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Thinking of Becoming a Spy?

2012-05-18T07:49:58Z

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?

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Thinking of Becoming a Spy? originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Friday, May 18th, 2012 at 07:49:58.

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Weekly Career Profile: Physical Therapist

2012-05-16T08:48:01Z

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

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Weekly Career Profile: Physical Therapist originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Wednesday, May 16th, 2012 at 08:48:01.

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Asking for a Raise: How to Approach Your Boss

2012-05-14T12:39:28Z

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

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Asking for a Raise: How to Approach Your Boss originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Monday, May 14th, 2012 at 12:39:28.

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The Five (Difficult) People You Meet at Work

2012-05-11T07:22:42Z

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

The Five (Difficult) People You Meet at Work originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Friday, May 11th, 2012 at 07:22:42.

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Weekly Career Profile: Speech Therapist

2012-05-09T16:43:56Z

Speech therapists, also called speech pathologists and speech-language pathologists, diagnose and treat people who have speech-related disorders including the inability to produce certain sounds, voice disorders and fluency and speech rhythm difficulties. They also work with clients who wish to modify accents. In order to become a speech pathologist, one must earn a master's degree in speech-language pathology.

Now comes the opportunity to learn more about becoming a speech pathologist. First you should obtain facts about this occupation. Get detailed job descriptions and information on compensation and job outlook in Speech Pathologist: Career Information.

Next, you should try to learn more about this field from people who work in it. See what some of our readers who work in this field have to say by reading our Real Life of a Speech Pathologist submissions. Finally, if you are considering pursuing this career further, take the Should You Become a Speech Pathologist? quiz. It can help you find out if you have the characteristics necessary to succeed in this career.

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Weekly Career Profile: Speech Therapist originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Wednesday, May 9th, 2012 at 16:43:56.

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Girls Should Consider a Non-Traditional Occupation

2012-05-07T13:02:33Z

If you took a roomful of elementary school kids and asked them what they want to be when they grow up, what do you think they would say? I bet the boys would come up with a variety of options including doctor, engineer, carpenter and electricians. The girls' answers would be quite different. In this day and age you'd have your fair number of budding doctors, but how many of them would aspire to be engineers, carpenters and electricians? Probably none.

Women, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, are underrepresented in the trades, technology and science fields ("Quick Facts on Nontraditional Occupations for Women." U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau). That's unfortunate since these fields usually pay well.

More:
Non-Traditional Employment for Women: Chipping Away at the Glass Ceiling

Girls Should Consider a Non-Traditional Occupation originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Monday, May 7th, 2012 at 13:02:33.

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Verbal Tics

2012-05-04T15:02:29Z

As I waited on line at the deli this afternoon I counted the number of times the high school student ahead of me said the word "like." "Do you like have potato salad? How much does it like cost? Can I have like $2 worth?" Just a few days earlier, as my husband, teenage daughter and I were driving around town, he cracked a joke about two teen girls who were crossing the street in front of us: "How many times do you think they are saying the word like?" he asked us. I thought it was funny. Our daughter didn't quite get the humor. I can only guess why that might be.

We all are guilty of "verbal tics." Some of us use the word "like" excessively, while others (I'm guilty of this one) say "um" to fill the empty space as we try to come up with the next thing to say. Then there are those who say "you know" at the end of every sentence. I called a small business the other day and the owner's message went something like this: "You've reached the XYZ Company? I'm not here right now? If you leave your name and number, I'll can you back?" Why all the questions? Was she unsure of her company's name, whether or not she was there, and if she would call me back? I've been noticing this particular verbal tic—making every statement sound like a question—for the past few years.

The way we speak says a lot about us. Using the word "like," for example, makes me think I'm talking to a teenager ... in the mid-1980s ... in the Valley. I try to keep myself from saying "um." I think it makes me sound like I don't know what to say next, when I'm really just trying to find the best way to say it. It's better for there to be a microsecond of silence while I collect my thoughts. And as for turning every sentence into a question, unfortunately it makes the speaker sound less than confident of what they are saying.

Do you have any verbal tics? Please share them by commenting below.

Verbal Tics originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Friday, May 4th, 2012 at 15:02:29.

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Weekly Career Profile: Veterinarian

2012-05-02T04:17:16Z

Veterinarians are health professionals who care for animals. Most work with companion animals, like dogs and cats, but others provide services to laboratory, zoo and sporting animals. Some veterinarians take care of livestock.

If you want to be a veterinarian, you will need a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD) degree from an accredited school of veterinary medicine. While you don't need a bachelor's degree to be admitted, most successful applicants have one. Read How to Become a Veterinarian to learn more about educational and other requirements.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics foresees a promising future for veterinarians. This occupation is projected to experience faster growth, through 2018, than other occupations requiring at least a master's degree (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition).

If you are considering this career, you can learn more about it by reading Veterinarian: Career Information. This career profile will give you further details about job duties, earnings and advancement opportunities. To learn even more, you can interview a veterinarian. If you don't know one, perhaps someone in your network does. For help deciding whether this career is a good fit for you, take the Should You Become a Veterinarian? quiz.

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Weekly Career Profile: Veterinarian originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012 at 04:17:16.

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How Much Can You Afford to Bare at Work?

2012-04-30T11:45:18Z

I can hardly believe tomorrow is May 1. Although, for the most part, we had a mild winter here, it's nice to pack up my cold weather wardrobe. As the weather heats up, some people are inclined to wear less—as in shorter sleeves and hems and lower necklines. There have even been flip flop sightings in some workplaces. Unfortunately, when it comes to work, less is not more. Of course you usually don't need to keep your arms and knees covered, but you shouldn't bare too much. Your work attire shouldn't resemble beach attire.

Tops should cover bellies and bottoms should be no shorter than a couple of inches above your knees. Cleavage-bearing necklines are also a workplace fashion don't. And men, don't think you can get away with wearing whatever you want to work. If you are lucky enough not to have to wear a suit, there are still some rules you must follow. Save your shorts for the weekends. Lightweight slacks should keep you cool enough. Underarm-bearing tank tops should also be left for your day off. And my personal pet peeve—flip flops. You shouldn't wear these to work no matter how perfect your pedicure.

More:
Clothes Make the Man (or Woman)
How to Dress Professionally When Casual Dress Is Your Norm
Inappropriate Dress and Conduct May Send the Wrong Message

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How Much Can You Afford to Bare at Work? originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Monday, April 30th, 2012 at 11:45:18.

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How to Be a "Professional"

2012-04-27T07:00:56Z

We hear the word "professional" often, for example, "He was such a professional" or "She handled that so professionally," but what does it it really mean? When we talk about professionalism we are talking about the way in which a person acts in a work environment. It is one of those qualities that is hard to define, but it's quite obvious when it's missing. For example, someone who comes to work late regularly, shows disregard for his employer or talks trash about her co-workers demonstrates a lack of professionalism. Does doing the opposite of these things, show that you have this trait then? It may take a little more than that, but it's a start.

Read: Professionalism: How to Conduct Yourself at Work

How to Be a "Professional" originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Friday, April 27th, 2012 at 07:00:56.

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