Employment

The 10 Highest Paying Jobs in the Oil & Gas Industry

January 28, 2020 by Guest Contributor

Make no mistake: Oil and gas companies may be doing some serious cost-cutting and slimming-and-trimming to stay competitive after the shale boom binge, but when it comes to employment, it’s still one of the best industries to hit up for a job.

Jobs are booming, just as much as U.S. oil and gas production is.

US oil production has increased from 11.7 million Barrels per Day (BPD) at the start of 2019 to 12.6 million by the end of October, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Natural gas production has risen as well, to 99.1 Bcf/d at the end of October—95 Bcf/d of which is from dry natural gas—up from 91.3 Bcf/d this time last year for total US natural gas production.

Those gains have translated into more oil and gas industry jobs.

US Oil and Gas Employment

The United States Traditional Energy and Energy Efficiency Sectors in 2018 employed 6.7 million Americans in 2018, according to the US Energy and Employment Report 2019, with nearly 1.5 million directly employed by the oil and gas industry, and another 1.2 million workers employed by the power generation sector, which includes all types of power generation, including oil and gas.

Employment in the oil and gas extraction and support services, specifically, was at its highest level in 2018 since the fall of 2014—the next most recent high.

And those jobs? None too shabby if you’re interested. [Read more…] about The 10 Highest Paying Jobs in the Oil & Gas Industry

Certifications to Consider for Making the Job Hunt Easier

January 22, 2020 by Guest Contributor

There’s no question that getting a high-quality job isn’t easy. However, there are many ways you can make yourself more marketable to various companies. One example is by becoming 1 of the 4 Americans who are certified in some field.

There are a variety of different types of certifications that can ultimately help you get hired. Here are four such examples.

Human Resources Certifications

Of the various certifications listed here, this is the most industry-specific. Human Resource Certifications, such as Professional or Senior Professional, are basically requirements to work in the Human Resources field. In that sense, they won’t just help you get a job in this area: They are essential if Human Resources is your field of choice.

Google Certifications

A Google certification can be very helpful when it comes to getting you high-quality tech jobs. There are many different types of Google Certifications that you can get, including certification in AdWords, Google Analytics, Publisher and more.

The best thing about such a certification is that there are countless industries and fields which a Google Certification can be useful in. As such, this is a very broad certification which can be extremely helpful in the future. [Read more…] about Certifications to Consider for Making the Job Hunt Easier

A Guide to Working in Finance in the UK

January 21, 2020 by Tim McMahon

Finding your ideal job in the world of finance can be a challenge. To put this into perspective, in 2018 alone, there were a reported 1.1 million individuals employed in the UK’s financial sector.

With so much competition, it can be difficult to know where to begin in your search for the right job in finance. Furthermore, the financial sector is so diverse that you might not know what sort of position you would like to work in.

Here is a brief guide to help you learn a little bit more about the world of finance so that you can understand exactly where you might fit in.

The Key Areas of Finance

There are a lot of options to look into when trying to figure out what area of finance you’d like to work in. A few of the more popular areas are: [Read more…] about A Guide to Working in Finance in the UK

How Losing Your Car Can Impact Your Job Prospects

January 20, 2020 by Guest Contributor

When used properly, your car can provide a convenient and important method of transportation that allows you to quickly and easily complete tasks and get to where you need to go on time. There are a variety of reasons you can lose your car whether it be through an accident or loss of driving privileges because of speeding tickets or a DUI.

If you lose your car, then, it can be difficult to impossible to get to interviews, meetings or even work itself on time. To help you understand this potential impact, here are a few insights into how losing your car affects your job prospects.

Interviews

A solid interview is an important first step to gaining almost any job. Unless your future employer allows for remote interviews, you’ll need to have some form of transportation to take you to the site of the interview. If you lose your car, you will have to schedule your interview around the sometimes-unpredictable schedules of public transportation, which could cause you to be late for your interview and lose your job opportunity.

Workplace Rights in 2020

December 26, 2019 by Guest Contributor

Your Workplace Rights: Tips for Workers in 2020

When you’re working hard to earn a living and raise a family, you need to be on top form if you’re to make the career progressions you wish to, in order to be successful in your career. Nonetheless, while you also concentrate hard on your work, you should also be aware of the rights that the country and your state bestow you with when you’re working within an organization that you trust. Sometimes, knowing these rights can be incredibly useful.

Redundancy (Lay-Offs)

In the U.K. “redundancy” refers to “no longer employed because there is no more work available” in the U.S. this is often referred to as a “Layoff”. People are made redundant for a variety of reasons. Perhaps your company is shrinking, and cannot afford to maintain your role within the organization. You may be seeing your company automate, and leave you out of a job. Or, you may be being unfairly sacked for an offense that you’re not responsible for. Whatever the reason, it’s important to remain abreast of redundancy packages, and what you can expect from your employer if they tell you they need or want to let you go. Normally, this will mean you’re due a payment package and support for a period of time in order to be able to find a new job – an adequate period of transition to avoid worst-case debt-building scenarios. If you are laid off through no fault of your own you will usually be eligible to collect under your state’s unemployment insurance.

Careers to Consider if You Have a Variety of Job Skills

December 20, 2019 by Tim McMahon

It can be an asset to be a well-rounded jobseeker. If you’re a job seeker who is fortunate enough to be equipped with a range of talents and skills, then you should take full advantage of them. There are all sorts of careers that can be optimal for people who have a lot going for them in the skills department, after all.

Publicist

Publicists are professionals who work in public relations. They tend to know a lot about marketing, advertising, and spreading the word about companies and their associated services. If you’re an individual who knows how to work well in teams, then you may want to apply for publicist positions. These positions can even be ideal for people who know how to speak in front of large groups. According to Payscale.com Publicists earn an average of $45,961/yr but tend to earn commissions and profit-sharing so their salary is closely tied to their skill level.

Teacher

The United States could use more teachers. [Read more…] about Careers to Consider if You Have a Variety of Job Skills

How To Get Back to Work After a Long Illness

December 19, 2019 by Tim McMahon

Very few people are healthy 100% of the time, so everyone has to take time off work every now and then. However, a sick day here and there, because you have a cold or the Flu, is entirely different than needing to take many weeks or even months off work due to a chronic condition, accident or due to having to recover from surgery.

When this happens, it can be hard to return to work. Depending on how long you have been away, things can change, and you might be worried that your job won’t be the same anymore. Or you might be concerned that the job you once did will be too strenuous for you now. Whatever your concerns, it’s a good idea to have a plan to deal with them so you can more easily return to work after an illness.

Use The Time Wisely

Being sick is never any fun, and it can be extremely boring, especially if you have had surgery and feel fine but still need to rest. If this is the case, then make the most of the time you have off to ensure that by the time you get back to work you are entirely ready. You can read up on any new company policies, or research industry news to see what changes might be coming,

Alternatively, you might use your time to think about what it is you want to do with your life, and this could be the ideal time to take a class or gain an additional qualification that will benefit you. You can work on additional certifications to keep your skills up to date for instance if you are in the IT industry you could work on getting your MCSE certification. If you are working in healthcare you can obtain an MS in healthcare analytics, or if you work in business/Management you can work on an online MBA.

Have Your Paperwork Ready

Not all roles are going to require paperwork when you go back to them, and not all company policies demand it. What about yours? If you’re not sure, check your contract and the terms of your employment, or ask your manager about what you need to bring with you on your first day back. Usual paperwork includes medical clearance from your surgeon or doctor to prove you are fit for work again.

If you don’t have the right documents when you go back, then your first day may be a slog of finding the right paperwork and getting it authorized, which is inconvenient and time-consuming.

Work with Your Doctor

Your doctor will be best equipped to determine when a reasonable date is for your return to work. He/she will probably ask what type of work you do and how strenuous it is. Depending on your injury even sitting might be a problem but your Doctor should be able to determine when it is safe for you to return to work. Your doctor might have to coordinate with your HR department on some accommodations they will have to make for your return.

Arrange A Phased Return

The mistake that a lot of people – employers and employees alike – make is to assume that the person who has been away is going to come back as though nothing has happened and will be able to fit right back in where they left off. Although this would be great and maybe the case for you, it isn’t always this way, and for many, the return to work can be a strain if you have been seriously sick.

If you need to arrange a phased return to work, speak to your boss and/or your HR department about it. You might start on part-time or reduced hours, or you might only work three days a week, to begin with. Gradually, as you get stronger and your confidence grows, you can go back to full time.

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Would You Like a Career as a Cardiac UltraSound Technician?

December 18, 2019 by Tim McMahon

We’ve all heard of pregnant mothers using ultrasound to see their baby before it is born. But ultrasound can be used for much more than that. According to Better Health “An ultrasound scan uses high-frequency sound waves to make an image of a person’s internal body structures. Doctors commonly use ultrasound to study a developing fetus (unborn baby), a person’s abdominal and pelvic organs, muscles and tendons, or their heart and blood vessels.”

When ultrasound is used to look at the heart it is called “Echocardiography”.

A How-To Guide to a Career in Echocardiography

Your heart is about the size of a human fist and it’s the hardest working muscle in your body. On average it beats 115,000 times a day pumping 2,000 gallons of blood throughout your body. The heart’s rhythms are controlled by an electrical system called the cardiac conduction system.

But when something goes wrong with your heart Echocardiography is an important tool for Doctors to diagnose the problem.

According to Medical News Today:

During an echocardiogram, a doctor can see:

the size and thickness of the chambers
how the valves of the heart are functioning
the direction of blood flow through the heart
any blood clots in the heart
areas of damaged or weak cardiac muscle tissue
problems affecting the pericardium, which is the fluid filled sac around the heart

Echocardiography 101

Echocardiography is also referred to as cardiac sonography, it refers to the use of sound wave technology to make real time images of the heart.

There are two types of imaging associated with the heart.

The first is known as an echocardiogram (echo), and it lets physicians gain an inside look at the heart’s valves and chambers. Echos prove useful, especially when determining damage from a past heart attack.

The second type of imaging is known as an EKG, and it lets you assess the rhythm, rate, and overall electrical activity going on in a patient’s heart.

Who Benefits from Echocardiography?

A wide variety of patients need echocardiography, including individuals who have experienced heart attacks, strokes, or unexplained chest pain.

They are also used to diagnose people with a history of heart murmurs, congenital heart defects, or even those who have experienced rheumatic fever.

Echocardiography technicians specialize in different types of patients. In other words, there are specific technicians who work with adults, children, and in a fetal setting. Technicians can even earn certifications in these specialized areas.

There are also a wide variety of types of echocardiograms performed. These include:

Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE)
Stress echocardiogram
Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE)
Dopple echocardiogram

Each test deals with particular parts of the body or certain conditions under which the body is placed. For example, the most common type of echocardiogram is the TTE, which creates an image of the chest wall to the heart.

Echo Techs are well paid. According to Salary.com “The average Echocardiograph Technician salary in the United States is $75,178 as of November 25, 2019, but the range typically falls between $67,635 and $83,405. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession.”

How to Become an Echocardiography Technician

If you’re passionate about helping people and have an innate fascination with the human body, then you could make a fantastic echocardiography technician. It all starts with education. Find out more information about sonography and echocardiography training.

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Fun Jobs for Tech-Savvy People

December 13, 2019 by Tim McMahon

If you enjoy working with technology, you may be interested in pursuing a career in the tech sector. These careers don’t have to be bland, either—many of them are fun and engaging. If you are tech-savvy, here are four fun jobs you can consider.

Machine Learning Engineer

Artificial intelligence (AI) is growing by leaps and bounds, with nearly every device seeming to have a “smart” variant. AI is only possible through the efforts of machine learning engineers, who create and program these devices to perform their expected function while automatically adjusting to the behaviors of humans. Getting a job in this field may require a degree in electrical engineering or computer science as well as knowledge about data science. Although the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) doesn’t have a specific category entitled Machine Learning Engineer they do track Computer and Information Research Scientists. They say “Computer and information research scientists invent and design new approaches to computing technology and find innovative uses for existing technology. They study and solve complex problems in computing for business, science, medicine, and other fields… Creating and improving software involves working with algorithms, which are sets of instructions that tell a computer what to do. Some computing tasks are very difficult and require complex algorithms. Computer and information research scientists try to simplify these algorithms to make computer systems as efficient as possible. The algorithms allow advancements in many types of technology, such as machine learning systems and cloud computing.”

“Employment of computer and information research scientists is projected to grow 16 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations. Computer scientists are likely to enjoy excellent job prospects, because many companies report difficulties finding these highly skilled workers.”

The median annual wage for computer and information research scientists was $118,370 in May 2018.

Video Game Designer

The video game industry has been growing by leaps and bounds for over thirty years. Many people of all ages, cultures and walks of life greatly enjoy playing video games and some may consider turning their passion into a full-time career. This is certainly possible, especially if you think you might want to make and publish your own video game. You can also look for jobs at both large and smaller video game studios. Roles you could pursue include [Read more…] about Fun Jobs for Tech-Savvy People