Guest Contributor

Pursuing a Healthcare Career

February 10, 2018 by Guest Contributor

Should You Go Back to School Online?

If you dream of working in the healthcare industry, you can study for a degree that allows you to pursue many career options. Instead of getting your education in a traditional classroom, you can earn your degree online through an accredited program. Here are some of the main reasons why you might consider earning your healthcare degree online.

Learn at Your Own Pace

If you think that time constraints and complex subject matter will stand in your way of earning your degree, studying online gives you the chance to learn at your own pace. Many of the course materials can be reviewed on a particular school’s website whenever it’s most convenient for you. This will allow you enough time to fit in your schooling between work and family responsibilities. Of course there are still deadlines, in most programs (although not all) you will have weekly deadlines but you can do your assignments at any point during the week that is convenient for you, whether it is 9 AM, 3 PM or 3 AM.

Study in an Overlooked Field

Online degree programs sometimes highlight career fields that are often overlooked by traditional colleges. These overlooked jobs often pay hefty salaries and need people who have the right training. You may be able to find a degree program that allows you to study technical writing, medical transcription, or for a healthcare informatics degree or some other lesser known field.

10 Weirdest Medical Professions

Save Money on Transportation

Having to commute to classes can eat away at your budget. You won’t have to worry about fueling and repairing your vehicle as often when you stay off the road and attend your classes at home online. If you rely on public transportation, you can avoid paying bus or cab fares by studying for an online degree.

Even the Playing Field

In many cases, an online degree will put you [Read more…] about Pursuing a Healthcare Career

How to Pick the Right University so You Can Get the Career You Want

February 9, 2018 by Guest Contributor

Whether you’re getting ready to finish school and are thinking about your next options, or have been in the workforce for years but want to change careers, it’s usually important to study a degree that will help you get the type of job and lifestyle you’re after.

However, choosing a university can be incredibly daunting, and something you really want to get right the first time. You should keep in mind that it’s not all about the course you want to study either; there are many factors to weigh up. To help you make a decision, read on for some tips on picking the best college for your needs.

Location

For starters, consider the location of a university when comparing options. Obviously, if you wish to keep living at home as you study, (in order to save money), you should look for a facility that’s within driving distance. On the other hand, if you’re actually looking forward to moving out of home, you might like something that’s in another city or state. Note though, that if this is the case, you should still think about location as far as finding a campus close to things like affordable accommodation, grocery stores, restaurants, bookshops, and transport hubs.

Location may be an important factor for you too if you plan to continue working in your current role while attending university. If this is the case, you perhaps want to choose an education provider that’s situated not far too from your workplace, or perhaps in between your work and home.

Similarly, if you have a family and have to fit your studies in around dropping off or picking up children from school, sports facilities, home, and other spots, you will probably want to find a campus that isn’t far from your house and other regularly-attended locations.

GMAT Waiver

Flexibility is another factor many students consider when evaluating university options. For instance, you might think that finding a university that offers an online version of the courses with a GMAT-waiver MBA program, is the answer. However, be very cautious about these types of programs, there is a reason they are waiving the GMAT.

https://youtu.be/RWSiGEhsq_E?t=1s

See the above video for more information. However, if you’re working full-time and need to fit your studies in around your work schedule, or have other commitments each week that preclude you from making it to on-campus classes, you may need to find a suitable online course, or one that offers more flexible class times, such as at nights or on weekends. Flexibility might also come into play if you want to attend a university that allows students to combine degrees, accelerate their program’s timeframe, or otherwise fast-track the total time spent studying.

Most Importantly

Lastly and most importantly, find out [Read more…] about How to Pick the Right University so You Can Get the Career You Want

Hardhats Required: 4 Things to Do after an Accident at Work

February 5, 2018 by Guest Contributor

Those who have gotten hurt at work may find that their lives are permanently altered. For instance, they may experience chronic pain, experience changes in mood or find themselves unable to walk or talk. Let’s take a look at what injured workers should do in the aftermath of a workplace accident.

Notify Your Employer of the Injury

The first thing an injured worker should do is notify their employer about the injury. In the event of a severe injury, it may be possible to have someone else get in touch with a manager while the injured party seeks treatment. A representative from the company should file an accident report and take note of if, when and where an individual was initially treated.

See a Doctor

Even if an injury is minor, it is important to see a doctor after a workplace accident. This is because symptoms may not present themselves right away. For instance, a concussion or whiplash may not be apparent immediately after a fall or motor vehicle collision. Cuts or lacerations could become infected if they are not treated properly. Additionally, a doctor’s evaluation may be beneficial when applying for workers’ compensation benefits.

Hire a Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Typically, anyone hurt in a workplace accident is entitled to have [Read more…] about Hardhats Required: 4 Things to Do after an Accident at Work

5 Common Master’s Degrees

January 30, 2018 by Guest Contributor

In today’s professional and economic climate, it is becoming more difficult to enter a profession without obtaining a higher education. In recent years there appears to be a significant amount of “degree Inflation”. The term degree inflation refers to the practice of requiring job candidates to possess a college diploma when the job type did not traditionally require a four year degree. And now jobs that once required a 4 year degree are now requiring a Master’s degree. The irony of the situation is that earning a master’s degree is a large financial investment in and of itself. Here are 5 common Master Degree programs.

Master of Business Administration

A master of business administration (MBA) prepares you to turn anything you enjoy into a lucrative business if you are adequately trained to properly open and maintain one. As this Rutgers University article explains, business is still primarily a brick-and-mortar-only industry, however higher education is not. For all of the master’s degrees listed in this article, online programs can be just as beneficial as traditional programs. Although most people seeking an MBA do so for monetary reasons Forbes recently published an article citing The 10 Most Under-Rated Reasons Why You Should Get An MBA and none of them are monetary. A CNBC article listed the following reasons for getting an MBA. 1) Hiring of MBA’s is up. 2) Even in the depths of a recession “A 2014 study that surveyed 21,000 business-school alums found that the majority of them would enroll in business schools if given the opportunity to do it all over again.” 3) Networking Opportunities. (So don’t just keep your nose in the books while you are there).

But the CNBC article also listed two “Cons” of getting an MBA. 1) Rising Costs- Top schools can cost $200,000 for the two year program. 2) Fewer CEO’s hold MBA’s so getting an MBA may not be the “route to the top”.

https://youtu.be/RWSiGEhsq_E?t=1s

Master of Psychology

A master of psychology is [Read more…] about 5 Common Master’s Degrees

Will Your Degree Choice Lead to a Great Career?

January 25, 2018 by Guest Contributor

Choosing your college degree program is a serious decision that requires a lot of thought. Not only do you have to think about what you want right now, but also what you want from your career ten years from now. Here are five degree options many High School grads consider. However, when choosing a career you need to look beyond the subject you will be studying and see what career they can lead to. A great resource from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is called their Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH). It lists jobs and what they entail and the average salary you can expect. When you look at the career in the OOH you will find the average salary, don’t get too excited yet this is the average of all the people working at that position. You will be starting at the low end of the scale and working your way up (not at the average salary). Next you want to look at the outlook for the job over the next ten years. Will they be needing more or less of them? If more, then it will be easier to find a job, if about the same then the only open jobs will be if someone retires. If less it will be very difficult to find a job and you should probably choose a different career.

So for instance suppose you enjoy reading so you think you should major in English Literature.

English Language and Literature

Book-lovers, poets, authors, all consider joining an English language and literature degree program. This program requires reading and analyzing large amounts of literature, as well as accessing your creativity and critical thinking skills. College brochures tell you, “With an English degree, you can become a journalist, author, lawyer, publisher, or basically any other career that requires writing.” However you will be competing with those who majored in Law, Journalism, Creative Writing or some other degree program perhaps more specialized to the chosen field. If you search English Literature in the OOH they don’t list a single job called “English Literature”. Instead they list things like Postsecondary teachers, Writers and Authors, Editors, Interpreters and Translators, and Librarians. So when considering a Major be sure to look at the end result (career) you are looking to get and not focus on a subject you like to study.

In the following video Dave Ramsey discusses how to choose between career options:

Business

Do you want to make a name for yourself in the corporate world? If so, [Read more…] about Will Your Degree Choice Lead to a Great Career?

5 Things to Know about a Career in Behavioral Analysis

January 16, 2018 by Guest Contributor

If you’re interested in a career that offers security, variety, and a chance to help others, behavioral analysis is an exciting and dynamic field worth considering. With high demand in a variety of professional settings, working as a behavioral analysis expert will place you in one of the country’s fastest growing industries, making it well worth the investment needed to earn the necessary qualifications. According to Indeed.com the average Board Certified behavioral analyst earns $67,491/year.

Career Paths

The most popular and accessible career path for behavioral analysts is counseling. This can be done in a hospital or clinic setting, public schools, a drug or alcohol treatment facility, as part of a private practice, alongside a human resources team, and many other settings. Another growing career branch for behavior analysts is within the education field, where you can work as a special education assistant, giving you the opportunity to work with students who struggle with disabilities or have other unique needs. There are also some unique jobs that benefit from a behavioral analysis background. Since your schooling will provide you with communication and listening skills, behavioral analysts often make excellent motivators in positions like personal trainers and life coaches. The areas of focus among behavior analysts today are wide-ranging, they include everything from developmental disabilities and autism, to cultural psychology, clinical psychology, and verbal behavior.

Job Security

As diagnostic criteria have improved, specialists have [Read more…] about 5 Things to Know about a Career in Behavioral Analysis

Top 7 Useful Tips for Unemployed Law Grads

January 3, 2018 by Guest Contributor

If you have just graduated with a law degree, expect o go through some tough moments as you look for a job. This challenge seems more difficult due to a number of reasons. One, you worked hard to get a vacancy in law school and continued with the same spirit throughout the course. Secondly, a huge sum of money was needed to facilitate your education, and you still have bills to pay. Your ultimate goal is to land a job that requires a law degree, but it is not easy. This post presents practical guidelines you should follow to get a job.

Pass the bar on the first attempt

If you are serious about practicing law, you need to pass the bar exam the first time you take it. Study smart and stay focused. Forget about the typical commercial programs; what you need is to employ your best studying skills and discover your strengths and weaknesses. Double-check that you learn the materials actively and track your progress consistently. Also, find ways to bust stress and other mental health problems so you can do your exam in a good state of mind.

Do something to generate income

First class law degree jobs are [Read more…] about Top 7 Useful Tips for Unemployed Law Grads

Out of Work? 5 Ways to Stretch Your Budget until You Find a New Job

January 1, 2018 by Guest Contributor

It’s not fun to experience the stress of unemployment. You’re not sure where your next check is coming from and there’s no real certainty regarding when it’s coming. Though being in limbo feels terrible, if you stretch your budget wisely, you can make it through without worrying.

Clip Coupons to Cut down on Costs?

Many people don’t realize the power of couponing and how much money you can truly save. There are tons of websites and apps that will guide you through the process of taking advantage of the best deals. But remember that coupons are usually for name brand items. Often you can find a store brand or generic brand for less so it pays to compare. The problem comes with quality. often the generic or store brand is the same quality as the name brand but sometimes it isn’t. For instance often the cheap dishwashing liquid is watered down so you need twice as much to do the same job (not a savings). Also store brand Tomato soup just doesn’t taste the same as good old Campbells.

Cook and Eat at Home

Though McDonald’s fries might be your favorite, it’s still cheaper to purchase a bag of potatoes and make fries at home. It’s also healthier as well. Take a look at [Read more…] about Out of Work? 5 Ways to Stretch Your Budget until You Find a New Job

Dealing with Workplace Stress and Squabbles

December 16, 2017 by Guest Contributor

It’s natural to have your ups and downs with fellow employees. You’re brought together by work and shared strategic goals, but your personalities and temperaments may not always mesh as well as you’d like. And you likely have differing opinions and ways of getting things done than a co-worker, too. So even though you may love your job, sometimes the worst part is just getting along with your teammates.

While you can’t avoid strife entirely, you should work to resolve any differences as quickly as possible and improve communication skills from both sides of the disagreement. If you don’t, it’s likely that a simple argument can lead to bigger issues that get in the way of productivity and creativity.

For starters, remember that a calm, rational person is easier to deal with—and that includes you. Whenever tempers rise, give yourself some space to lower them again before you try to resolve things. What else can you do at work to get through arguments? This graphic can help.

You are not alone:

The first key is to realize that you are not alone 85 percent of employees experience conflict at some point. As a matter of fact, I would dare to say that the 15% who say they don’t ever have conflict are either lying, dead or take high doses of Valium.

As a matter of fact U.S. employees spend 2.8 hours out of every week dealing with some sort of conflict. If it gets bad enough it can cause ulcers, and other stress related illnesses resulting in absence from work or even permanent illness.

Most workplace conflict exists in entry level or front line roles. Perhaps this is due to lower education levels, less experience in dealing with others or simply the nature of dealing with customers all day.

Or perhaps it is due to personality conflicts, warring egos, stress, and heavy workloads.

54% of employees feel that their managers could do a better job of managing conflict.

So what can you do to reduce conflict?

According to Cafe Quill the key to resolving workplace squabbles like an adult is to:

Calm down, and then tackle the issue-
If you find yourself in an argument, take a few minutes to create some space and clear your head. If you receive an email from a coworker that bothers you, don’t respond right away. Put the issue to the side until you’re able to look at it more objectively.
State your case thoughtfully-
When it’s time to meet and talk it out, make sure you think through your words first. Be tactful instead of automatically playing the blame game. Realize that some people are more sensitive, so even if you tend to be straightforward and serious, it’s a good idea to be diplomatic.
Look at the problem, not the person-
If you’re butting heads with a specific colleague, it’s easy to bring judgments into the picture. Do your best to stay focused on the situation and untie it from the person you have personality issues with.
Be forward thinking-
View conflict as an opportunity to focus on the future and fixing the problem to avoid a recurrence, versus getting stuck in the past and getting into a “he said, she said” scenario. For instance, if there was a misunderstanding about delegating a project, identify where the issue went astray, and focus on how to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Listen up-
Before jumping in with your own thoughts and concerns, give active listening a shot: Refrain from speaking and really take note of what the other person is saying about the conflict. Maybe your boss won’t allow you to hire someone you need on the team. Make a conscious effort to hear him or her out and think about the reasons why you weren’t given a budget for a hire, versus jumping directly to assumptions, like “My boss is so cheap and controlling and doesn’t understand what I need!”
Pick your battles-
You’re not going to win every argument or feel 100 percent in agreement at work. Challenges are normal, and not everything is going to end on a high note and make you feel fully satisfied. That’s okay. Pick your battles. Work toward resolving the challenges that could have serious repercussions, including decreased productivity, poor performance, and work dissatisfaction.
Celebrate agreement-
Once you come to an agreement, acknowledge that you both (or all) worked through the discomfort to come out of the situation with more clarity and less stress. Grab lunch or an after-work drink to make amends and keep moving forward.

There’s no way around it: Workplace conflict happens. So rather than try to avoid it at all costs, use these tips to approach tension in a healthier way and make the relationship with your colleagues and your job as productive as possible. This article originally appeared here.

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Job Transition: 4 Keys to Starting a Career in a New Field

December 11, 2017 by Guest Contributor

Job transitions can happen due to a number of factors. You may need to look for a field that rewards you better in terms of remuneration, your company may have downsized, or you could just want to move on to something that interests you more.

Whatever the reason, starting a career in a new field is a practice that some people might find cumbersome while others might embrace, as a way of scaling the career ladder. This article will delve into some key ways to make your transition smooth and fruitful.

Network and Find a Mentor

The best strategy for an easy career change is finding people who will play a key role in your job transition. And these people or companies will be located through networking. Therefore, your networking abilities will help you identify leads and informational advice that will impact your new field. [Read more…] about Job Transition: 4 Keys to Starting a Career in a New Field