Do you feel like you're just making it through day after grueling day of work while only barely keeping up with your bills? Maybe it's time you considered a career with low stress and high pay. They do exist, according to the fortunate folks who have discovered them.
Online salary database PayScale.com recently conducted a survey and asked workers about their stress levels at work. Those jobs considered "low stress" were rated as "a little stressful," "not stressful" or "relaxing" by at least 40 percent of the respondents in the survey.
And, it turns out that many of these jobs pay well. The following are 10 well-paid, low stress gigs. We've included the requirements for getting started in these jobs and how much they pay per year,
1. Biostatistician
Median annual salary: $86,000
If you're a natural number-cruncher and lover of science, biostatistics will keep you employed, well-funded and, apparently, happy. Most statistician jobs require a master's degree, and 30 percent of statisticians are employed by the government, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
-- Find biostatistician jobs
2. Software Developer
Median annual salary: $70,000
Here's a great job that's expected to be in very high demand in the coming years, according to the BLS. Applicants with a bachelor's degree or higher will have better job prospects and earnings. Obviously, some developer jobs are more stressful than others depending on the company you work for, but many developers attest that the low-stress gigs do exist.
-- Find software developer jobs
3. Business Analyst, IT
Median annual salary: $69,000
As companies adopt more complicated technologies going forward, business analysts with IT skills will be in high demand. A bachelor's degree will get you started, though a master's will put you ahead of the competition.
-- Find business analyst jobs
4. Physical Therapist (PT)
Median annual salary: $69,000
This gig puts you in direct contact with people and offers the satisfaction of helping others. Plus, it has great prospects for the future as demand for physical therapists is growing, according to the BLS. You must complete at least a master's degree, pass a national exam and gain licensure in your state.
-- Find physical therapist jobs
5. Mechanical Engineer
Median annual salary: $68,000
Mechanical engineers design industrial equipment and consumer products of all kinds. Perhaps being able to actually create something makes this job satisfying and lower in stress. You need a bachelor's degree to enter the field.
-- Find mechanical engineer jobs
6. Aircraft Pilot, Corporate Jet
Median annual salary: $64,000
While pilots who fly jumbo jets for major airlines or take military planes into enemy territory may feel a lot of stress, the pilots who fly corporate jets report little stress on the job. Getting this gig requires extensive training, thousands of hours of flight time and, increasingly, a bachelor's degree.
-- Find pilot jobs
7. Database Analyst
Median annual salary: $60,000
Database experts will be in very high demand through 2018, according to the BLS. Analysts help companies optimize how they store, organize, use and present data. A bachelor's degree is common, though an associate's degree, professional certifications and work experience may also get you a job.
-- Find database analyst jobs
8. Financial Analyst
Median annual salary: $59,000
Financial analysts advise people or companies on investment decisions. Their work can be very highly paid, depending on expertise and the size of the investments. A bachelor's degree is required, as well as various professional certifications and licenses.
-- Find financial analyst jobs
9. Technical Writer
Median annual salary: $56,000
A technical writer has a knack for making complicated topics easy to understand. The job requires a bachelor's degree, ideally in communication, journalism or English, and it helps to have expertise in a technical topic. Job prospects here are good, especially when writing for the Web.
-- Find technical writer jobs
10. Internal Auditor
Median annual salary: $56,000
As business regulations become more stringent, internal auditors will be more in demand. An internal auditor checks to make sure that a company's internal financial controls are working and looks for waste or fraud. The work requires a bachelor's degree, at least, though a master's degree and further certification improves earnings and job prospects.
-- Find internal auditor jobs
11. Economist
Median annual salary: $78,000
Degree: Master's
12. User Experience Designer
Median annual salary: $82,000
Degree: Bachelor's
13. Application Developer
Median annual salary: $67,000
Degree: Bachelor's
14. Environmental Engineer
Median annual salary: $64,000
Degree: Bachelor's
15. Risk Management Analyst
Median annual salary: $63,000
Degree: Bachelor's
16. Contract Specialist
Median annual salary: $60,000
Degree: Bachelor's
17. Urban Planner
Median annual salary: $57,000
Degree: Bachelor's
18. Social Media Manager
Median annual salary: $56,000
Degree: Bachelor's
19. Product Analyst
Median annual salary: $56,000
Degree: Bachelor's
20. Geologist
Median annual salary: $54,000
Degree: Master's
21. Transportation Planner
Median annual salary: $52,000
Degree: Bachelor's
22. Data Analyst
Median annual salary: $52,000
Degree: Bachelor's
23. Web Content Editor
Median annual salary: $52,000
Degree: Bachelor's
24. Personal Trainer
Median annual salary: $48,000
Degree: Bachelor's
Source: All salary data is from PayScale.com. The salaries listed are median, annual salaries for full-time workers with 5-8 years of experience and include any bonuses, commissions or profit sharing.
jobs.aol.com
By Bridget Quigg
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Maximize Your Long-Term Salary Growth
If you're happy with your current salary, it would be easy to just sit back and enjoy it. But if you want to make sure your earnings keep rising over the long term, you need a strategy to protect against salary plateaus and unemployment.
Experts offer the following tips for maximizing your earnings over the course of your career.
Watch Industry Trends Carefully
"If your professional area is vulnerable to economic shifts, don't cling to it just because it is familiar and comfortable," said Libby Pannwitt, principal of the Work Life Design Group in San Carlos, California. Take a class or even get an advanced degree to arm yourself with skills that are more enduring.
For example, Marianne Adoradio, a recruiter and career counselor in Silicon Valley, said she sees otherwise excellent candidates for human resources positions who don't have global HR experience -- something that is a requirement for more and more positions. She advises people in the field -- even if they aren't currently job hunting -- to make sure they're working on projects with a global component. If they aren't, they need to ask their boss how they can gain this experience.
If You Reach a Salary Plateau, Understand the Reason
In many fields, people start out their careers with a succession of rapid salary increases. These increases taper off after a time, though, unless they enter management. Some companies have career paths for nonmanagers with highly specialized skills, so if you're not interested in management, you may want to pursue one of those.
If the problem is that your field of expertise is no longer in as much demand as it used to be, then you may need to look at a move to a related field.
Make Yourself Marketable Inside -- and Outside -- Your Company
"The most successful people develop themselves to add a lot of value to any company in the industry, not just their company alone," said Steve Levin, principal of Leading Change Consulting & Coaching in Portola Valley, California. This will give you more leverage in internal negotiations -- and more options if you decide to leave your current company.
One tip for being marketable across an industry: Try to work for "name-brand companies," Adoradio said. Recruiters often prefer candidates who have worked for industry-leading companies. Having one on your resume will help your long-term career prospects.
Consider Multiple Income Streams
Some people branch out from their main job to take on consulting work or teach a course in their field. This may help advance your primary career if the work helps you stay current or showcases your expertise. If your second job is in a different field, the second income will increase your earnings and help shield you from the downturns in your main industry.
Don't Focus Too Narrowly on Money
"Raises and promotions are given to people who generate trust and demonstrate competence to handle more complexity," Levin said. Focus on this, and the money will likely follow.
And remember that learning new skills in a job can be just as important as the money.
"When that learning stops, when that development stops, it's time to move," said Leslie G. Griffen, managing partner of Career Management Associates in Overland Park, Kansas.
By Margaret Steen
Experts offer the following tips for maximizing your earnings over the course of your career.
Watch Industry Trends Carefully
"If your professional area is vulnerable to economic shifts, don't cling to it just because it is familiar and comfortable," said Libby Pannwitt, principal of the Work Life Design Group in San Carlos, California. Take a class or even get an advanced degree to arm yourself with skills that are more enduring.
For example, Marianne Adoradio, a recruiter and career counselor in Silicon Valley, said she sees otherwise excellent candidates for human resources positions who don't have global HR experience -- something that is a requirement for more and more positions. She advises people in the field -- even if they aren't currently job hunting -- to make sure they're working on projects with a global component. If they aren't, they need to ask their boss how they can gain this experience.
If You Reach a Salary Plateau, Understand the Reason
In many fields, people start out their careers with a succession of rapid salary increases. These increases taper off after a time, though, unless they enter management. Some companies have career paths for nonmanagers with highly specialized skills, so if you're not interested in management, you may want to pursue one of those.
If the problem is that your field of expertise is no longer in as much demand as it used to be, then you may need to look at a move to a related field.
Make Yourself Marketable Inside -- and Outside -- Your Company
"The most successful people develop themselves to add a lot of value to any company in the industry, not just their company alone," said Steve Levin, principal of Leading Change Consulting & Coaching in Portola Valley, California. This will give you more leverage in internal negotiations -- and more options if you decide to leave your current company.
One tip for being marketable across an industry: Try to work for "name-brand companies," Adoradio said. Recruiters often prefer candidates who have worked for industry-leading companies. Having one on your resume will help your long-term career prospects.
Consider Multiple Income Streams
Some people branch out from their main job to take on consulting work or teach a course in their field. This may help advance your primary career if the work helps you stay current or showcases your expertise. If your second job is in a different field, the second income will increase your earnings and help shield you from the downturns in your main industry.
Don't Focus Too Narrowly on Money
"Raises and promotions are given to people who generate trust and demonstrate competence to handle more complexity," Levin said. Focus on this, and the money will likely follow.
And remember that learning new skills in a job can be just as important as the money.
"When that learning stops, when that development stops, it's time to move," said Leslie G. Griffen, managing partner of Career Management Associates in Overland Park, Kansas.
By Margaret Steen
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Get Your References Together for Your Job Search
Your resume and cover letter may be all spiffed up, but what about your references? Employers may ask for a reference list when considering you for a job, so it needs to be in top form as well. Create yours by following these expert tips.
Format for References
Create a separate document that includes a list of people who have agreed to speak with prospective employers in support of your candidacy.
“Your references should be listed on a page separate from other job application materials,” says Jeff Shane, vice president at Allison & Taylor, a professional reference- and background-checking service based in Rochester, Michigan. “Your reference list should match your resume’s fonts and format.”
Include the names and complete contact information of each reference, including job title, employer, business address, email address and telephone number, he says. “Their relationship to you -- supervisor, etc. -- should also be identified,” he says.
The list can also describe how the contact knows you, giving the reference checker context and a springboard for the conversation. “Consider adding a brief paragraph that describes a project that you worked on together or a skill that the person can attest to,” says Chris Nolan, SPHR, a Maynard, Massachusetts-based HR consultant.
How Many References?
It’s better to have more references than a prospective employer would likely check. Pam Venne, principal of The Venne Group, a Dallas career-management firm, advises job seekers to create a references pool. “When you’re asked for references, you can strategically choose the best people to represent what you want highlighted for the opportunity,” she says.
Typical job seekers should have three to four references, while those seeking more senior positions should consider listing five to seven, experts suggest. And be sure to list your strongest reference first.
Choosing Your References
Your references are your personal evangelists -- they should know you very well and be able to speak about your qualifications for the job you’re pursuing.
“Former supervisors aren't necessarily the best references since so many companies have policies prohibiting supervisors to share them,” says Christina Murphy, PHR, adjunct professor at Touro College’s Graduate School of Business. Instead, she advises selecting people who are intimate with your work and skills. “Individuals with whom you have worked closely can make excellent references, including former clients, teammates, professors or community leaders,” she says.
If you’re concerned about what your references might say about you, have a reference-verification service check your references first. “A single negative reference can damage a candidate’s prospects for future employment,” Shane says.
Unless an employer requests otherwise, professional references are preferred over personal references, such as family, friends and neighbors, whom reference checkers will know are biased.
Building Relationships with Your References
Ask your references’ permission to add their names to your list. If some time has passed since your last job search, reconnect with each of your references. “It's important to keep close contact with your references,” Murphy says. “If you haven't spoken to a contact in a while, don't expect a glowing recommendation.”
Venne stresses the importance of informing your references that they might be contacted. “I once had a great candidate who didn’t inform his references I might be calling, and two of the three wouldn’t take my calls,” she says. “He lost the job opportunity.”
Be sure to respect your references’ privacy. “Ask each reference if there’s any information they do not want listed -- this will help protect your contact’s private information,” Nolan says.
And don't forget to keep your references in the loop. When you're interviewing, reach out to your references and give them an updated copy of your resume as well as the relevant job posting. Keep them apprised of any specific skills you think make you a good fit for the job or anything else you would like them to speak to the potential employer about to help your case.
When to Submit References
Unless otherwise requested, job references should be submitted later in the hiring process. “I encourage applicants only to submit references after they have been asked,” Venne says.
Shane agrees that you shouldn’t submit references with the resume. “Your reference list should be included in your portfolio and brought to job interviews, at which time they can be presented upon request,” he says.
Express Your Gratitude
Your references are doing you a favor that can help you land your next job. Shane offers the following tips for thanking your references:
Whenever you leave a position, send your former supervisor a note thanking him for your association.
Send your references a card during the holidays. The more personal contact you have with them, the more favorable they will feel toward you.
Remember that giving a reference takes time. If you plan to use these references over the years, give something in return. For instance, each time your reference supports you with a prospective employer, send a thank-you letter. Better still, add a gift card or offer to take your reference to lunch or dinner.
By Kim Isaacs, Monster Resume Expert
Format for References
Create a separate document that includes a list of people who have agreed to speak with prospective employers in support of your candidacy.
“Your references should be listed on a page separate from other job application materials,” says Jeff Shane, vice president at Allison & Taylor, a professional reference- and background-checking service based in Rochester, Michigan. “Your reference list should match your resume’s fonts and format.”
Include the names and complete contact information of each reference, including job title, employer, business address, email address and telephone number, he says. “Their relationship to you -- supervisor, etc. -- should also be identified,” he says.
The list can also describe how the contact knows you, giving the reference checker context and a springboard for the conversation. “Consider adding a brief paragraph that describes a project that you worked on together or a skill that the person can attest to,” says Chris Nolan, SPHR, a Maynard, Massachusetts-based HR consultant.
How Many References?
It’s better to have more references than a prospective employer would likely check. Pam Venne, principal of The Venne Group, a Dallas career-management firm, advises job seekers to create a references pool. “When you’re asked for references, you can strategically choose the best people to represent what you want highlighted for the opportunity,” she says.
Typical job seekers should have three to four references, while those seeking more senior positions should consider listing five to seven, experts suggest. And be sure to list your strongest reference first.
Choosing Your References
Your references are your personal evangelists -- they should know you very well and be able to speak about your qualifications for the job you’re pursuing.
“Former supervisors aren't necessarily the best references since so many companies have policies prohibiting supervisors to share them,” says Christina Murphy, PHR, adjunct professor at Touro College’s Graduate School of Business. Instead, she advises selecting people who are intimate with your work and skills. “Individuals with whom you have worked closely can make excellent references, including former clients, teammates, professors or community leaders,” she says.
If you’re concerned about what your references might say about you, have a reference-verification service check your references first. “A single negative reference can damage a candidate’s prospects for future employment,” Shane says.
Unless an employer requests otherwise, professional references are preferred over personal references, such as family, friends and neighbors, whom reference checkers will know are biased.
Building Relationships with Your References
Ask your references’ permission to add their names to your list. If some time has passed since your last job search, reconnect with each of your references. “It's important to keep close contact with your references,” Murphy says. “If you haven't spoken to a contact in a while, don't expect a glowing recommendation.”
Venne stresses the importance of informing your references that they might be contacted. “I once had a great candidate who didn’t inform his references I might be calling, and two of the three wouldn’t take my calls,” she says. “He lost the job opportunity.”
Be sure to respect your references’ privacy. “Ask each reference if there’s any information they do not want listed -- this will help protect your contact’s private information,” Nolan says.
And don't forget to keep your references in the loop. When you're interviewing, reach out to your references and give them an updated copy of your resume as well as the relevant job posting. Keep them apprised of any specific skills you think make you a good fit for the job or anything else you would like them to speak to the potential employer about to help your case.
When to Submit References
Unless otherwise requested, job references should be submitted later in the hiring process. “I encourage applicants only to submit references after they have been asked,” Venne says.
Shane agrees that you shouldn’t submit references with the resume. “Your reference list should be included in your portfolio and brought to job interviews, at which time they can be presented upon request,” he says.
Express Your Gratitude
Your references are doing you a favor that can help you land your next job. Shane offers the following tips for thanking your references:
Whenever you leave a position, send your former supervisor a note thanking him for your association.
Send your references a card during the holidays. The more personal contact you have with them, the more favorable they will feel toward you.
Remember that giving a reference takes time. If you plan to use these references over the years, give something in return. For instance, each time your reference supports you with a prospective employer, send a thank-you letter. Better still, add a gift card or offer to take your reference to lunch or dinner.
By Kim Isaacs, Monster Resume Expert
Sunday, April 17, 2011
The 10 highest and lowest paid jobs - are YOU one of them?
The 10 best-paid and worst-paid jobs were identified by the Office for National Statistics recently. And there are a few surprises.
The main point is that the ONS only considered basic salary, not bonuses, so those at the top of the tree who would expect a bonus five times their basic wage have their place a bit skewed.
But still, it's fascinating reading.
The survey shows that the average salary for a full-time employees went up 2.6% to £25,800 in 2009.
Highest paid
1. Directors and chief executives of major organisations.
Average annual salary: £115,576
Job titles include: Chief executive, company director, general manager, managing director (of major organisations).
2. Medical practitioners
Average annual salary: £78,366
Job titles include: Anaesthetist, doctor, hospital consultant, GP, physician, psychiatrist, psycho-analyst, registrar, surgeon.
3. Senior officials in national government
Average annual salary: £68,283
Job titles include: Assistant secretary, diplomat, MEP, MP, permanent secretary.
4. Brokers
Average annual salary: £61,117
Job titles include: Commodity trader, financial broker, foreign exchange dealer, insurance broker, shipbroker, stockbroker.
5. Air traffic controllers
Average annual salary: £60,548
Job titles include: Air traffic controller, controller of aircraft, flight planner, ground movement controller.
6. Financial managers and chartered secretaries
Average annual salary: £58,295
Job titles include: Company registrar, company treasurer, credit manager, finance manager, financial director, merchant banker.
7. Senior officials in local government
Average annual salary: £55,921
Job titles include: Chief executive of local government, town clerk.
8. Police officers (inspectors and above)
Average annual salary: £53,937
Job titles include: Assistant chief constable, chief constable, chief inspector, chief superintendent, deputy chief constable.
9. IT strategy and planning professionals
Average annual salary: £50,143
Job titles include: Computer consultant, software consultant.
10. Solicitors and lawyers, judges and coroners
Average annual salary: £48,908
Job titles include: Articled clerk, barrister, coroner, judge, solicitor.
Lowest paid
1. Waiters and waitresses
Average annual salary: £11,930
2. Bar staff
Average annual salary: £11,930
3. Kitchen and catering assistants
Average annual salary: £12,410
Job titles include: Canteen assistant, catering assistant, counterhand, dining room assistant, kitchen assistant, kitchen porter, washer-up.
4. Travel and tour guides
Average annual salary: £12,561
Job titles include: Coach guide, courier for tour operator, escort, guide
5. Launderers, dry cleaners, pressers
Average annual salary: £12,657
Job titles include: Carpet cleaner, dry cleaner, garment presser, laundry worker.
6. Retail cashiers and check-out operators
Average annual salary: £12,736
Job titles include: Cashier, check-out operator, forecourt attendant, petrol pump attendant, restaurant cashier.
7. Leisure and theme park attendants
Average annual salary: £12,767
Job titles include: Arcade attendant, fairground worker, funfair attendant, usher/usherette.
8. Hairdressers and related occupations
Average annual salary: £13,194
Job titles include: Barber, beautician, hairdresser, make-up artist, manicurist, slimming consultant, barber.
9. Cleaners, domestics
Average annual salary: £13,807
Job titles include: Car valeter, chambermaid, cleaner, domestic cleaner.
10. Nursery Nurses
Average annual salary: £13,872
Job titles include: Creche assistant, nursery assistant, nursery nurse
walletpop.co.uk
by:Gareth Rubin
The main point is that the ONS only considered basic salary, not bonuses, so those at the top of the tree who would expect a bonus five times their basic wage have their place a bit skewed.
But still, it's fascinating reading.
The survey shows that the average salary for a full-time employees went up 2.6% to £25,800 in 2009.
Highest paid
1. Directors and chief executives of major organisations.
Average annual salary: £115,576
Job titles include: Chief executive, company director, general manager, managing director (of major organisations).
2. Medical practitioners
Average annual salary: £78,366
Job titles include: Anaesthetist, doctor, hospital consultant, GP, physician, psychiatrist, psycho-analyst, registrar, surgeon.
3. Senior officials in national government
Average annual salary: £68,283
Job titles include: Assistant secretary, diplomat, MEP, MP, permanent secretary.
4. Brokers
Average annual salary: £61,117
Job titles include: Commodity trader, financial broker, foreign exchange dealer, insurance broker, shipbroker, stockbroker.
5. Air traffic controllers
Average annual salary: £60,548
Job titles include: Air traffic controller, controller of aircraft, flight planner, ground movement controller.
6. Financial managers and chartered secretaries
Average annual salary: £58,295
Job titles include: Company registrar, company treasurer, credit manager, finance manager, financial director, merchant banker.
7. Senior officials in local government
Average annual salary: £55,921
Job titles include: Chief executive of local government, town clerk.
8. Police officers (inspectors and above)
Average annual salary: £53,937
Job titles include: Assistant chief constable, chief constable, chief inspector, chief superintendent, deputy chief constable.
9. IT strategy and planning professionals
Average annual salary: £50,143
Job titles include: Computer consultant, software consultant.
10. Solicitors and lawyers, judges and coroners
Average annual salary: £48,908
Job titles include: Articled clerk, barrister, coroner, judge, solicitor.
Lowest paid
1. Waiters and waitresses
Average annual salary: £11,930
2. Bar staff
Average annual salary: £11,930
3. Kitchen and catering assistants
Average annual salary: £12,410
Job titles include: Canteen assistant, catering assistant, counterhand, dining room assistant, kitchen assistant, kitchen porter, washer-up.
4. Travel and tour guides
Average annual salary: £12,561
Job titles include: Coach guide, courier for tour operator, escort, guide
5. Launderers, dry cleaners, pressers
Average annual salary: £12,657
Job titles include: Carpet cleaner, dry cleaner, garment presser, laundry worker.
6. Retail cashiers and check-out operators
Average annual salary: £12,736
Job titles include: Cashier, check-out operator, forecourt attendant, petrol pump attendant, restaurant cashier.
7. Leisure and theme park attendants
Average annual salary: £12,767
Job titles include: Arcade attendant, fairground worker, funfair attendant, usher/usherette.
8. Hairdressers and related occupations
Average annual salary: £13,194
Job titles include: Barber, beautician, hairdresser, make-up artist, manicurist, slimming consultant, barber.
9. Cleaners, domestics
Average annual salary: £13,807
Job titles include: Car valeter, chambermaid, cleaner, domestic cleaner.
10. Nursery Nurses
Average annual salary: £13,872
Job titles include: Creche assistant, nursery assistant, nursery nurse
walletpop.co.uk
by:Gareth Rubin
Friday, April 15, 2011
Want to Get Hired? Employers Give Their Best Tips
Send a thank you note. Banish that ‘objective’ line from the top of your resume. That’s some of the advice from a recent survey by CareerBuilder and Harris Interactive, which queried more than 2,800 employers between February 21 and March 10.
With the number of employers saying they plan to hire soon at a three-year high, the odds are finally shifting a bit in favor of job seekers. Here’s what you can do to make sure your resume gets to the top of the pile:
Send a cover letter. About one-third of hiring managers say they’d disqualify a job seeker if they didn’t bother to write and send a cover letter.
Begin your resume with a with a career summary. Seven in ten hiring managers say they’d prefer to see a career summary rather than an ‘objective’ at the top of your resume.
Include a bulleted list of accomplishments. Some 51 percent of hiring managers want that.
Include relevant key words. Even small companies are now using software to scan resumes, and 39 percent of hiring managers expect your resume to reflect that.
Tailor your resume to the particular job you want. More than one-third of employers expect you to do this.
Two pages is enough. Some 57 percent of employers say resumes should be two pages.
Send a thank you note. More than one in five hiring managers say they’re less likely to hire someone who doesn’t send a thank you note after an interview. Some 86 percent of those say it shows a lack of follow-through and 56 percent say it shows you don’t really care about the job. Managers in IT services are most likely to say they expect a thank you note, while those in finance are least likely to expect one.
Email is fine. Some 89 percent of hiring managers say it’s okay to send a thank you note via email, and about half say that’s actually the way they prefer to receive them.
What do you think of candidates who don’t send thank you notes? And do you agree that the job market is loosening up a bit?
By Kimberly Weisul :bnet.com
With the number of employers saying they plan to hire soon at a three-year high, the odds are finally shifting a bit in favor of job seekers. Here’s what you can do to make sure your resume gets to the top of the pile:
Send a cover letter. About one-third of hiring managers say they’d disqualify a job seeker if they didn’t bother to write and send a cover letter.
Begin your resume with a with a career summary. Seven in ten hiring managers say they’d prefer to see a career summary rather than an ‘objective’ at the top of your resume.
Include a bulleted list of accomplishments. Some 51 percent of hiring managers want that.
Include relevant key words. Even small companies are now using software to scan resumes, and 39 percent of hiring managers expect your resume to reflect that.
Tailor your resume to the particular job you want. More than one-third of employers expect you to do this.
Two pages is enough. Some 57 percent of employers say resumes should be two pages.
Send a thank you note. More than one in five hiring managers say they’re less likely to hire someone who doesn’t send a thank you note after an interview. Some 86 percent of those say it shows a lack of follow-through and 56 percent say it shows you don’t really care about the job. Managers in IT services are most likely to say they expect a thank you note, while those in finance are least likely to expect one.
Email is fine. Some 89 percent of hiring managers say it’s okay to send a thank you note via email, and about half say that’s actually the way they prefer to receive them.
What do you think of candidates who don’t send thank you notes? And do you agree that the job market is loosening up a bit?
By Kimberly Weisul :bnet.com
Thursday, April 14, 2011
The Happiest U.S. Cities to Work
A new survey reveals where the happiest workers are.
If commuting through sleet, slush and snow in the Northeast or Midwest isn't enough to make you want to pack up and move south, maybe this will: With the exception of the Bay Area and Washington, D.C., the top 10 happiest cities to work are all in sun-drenched, snow-free locales, according to online career site CareerBliss.com, which just released its first annual listing of the nation's top 50 cities.
San Jose, Calif., headlines at No. 1, closely followed by neighboring San Francisco. Both cities have tech-centric economies and are regions where employees are more than satisfied with their compensation, benefits packages and work-life balance.
Matt Miller, CTO at CareerBliss, says that cities with bigger tech presences, particularly growing IT industries, are markedly happier than other cities -- and so landed high on the list. "Cities that are tech strongholds tend to have populations with strong educational backgrounds who are pulling in high salaries," Miller says.
After San Jose and San Francisco, he points to Los Angeles (No. 8), which is benefitting from a boom in post-MySpace social networking companies, and Washington, D.C. (No. 5), where IT is a growing presence necessary to bolster and maintain government security.
To evaluate the data, CareerBliss.com, an online community for career advancement, conducted independent company reviews from employees all over the country to collect 200,000 data points on eight specific factors of workplace happiness. These are growth opportunities, compensation, benefits, work-life balance, career advancement, senior management, job security and whether the employee would recommend the company to others.
Each factor was followed by a ranking from one to five of how important that element was in the employee's overall happiness. These numbers were combined to find an average rating of overall workplace happiness for each city.
The Sunshine State's Jacksonville and Miami follow at Nos. 3 and 4, respectively. These are surprises, tending to scale low on other quality-of-work-and-life surveys, such as No. 114 of 200 on the Best Cities for Business and Careers and No. 44 of 50 on the Best Cities For Working Mothers lists. Miller was similarly surprised to see Jacksonville in the top three.
"We actually found a trend that resounded through a few surprising cities that included Jacksonville and El Paso (No. 7). These cities tended to rank high in terms of job growth opportunities -- people likely to recommend their company to others -- and work-life balance." Jacksonville especially is a city that is experiencing a lot of growth, he says. Employees at Bank of America (NYSE: BAC - News), which has a stronghold in the Florida city, are pleased with their company's growth, as it plans to expand in the city in the coming year.
[America's Happiest Companies]
Miller says military bases also play a part in the overall happiness of a city, as cities like El Paso, home to Fort Bliss and Biggs Air Force Base, tend to be happier in terms of job security. And in addition to its job security as a result of an increase in information technology jobs, Washington, D.C., employees are quite pleased with their stable, government-backed jobs, which also afford them some of the highest salaries in the country.
Rounding out the top 10 are Memphis, Tenn. (No. 6), San Diego, Calif. (No. 9) and Birmingham, Ala. (No. 10).
Another shocker? New York City, home of high Wall Street salaries and not a few corporate headquarters, sits at No. 14. Says Miller: "As far as the quality of the work or opportunity to grow, [New York City] ranked low. Compensation and benefits ranked higher than many other cities, but how [employees] feel about their jobs kept it from landing in the top 10."
Readers: What makes you happy at work? If asked to rank growth opportunity, compensation, benefits, work-life balance, career advancement, senior management and job security, what element would play the biggest part in keeping you content?
The Happiest U.S. Cities to Work
forbeshappywork1.jpg
©Hisham Ibrahim/Getty Images
No. 1 San Jose
Average salary: $82,635.58
Work-life balance rating: 3.61
Job security rating: 3.13
forbeshappywork2.jpg
©Dirk Anschutz/Getty Images
No. 2 San Francisco
Average salary: $74,745.13
Work-life balance rating: 3.56
Job security rating: 3.13
forbeshappywork3.jpg
©Jim Arbogast/Getty Images
No. 3 Jacksonville, Fla.
Average salary: $55,532.67
Work-life balance rating: 3.56
Job security rating: 3.47
forbeshappywork4.jpg
©Paul Chesley/Getty Images
No. 4 Miami
Average salary: $58,039.72
Work-life balance rating: 3.57
Job security rating: 3.44
forbeshappywork5.jpg
©Vito Palmisano/Getty Images
No. 5 Washington, D.C.
Average salary: $73,708.26
Work-life balance rating: 3.53
Job security rating: 3.44
by Meghan Casserly :finance.yahoo.com
If commuting through sleet, slush and snow in the Northeast or Midwest isn't enough to make you want to pack up and move south, maybe this will: With the exception of the Bay Area and Washington, D.C., the top 10 happiest cities to work are all in sun-drenched, snow-free locales, according to online career site CareerBliss.com, which just released its first annual listing of the nation's top 50 cities.
San Jose, Calif., headlines at No. 1, closely followed by neighboring San Francisco. Both cities have tech-centric economies and are regions where employees are more than satisfied with their compensation, benefits packages and work-life balance.
Matt Miller, CTO at CareerBliss, says that cities with bigger tech presences, particularly growing IT industries, are markedly happier than other cities -- and so landed high on the list. "Cities that are tech strongholds tend to have populations with strong educational backgrounds who are pulling in high salaries," Miller says.
After San Jose and San Francisco, he points to Los Angeles (No. 8), which is benefitting from a boom in post-MySpace social networking companies, and Washington, D.C. (No. 5), where IT is a growing presence necessary to bolster and maintain government security.
To evaluate the data, CareerBliss.com, an online community for career advancement, conducted independent company reviews from employees all over the country to collect 200,000 data points on eight specific factors of workplace happiness. These are growth opportunities, compensation, benefits, work-life balance, career advancement, senior management, job security and whether the employee would recommend the company to others.
Each factor was followed by a ranking from one to five of how important that element was in the employee's overall happiness. These numbers were combined to find an average rating of overall workplace happiness for each city.
The Sunshine State's Jacksonville and Miami follow at Nos. 3 and 4, respectively. These are surprises, tending to scale low on other quality-of-work-and-life surveys, such as No. 114 of 200 on the Best Cities for Business and Careers and No. 44 of 50 on the Best Cities For Working Mothers lists. Miller was similarly surprised to see Jacksonville in the top three.
"We actually found a trend that resounded through a few surprising cities that included Jacksonville and El Paso (No. 7). These cities tended to rank high in terms of job growth opportunities -- people likely to recommend their company to others -- and work-life balance." Jacksonville especially is a city that is experiencing a lot of growth, he says. Employees at Bank of America (NYSE: BAC - News), which has a stronghold in the Florida city, are pleased with their company's growth, as it plans to expand in the city in the coming year.
[America's Happiest Companies]
Miller says military bases also play a part in the overall happiness of a city, as cities like El Paso, home to Fort Bliss and Biggs Air Force Base, tend to be happier in terms of job security. And in addition to its job security as a result of an increase in information technology jobs, Washington, D.C., employees are quite pleased with their stable, government-backed jobs, which also afford them some of the highest salaries in the country.
Rounding out the top 10 are Memphis, Tenn. (No. 6), San Diego, Calif. (No. 9) and Birmingham, Ala. (No. 10).
Another shocker? New York City, home of high Wall Street salaries and not a few corporate headquarters, sits at No. 14. Says Miller: "As far as the quality of the work or opportunity to grow, [New York City] ranked low. Compensation and benefits ranked higher than many other cities, but how [employees] feel about their jobs kept it from landing in the top 10."
Readers: What makes you happy at work? If asked to rank growth opportunity, compensation, benefits, work-life balance, career advancement, senior management and job security, what element would play the biggest part in keeping you content?
The Happiest U.S. Cities to Work
forbeshappywork1.jpg
©Hisham Ibrahim/Getty Images
No. 1 San Jose
Average salary: $82,635.58
Work-life balance rating: 3.61
Job security rating: 3.13
forbeshappywork2.jpg
©Dirk Anschutz/Getty Images
No. 2 San Francisco
Average salary: $74,745.13
Work-life balance rating: 3.56
Job security rating: 3.13
forbeshappywork3.jpg
©Jim Arbogast/Getty Images
No. 3 Jacksonville, Fla.
Average salary: $55,532.67
Work-life balance rating: 3.56
Job security rating: 3.47
forbeshappywork4.jpg
©Paul Chesley/Getty Images
No. 4 Miami
Average salary: $58,039.72
Work-life balance rating: 3.57
Job security rating: 3.44
forbeshappywork5.jpg
©Vito Palmisano/Getty Images
No. 5 Washington, D.C.
Average salary: $73,708.26
Work-life balance rating: 3.53
Job security rating: 3.44
by Meghan Casserly :finance.yahoo.com
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Highest Paying Jobs in America
Some of the highest paying jobs in America fall into the category of entertainers and professional athletes. But let's face not everybody has the golf swing of Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson, nor the rebound skills and point record of LeBron James. Unfortunately most of us aren't going to pull in a cool $300 million like Steven Spielberg but that's OK because everyone has there own talents and gifts to offer the world and the preceding examples are by far the extreme. Let's take a look at some more realistic possibilities for you and I.
Obviously the traditional highest paying jobs require an extensive education including post graduate work. For example a Chief Executive pulls in an average yearly salary of $240,000, requiring Bachelor's or advanced degree, usually in business administration or liberal arts. Surgeons and physicians with average annual earnings of $130,000-$150,000 require a serious amount of commitment and education. A bachelor's degree, four years of medical school and three to eight years of internship and residency, and must pass a licensing exam.
Dentists and lawyers both require a bachelors degree followed by dental school and law school respectively, both making an average of $120,000-$130,000 a year. There are various management positions, all requiring a bachelors degree that make anywhere from roughly $75,000 - $95,000 a year, and include general & operations managers, natural sciences managers (masters degree), financial managers, public relations managers, Purchasing managers, and industrial production managers.
The problem with the above listed jobs is that in today's shaky job market there are just no guarantees, even with a college degree. We all know about recent college graduates, with huge debt, taking jobs they are overqualified for because they can't find work in their chosen field. This economy is changing so fast it's difficult to keep up. Lets now take a look at some profitable five and six figure income earning alternatives that are available to you today.
We all know that technology and the internet have completely revolutionized the way business is being done iaround the world today, especially in this economy. The internet has totally changed the way products and services are rendered and the way major corporations spend their advertising money. Savvy entrepreneurs know this, they study emerging trends and then position themselves in front of them. If the economic downturn of the last two years has produced anything positive, it is that it has forced innovation and a new productive capacity has been born.
Today some of the highest paying jobs in America aren't really jobs so much as they are individual businesses, personal franchises, and can be operated from home or anywhere else in the world using a computer, a cell phone, and fax machine. Welcome to the new economy. The online world represents the new gold rush for smart entrepreneurs who, with very little start up cost and practically no overhead, are generating six and seven figure incomes by leveraging technology and the internet.
Right now you have the unique opportunity to position yourself in front of this hugely profitable business trend and learn from a group of professional entrepreneurs that will literally take you by the hand and provide you with the mentoring, training infrastructure, business systems, and community so that you can literally create any amount of wealth that you desire. There is absolutely no cap on the wealth that you can create as an internet entrepreneur and requires no degree and no experience, only a burning desire to succeed.
Obviously this is NOT for everyone. You have to be willing to think like an entrepreneur and understand that achievement, regardless of surrounding circumstances, is always attainable if you DESIRE the end result with enough PASSION. This is a very focused group of people that will help you to achieve your goals, they benefit if you benefit, IF you are serious. You already know that you deserve success. Never forget that.
So if this sounds like who you are or wish to become, please take a look at: http://www.NewEconomySecrets.com
Johnny Wall is a home based business builder, Internet marketer, and trainer with a passion for showing others how to create real and lasting freedom for themselves through entrepreneurship and a practical approach toward personal growth. Johnny works with a group of inspired entrepreneurs who are committed to contributing to the new economy and to empower as many as possible to achieve personal and financial success in their lives.
By Johnny Wall:ezinearticles.com
Obviously the traditional highest paying jobs require an extensive education including post graduate work. For example a Chief Executive pulls in an average yearly salary of $240,000, requiring Bachelor's or advanced degree, usually in business administration or liberal arts. Surgeons and physicians with average annual earnings of $130,000-$150,000 require a serious amount of commitment and education. A bachelor's degree, four years of medical school and three to eight years of internship and residency, and must pass a licensing exam.
Dentists and lawyers both require a bachelors degree followed by dental school and law school respectively, both making an average of $120,000-$130,000 a year. There are various management positions, all requiring a bachelors degree that make anywhere from roughly $75,000 - $95,000 a year, and include general & operations managers, natural sciences managers (masters degree), financial managers, public relations managers, Purchasing managers, and industrial production managers.
The problem with the above listed jobs is that in today's shaky job market there are just no guarantees, even with a college degree. We all know about recent college graduates, with huge debt, taking jobs they are overqualified for because they can't find work in their chosen field. This economy is changing so fast it's difficult to keep up. Lets now take a look at some profitable five and six figure income earning alternatives that are available to you today.
We all know that technology and the internet have completely revolutionized the way business is being done iaround the world today, especially in this economy. The internet has totally changed the way products and services are rendered and the way major corporations spend their advertising money. Savvy entrepreneurs know this, they study emerging trends and then position themselves in front of them. If the economic downturn of the last two years has produced anything positive, it is that it has forced innovation and a new productive capacity has been born.
Today some of the highest paying jobs in America aren't really jobs so much as they are individual businesses, personal franchises, and can be operated from home or anywhere else in the world using a computer, a cell phone, and fax machine. Welcome to the new economy. The online world represents the new gold rush for smart entrepreneurs who, with very little start up cost and practically no overhead, are generating six and seven figure incomes by leveraging technology and the internet.
Right now you have the unique opportunity to position yourself in front of this hugely profitable business trend and learn from a group of professional entrepreneurs that will literally take you by the hand and provide you with the mentoring, training infrastructure, business systems, and community so that you can literally create any amount of wealth that you desire. There is absolutely no cap on the wealth that you can create as an internet entrepreneur and requires no degree and no experience, only a burning desire to succeed.
Obviously this is NOT for everyone. You have to be willing to think like an entrepreneur and understand that achievement, regardless of surrounding circumstances, is always attainable if you DESIRE the end result with enough PASSION. This is a very focused group of people that will help you to achieve your goals, they benefit if you benefit, IF you are serious. You already know that you deserve success. Never forget that.
So if this sounds like who you are or wish to become, please take a look at: http://www.NewEconomySecrets.com
Johnny Wall is a home based business builder, Internet marketer, and trainer with a passion for showing others how to create real and lasting freedom for themselves through entrepreneurship and a practical approach toward personal growth. Johnny works with a group of inspired entrepreneurs who are committed to contributing to the new economy and to empower as many as possible to achieve personal and financial success in their lives.
By Johnny Wall:ezinearticles.com
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Highest paid IT jobs in demand for 2011
Bangalore: As the information technology boom gets stronger and expands its operations to new untapped markets, the enterprise IT becomes the most sought after job for the new-age techies, with 15 to 20 percent salary hike during 2010. Siliconindia surveyed human resource managers and hiring managers. More than 50 percent of recruiters expect to see more hiring in the first half of the year in the areas below, which are well in demand for the year to come.
Highest paid IT jobs in demand for 2011
Data Architect
A data architect understands the behavior of systems in a multitude environment and how they chart out strategies on how a number of systems can interact with each other to obtain a desired result. A data architect needs to be able to have an end-to-end vision, and to see how a logical design will translate into one or more physical databases, and how the data will flow through the successive Stages involved. The salary of a data architect with an experience of 3 to 10 years ranges somewhere between 8,80,000 to 17,30,000 per annum.
Data Modeler
A data modeler designs methods for handling, processing and evaluating material. He or she needs to formalize and document of existing processes and events that occur during application software design and development. The salary of a data modeler with an experience of 3 to 6 years ranges somewhere between 3,50,000 to 8,50,000 per annum.
Data Warehouse Analyst
Jobs managing the ever-increasing storage demand with the rise of video, enhanced Web graphics and larger archiving demands. A data warehouse maintains its functions in three layers: staging, integration, and access. 'Staging' is used to store raw data for use by developers. The 'integration' layer is used to integrate data and to have a level of abstraction from users. The 'access' layer is for getting data out for users. The salary of a data warehouse analyst with an experience of 3 to 7 years ranges somewhere between 3,45,000 to 8,00,000 per annum.
Operation Mangers
The dealings of an operation manager range from strategic to tactical and operational levels. An operation manager needs to have a combination of team management, vendor management and technology know-how. Tactical issues include plant layout and structure, project management methods, and equipment selection and replacement. Operational issues include production scheduling and control, inventory management, quality control and inspection, traffic and materials handling, and equipment maintenance policies. The salary of an operation manger with an experience of 3 to 6 years ranges somewhere between 3,75,000 to 7,70,000 per annum.
Business Intelligence Analyst
Companies need analysts who can guide decision-making processes in a constantly changing business environment, and help reduce costs and better evaluate internal and external clients. A Business Intelligence Analyst plays a key role in better business decision-making. The salary of a business intelligence analyst with an experience of 3 to 6 years ranges somewhere between 3,25,000 to 7,40,000 per annum.
Lead Application Developer
A lead application developer needs to have higher-level application design skills that focus on clean, easy and useful experiences. He or she needs to Identify, define, and model the application requirements. The lead application developer has to define data structures and distribution to satisfy the application solution. The salary of a lead application developer with an experience of 3 to 6 years ranges somewhere between 3,30,000 to 7,20,000 per annum.
ERP Technical Developer
ERP is a great help for organizations of all sizes to improve efficiency and cut coasts. Developers need to customize software according to specific organizational needs. The salary of an ERP technical developer with an experience of 3 to 5 years ranges somewhere between 2,90,000 to 6,40,000 per Annam.
ERP Business Analyst
There has been so much investment in ERP in the enterprise, but every company environment needs a business analyst to define the business processes, and configure and deploy them, as well as set up the reporting structures. The salary of an ERP business analyst with an experience of 3 to 4 years ranges somewhere between 1,22,000 to 5,12,000 per annum.
Highest paid IT jobs in demand for 2011
Web Developer
From social media to mobile applications for smartphones such as the iPhone, the Droid and HTC devices, Web development continues to be in high demand, especially in customer-centric front and back-end frameworks and systems. A web developer is responsible for programming the functionality of a web site. A web developer figures out how it is going to do it and then writes the necessary programming code. The salary of a web developer with an experience of 3 to 10 years ranges somewhere between 3,15,000 to 13,75,000 per annum.
Networking Engineer
A networking engineer is a high-level LAN/WAN technician who plans, implements and supports network solutions between multiple platforms. A network engineer installs and maintains local area network hardware and software, and troubleshoots network usage and computer peripherals. The salary of a networking engineer with an experience of 3 to 10 years ranges somewhere between 4,27,000 to 13,50,000 per Annam.
By SiliconIndia :siliconindia.com
Highest paid IT jobs in demand for 2011
Data Architect
A data architect understands the behavior of systems in a multitude environment and how they chart out strategies on how a number of systems can interact with each other to obtain a desired result. A data architect needs to be able to have an end-to-end vision, and to see how a logical design will translate into one or more physical databases, and how the data will flow through the successive Stages involved. The salary of a data architect with an experience of 3 to 10 years ranges somewhere between 8,80,000 to 17,30,000 per annum.
Data Modeler
A data modeler designs methods for handling, processing and evaluating material. He or she needs to formalize and document of existing processes and events that occur during application software design and development. The salary of a data modeler with an experience of 3 to 6 years ranges somewhere between 3,50,000 to 8,50,000 per annum.
Data Warehouse Analyst
Jobs managing the ever-increasing storage demand with the rise of video, enhanced Web graphics and larger archiving demands. A data warehouse maintains its functions in three layers: staging, integration, and access. 'Staging' is used to store raw data for use by developers. The 'integration' layer is used to integrate data and to have a level of abstraction from users. The 'access' layer is for getting data out for users. The salary of a data warehouse analyst with an experience of 3 to 7 years ranges somewhere between 3,45,000 to 8,00,000 per annum.
Operation Mangers
The dealings of an operation manager range from strategic to tactical and operational levels. An operation manager needs to have a combination of team management, vendor management and technology know-how. Tactical issues include plant layout and structure, project management methods, and equipment selection and replacement. Operational issues include production scheduling and control, inventory management, quality control and inspection, traffic and materials handling, and equipment maintenance policies. The salary of an operation manger with an experience of 3 to 6 years ranges somewhere between 3,75,000 to 7,70,000 per annum.
Business Intelligence Analyst
Companies need analysts who can guide decision-making processes in a constantly changing business environment, and help reduce costs and better evaluate internal and external clients. A Business Intelligence Analyst plays a key role in better business decision-making. The salary of a business intelligence analyst with an experience of 3 to 6 years ranges somewhere between 3,25,000 to 7,40,000 per annum.
Lead Application Developer
A lead application developer needs to have higher-level application design skills that focus on clean, easy and useful experiences. He or she needs to Identify, define, and model the application requirements. The lead application developer has to define data structures and distribution to satisfy the application solution. The salary of a lead application developer with an experience of 3 to 6 years ranges somewhere between 3,30,000 to 7,20,000 per annum.
ERP Technical Developer
ERP is a great help for organizations of all sizes to improve efficiency and cut coasts. Developers need to customize software according to specific organizational needs. The salary of an ERP technical developer with an experience of 3 to 5 years ranges somewhere between 2,90,000 to 6,40,000 per Annam.
ERP Business Analyst
There has been so much investment in ERP in the enterprise, but every company environment needs a business analyst to define the business processes, and configure and deploy them, as well as set up the reporting structures. The salary of an ERP business analyst with an experience of 3 to 4 years ranges somewhere between 1,22,000 to 5,12,000 per annum.
Highest paid IT jobs in demand for 2011
Web Developer
From social media to mobile applications for smartphones such as the iPhone, the Droid and HTC devices, Web development continues to be in high demand, especially in customer-centric front and back-end frameworks and systems. A web developer is responsible for programming the functionality of a web site. A web developer figures out how it is going to do it and then writes the necessary programming code. The salary of a web developer with an experience of 3 to 10 years ranges somewhere between 3,15,000 to 13,75,000 per annum.
Networking Engineer
A networking engineer is a high-level LAN/WAN technician who plans, implements and supports network solutions between multiple platforms. A network engineer installs and maintains local area network hardware and software, and troubleshoots network usage and computer peripherals. The salary of a networking engineer with an experience of 3 to 10 years ranges somewhere between 4,27,000 to 13,50,000 per Annam.
By SiliconIndia :siliconindia.com
Friday, April 8, 2011
Eight High-Paying Sales Jobs
Want to make the most possible money in sales? Stick with service-related industries or market big-ticket, high-margin items sold to businesses, rather than consumers. And get into the field right out of college, because the chances of landing a six-figure sales job diminish as you age.
Here’s a look at eight sales jobs where your base salary and commissions could add up to six figures:
Consulting Sales
Base Salary: $120,000 to $250,000
Commissions: $25,000 to $3 million
Companies that sell their expertise to other companies recruit high-GPA students from select universities. They love club leaders and sports-team captains who live to win. “Obviously, they would prefer somebody with accounting knowledge, but it’s not always the case,” says William Gaffney, a recruiter with Amaxa Group in Dayton. This is an eat-what-you-kill environment, where the biggest commissions go to those who bring in the biggest contracts.
Consumer Packaged Goods Sales
Base Salary: $150,000 to $180,000
Commissions: $100,000 to $150,000
The consumer packaged goods (CPG) market, including toys, beverages and products sold through grocery stores and ethnic markets, is growing, says Brian Sekandi, principal search consultant for Gilmore Partners in Toronto. A CPG sales director places the product nationally via a network of consumer market contacts. To start your career as a junior CPG salesperson, you’ll need an MBA. “You’re like a brand manager, but you do many other things,” Sekandi says. “You’re fully involved in the business, not just selling the product.”
Digital Media Sales
Base Salary: $170,000 to $180,000
Commissions: $130,000 to $220,000
The digital ad sales market continues to grow, while traditional print, broadcast and cable sink. “If you’re in media, get over to the digital side -- banners, buttons, search-engine optimization -- because the digital agencies still have money,” says Rick Linde, a partner at executive search firm Battalia Winston in New York City.
Look for large clients opening new distribution channels, such as Internet Protocol television, video-on-demand initiatives or selling products on mobile phones. “We’re seeing a lot of new business channels, so you need the ability to sell in new platforms [such as] text messaging or scanning your mobile on an advertisement and getting a promotion,” Sekandi adds.
If you’re now selling traditional media, sell integrated packages and then shift into selling only digital.
Medical-Device Sales
Base Salary: $0 to $70,000
Commissions: $200,000 to $300,000
Medical-device companies like to hire their entry-level salespeople from the ranks of business-to-business salespeople, says Mamie Rudd, a senior medical recruiter for Richard Kader and Associates in Cleveland. So, if you’ve sold equipment or payroll services, you’re a great candidate for this job.
The catch is that you can’t be at all queasy about the sight of blood, because medical-device salespeople have to demonstrate their products and often work right alongside surgeons in the operating room. Expect to do lots of cold-calling in the beginning and relationship-building with doctors throughout your career.
Outsourced Services
Base Salary: $150,000 to $200,000
Commissions: $200,000 to $500,000
Any task a corporation can outsource is a chance for a salesperson to earn a hefty commission. Call centers were among the first outsourced tasks, but there’s also plant maintenance, office administration, human resources, payroll and legal compliance.
This is one sales job you can walk into mid-career, because companies actively look for salespeople that come out of the sector they’re selling into, Gaffney says. “You know where strengths and weaknesses are and where companies are vulnerable in what they’re doing,” he says. Keep in mind that selling may require a completely different skill set than the one that made you successful in your field. For instance, running a call center and selling call-center services are two completely different jobs.
Software Sales
Base Salary: $80,000 to $100,000
Commissions: $250,000 to $1 million
Successful high-end software industry salespeople know how to combine consultative sales with just the right amount of arm-twisting, says Gaffney.
To start as a junior salesperson, you’ll need a college degree and demonstrated aggressiveness, such as having played a varsity sport. An IT or marketing major will also help land this position.
If you work in the industry using a software product, you may also be able to move over to sales mid-career, because you know the industry players, as well as the application’s technical and functional specifics. “You’ll still have to have an aggressive personality if you want them to take a look at you,” Gaffney says.
Startup Business Development
Base Salary: $150,000
Commissions: Unlimited
If you like risks, consider putting your MBA to work as a business development director selling a startup. You’ll need top-notch negotiation skills and the ability to interpret technical information for a nontechnical audience. The salary typically comes with stock options you cash in when the company succeeds. “A lot of startups don’t make it past the three- to five-year mark,” Sekandi says. “If your gamble pays off, you’ll be a millionaire. If it doesn’t, you’ll be looking for another job.”
Telecommunications Sales
Base Salary: $70,000 to $100,000
Commissions: $100,000 to $200,000
Selling telecommunications products such as network or security services to large corporations is a high-paying sales job you can work your way up to. Start by selling cable services to businesses. “Then, if you’re aggressive and polished-looking, you can move across into network or security services by networking with the right people,” Gaffney says. Look to make those connections with national account organization sales managers.
By Dona DeZube, Monster Finance Careers
Here’s a look at eight sales jobs where your base salary and commissions could add up to six figures:
Consulting Sales
Base Salary: $120,000 to $250,000
Commissions: $25,000 to $3 million
Companies that sell their expertise to other companies recruit high-GPA students from select universities. They love club leaders and sports-team captains who live to win. “Obviously, they would prefer somebody with accounting knowledge, but it’s not always the case,” says William Gaffney, a recruiter with Amaxa Group in Dayton. This is an eat-what-you-kill environment, where the biggest commissions go to those who bring in the biggest contracts.
Consumer Packaged Goods Sales
Base Salary: $150,000 to $180,000
Commissions: $100,000 to $150,000
The consumer packaged goods (CPG) market, including toys, beverages and products sold through grocery stores and ethnic markets, is growing, says Brian Sekandi, principal search consultant for Gilmore Partners in Toronto. A CPG sales director places the product nationally via a network of consumer market contacts. To start your career as a junior CPG salesperson, you’ll need an MBA. “You’re like a brand manager, but you do many other things,” Sekandi says. “You’re fully involved in the business, not just selling the product.”
Digital Media Sales
Base Salary: $170,000 to $180,000
Commissions: $130,000 to $220,000
The digital ad sales market continues to grow, while traditional print, broadcast and cable sink. “If you’re in media, get over to the digital side -- banners, buttons, search-engine optimization -- because the digital agencies still have money,” says Rick Linde, a partner at executive search firm Battalia Winston in New York City.
Look for large clients opening new distribution channels, such as Internet Protocol television, video-on-demand initiatives or selling products on mobile phones. “We’re seeing a lot of new business channels, so you need the ability to sell in new platforms [such as] text messaging or scanning your mobile on an advertisement and getting a promotion,” Sekandi adds.
If you’re now selling traditional media, sell integrated packages and then shift into selling only digital.
Medical-Device Sales
Base Salary: $0 to $70,000
Commissions: $200,000 to $300,000
Medical-device companies like to hire their entry-level salespeople from the ranks of business-to-business salespeople, says Mamie Rudd, a senior medical recruiter for Richard Kader and Associates in Cleveland. So, if you’ve sold equipment or payroll services, you’re a great candidate for this job.
The catch is that you can’t be at all queasy about the sight of blood, because medical-device salespeople have to demonstrate their products and often work right alongside surgeons in the operating room. Expect to do lots of cold-calling in the beginning and relationship-building with doctors throughout your career.
Outsourced Services
Base Salary: $150,000 to $200,000
Commissions: $200,000 to $500,000
Any task a corporation can outsource is a chance for a salesperson to earn a hefty commission. Call centers were among the first outsourced tasks, but there’s also plant maintenance, office administration, human resources, payroll and legal compliance.
This is one sales job you can walk into mid-career, because companies actively look for salespeople that come out of the sector they’re selling into, Gaffney says. “You know where strengths and weaknesses are and where companies are vulnerable in what they’re doing,” he says. Keep in mind that selling may require a completely different skill set than the one that made you successful in your field. For instance, running a call center and selling call-center services are two completely different jobs.
Software Sales
Base Salary: $80,000 to $100,000
Commissions: $250,000 to $1 million
Successful high-end software industry salespeople know how to combine consultative sales with just the right amount of arm-twisting, says Gaffney.
To start as a junior salesperson, you’ll need a college degree and demonstrated aggressiveness, such as having played a varsity sport. An IT or marketing major will also help land this position.
If you work in the industry using a software product, you may also be able to move over to sales mid-career, because you know the industry players, as well as the application’s technical and functional specifics. “You’ll still have to have an aggressive personality if you want them to take a look at you,” Gaffney says.
Startup Business Development
Base Salary: $150,000
Commissions: Unlimited
If you like risks, consider putting your MBA to work as a business development director selling a startup. You’ll need top-notch negotiation skills and the ability to interpret technical information for a nontechnical audience. The salary typically comes with stock options you cash in when the company succeeds. “A lot of startups don’t make it past the three- to five-year mark,” Sekandi says. “If your gamble pays off, you’ll be a millionaire. If it doesn’t, you’ll be looking for another job.”
Telecommunications Sales
Base Salary: $70,000 to $100,000
Commissions: $100,000 to $200,000
Selling telecommunications products such as network or security services to large corporations is a high-paying sales job you can work your way up to. Start by selling cable services to businesses. “Then, if you’re aggressive and polished-looking, you can move across into network or security services by networking with the right people,” Gaffney says. Look to make those connections with national account organization sales managers.
By Dona DeZube, Monster Finance Careers
Thursday, April 7, 2011
6 Best Paid Jobs
Because of the rapid increase of man's need for financial stability, he will do almost everything just to pursue his life's dream. Having a luxurious and happy life is one and probably the main goal of every daddy, mommy and child. That is why, even at an early age, they start to prepare for their future. They begin to discover their skills and capabilities so that they would be able to know what type of job is best for them. Not only this, but the job should be a highly paid one too. Of course, everyone is aspiring to get a job that pays big. With a high-paying job, it would be easier to for a person to reach his aspirations in life.
Here are some of the most high-paid jobs that you can find nowadays:
Chief Executive Officer - The Chief Executive Officer or commonly known as the CEO is the only organizational position that is basically in charge in bringing out tactical plans and methods that were organized by the board of directors. The salary of a CEO averages up to $160,440 a month.
Marketing Managers - A marketing manager is the one that develops costing tactics, customer services and balances firm objectives. He is also the one responsible upon devising the best marketing strategies for the company. A marketing manager's monthly salary has an average of $118,160 a month.
Agents - Agents are mostly the ones that look for clients and perform effective negotiations upon closing a deal. They should have a special skill when it comes to sales talk. Examples of agents are insurance agents and sales agents. The average salary of an agent costs up to $101,220 a year.
Financial Consultants - Financial consultants or also known as financial advisors are the ones that offer counseling when it comes to financial management. The average salary of Financial Consultants averages up to $92,970 annually.
Management Analysts - They are the ones in charge in organizational evaluations and analysis., design systems and procedures and a lot more. They are the ones that do most of the thinking and studying regarding the benefit of a certain company. A management analyst earns up to $82,920 a year.
Business Operations Specialists - The responsibilities of a Business Operations Specialists includes developing the standard operating methods for all business functions and gives every business operations the financial, contractual and administrative support. An average Business Operations Specialist earns up to $64,990 every year.
Actually, there are many more kinds of jobs that offer high income. Some companies give salary increase every month or depending upon your performance. The best thing to do is to develop what ever skill or passion you have for you to qualify in any type of job you like.
ezinearticles.com
By Daryl Dela Cruz
Here are some of the most high-paid jobs that you can find nowadays:
Chief Executive Officer - The Chief Executive Officer or commonly known as the CEO is the only organizational position that is basically in charge in bringing out tactical plans and methods that were organized by the board of directors. The salary of a CEO averages up to $160,440 a month.
Marketing Managers - A marketing manager is the one that develops costing tactics, customer services and balances firm objectives. He is also the one responsible upon devising the best marketing strategies for the company. A marketing manager's monthly salary has an average of $118,160 a month.
Agents - Agents are mostly the ones that look for clients and perform effective negotiations upon closing a deal. They should have a special skill when it comes to sales talk. Examples of agents are insurance agents and sales agents. The average salary of an agent costs up to $101,220 a year.
Financial Consultants - Financial consultants or also known as financial advisors are the ones that offer counseling when it comes to financial management. The average salary of Financial Consultants averages up to $92,970 annually.
Management Analysts - They are the ones in charge in organizational evaluations and analysis., design systems and procedures and a lot more. They are the ones that do most of the thinking and studying regarding the benefit of a certain company. A management analyst earns up to $82,920 a year.
Business Operations Specialists - The responsibilities of a Business Operations Specialists includes developing the standard operating methods for all business functions and gives every business operations the financial, contractual and administrative support. An average Business Operations Specialist earns up to $64,990 every year.
Actually, there are many more kinds of jobs that offer high income. Some companies give salary increase every month or depending upon your performance. The best thing to do is to develop what ever skill or passion you have for you to qualify in any type of job you like.
ezinearticles.com
By Daryl Dela Cruz
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Why the Middle-Aged Are Missing Out on New Jobs
Like many other things in the stutter-step economic recovery, the job market is finally recovering, but progress is uneven and some people are being left out. The latest jobs report, for example, shows that the economy created 216,000 jobs in March, for a total of about 1.9 million new jobs since employment levels bottomed out at the end of 2009. That's a healthy pace of job growth that will help bring down the uncomfortably high unemployment rate, and, with luck, cement the recovery.
[See 10 industries that will hire the most in 2011.]
But digging into the numbers reveals some of the unusual ways that work and retirement may be permanently changing for millions of Americans. Most of the new jobs created since the end of 2009, for one thing, are going to workers under the age of 34, or over the age of 55. Employment levels for middle-aged workers, meanwhile, are stagnant or still falling. Here's a breakdown:
Age group Job gains last 15 months Unemployment rate
All adults 16 and over 1.9 million 8.8%
16 - 24 490,000 17.6%
25 - 34 709,000 9.1%
35 - 44 -143,000 7.2%
45 - 54 -454,000 7.1%
55 and over 1.3 million 3.1%
(Note: The broken-down job numbers don't completely add up to the total due to seasonal adjustments and other factors.)
Job gains for workers under 35--about 1.2 million in total--seem to be healthy and normal for this point in a recovery. That's obviously good news, since recent college grads will have an easier time finding jobs, adult kids will finally wave goodbye to their parents and move out on their own, and young Americans will form more new households, which will help boost spending and perhaps even revive the moribund housing market down the road. But other trends are surprising and even troublesome. Here are four important things that seem to be changing:
More working seniors. Workers over 55 are snagging the most new jobs, which says a lot about the state of retirement planning in America. Numerous surveys show that perhaps half of all Americans heading toward their retirement years lack enough savings to maintain their current standard of living as they age. The sharp drop in home values has hammered away at the household wealth of many retirement-age people. Many others lost a bundle when the stock market fell in 2008 and 2009--and bailed out just in time to miss the bull market that followed. Add to that fears of cutbacks in Social Security and Medicare, due to the skyrocketing national debt. The golden years, for many, aren't shimmery at all.
[See why baby boomers are bummed out.]
Many seniors say they plan to postpone retirement or work indefinitely, and the data shows they're doing just that. For the last decade, the overall labor-force participation rate--the percentage of the population that wants to work--has been gradually shrinking. But for workers 55 and over it's been going straight up. At the beginning of 2001, for instance, about 33 percent of seniors counted themselves as part of the labor force. Right before the recession started, in 2007, it was about 39 percent. The participation rate dropped sharply for all other age groups during the recession, as people gave up looking for work, went back to school, or decided to stay home for awhile to help with the kids. But for seniors it inched up, and is now at 40 percent--about 7 points higher than a decade ago. On one hand, it's good news that older workers are able to keep a paycheck coming, and build (or rebuild) their nest eggs--and that employers are willing to hire them. But they may also be taking jobs that would go to younger workers. And rising later-life employment is probably a sign of economic stress that could last awhile.
A major midlife job crisis. The overall job market is clearly healing, but middle-aged workers aren't part of the revival. Workers between the ages of 45 and 54 are still losing jobs on net, with a decline of about 364,000 jobs in this age group so far this year. That seems remarkable--and worrisome--given that these are people in their prime earning years, and they also ought to be at peak levels of expertise in their fields or careers. Yet they're not yet participating in the jobs recovery, perhaps because their pay requirements are too high in an economy where employers still aren't willing to bring back the most expensive workers. Many are most likely middle managers whose ranks were severely thinned during the recession, or construction and manufacturing workers who still can't find work, and may never be able to in their current fields.
[See what it will take to fix the housing market.]
For the next youngest age group, the news is slightly better. Workers between 35 and 44 have picked up 158,000 jobs so far this year, but that's still weak growth, and overall this group is still down 143,000 jobs since the end of 2009, when the overall job market started to turn up. The weak job prospects for workers between 35 and 54 has major implications for the whole nation, because in general these are the workers supporting middle-class families (or trying to). Their spending drives the economy, and growth will be weak if middle-aged workers continue to struggle, or worse, drop out of the labor force in bigger-than-usual numbers.
More female breadwinners. Women have played an increasingly important role in the economy over the last 50 years, and that trend accelerated during the recession. Men dropped out of the labor force at a faster rate than women during the recession, and women also seem to be regaining jobs at a faster pace than men. Women are slightly better educated than men on average, and they also tend to work in fields like healthcare and education, which are more stable than male-dominated fields like construction and manufacturing. One likely outcome of all the turbulence in the job market is that women will be the breadwinners in more middle-class families headed by middle-aged parents.
[See how tough times are helping women get ahead.]
A shrinking labor force. It's typical for the number of people working or looking for work--the standard definition of the labor force--to shrink during a recession. Some people figure they won't find a job no matter what, so they do something else until the economy improves, when they start looking for work again. But that's another pattern that may have changed. "Despite our expectations for an improving labor market, the participation rate may not rebound," economist Drew Matus of investment bank UBS wrote in a recent report. Before the recession, about 66 percent of all adults had a job or were looking for one. That's fallen to 64.2 percent, where Matus thinks it may stay. That's partly due to "discouraged" workers who can't find work and may remain on the sidelines for good, but also due to the gradual aging of the workforce, net wealth that's higher than it was in prior generations (despite the ravages of the last few years), and other demographic factors.
[See some bad advice about paying for homes, cars and education.]
If the U.S. workforce remains smaller than expected, that means it would take fewer job gains to bring unemployment down. The unemployment rate--perhaps the single most-watched economic indicator--would fall faster than expected, which would be interpreted as an accelerating recovery. But fewer people working also means less overall economic activity, and probably slower growth. So even the good news may be tainted. But it's better than no good news at all.
by:finance.yahoo.com
[See 10 industries that will hire the most in 2011.]
But digging into the numbers reveals some of the unusual ways that work and retirement may be permanently changing for millions of Americans. Most of the new jobs created since the end of 2009, for one thing, are going to workers under the age of 34, or over the age of 55. Employment levels for middle-aged workers, meanwhile, are stagnant or still falling. Here's a breakdown:
Age group Job gains last 15 months Unemployment rate
All adults 16 and over 1.9 million 8.8%
16 - 24 490,000 17.6%
25 - 34 709,000 9.1%
35 - 44 -143,000 7.2%
45 - 54 -454,000 7.1%
55 and over 1.3 million 3.1%
(Note: The broken-down job numbers don't completely add up to the total due to seasonal adjustments and other factors.)
Job gains for workers under 35--about 1.2 million in total--seem to be healthy and normal for this point in a recovery. That's obviously good news, since recent college grads will have an easier time finding jobs, adult kids will finally wave goodbye to their parents and move out on their own, and young Americans will form more new households, which will help boost spending and perhaps even revive the moribund housing market down the road. But other trends are surprising and even troublesome. Here are four important things that seem to be changing:
More working seniors. Workers over 55 are snagging the most new jobs, which says a lot about the state of retirement planning in America. Numerous surveys show that perhaps half of all Americans heading toward their retirement years lack enough savings to maintain their current standard of living as they age. The sharp drop in home values has hammered away at the household wealth of many retirement-age people. Many others lost a bundle when the stock market fell in 2008 and 2009--and bailed out just in time to miss the bull market that followed. Add to that fears of cutbacks in Social Security and Medicare, due to the skyrocketing national debt. The golden years, for many, aren't shimmery at all.
[See why baby boomers are bummed out.]
Many seniors say they plan to postpone retirement or work indefinitely, and the data shows they're doing just that. For the last decade, the overall labor-force participation rate--the percentage of the population that wants to work--has been gradually shrinking. But for workers 55 and over it's been going straight up. At the beginning of 2001, for instance, about 33 percent of seniors counted themselves as part of the labor force. Right before the recession started, in 2007, it was about 39 percent. The participation rate dropped sharply for all other age groups during the recession, as people gave up looking for work, went back to school, or decided to stay home for awhile to help with the kids. But for seniors it inched up, and is now at 40 percent--about 7 points higher than a decade ago. On one hand, it's good news that older workers are able to keep a paycheck coming, and build (or rebuild) their nest eggs--and that employers are willing to hire them. But they may also be taking jobs that would go to younger workers. And rising later-life employment is probably a sign of economic stress that could last awhile.
A major midlife job crisis. The overall job market is clearly healing, but middle-aged workers aren't part of the revival. Workers between the ages of 45 and 54 are still losing jobs on net, with a decline of about 364,000 jobs in this age group so far this year. That seems remarkable--and worrisome--given that these are people in their prime earning years, and they also ought to be at peak levels of expertise in their fields or careers. Yet they're not yet participating in the jobs recovery, perhaps because their pay requirements are too high in an economy where employers still aren't willing to bring back the most expensive workers. Many are most likely middle managers whose ranks were severely thinned during the recession, or construction and manufacturing workers who still can't find work, and may never be able to in their current fields.
[See what it will take to fix the housing market.]
For the next youngest age group, the news is slightly better. Workers between 35 and 44 have picked up 158,000 jobs so far this year, but that's still weak growth, and overall this group is still down 143,000 jobs since the end of 2009, when the overall job market started to turn up. The weak job prospects for workers between 35 and 54 has major implications for the whole nation, because in general these are the workers supporting middle-class families (or trying to). Their spending drives the economy, and growth will be weak if middle-aged workers continue to struggle, or worse, drop out of the labor force in bigger-than-usual numbers.
More female breadwinners. Women have played an increasingly important role in the economy over the last 50 years, and that trend accelerated during the recession. Men dropped out of the labor force at a faster rate than women during the recession, and women also seem to be regaining jobs at a faster pace than men. Women are slightly better educated than men on average, and they also tend to work in fields like healthcare and education, which are more stable than male-dominated fields like construction and manufacturing. One likely outcome of all the turbulence in the job market is that women will be the breadwinners in more middle-class families headed by middle-aged parents.
[See how tough times are helping women get ahead.]
A shrinking labor force. It's typical for the number of people working or looking for work--the standard definition of the labor force--to shrink during a recession. Some people figure they won't find a job no matter what, so they do something else until the economy improves, when they start looking for work again. But that's another pattern that may have changed. "Despite our expectations for an improving labor market, the participation rate may not rebound," economist Drew Matus of investment bank UBS wrote in a recent report. Before the recession, about 66 percent of all adults had a job or were looking for one. That's fallen to 64.2 percent, where Matus thinks it may stay. That's partly due to "discouraged" workers who can't find work and may remain on the sidelines for good, but also due to the gradual aging of the workforce, net wealth that's higher than it was in prior generations (despite the ravages of the last few years), and other demographic factors.
[See some bad advice about paying for homes, cars and education.]
If the U.S. workforce remains smaller than expected, that means it would take fewer job gains to bring unemployment down. The unemployment rate--perhaps the single most-watched economic indicator--would fall faster than expected, which would be interpreted as an accelerating recovery. But fewer people working also means less overall economic activity, and probably slower growth. So even the good news may be tainted. But it's better than no good news at all.
by:finance.yahoo.com
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
10 Best Cities to Find a Job
You'll have to invest in some serious winter gear if you're interested in moving to the best city for finding employment in America. That title goes to Minneapolis, according to a survey recently done by Ajilon Professional Staffing. According to the study, which was published by Forbes, not one city on the West Coast made the top 10 list, although the others are fairly evenly scattered throughout the rest of the United States.
Ajilon compiled its list using Department of Labor statistics and insights from its regional market branches. Each of the cities on the list has an unemployment rate of 8 percent or lower, below the current national average of 8.9 percent. A number of other factors were also considered in determining the list, including the diversity of industries in the city, cost of living, the range in size of companies offering employment, and level of higher education among its residents.
Minneapolis-St. Paul rose to the top of this year's list partially because of the fact that hiring is on the rise there for many of the big industry players in fields including financial services, health care, retail, and manufacturing -- contributing to a lower level of unemployment.
Find Jobs in Minneapolis
Also, there's an increased demand in Minneapolis for specialty positions, including specialty tax and compliance, IT audit and SEC-related experience. Combined with additional factors including relatively low cost of living and low crime and poverty rates, the Twin Cities comes out on top of the list.
You'll find much warmer temperatures in the second best city. That would be none other than the very hip Austin, Texas. It rated high on the list because of its low cost of living and diverse talent pool. Austin's thriving educational community also contributed to boosting job growth in the market. Home to several major universities, including the University of Texas, local businesses can select from a vast pool of well-educated recent graduates.
Find Jobs in Austin
2011's Top 10 cities:
St. Paul, Minn.
Austin, Texas
Salt Lake City, Utah
Boston, Mass.
Milwaukee, Wis.
Richmond, Va.
Albany, NY
Baltimore, Md.
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Dallas, Texas
"All of these cities possess unique characteristics such as low cost of living and heavy diversity of industry that bring about an optimal environment for low unemployment in their areas," said Jodi Chavez, senior vice president at Ajilon Professional Staffing.
By Lisa Johnson Mandell :jobs.aol.com
Ajilon compiled its list using Department of Labor statistics and insights from its regional market branches. Each of the cities on the list has an unemployment rate of 8 percent or lower, below the current national average of 8.9 percent. A number of other factors were also considered in determining the list, including the diversity of industries in the city, cost of living, the range in size of companies offering employment, and level of higher education among its residents.
Minneapolis-St. Paul rose to the top of this year's list partially because of the fact that hiring is on the rise there for many of the big industry players in fields including financial services, health care, retail, and manufacturing -- contributing to a lower level of unemployment.
Find Jobs in Minneapolis
Also, there's an increased demand in Minneapolis for specialty positions, including specialty tax and compliance, IT audit and SEC-related experience. Combined with additional factors including relatively low cost of living and low crime and poverty rates, the Twin Cities comes out on top of the list.
You'll find much warmer temperatures in the second best city. That would be none other than the very hip Austin, Texas. It rated high on the list because of its low cost of living and diverse talent pool. Austin's thriving educational community also contributed to boosting job growth in the market. Home to several major universities, including the University of Texas, local businesses can select from a vast pool of well-educated recent graduates.
Find Jobs in Austin
2011's Top 10 cities:
St. Paul, Minn.
Austin, Texas
Salt Lake City, Utah
Boston, Mass.
Milwaukee, Wis.
Richmond, Va.
Albany, NY
Baltimore, Md.
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Dallas, Texas
"All of these cities possess unique characteristics such as low cost of living and heavy diversity of industry that bring about an optimal environment for low unemployment in their areas," said Jodi Chavez, senior vice president at Ajilon Professional Staffing.
By Lisa Johnson Mandell :jobs.aol.com
Sunday, April 3, 2011
2011 Finance Employment Outlook
Finance, accounting and financial services professionals should find 2011 a bit kinder than 2010, with finance hiring trends looking more positive than last year, industry experts say. Those who’ve survived the economic storm will be out picking around the economic rubble, and looking to move up or just out of their current positions.
“There are going to be opportunities for experienced financial professionals as people start to move from one position to another,” predicts Mark Koziel, New York City-based director of firm practice management at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Among the specialists most in demand: treasury, trading, internal auditors, forensic accountants, financial analysts, compliance specialists, mortgage loan servicers and investment managers.
Positive Signs Hiring Will Improve
Bill Driscoll, New England district president of specialized staffing firm Robert Half International, sees three positive signs in the finance hiring arena:
A rebound in full-time hiring, which has come back stronger during this recovery than in past recoveries.
A steady, sequential growth in temporary hiring, which has been a leading indicator of past recoveries.
Rising conversion rates of temporary workers to full-time, permanent finance employment.
Government Regulation Creates Financial Services Jobs
New government regulations will boost demand for compliance analysts and tax accountants in 2011, says Brendan Courtney, president of recruiting and staffing agency The Mergis Group, a division of SFN Group in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
“Given everything from Securities and Exchange Commission rule changes to new consumer-protection agencies, companies know there are going to be regulatory and compliance issues coming and they’re trying to get ahead of the curve,” he says.
Another high-demand position: internal auditor. “It’s the least glamorous of all the accounting and finance positions because it’s considered to be a necessary evil,” he says.
What’s more, with fewer undergraduates going into accounting, there’s a gap between the demand for entry-level internal audit accountants and the number of graduates ready to step into those jobs.
The job outlook for entry-level accountants should brighten all around in 2011. Accounting firms, which had reduced their hiring of recent graduates during the recession, should go back to the higher, prerecession hiring levels in the fall, Koziel says.
Mortgage Industry: Decent Hiring
If you believe interest rates will remain low, you can expect mortgage lenders to start filling financial services jobs in 2011, says Sam Garcia, publisher of MortgageDaily.com.
Mortgage servicers will continue to hire to keep up with foreclosure volume, but as delinquencies subside, so will the jobs, he says.
On the origination side, the best targets for finance hiring are large-volume companies such as GMAC, MetLife Bank, JPMorgan Chase and the nonprofit Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America, which focuses on refinancing troubled borrowers, Garcia says.
Financial Services Hiring to Pick Up in First Quarter
January through March is usually the best time of year to look for a financial services job, and 2011 will be no exception, says Jonathan Mazzocchi, partner and general manager, accounting and finance division, for Winter, Wyman & Co. in New York City.
“Budgets are done and companies are ready to hire,” he says. “People are getting paid bonuses and getting promotions, or not getting them and jumping ship. It creates more hiring volatility, particularly for middle- and senior-management positions.”
Mazzocchi expects demand to rise in 2011 for compliance professionals at hedge funds and private-equity firms, as larger investment companies spend money to hire and train enough public accountants to get ahead of the compliance curve.
Consider your next move before you accept a compliance role, or you’ll end up pigeonholed, Mazzocchi says. “The wise person follows the trend, and develops some of the skill set, but takes a hybrid position that allows them to do other things, so they’re ready to move on with the next trend,” he says.
Financial Analysts in Demand at All Levels
If the economy picks up in 2011, companies will need financial analysts to do planning, projections and other tasks that today’s bare-bones staff won’t have time to do. “They’re at the breaking point,” Mazzocchi says. “The recession has been going on long enough, and CFOs have to increase staff.”
If you’ve been unemployed for a while and want to take advantage of this finance employment trend, broaden your search geographically and be open to taking a financial services job with a different scope or level of responsibility, Courtney says.
By Dona DeZube, Monster Finance Careers Expert
“There are going to be opportunities for experienced financial professionals as people start to move from one position to another,” predicts Mark Koziel, New York City-based director of firm practice management at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Among the specialists most in demand: treasury, trading, internal auditors, forensic accountants, financial analysts, compliance specialists, mortgage loan servicers and investment managers.
Positive Signs Hiring Will Improve
Bill Driscoll, New England district president of specialized staffing firm Robert Half International, sees three positive signs in the finance hiring arena:
A rebound in full-time hiring, which has come back stronger during this recovery than in past recoveries.
A steady, sequential growth in temporary hiring, which has been a leading indicator of past recoveries.
Rising conversion rates of temporary workers to full-time, permanent finance employment.
Government Regulation Creates Financial Services Jobs
New government regulations will boost demand for compliance analysts and tax accountants in 2011, says Brendan Courtney, president of recruiting and staffing agency The Mergis Group, a division of SFN Group in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
“Given everything from Securities and Exchange Commission rule changes to new consumer-protection agencies, companies know there are going to be regulatory and compliance issues coming and they’re trying to get ahead of the curve,” he says.
Another high-demand position: internal auditor. “It’s the least glamorous of all the accounting and finance positions because it’s considered to be a necessary evil,” he says.
What’s more, with fewer undergraduates going into accounting, there’s a gap between the demand for entry-level internal audit accountants and the number of graduates ready to step into those jobs.
The job outlook for entry-level accountants should brighten all around in 2011. Accounting firms, which had reduced their hiring of recent graduates during the recession, should go back to the higher, prerecession hiring levels in the fall, Koziel says.
Mortgage Industry: Decent Hiring
If you believe interest rates will remain low, you can expect mortgage lenders to start filling financial services jobs in 2011, says Sam Garcia, publisher of MortgageDaily.com.
Mortgage servicers will continue to hire to keep up with foreclosure volume, but as delinquencies subside, so will the jobs, he says.
On the origination side, the best targets for finance hiring are large-volume companies such as GMAC, MetLife Bank, JPMorgan Chase and the nonprofit Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America, which focuses on refinancing troubled borrowers, Garcia says.
Financial Services Hiring to Pick Up in First Quarter
January through March is usually the best time of year to look for a financial services job, and 2011 will be no exception, says Jonathan Mazzocchi, partner and general manager, accounting and finance division, for Winter, Wyman & Co. in New York City.
“Budgets are done and companies are ready to hire,” he says. “People are getting paid bonuses and getting promotions, or not getting them and jumping ship. It creates more hiring volatility, particularly for middle- and senior-management positions.”
Mazzocchi expects demand to rise in 2011 for compliance professionals at hedge funds and private-equity firms, as larger investment companies spend money to hire and train enough public accountants to get ahead of the compliance curve.
Consider your next move before you accept a compliance role, or you’ll end up pigeonholed, Mazzocchi says. “The wise person follows the trend, and develops some of the skill set, but takes a hybrid position that allows them to do other things, so they’re ready to move on with the next trend,” he says.
Financial Analysts in Demand at All Levels
If the economy picks up in 2011, companies will need financial analysts to do planning, projections and other tasks that today’s bare-bones staff won’t have time to do. “They’re at the breaking point,” Mazzocchi says. “The recession has been going on long enough, and CFOs have to increase staff.”
If you’ve been unemployed for a while and want to take advantage of this finance employment trend, broaden your search geographically and be open to taking a financial services job with a different scope or level of responsibility, Courtney says.
By Dona DeZube, Monster Finance Careers Expert
Saturday, April 2, 2011
The Best-Paying Jobs for 2011
Want to earn a lot? Better enroll in medical school. The best paying positions in the country are in medicine; all of the top 10 jobs, except for one, are in medical fields.
Data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and was collected in 2009.
No. 1: Surgeon
Surgeons earned an average of $219,770 in 2009. That's the equivalent of $105.66 an hour - but surgeons don't always work a typical 9-to-5 schedule. If a patient needs emergency surgery in the middle of the night, it will be the surgeon's responsibility to perform it.
No. 2: Anesthesiologist
Close behind surgeons were anesthesiologists; they earned an average of $211,750 last year.
No. 3: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
Oral surgeons, earning more than $210,000, on average, are few and far between: According to the BLS, there were just 6,700 oral surgeons in the country in 2008.
No. 4: Orthodontist
Many young people have dealt with orthodontists at some point in their lives - but they might not know how much an orthodontist can earn. In 2009, orthodontists' salaries averaged slightly more than $206,000.
No. 5: Obstetrician/Gynecologist
OB/GYNs, like surgeons, can work irregular hours - but their salaries average a substantial $204,470.
No. 6: Internist
No, internists don't deal with interns - they treat internal injuries or diseases. Internists earned $183,990 last year.
No. 7: Physician and Surgeon
The BLS says "Physician and Surgeon" is defined as any doctor - like a cardiologist - that doesn't fit in the other categories. Doctors in this group earn $173,860, on average.
No. 8: General Practitioner
Family doctors fall into this category. They earned $168,500 in 2009, on average.
No. 9: CEO
Thought chief executives would be higher on the list? Some are extremely high earners - but, on average, CEOs earn $167,280 per year.
No. 10: Psychiatrist
Budding Freuds can expect to earn $163,660 each year.
Medicine can be extremely lucrative, as the BLS data shows. Yet what the data doesn't take into account is the amount of schooling required to become a doctor of any stripe. Anesthesiologists must train for more than 10 years to become fully certified, for example; other specialties require just as much formal training.
And all that schooling comes at a price. To be sure, a top-10 earner will be able to pay off her student loan bills before too long - but the thought of taking on that much debt might be off-putting to some people.
While being a doctor can ensure a high salary, it's not the best career for everyone. The education a medical career requires - and the lifestyle challenges it can present - should be taken into account.
By youngmoney.com
Data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and was collected in 2009.
No. 1: Surgeon
Surgeons earned an average of $219,770 in 2009. That's the equivalent of $105.66 an hour - but surgeons don't always work a typical 9-to-5 schedule. If a patient needs emergency surgery in the middle of the night, it will be the surgeon's responsibility to perform it.
No. 2: Anesthesiologist
Close behind surgeons were anesthesiologists; they earned an average of $211,750 last year.
No. 3: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
Oral surgeons, earning more than $210,000, on average, are few and far between: According to the BLS, there were just 6,700 oral surgeons in the country in 2008.
No. 4: Orthodontist
Many young people have dealt with orthodontists at some point in their lives - but they might not know how much an orthodontist can earn. In 2009, orthodontists' salaries averaged slightly more than $206,000.
No. 5: Obstetrician/Gynecologist
OB/GYNs, like surgeons, can work irregular hours - but their salaries average a substantial $204,470.
No. 6: Internist
No, internists don't deal with interns - they treat internal injuries or diseases. Internists earned $183,990 last year.
No. 7: Physician and Surgeon
The BLS says "Physician and Surgeon" is defined as any doctor - like a cardiologist - that doesn't fit in the other categories. Doctors in this group earn $173,860, on average.
No. 8: General Practitioner
Family doctors fall into this category. They earned $168,500 in 2009, on average.
No. 9: CEO
Thought chief executives would be higher on the list? Some are extremely high earners - but, on average, CEOs earn $167,280 per year.
No. 10: Psychiatrist
Budding Freuds can expect to earn $163,660 each year.
Medicine can be extremely lucrative, as the BLS data shows. Yet what the data doesn't take into account is the amount of schooling required to become a doctor of any stripe. Anesthesiologists must train for more than 10 years to become fully certified, for example; other specialties require just as much formal training.
And all that schooling comes at a price. To be sure, a top-10 earner will be able to pay off her student loan bills before too long - but the thought of taking on that much debt might be off-putting to some people.
While being a doctor can ensure a high salary, it's not the best career for everyone. The education a medical career requires - and the lifestyle challenges it can present - should be taken into account.
By youngmoney.com
Hiring the Best Job Candidates Using Software Technology
The internet has become a blessing and a curse to the recruitment process. The blessing part is allowing you to post a job listing across a variety of platforms. Casting a wide net can provide you with a strong pool of potential candidates to pick from. The curse part is pretty much the same thing: That wide net is going to result in thousands of resumes pouring into your email box. The best course of action then is to focus your approach not only in a potential job posting, but also where you might advertise for this opening.
A good first step for your recruitment is to go where the likely candidates are lurking. Every distinct sector of the business world now has some presence on internet. These could be in public forums or trade related web sites.
If the job you need to fill falls into the category of entry level, then a wonderful resource would be college and university websites. You could simply zero in on the Ivy League graduating classes to find candidates eager to prove themselves. Do you have relationships established with these campuses? Check out your own upper management staff. Whatever diplomas they have hanging on the wall is the perfect place to start. You stand a much greater chance of getting alumni pass management than someone from an online degree program.
Tapping into the recent grad market means you might need to be more proactive with regard to your application instructions. Exactly in what form do you want to receive CVs? Do you have your own online application that can be filled out and submitted? Are there questions you would like answered via an uploaded application before you begin the interview process? The more specific you can be with your posting the most specific your candidates will be.
You can also establish relationships with other independent recruitment agencies. Although you might consider these folks the "competition" sharing information and prospective candidates is a two way street. The person you need to find could be walking in the door of a recruitment agency across town. Do you really want to cut off that resource?
When it is time for the actual one-on-one interview process, it might be time to put aside the basic "top ten questions to ask" and come at the prospective hire with a new approach. Suppose you start off by asking, "How did you get ready for this interview?" If they open with a new haircut, mani and pedi then this might not be the person you're looking for. However, if they describe the research they conducted on the company it could open up a line of questioning that will be much more illuminating towards their character.
One of the more productive ways to collate all of this information is by uploading it into an applicant tracking software program. This is where you'll be able to file and categorize a candidate's resume and interview responses. Easy access to this information can help you make the kinds of inform decisions that lead to recruitment success.
ezinearticles.com
By Darwin Redshield
A good first step for your recruitment is to go where the likely candidates are lurking. Every distinct sector of the business world now has some presence on internet. These could be in public forums or trade related web sites.
If the job you need to fill falls into the category of entry level, then a wonderful resource would be college and university websites. You could simply zero in on the Ivy League graduating classes to find candidates eager to prove themselves. Do you have relationships established with these campuses? Check out your own upper management staff. Whatever diplomas they have hanging on the wall is the perfect place to start. You stand a much greater chance of getting alumni pass management than someone from an online degree program.
Tapping into the recent grad market means you might need to be more proactive with regard to your application instructions. Exactly in what form do you want to receive CVs? Do you have your own online application that can be filled out and submitted? Are there questions you would like answered via an uploaded application before you begin the interview process? The more specific you can be with your posting the most specific your candidates will be.
You can also establish relationships with other independent recruitment agencies. Although you might consider these folks the "competition" sharing information and prospective candidates is a two way street. The person you need to find could be walking in the door of a recruitment agency across town. Do you really want to cut off that resource?
When it is time for the actual one-on-one interview process, it might be time to put aside the basic "top ten questions to ask" and come at the prospective hire with a new approach. Suppose you start off by asking, "How did you get ready for this interview?" If they open with a new haircut, mani and pedi then this might not be the person you're looking for. However, if they describe the research they conducted on the company it could open up a line of questioning that will be much more illuminating towards their character.
One of the more productive ways to collate all of this information is by uploading it into an applicant tracking software program. This is where you'll be able to file and categorize a candidate's resume and interview responses. Easy access to this information can help you make the kinds of inform decisions that lead to recruitment success.
ezinearticles.com
By Darwin Redshield
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