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Work Got You Down? 4 Steps to Making a Career Change

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If you are not enjoying the work you do, it’s harder to be productive as the minutes drag by… feeling like hours. Are you miserable in your current profession and want a change? Perhaps you want to earn more money or move your career to the next level. A career change might sound daunting, but in the long run can be worth it. These four steps will get you started on the path to a career change.

Research Possible Careers

Some people already have a new career in mind. It might be something they have always wanted to do or related to a field that has interested them for years. However, most people still need to narrow down their list to just one. Research is vital when considering a new career because you want to make sure you are choosing the right one. One of the best places to research new career options is the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Look up how many people work in the profession, whether the industry is going to grow or shrink, and even the job turnover rate.

Job Shadowing or Information Gathering

Once you have done your proper research, it is important to learn as much about the career field as possible. You can arrange to interview those you already know work in the industry, or you can even reach out to people who have worked in it before. Social media is a great way to meet possible interviewees. You might even be able to [Read more…] about Work Got You Down? 4 Steps to Making a Career Change

Hard Day’s Work: 4 Ways to Prepare for Working a Construction Job

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Working a construction job is a great way to apply your skills, stay fit, and enjoy a solid income. But it can also be dangerous if you aren’t properly prepared. Here are a few easy preparations, so you can be sure that the time you give to your trade will be safe, worthwhile and effective.

Have the Right Gear

A construction site offers a unique set of physical characteristics that require the right gear to effectively accommodate. For you, this may mean a pair of steel-toed boots to protect your feet, a hard hat to protect your head, or rain gear to ensure you stay dry and comfortable in case it starts raining. An interesting quote from Ben’s Cleaner Sales says “When your job requires you and your employees to work with pressure washers or outside during the rain, you want quality rain equipment to keep you dry. When you are dry and comfortable, you are more productive… Plus, most of our rain gear is brightly colored and equipped with reflective stripes for safety.”  So it is important to remember that when the weather is bad visibility is also lower, so the addition of bright colors and reflective materials can also improve your safety.

You must keep in mind that you may be exposed to the elements up to your entire workday, so you need to dress to ensure you remain comfortable if that ends up being the case. If it’s cold, dress in layers so you can shed layers as you heat up while performing work. If it’s warm, wear clothing that will wick sweat away from your body so you don’t end up with wet, uncomfortable clothes all day. Two critical pieces of personal equipment you should have are construction boots and a reflective vest. Simply by wearing these to a construction site you show the job foreman that you are serious and ready to work.

Study up

If this is your first time working in the construction industry, being able to understand what’s being asked from you, right from the start, will help you reach greater heights in the industry. Know specific terminology that is used in your field, and understand how to use the tools of your specific trade. Two certifications that you can easily get are your OSHA 10 certification and your “Flagman” certification as you’ll see in this video these two certifications will take you a total of 14 hours to get and will go a long way toward getting your foot in the door of the construction industry.

Over time you will certainly improve in all these areas through daily exposure and hands-on learning, but if you don’t know much when you show up to a job site, the learning curve is going to be difficult and potentially dangerous.

Get Enough Sleep

Since your safety and the safety of others on the job site depend on [Read more…] about Hard Day’s Work: 4 Ways to Prepare for Working a Construction Job

January Unemployment Almost “Record Setting”

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Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment RateJanuary Unemployment is almost record setting… but not for the reason you might think.

On Friday February 2nd the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released their monthly employment survey results for the month of January. According to the BLS the Seasonally Adjusted U-3 Unemployment Rate for January is unchanged for the almost record setting 4th month in a row. That’s right from October through January the Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment rate has been 4.1%.  This is a very low level and we really don’t expect it to get too much lower but the interesting part is that the unadjusted U-3 was 3.9% from October through December (resulting in the adjusted rate being 4.1%) but then in January the unadjusted rate jumped to 4.5% (a 0.6% increase) and the adjusted U-3 remained the same at 4.1%. This is because typically January sees an uptick in unemployment as all the seasonal employees get laid-off. So we would expect some sort of uptick in unadjusted unemployment rate. But because the Seasonally Adjusted U3 was unchanged for the month the current increase in the unadjusted U-3 was actually no greater or less than normal. See Current Unemployment Chart for more info.

U-6 Unemployment

U6 2016 vs 2017Over the same period, Unadjusted U-6 unemployment which is a broader measure of Unemployment including discouraged workers, climbed steadily.

It was 7.6% in October, then 7.7% in November, then 8.0% in December, and finally 8.9% in January.

This is still significantly better than a year ago when in November 2016 Unadjusted U-6  was 9% and had climbed to 10.1% by January 2017.

See Unadjusted U-6 unemployment for more info.

Employment

Historical EmploymentOver the last month, the actual number of people working (not seasonally adjusted) has decreased by [Read more…] about January Unemployment Almost “Record Setting”

5 Common Master’s Degrees

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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?

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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

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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

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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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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

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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

How the Medical Industry is Poised for an Employee Boom

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Healthcare has changed vastly in the past 100 years and is poised to grow significantly in the next decades. These changes are due to numerous factors, such as changing technologies and worldwide demographics.

This means that the medical industry is ready for a massive employee boom across all sectors in the next several years. Here are some of the top growing areas where those looking to get in on the changes ahead can find an amazing job.

More Home Health for Baby Boomers

As the Baby Boomer generation ages, there is sure to be an increased need for aides and nurses who serve patients in their own homes. This generation puts great stress upon the joys of being in one’s own home, and these individuals are expected to want to stay at home rather than head to assisted living facilities and nursing homes.

https://youtu.be/aVHYE0SOCmI?t=3m24s

Increased Needs for Healthcare Management

Healthcare managers lead teams in the medical industry. They are often [Read more…] about How the Medical Industry is Poised for an Employee Boom

Why Criminal Justice Careers are Perfect for Military Veterans

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Most people who join the military only serve for a short amount of time. Once they have honored their commitment, many search for new careers. Veterans gain important skills throughout their service, which can be great assets in the workplace. One particularly promising choice is working in the field of criminal justice. There are certain aspects of these careers that blend very well with military experience. Here are a few reasons why a position in criminal justice may be a perfect fit.

Commitment to Serve & Protect

One of the core values of military veterans is the desire to protect our country’s rights and freedom. Our military takes great pride in its commitment to keeping citizens safe. For veterans, there is a sense of duty that does not fade over time. Fortunately, this is a vow that is also shared by the criminal justice system. Whether out in the field or working behind the scenes, you would be a part of upholding the law, which is a huge part of preserving our democracy.

Familiar with Protocol

Because of their service, veterans are [Read more…] about Why Criminal Justice Careers are Perfect for Military Veterans