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Jobs With the Best Wages

September 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Everyone is on the hunt for the jobs with the best wages. The problem is that you either don’t know what jobs offer the best pay or you are far enough along in your career that you cannot afford to completely switch industries. Either way, locating your best possible options doesn’t have to be difficult. Here is a quick look at some of the top jobs with the best wages, what they have in common, and what you can do if those jobs simply aren’t feasible for you.

What Are the Jobs with the Best Wages?

When most people start making their own list of which jobs they think offer the best pay, a majority of them may seem pretty exciting, such as becoming a professional athlete. The truth is that many cases the best wages within that profession are dramatically different than low end of the pay scale. This means that unless you are in the top one or 2% of your industry, you will be making nearly as much is you expect. It’s important note that if you look at the highest paying professions based upon the data provided by the Department of Labor, then you may notice that a majority of the professions are within the medical field. Depending on the year, as many as eight or nine of the top 10 highest paying professions will be medical in some way. In order to give you a bigger picture of what your options are, here is a quick list of jobs outside of the medical industry.

1.    CEO
Of all of the jobs with the best wages (outside the medical industry) becoming a CEO probably offers the most diverse path. A CEO or Chief Executive Officer is the highest ranking is addition within a company. As a result, they are also normally the highest paid. Their primary purpose is to guide the strategic direction of the company as well as oversee day-to-day operations. The thing to keep in mind is that becoming a CEO isn’t necessarily going to guarantee a huge paycheck. It is heavily reliant on how large the company is. As a general rule, to become a CEO you will likely need a bachelors degree (at minimum) and likely an MBA as well. At the same time, if you start your own company then it doesn’t really matter what your level of education is.

2.    Managers (Engineering, Computer and Information Systems, Marketing, Natural Sciences)
As a general rule, finding your way into management is always a great way to land jobs with the best wages. Some industries and specialties tend to pay much more than others. According to the Department of Labor there are four types of managers that make considerably more than others. The highest paid is an engineering manager. This job requires you to plan, coordinate, research, design, and oversee projects. In most cases you will need a bachelors degree and some form of postgraduate degree in order to get this position.

3.    Airline Pilot or Air Traffic Controller
The airline industry has two career paths which are both normally in or near the top 10 highest paying jobs on a regular basis. The first is becoming an airline pilot. In most cases, becoming a commercial airline pilot is considered to be one of the best options cents the FAA only allows them to fly for 100 hours per month. The problem is that this is also the most difficult to achieve. Other piloting options include helicopters, test aircraft, cargo planes, and becoming an aviation director. In most cases a four-year degree is becoming almost essential because of how competitive the landscape is, however it is not technically a requirement. The other option within the aviation industry is to become an air traffic controller. While they make an average of about $30,000 less than a pilot, they can still find themselves in six figures. In order to become an air traffic controller you will need to enroll in an approved training program as well as pass an aptitude test. In most cases, you will be required to have either three years of experience or a four-year degree.

4.    Other Options (Lawyer, Dentist)
Outside of the medical field, the other two options that are often in the top 10 include becoming a lawyer or a dentist. Both of these options require a large amount of postgraduate work in order to even get started.

What Do Jobs with the Best Wages Have in Common?

When you take a look at all of the jobs in the previous list, as well as the highest paying jobs in the medical field such as becoming a surgeon, there are several characteristics that nearly all of them have in common. The first is that some form of higher education is required. This could mean a standard four-year college degree or additional education such as postgraduate studies. One thing to keep in mind is that every year that you spend getting your education, is a year that you will likely not be heavily invested in the workforce. For some people, this simply isn’t an option which makes getting these types of jobs very difficult.

Another characteristic that they tend to have in common is that they are either management positions or require very specialized skills. This means that you will either have to become very good at managing people and resources for you will need to focus on gathering and perfecting a very niche specific set of skills.

What to Do If You Cannot Get the Jobs with the Best Wages

While it’s true that pretty much everyone wants to get a job that offers high wages, for most people it simply isn’t a possibility. Fortunately, this doesn’t mean that you need to settle. There are several things that you can do, regardless of what your job is, to ensure that you are getting some of the highest wages within your specific job or industry. In general, the two biggest variables will be where you are located and whether or not you can specialize. For example, a service station attendant employed by the federal government will earn nearly twice as much as the national average. Remote states, especially Alaska and Hawaii, tend to have some of the highest rates of pay for low skill jobs. If you are thinking about changing industries, but don’t want to go back to school, then look into jobs that are either high risk, high stress, or physically demanding. These types of jobs, even if they are considered low skill, tend to pay well compared to an average low skill job.

Use our wage calculator to see where you stand.

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How to Make Money without a Job

September 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Most people have one source of income, usually in the form of a job. When that source is cut-off because of lay-offs, company restructuring, or whatever else company executives call it, the situation can be extremely disastrous. Some people even lose their homes after losing their jobs. That’s why it is important to be able to make money even without a job. There are avenues to do this.
The situation may look bleak after you get laid-off. With this article though, you can take charge of your life. You can even look for a new job during your free time. It is important to remember that the key to a stable financial future is to create alternative, ideally multiple streams, of income. So here are some ways for you to make money without a job:
•    Hold a Garage Sale – while you can only do this once or twice at the most because of your limited items, the garage sale can give you the necessary push. The income you earn here can be used in a new business venture. For some people, the money can relieve the financial stress they’re under after losing their jobs.
•    Buy and Sell – some of the most successful businesses today trace their roots back to buying and selling. You can follow this route as well but be prepared for hard work. Starting this type of business is significantly different from a 9-5 job because the income is inconsistent. It might be worth it to try though especially if you are familiar with the goods you’re selling.
•    Start Blogging – setting up a blog and monetizing it with advertisements has become a popular way to earn extra income. Take this one step further by making sure that your blog’s design appeals to its targeted audience and by updating the blog with fresh content regularly. In addition, promoting it through search engine optimization and social media marketing are highly recommended. These will make sure that your site will get noticed and attract more readers. Use a free website builder to get started.
•    Sell Your Skills – if you’re reading this article, then chances are you can speak English fluently and write in the language effectively. There is a large demand for skilled work in today’s environment. A lot of companies are hiring people who can work off-site to minimize operating costs. Take note that in many instances, you’ll have to work as an independent contractor, not as an employee.
•    Invest Your Money – if you have money to invest, then putting it into mutual funds or index funds can help you yield better returns than if you put it in a bank. Always be aware that there are risks associated with this move. Nevertheless, investing provides an ideal scenario because you are making your money work for you.
Use your imagination to think of ways to earn money without a job. You’ll be surprised by the ideas you generate. In most cases, it’s just about going for it and working towards financial stability for you and your family.

See what big companies like Monster charge for job board posting fees.

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Getting Paid Without a Job – Self Employment

July 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The idea of getting paid without a job has a very appealing ring to it.  A number of people become self employed solely so that they can ditch their box and the office cubicle.  There are a number of benefits to doing this, but also some factors that need to be carefully considered as well.  Some people thrive in an environment where someone is constantly looking over their shoulder, which means that they wouldn’t likely do well on their own.  Here is a closer look at what getting paid without a job really means and a quick introduction to the benefits of self employment.

The idea of getting paid without a job doesn’t mean that you don’t have to do any work at all.  Instead, it means that you don’t have a traditional 9 to 5 and you don’t get paid per hour.  Instead, you earn exactly what you are worth, whatever that may be.  Additionally, this means that you can have a lot of different sources of income, rather than just one employer.  The most common example of someone who gets paid without a job is a freelancer.  They take on projects and get paid for the work that they do on each project.  The reason that it isn’t considered a traditional job is because they get to choose what projects to accept and when they want to work on them.  If they get a bunch of high paying projects, they could take a month off of work and no one could say anything about it.

What Are the Benefits of Getting Paid Without a Job?

The biggest benefit of getting paid without a job is the freedom to do whatever you want.  If you don’t wake up and don’t want to work today, then you don’t have to.  On the other hand, if you get into the zone and want to work for 12 straight hours, you can.  Another benefit of doing this is that you get to set your own rate of pay.  If you don’t think someone is going to pay you enough for something, then you can simply say no.  Finally, you are in complete control over your future.  You can do whatever you want, however you want.

2 Quick Things to Think About With Self Employment

The most important thing to consider before you decide to try getting paid without a job is whether or not you can handle the responsibility.  A big concern for some people is not having a predictable income.  When you first start out, there is a good chance that there will be some weeks or months where you aren’t making much money.  This can be very stressful, so make sure that you can mentally cope with this happening.

You should also consider implementing a two pronged approach regardless of how you plan on generating income.  The first strategy is making money directly for whatever you do.  These are often one-time payments for a specific action.  The second part of the strategy is often overlooked, but the most important piece of truly getting paid without a job.  You need to find at least one source of recurring income.  This is income that you make no matter what, over and over again for something that you did once.  A common example of this is network marketing.  You recruit people to your downline and then get paid every month for actions that they take, such as making a purchase or recruiting others.  Your one action is recruiting them and you get a consistent recurring income from it.

Getting paid without a job is an excellent solution for most people.  However, make sure that you really think about what it takes to be self employed and have your own home business before you get started.

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Jobs That May Pay Off Your Student Loans

July 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Student loan debt may become a bit overwhelming, but there are some jobs that you can get that might help you pay those loans off. This is good news as student loan debt is something that you will carry for you for the rest of your life until it is paid off.

Because student loan debt is not technically Government debt, there is no escaping it. It can’t be discharged in bankruptcy and you can’t just top paying it and live with a default. One way or another, the loan has to be paid back and this might mean losing your Federal tax return, if you are delinquent, until it is paid.

Luckily, there are plenty of job opportunities that will allow you to not only pay back your student loans, but will also help you do so. These jobs include:

•    Teachers: While this is not for all teaching positions, there are some that will assist you with the repayment of your student loans. These are typically teaching positions that require you to work at a school that is in a low income area or that is in desperate need of teachers. You may even be able to get some of your student loan forgiven if you work with children of disabilities at a qualifying school.
•    National Service Volunteers: Serving in the Peace Corp or other non-profit organizations like VISTA will also allow you to save on your student loans. Depending on how much time you devote to the organization, you will be able to get some or all of your student loan debt cancelled.
•    Child Care Providers: If you work with a child care provider that is part of the Head Start program you can have a portion of a specific student loan, known as the Perkins Loan, forgiven. In some cases, all of the loan will be forgiven.
•    Health Profession: If you work with the underprivileged for a certain amount of time in certain health professional settings, you can get some or all of your student loans forgiven. This is done directly with the Government and the time you have to put in may vary from state to state.
•    Federal Government: One of the many perks that come with having a Federal Government job is often student loan repayment assistance. This will of course vary depending on which Federal agency you go to work for and which Federal Government job you get within that agency. Depending on the circumstances you can get a little bit of assistance or a lot of assistance towards repaying your student loans.

Remember, student loans do not go away; ever. If you are nearing graduation or have already graduated and you find that you will not be able to handle the student loan debt on your own, then don’t try to walk away from it. Instead, seek employment with an employer that will not only offer you a career, but will also offer you help with repaying your student loans.

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Ideal Jobs For The Elderly

July 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Baby boomers in the United States are facing the age of retirement. The so-called ‘golden age’ is supposed to be a time of reflection, a period of time to look back over your life with fond memories. Sadly, the recent pension crisis has ensured that a large number of elderly citizens are no longer able to sit back and relax as the Government is seemingly unable to support its aging population. Even nations like the United Kingdom are seeing a pension crisis which is causing the British Government to increase the age of those receiving the state pension. In America, there is seemingly not enough money to go around so Social Security is facing a crisis.

Basic Choices
Where does this leave the elderly? Too old to be accepted into high-ranking posts yet not old or wealthy enough to retire. One of the best choices for the elderly are work-from-home jobs relating to computing. For example, data-entry jobs are in high demand yet require little in the way of manual dexterity. Data-entry involves copying handwritten information onto computers via Word or Excel spreadsheet programs. Virtually every company requires someone to perform this task as handwritten documents are still part and parcel of everyday corporate life.

Become A Freelancer
There is also the possibility of taking on freelance work. There are a number of sites online containing companies who are desperately in need of a high quality writer or web designer. If you have any previous experience in either of these fields, you should definitely apply. Admittedly, a number of elderly people may not have a grasp on web design but they can certainly write. The level of writing ability required depends on the client. If you have moderate writing ability, you can only expect a moderate rate but hard work will always be appreciated by employers who are used to unreliable writers. There are dozens of sites online that are free to join and your earnings can be transmitted electronically to PayPal or a similar site where they can be entered into your bank.

Companies Seeing The Light
If you would prefer to have employment that gets you out of the house, there may be hope for you when it comes to securing a job in a company. The tide is turning against ageism with organizations slowly beginning to understand the value of elderly employees. Indeed, forward-thinking businesses are actively developing strategies geared towards hiring employees who are 50 or over. They understand that employees of this nature are more dedicated and experienced than their younger counterparts. Create a résumé and be sure to fill in any gaps in your employment with details about activities or courses which relate to the job you are applying for.

The global work force is changing. In the United States alone, the amount of employees over the age of 50 will be more than 20% of the total workforce in 2015. This is a significant 7% increase on the 2000 level. A recent survey of American workers aged between 45-74 showed that almost 70% of them aim to work beyond the retirement age. Companies are listening and starting to recruit more elderly employees. Don’t let your age be an obstacle, fight for your right to work and start increasing your nest egg for when you eventually retire.

Many turn to career coaches to help them through this transition.  Find Los Angeles career coaches.

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How to Handle Office Confrontations Appropriately

July 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

No matter how much you may try to keep to yourself while at work, you are bound to find yourself smack in the middle of an office confrontation at some point or another. An office confrontation can lead to a lot of undue stress and anxiety and, in the end, result in your work performance dropping off. Additionally, you may find that you go home and are still affected by the confrontation which will not be good on your home life.

While office confrontations will happen, it is important to know that you have to be able to handle them in the proper manner. While you may in fact feel like screaming at the top of your lungs at your adversary, you know in your heart you just can’t do that.

Here are some ways to help you ensure your office confrontation gets resolved both quickly and appropriately:

•    Take a Breather: Don’t attempt to fix the confrontation right away. Allow yourself and your adversary some much needed time to cool off. In fact, once a confrontation happens, you should avoid the satiation for at least the rest of the day if possible. Attempting to fix the problem too quickly can lead to unlevel heads continuing to butt.
•    Take it Outside: This doesn’t mean to challenge your office adversary to a fight or duel outside, but you should resolve the confrontation outside of the office. While an office confrontation is never a good thing, keeping it going at any level at the office is a terrible idea. It is better to approach your adversary outside of work at a neutral setting where you can hopefully come to a positive resolution.
•    Extend the Olive Branch: Be the first to make the right move. Leaders don’t wait, they take action. It is no different with an office confrontation. Instead of being stubborn and waiting for your adversary to make the first move with a fix to the problem, go right up to them and offer to buy them a drink after work so you can discuss the confrontation further.
•    Keep an Open Mind: Remember that some people will just never see things the way you do. However, if you are closed minded then you are no better. Keep an open mind when trying to resolve your confrontation problems and try to see all points of view. Being thick-headed will get you nowhere fast.
•    Practice Tolerance: It may be that you never totally see eye to eye with your adversary and that’s okay. However, you do have to work with them so you should practice tolerance so you can continue to do your job in the most efficient manner possible.

It isn’t really a matter of will an office confrontation happen to you, but rather when. When a confrontation does happen, remember that you have a choice. Either you can continue to stress and seethe about your adversary or you can handle things in the appropriate manner and get back to doing your job, which is what you are in the office to do each day anyway.

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Myths about Unemployment

July 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Were you laid off? Made redundant? Displaced? Outsourced? It doesn’t matter what they call it – the main worry now is – You are Unemployed. Most people who just recently lost their jobs or couldn’t find a job go through phases of anger, grief, frustration, and hopelessness. Losing a job means changing the lifestyle you’ve long been accustomed to. For some people, it also means losing their savings, their homes, and sense of security.

As if these challenges aren’t enough, there are also a lot of myths about unemployment. Those who yell about these myths the loudest are those who are ignorant, gainfully employed, and who are just exercising their freedom to complain about anything and everything. The myths on unemployment have to be cleared up for society to have a better understanding of this issue:

Myth: A college degree guarantees you’ll have a job
This might have been true several decades ago but this is certainly not relevant today. From being an industrial economy, today’s advanced economies including the United States relies primarily on the service industry. There is a surplus of college graduates who are forced to take menial jobs, are jobless, or are in debt. Many unemployed youths who graduated with a degree in engineering, business, and IT have had to move back with their parents because they cannot afford to live on their own.

Myth: Unemployment affects only those who are unskilled or under educated
The truth is that unemployment can affect anyone, even those at the highest positions. This is especially true in today’s market. When a car factory closes, for example, it affects not only those who are working in the assembly line but also designers, engineers, supervisors, and up to the general manager of the company.  In the United States, there are experienced professionals such as IT professionals, financial advisors, marketing directors, and attorneys who are unemployed.

Myth: Seniority, advanced degrees, and experience protects you from unemployment
While these characteristics are important for some companies, these make you “less employable” in others. For instance, hiring older workers usually means giving higher salaries and better benefits. Age discrimination might be illegal but no one can deny that it occurs on a daily basis on some form or another. Basically, for older workers who got unemployed in the midst of the recession, it is very difficult to bounce back. This is in spite of the fact that mature employees tend to be more dedicated and reliable compared to their younger counterparts.

Myth: The unemployed can work if they settled for a job that requires menial labor
It is very easy to judge when you’re looking from the outside. However, it is a fact that most companies that require menial workers do not want to hire highly skilled workers because they tend to leave when a better opportunity comes along. Many unemployed individuals have applied to menial jobs but got nowhere especially when they’re competing with others who have experience in this type of work.

Unemployment is difficult enough as it is. Getting rid of unemployment myths can certainly help everyone move forward constructively in finding a job.

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What To Do When You Hate Your Job

June 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The number of people who hate their job seems to be on the increase. Whether it is the unsatisfactory nature of the job, a belligerent, unreasonable boss or co-workers whose behavior you can’t even begin to fathom, job dissatisfaction appears to be at an all-time high. From a personal point of view, I always hated managers and loathed working the night shifts I was stuck with for several years. There was something about cleaning toilets at 3am and being forced to deal with drunks that was somehow unappealing. Throw in incompetent bosses and you have the job from hell.

College?
In this instance, solution one was to continue muttering under my breath and ‘getting on with it’. This would surely have led to further dissatisfaction with the potential for a lifetime of misery staring me squarely in the face. However, I stubbornly refused to allow myself to be subjected to the horror of night work for much longer, saved and went back to college. This is a viable solution for those in an unfulfilling job they hate, have savings and are still relatively young. It also helps if you have no dependents or financial obligations.

Giving Thanks
This is not the case for everyone. In some cases, the horrible job is the only thing keeping you afloat. Try being grateful for having a job at all and imagine the consequences of having no regular income. This is not a long-term solution but it will at least help you keep your emotions in check and prevent you from doing something silly.

Making A Plan
The next step is to uncover what it is that depresses you about the job the most. This will enable you to come up with a plan. For example, if you have a hateful boss, perhaps there is the possibility of being moved. The same goes for having irritating co-workers. If the job is dull and repetitive, maybe your company has an alternative project for you to work on.

Leave
Yet there are occasions when a transfer or new project simply won’t do. You have to get out and you need to do so now. In this case, start making plans to leave. Although money should never be a motivating factor, try and line up another job. Unless you believe in reincarnation, we only have only life, one shot to make it count. Do not allow yourself to waste your life or even 10-20 years of it working in a job you hate.

If you decide to leave your job, do so with a modicum of class and grace, regardless of how much you hate the place, the job or the people involved. Remember, life can be peculiar (not to mention cruel) and a return may occur at some point (as much as you wish it wasn’t the case). Therefore, leave amicably and never broadcast your ill-will towards those at your soon to be ex-workplace. Have another job lined up which will hopefully be more fulfilling and rewarding than your previous work hell. However, there is always the chance that you simply hate the profession. If that is the case, you may well want to consider switching careers altogether.

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Questions in Determining What Career is Best For You

May 31, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Choosing the best career path for yourself is very important and should be done with the utmost of care. The career you choose could ultimately be the only career or the last career you ever have so you should be sure that it is the perfect career for you.

When choosing a career, there are many considerations that you should make. Here are some questions that will help you determine which career is the best career for you:

•    What Are You Passionate About: Your passions should go a long way in determining what you want to do for your career. If you go into a career and have little to no passion for what it is you are doing, then you will be in for a long and unfulfilling career. If however you go with your passions, you will ultimately find that your career will be rewarding in both money and enjoyment.
•    What Are Your Skills: If you have certain skills that would make you a better fit for one career over another, then it is to your advantage to use those skills. Your skills, or talents, can help you not only find a rewarding career, but also help you really go far in that career field as your talents will help you reach the top faster than those who lack what you have skill wise.
•     What Are Your Goals: What do you want to get out of life? Do you aspire to be a Fortune 500 company CEO? Maybe you simply wish to work outdoors for the rest of your life. Whatever your overall life goals are, you should compliment those goals with the right career choice.
•    How Flexible are You: Sometimes this point is not considered when choosing a career, but it is an important point to think about. If you are not willing to pick up and move to a new city or state at the request of a company, then you need to be sure you are choosing a career that will not require you to do so. Even if there is only a slight chance that this could happen, if you are not willing to be flexible, don’t take a position with a company that requires otherwise.
•    How Much Money Do You Want: This should be the last point you cover as getting into a great paying career that you can’t stand will ultimately lead you to losing in other ways, like with your health. However, you should have some idea of what you intend on making over the course of your lifetime and if you are shooting high, then your career choice must allow you the opportunity to make what you desire.

Remember that you career can potentially last you a working lifetime. With all of the options that you have career wise, there is simply no reason to enter into a career that you will not enjoy on any level. By taking your time and considering your options carefully, the perfect career will likely present itself to you.

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Essential Qualities of a Team Player

March 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Everybody wants to work with a team player and the essential qualities of a team player are the reasons why. Being a team player means that you go above and beyond simply thinking about yourself and you instead focus on what is best for the team.

While there is no blue-print to follow in order to become a team player, there are certain steadfast essentials that you must possess including:

•    Adaptability: In order to be a true team player you must be able to adapt. Adapting to the situation at hand means that you are focusing on the best solution and not necessarily the quickest. As circumstances change, so too will your approach, but you will always be willing to shift if need be.
•    Strong Commitment: A true team player will stay committed to the team. If you are working with someone and they only put in effort during regular hours, what do you think of that person? A real team player remains committed to the team and any problems that may arise no matter what time of the day it may be.
•    Tenacious: To be a true team player you must have that, ‘never say never’ attitude. You can’t try one solution and simply throw your hands up in the air and quit if it doesn’t work. Instead, you must show your tenacity and your willingness to get the job done, no matter what it takes.
•    Sacrificing: Another essential quality of a team player is the ability to sacrifice for the good of the team. Sometimes, you have to be able to put the needs of the team before your own needs. Maybe that means a little extra work on your part or even a skipped meal here and there, but a true team player will make the sacrifice without any expectation of notice.
•    Cooperation: In order to be a real team player and find solutions to the many problems that may crop up, you have to be cooperative. You can’t be close minded with the other members of your team. You have to keep an open mind and work with your team, not against them.
•    Dependability: A true team player is the’ go to person’ on the team. In order to be that person you have to be dependable. That means being aware of what is happening on your team and also being available should something go haywire.
•    Always Prepared: A real team player is one that is always prepared, even for the worst. You have to approach ever instance with your team as though it will go off without a hitch, but also like you may face a million stumbling blocks along the way.

As the old saying goes, “There is no “I” in TEAM.” In order to be a true team player you have to be the one person who realizes this and puts it to practice along with all the other essential qualities of a team player. Everyone loves a winner and everyone loves working with a real team player.

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