Career Planning

Have you ever worked with someone who takes a seat at your desk and settles in for a while? This co-worker starts talking nonstop as soon as his bottom hits the chair and doesn't stop ... not even to take a breath it seems. I refer to this person as the chatterbox. He's an amiable fellow whose company isn't unpleasant, but you have work to do. You may be wishing you had this problem co-worker. There are those who are much worse.

Take, for example, the delegator. You may be familiar with this one. She has a lot of work to do and thinks "why keep this all to myself." So she tries to hand some of it off to her colleagues. It wouldn't be a problem if your co-worker had the authority to do this, but she doesn't. I worked with a delegator once and let me tell you, it was not 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

Medical scientists are researchers who endeavor to find ways to improve human health. They plan and conduct studies; evaluate the effects of drugs, toxins and parasites; and consult with health departments, doctors and industry personnel about the development of public health improvement programs and health safety standards.

Preparing to be a medical scientist won't be easy. You will have to earn a PhD in biological science or a medical degree. This occupation will experience faster than average job growth through 2020 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition).

Read Medical Scientist: Career Information to learn more about job duties, earnings, educational requirements, job outlook and advancement opportunities. For additional information, try to interview someone who works in this field. If you don't know anyone, perhaps someone in your network does.

More: Science Careers

My father really wanted me to be a teacher. I think he liked the stability, hours and pay associated with that career. It certainly had nothing to do with my abilities. I am not patient and I'm not particularly good at working with children. While he didn't have a daughter who wanted to become a teacher, he ended up with a granddaughter who did. My niece earned her bachelor's and master's degree in education. Unfortunately she can't find a job in her field thanks to schools closing and others slimming down their staffs in her city. Instead she got a job as a supervisor in a hospital. If you can't use your skills to manage children in a classroom, I told her, at least you're using them to manage adults.

Often, either by choice or circumstance, we don't take the most obvious path for which our college majors prepare us. Sometimes we don't stay on that path. The trick is to look at the skills we acquired while earning that degree or working and use them in some other capacity. That's how an education major can become a manager, an instructional designer, a writer or a textbook and educational materials sales representative. Find out what other careers are good for education majors. Read What to Do With a Degree in Education.

It seems like one minute you're reveling in the thrill of walking across the stage on graduation day and the next you're trying to control your nerves as you begin your very first "real" job. Sure you are thrilled to finally get started on your life but, hey, when did you suddenly became a grownup?

The transition from college to work is a really big huge one. You will start your day in the wee hours of the morning, rather than end it then. You won't be able to make your schedule fit your social life like you may have done in college. If you liked to stay up late, you didn't sign up for an 8 o'clock class. Trying telling your boss you'll be in at noon because you went to a party the night before. Nope. From now on someone else will be in charge of your schedule. You will also have deadlines to meet and your work will be judged regularly. Along with these new responsibilities will come a regular income, benefits and paid vacation time and sick days.

These resources can help you survive your first days at your first "real" job:

• From College Campus to Corporate Climate
• Your First Job: Making a Good Impression
• Starting a New Job
• Readers Respond: Job Advice to New Grads

Home health aides, working under the supervision of nurses, care for people who are disabled or who have chronic illnesses, cognitive impairments or age-related problems. They check patients' vital signs, administer medications and change bandages.

Home health aides are usually trained on-the-job although those who work for state agencies that receive medicare or medicaid reimbursement must complete a formal state-approved training program. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts this occupation will grow faster, through 2020, than the average for all occupations (Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition).

Read Home Health Aide: Career Information to get more details about this occupation. Learn about earnings, educational requirements, job outlook and advancement opportunities and find out about some typical tasks an home health aide can expect to do each day. If you are seriously considering becoming a home health aide, you should conduct an informational interview with someone who works in this field. A first hand account can prove invaluable. If you don't know anyone, perhaps someone in your network does.

More: Health Care Support Careers

What's a psychology major to do after graduating from college? You could become a psychologist but to do that you will generally need a doctoral degree. That means at least another five years in school. Admission to doctoral programs is very competitive, with clinical psychology programs being the hardest to get into. According to the Council Of University Directors Of Clinical Psychology (CUDCP) many schools accept fewer than 15 students to each year's class (Interested In Clinical Psychology Grad School? Here's What You Need To Know!).

Ugh! Maybe you should just cross psychologist off your list of possible career choices. If five more years in school doesn't sound terribly appealing, even if you were to get in, it may be a good idea to explore your other options. With the skills you acquired as a psych major—an understanding of the workings of the human mind and good problem solving, communication, and critical thinking skills—you have many.

Some of these careers involve helping people deal with their mental health issues, for example marriage and family therapist, but others don't involve working with people in that capacity at all, like market research analyst. You may need to earn a master's degree or take some additional courses. If you are still planning your college education or just at the beginning of it, you may even consider a minor or a dual major.

More: What to Do With a Degree in Psychology

Recently I started working part-time as a career specialist at a public library. I help people with their career-related issues. The reactions I've gotten from friends and family is amusing. They act as if this is my first job since I had my daughter 17 1/2 years ago. In fact I never stopped working. For a few months after she was born I continued to work full-time. Then I switched to part-time hours. Fifteen and a half years ago I began writing for this site. I've also written for other sites and authored several books along the way. I've done it all while working from home. Yet, based on the congratulatory notes I received when I announced my new job on Facebook you would have thought I hadn't had a job in almost two decades.

Most mothers work these days. In 2012, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 70.2% of mothers with children under 18 years of age were either working or looking for work. Not surprisingly, mothers are more likely to be labor force participants as their children get older. Only 57% of mothers of infants under a year old and 64.8% of those whose youngest child was under six years old were working or looking for work compared to just over 75% of mothers of children between the ages of six and 17 (Happy Mother's Day from BLS: working mothers in 2012).

Happy Mother's Day to all of you, whether you are a working mom, a stay-at-home mom, a work-at-home mom or a mom thinking of returning to work soon.

Read:

• Working While Raising Your Family
• Returning to Work
• Stay at Home Parents

Everyone makes mistakes but some are definitely bigger than others. I just read an article about a recall at Whole Foods Market caused when someone reversed labels on chicken salad and a vegan version of chicken salad (Whole Foods Mix-Up Lands Chicken in Vegan Salad). It's pretty bad for people who choose to not eat any animal products to accidentally to end up eating meat, but it's even worse than that. The chicken salad contains eggs and the vegan version contains soy. Since the labels which would have listed these ingredients were reversed, individuals with allergies to them were unaware of their presence. So far there aren't reports of anyone having a reaction, but I would hate to be the employee who made that mistake.

I wonder if this worker is even aware he or she did it. If so will this person come forward? Would you? It's hard to figure out what to do when you make a mistake at work, especially one that is as potentially dangerous as this one. In many situations it's not so much the mistake itself that can wreck your career but what you do afterward.

Read: Mistakes at Work

Often described as the most trusted members of the community, pharmacists dispense medication that doctors have prescribed to their patients. They work in retail stores, including drug stores, pharmacies, supermarkets and "big box" stores, as well as in hospitals and clinics. Their job is about more than just counting out pills. Pharmacists help patients understand how to take their prescribed medication, warn them about incorrect use and help prevent serious problems caused by drug interactions.

Pharmacists are healthcare professionals who need an aptitude for science, as well as excellent communication skills. A great deal of this job involves communicating with patients as well as with other health care professionals. If you are thinking about entering this profession, your work is cut out for you. Plan to spend about six years in college earning a doctor of pharmacy degree (PharmD). After graduation you will have to obtain a license from the state in which you want to practice. This will require that you take several exams.

Are you still interested? If so, you must learn more about this occupation. Read Pharmacist: Career Information to get a detailed job description and information on compensation and job outlook. Next get comprehensive information on what you need to do to reach your goal. Read How to Become a Pharmacist. Then see what some of our readers who work in this field have to say about it by taking a look at our Real Life of a Pharmacist submissions. Finally, if you are are considering whether to pursue a career as a pharmacist, the Should You Become a Pharmacist? quiz can help you find out if you have the characteristics you need.

I found out someone I know tried to negotiate a raise by talking about how high his mortgage and other bills were. I wish he had talked to me first. That is definitely the wrong approach to take.

Talking about how much money you need is never the right thing to do when you are asking your boss for a raise. Your mortgage and your bills aren't your employer's concern and have little to do with why you should be earning more money. 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 pay should be based on what you do for the company and what you bring to the table. There is one exception to that rule. There are certain regions where the cost of living is higher and therefore jobs typically pay more. Before you begin to negotiate your salary, you should find out what people working in your field earn in your city.

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