. Hotel Executive Chef
13. Court Reporter
14. Construction Cost Estimator
In Depth: The 14 Jobs That Can Earn More Than $100,000 Without College
14 Ways to Get to Six Figures Without Doing Four Years First
Maybe you don't want to spend all that time taking classes in obscure subjects while hoping to find your calling and piling up student loan debt. Maybe you don't really care so much about college. You just want to work and make money.
You can do it, but there aren't many fields where it happens very often. In our list (see below) of 14 potentially six-figure jobs that don't require a four-year diploma, only two have a median wage of above $100,000. For the rest, you'll have to be in the top 10% of earners, and even then you may find yourself working 50 to 60 hours a week.
Dr. Al Lee, director of quantitative analysis at Payscale.com, says that most of these jobs share a few qualities. (Payscale's research provided the numbers that made this list possible. The company measured the average earnings for people with eight or more years in their field.)
No test can tell an employer how good you might be at some of these lines of work -- real estate broker or fashion designer, for example. That's why a degree is less important to a potential employer than field experience and demonstrated past success. Either you're good at it or you're not.
Many of these jobs rely on variable pay (commission and overtime) to break six figures. Good plumbers, ultrasound techs and construction managers generally do a lot of overtime. It's far more valuable to a company to pay them extra than to hire an additional employee, Lee says. And that means workers can break past what they would earn if confined to 40 hours a week.
Stress is pretty much a given in all these occupations. A high price for failure is not uncommon. Cost estimators can't estimate too high on a project or they'll risk losing it to a competitive bidder. They can't go too low or their company won't make money on the deal. Radiation therapists and ultrasound technologists have to worry about the danger of malpractice suits. Court reporters mustn't miss a word in the courtroom. Air traffic controllers know that hundreds of lives ride on their actions.
Almost all these positions produce revenue that can give them a clearly defined monetary value. An executive chef at a hotel can pull in guests or send them fleeing. An ultrasound technologist or radiation therapist paid $100,000 a year can bring the hospital several times that. A sales manager's value can often be pinpointed in dollars and cents at the end of the year. Also, a few of these jobs -- air traffic controller, police supervisor, court reporter -- have unions to thank for their good pay.
Lee says now is as good a time as any to start on the path to one of these jobs. The market may be in bad shape, but companies will still need competent workers. When better to find out if you're truly good at something than when it's most difficult?
He says of people who make more than $100,000, "At the end of the day, the largest percentage of them are degree-holders." But you definitely can get there this way -- not that it's easy. "You learn on the job. You pay attention. You move your way up."
Could it be time to design your five- or 10-year path to six figures? Below is a list of 14 options for possible six-figure jobs without a degree.
1. Real Estate Broker
2. Air Traffic Controller
3. Small Business Owner/Operator
4. Fashion Designer
5. Plumber, Pipe Fitter or Steamfitter
6. Non-Retail Sales Manager
7. Network/Data Communications Manager
8. Construction Superintendent/Manager
9. Radiation Therapist
10. Police and Detective Supervisor
11. Ultrasound Technologist
12. Hotel Executive Chef
13. Court Reporter
14. Construction Cost Estimator
In Depth: The 14 Jobs That Can Earn More Than $100,000 Without College
Sunday, January 18, 2009
How to find out the reason You didnt get the JOB
Networking to find work is an invaluable tool, but after you've networked your way in to an interview you're often on your own. A few unanswered emails and replies that the company has decided to go in another direction is enough to put a job seeker into a state of frustration, but your network could come in to play once again after you've been brushed off by a potential employer. Find out how when you read more.
Networking specialist Diane Darling recommends asking your network of friends, family, and professional contacts to anonymously assess your strengths and weaknesses by using the online polling tool SurveyMonkey.com. Diane tried the survey herself and ended up buying a new wardrobe — the poll answers suggested that her attire wasn't appropriate for the types of jobs she was after. She offers four questions to consider asking your network to answer anonymously.
What three words come to mind when you think of my strengths? What three words come to mind when you think about areas where I could improve?
Is there one aspect of my hunt where I am making a big mistake but appear unaware? If yes, what is my mistake?
What jobs do you think I might be good at that I haven't considered?
What type of jobs have I looked down on that might pay well?
Networking specialist Diane Darling recommends asking your network of friends, family, and professional contacts to anonymously assess your strengths and weaknesses by using the online polling tool SurveyMonkey.com. Diane tried the survey herself and ended up buying a new wardrobe — the poll answers suggested that her attire wasn't appropriate for the types of jobs she was after. She offers four questions to consider asking your network to answer anonymously.
What three words come to mind when you think of my strengths? What three words come to mind when you think about areas where I could improve?
Is there one aspect of my hunt where I am making a big mistake but appear unaware? If yes, what is my mistake?
What jobs do you think I might be good at that I haven't considered?
What type of jobs have I looked down on that might pay well?
10 Dumb-Ass things to say during a interview
You know enough to bring a list of questions to a job interview. When the interviewer asks you, "So, do you have any questions for me?" the last thing? You want to say is "No." But that could be the best option if you're at a loss for words, because some interview questions are better left unasked. Here are 10 highly unsuitable interview questions that should never make an appearance, unless you don't want the job:
1. "What does your company do?"This was a reasonable interview question in 1950 or in 1980, before the Internet existed. Today, it's your job to research any company you're interviewing with before setting foot in the door. We need to show up for a job interview knowing what the employer does, who its competitors are, and which of its accomplishments (or challenges) have made the news lately.
2. "Are you going to do a background check?"It is amazing how many job candidates ask this question, which provokes alarm on the part of the interviewer, instead of the more general, "Can you please tell me a little about your selection process, from this point on?" Lots of people have credit issues that cause them worry during a job search, or aren't sure how solid their references from a previous job might be. If you're invited for a second interview, you can broach any sensitive topics from your past then. Asking "Will you do a background check?" makes you look like a person with something to hide.
3. "When will I be eligible for a raise?"Companies fear underpaying people almost as much as they fear overpaying them, because a person who's underpaid vis-a-vis his counterparts in the job market is a person with one eye on the career sites. Instead of asking about your first raise before you've got the job, you can ask (at a second interview) "Does your organization do a conventional one-year performance and salary review?"
4. "Do you have any other jobs available?"A job search requires quick thinking about straight talk, and if a job is far below your abilities, you're better off saying so than beating around the bush with this question. You don't have to take yourself out of the running; you can say, "The job sounds interesting, but frankly I was earning 30% more and supervising people in my last job. Could you help me understand the career path for this role?" That's the cue for the interviewer, if he or she is on the ball, to highlight another job opening that might exist.
5. "How soon can I transfer to another position?"You're broadcasting "I'm outta here at the first chance" when you ask this question. If you like the job, take the job. If it's not for you, wait for the right opportunity. Almost every employer will keep you in your seat for at least one year before approving an internal transfer, so a job-search bait-and-switch probably won't work out the way you'd hoped.
6. "Can you tell me about bus lines to your facility?"Get online and research this yourself. It's not your employer's problem to figure out how you get to work.
7. "Do you have smoking breaks?"If you're working in retail or in a call center, you could ask about breaks. Everyone else, keep mum; if your need to smoke intrudes so much on your work life that you feel the need to ask about it, ask your best friend or significant other for smoking-cessation help as a new-job present. Lots of companies don't permit smoking anywhere on the premises, and some don't like to hire smokers at all. Why give an employer a reason to turn you down?
8. "Is [my medical condition] covered under your insurance?"This is a bad question on two counts. You don't want to tell a perfect stranger about your medical issues, especially one who's deciding whether or not to hire you. Ask to see a copy of the company's benefits booklet when an offer has been extended. This is also a bad question from a judgment standpoint; no department managers and only a tiny percentage of HR people could be expected to know on a condition-by-condition basis what's covered under the health plan. Anyway, your pre-existing condition won't be covered under most corporate plans for at least a year.
9. "Do you do a drug test?"If you have a philosophical objection to drug tests, wait until they ask you to take a drug test and tell them about your objection. Otherwise, your question sounds like, "I'd fail a drug test," so don't ask.
10. "If you hire me, can I wait until [more than three weeks from now] to start the job?"Employers expect you to give two weeks' notice. If you're not working, they'd love to see you more quickly. If you ask for tons of time off before you start working -- unless you have a very good reason -- the employer may think, "How serious is this candidate about working?" In any case, a start-date extension is something to request after you've got the offer in hand, not before.
1. "What does your company do?"This was a reasonable interview question in 1950 or in 1980, before the Internet existed. Today, it's your job to research any company you're interviewing with before setting foot in the door. We need to show up for a job interview knowing what the employer does, who its competitors are, and which of its accomplishments (or challenges) have made the news lately.
2. "Are you going to do a background check?"It is amazing how many job candidates ask this question, which provokes alarm on the part of the interviewer, instead of the more general, "Can you please tell me a little about your selection process, from this point on?" Lots of people have credit issues that cause them worry during a job search, or aren't sure how solid their references from a previous job might be. If you're invited for a second interview, you can broach any sensitive topics from your past then. Asking "Will you do a background check?" makes you look like a person with something to hide.
3. "When will I be eligible for a raise?"Companies fear underpaying people almost as much as they fear overpaying them, because a person who's underpaid vis-a-vis his counterparts in the job market is a person with one eye on the career sites. Instead of asking about your first raise before you've got the job, you can ask (at a second interview) "Does your organization do a conventional one-year performance and salary review?"
4. "Do you have any other jobs available?"A job search requires quick thinking about straight talk, and if a job is far below your abilities, you're better off saying so than beating around the bush with this question. You don't have to take yourself out of the running; you can say, "The job sounds interesting, but frankly I was earning 30% more and supervising people in my last job. Could you help me understand the career path for this role?" That's the cue for the interviewer, if he or she is on the ball, to highlight another job opening that might exist.
5. "How soon can I transfer to another position?"You're broadcasting "I'm outta here at the first chance" when you ask this question. If you like the job, take the job. If it's not for you, wait for the right opportunity. Almost every employer will keep you in your seat for at least one year before approving an internal transfer, so a job-search bait-and-switch probably won't work out the way you'd hoped.
6. "Can you tell me about bus lines to your facility?"Get online and research this yourself. It's not your employer's problem to figure out how you get to work.
7. "Do you have smoking breaks?"If you're working in retail or in a call center, you could ask about breaks. Everyone else, keep mum; if your need to smoke intrudes so much on your work life that you feel the need to ask about it, ask your best friend or significant other for smoking-cessation help as a new-job present. Lots of companies don't permit smoking anywhere on the premises, and some don't like to hire smokers at all. Why give an employer a reason to turn you down?
8. "Is [my medical condition] covered under your insurance?"This is a bad question on two counts. You don't want to tell a perfect stranger about your medical issues, especially one who's deciding whether or not to hire you. Ask to see a copy of the company's benefits booklet when an offer has been extended. This is also a bad question from a judgment standpoint; no department managers and only a tiny percentage of HR people could be expected to know on a condition-by-condition basis what's covered under the health plan. Anyway, your pre-existing condition won't be covered under most corporate plans for at least a year.
9. "Do you do a drug test?"If you have a philosophical objection to drug tests, wait until they ask you to take a drug test and tell them about your objection. Otherwise, your question sounds like, "I'd fail a drug test," so don't ask.
10. "If you hire me, can I wait until [more than three weeks from now] to start the job?"Employers expect you to give two weeks' notice. If you're not working, they'd love to see you more quickly. If you ask for tons of time off before you start working -- unless you have a very good reason -- the employer may think, "How serious is this candidate about working?" In any case, a start-date extension is something to request after you've got the offer in hand, not before.
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