Last month my family and I visited the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC. If you're ever in the DC area, I recommend you go. It was a fun and educational way to spend a few hours. Interesting facts about spying were displayed on panels in the museum 's lobby. The one that jumped out at me, of course, had to do with careers. It stated that prior to September 11, 2001, an average of 110 people per day applied for jobs with the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Six days after that terrible day, on September 17, 1,100 people applied to the CIA. That is an incredible increase, but I was just astounded to see the original figure of 110 applicants. It got me thinking about spying careers.

Although career information on the website of The National Clandestine Service (NCS) of the CIA never mentions the word "spies," it is obvious that that is what its employees are. For example, if you were to follow one career path and become a core collector, you would recruit and handle foreign sources of human intelligence. Recruit and handle foreign sources of intelligence? Sounds like spying to me. There are other career paths, but all revolve around that function in some way. If you are interested in being a spy, you might want to consider a career with the NCS. Read Do You Want to Be a Spy?

^{Image Copyright Irina Pusepp / 123RF}

Physical therapists treat patients who have problems with mobility or pain. Among their patients are accident victims and people who have arthritis, heart disease, fractures, head injuries and cerebral palsy.

To become a physical therapist, one must earn a master's degree from a physical therapy education program and pass both state and national licensing exams. This field has an excellent job outlook. Employment will grow much faster, through 2020, than it will for other occupations (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition).

If you think you might be interested in this occupation, you should learn more about it. Read Physical Therapist: Career Information. This article will give you basic details about this occupation, including information about earnings, educational requirements and advancement opportunities. Next, read a firsthand account of life as a physical therapist. It will help you discover more about this occupation than a written description can provide. Finally, take the Should You Become a physical therapist? quiz to help you decide if this career is a good fit for you.

More: Other Physical Therapy Careers

^{Image Copyright US Department of Health and Human Services}

When I learned that someone I know asked his boss for a raise by explaining that he had a large mortgage on his house and a lot of other bills to pay, I cringed. I can't stress enough how that was absolutely the wrong approach to take. Your mortgage and your bills aren't your boss's concern and you should not bring that up when you are negotiating your salary. It's not about needing or wanting a raise. It's about deserving one because of what you are contributing to your employer's bottom line. You earn your salary, your employer doesn't give it to you. Your salary should be based on what you do for the company and what you bring to the table.

If you think it's time for a raise, read How to Ask for a Raise. Learn what you need to do before you meet with your boss. Find out how to schedule your meeting and how to make your case. Even see what to do if you get turned down.

Related Article: Dos and Don'ts of Salary Negotiation

^{Image Copyright Wavebreak Media Ltd / 123RF}

Have you ever worked with someone who plants himself in front of your desk and doesn't leave? This co-worker talks nonstop without seeming to take a breath. I like to refer to this person as the chatterbox. He's an amiable fellow so he's not unpleasant to be around, but you do need to get work done. You may be wishing you had this problem. There are much worse co-workers to have than the chatterbox.

Take, for example, the delegator. You may be familiar with this one. She tries to hand off work to her colleagues. This would be fine if your co-worker had the authority to do this, but she doesn't. I worked with a delegator once and it wasn't pleasant. She also had other charming qualities like taking food that didn't belong to her and talking in baby talk, but I digress. Learning how to deal with difficult people at work can make your life so much easier. Here are some tips: The Five (Difficult) People You Meet at Work ... and How to Get Along With Them