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Career Enhancement

Choosing a career is a hard decision to make. The decision and choice you make will impact you for most of your life because it sets a course for you for decades.

How do you make such a choice?

First, realize that since you make that choice you can always make another one. In other words, you are not locked into a single career for life. You can change your mind and your direction at any time.

Whether you change your mind or stick with your original decision, you will want to advance and refresh your job and career often. It’s called Career Enhancement and should be a part of any career plan and path.

Most professions require constant enhancement of skills called continuing education. Professional organizations typically advertise programs and allocate credits for enhancement courses.

If you are not in a professional organization set up your own career advancement program. It can be a simple class taken once a year or a complete program over several weeks. What ever your choice study your options and make judicious choices.

Then, do at least one class a year. If your employer does not pay for career enhancement programs, pay for them yourself and attend.

After completing a class, update your progress and resume regularly. Keep a log of your classes, instructors and where you attended them. The real value in this will unfold as you prepare for your annual review, ask for a raise or promotion or search for a new job.

It comes down to setting goals, planning a path to those goals and accomplishing them. Even if you are alone on your path you can grow in your career.

Finally, take action. Make the first step toward your career enhancement goals even if you feel uncertain. Action opens all kinds of unseen opportunities and clarifies issues once you get going forward. Set your sights high, aim for your goals and take action to move ahead towards successful career enhancement.

You’ve heard it all before: The Internet is booming, and with it the IT industry. However, all the hype doesn’t necessarily tell you what you want to know: what kind of a future you will have with an information technology degree. Here are five jobs you can get with an IT degree.

Technical Support: Technical support personnel provide assistance with confusing or complicated technical systems. The customer might need help with their personal computer, or their business’s computer network. Technical support’s job is to diagnose the problem, usually over the phone or the Internet via an instant messenger program, and explain to the customer how to troubleshoot the problem step-by-step.

Because technical support personnel work remotely to diagnose and fix computer and software glitches, often with frustrated or irritable customers, they need to be highly qualified for the job. An information technology degree ensures that you know computer systems well enough to correctly diagnose the problem, saving time and further frustration on the customer’s part.

Keep in mind that technical support personnel also need to be good with people. You will need patience for dealing with impatient, frustrated customers, as well as the ability to translate your technical knowledge into terms the average customer will understand.

Computer Programmer: Computer programmers need more computer skills and less people skills than technical support personnel, since most of their work is done with the computer alone. A computer programmer needs an information technology degree because he or she needs to be well versed in all aspects of modern computer technology, in particular the various programming languages that are currently used.

Technical Consultant: Because companies hire technical consultants on a contract basis, this job grants you the freedom of working for yourself. As an added bonus, consultants also generally command a high hourly rate.

As a technical consultant, companies will hire you to perform specific jobs, such as setting up or performing work on the company’s computer network. In this capacity, an information technology degree will be invaluable, as it gives you credibility and makes companies feel confident about contracting your services.

Database Administrator: Many companies, especially large companies, require huge databases in order to manage and store all of their data. These companies usually have one or more database administrators on staff, or work with administrators on a contract basis. As a database administrator, an IT degree ensures that you are up-to-date on modern technology such as Oracle, SQL, and other similar platforms.

Information Technology Instructor: As long as there are plenty of IT jobs to go around, there will also be a demand for instructors. Getting your information technology degree also allows you to turn around and use it to teach other students who are interested in breaking into the industry.

An information technology degree opens up many doors. The IT industry is booming and the number of jobs is always increasing. The five jobs listed above are only the tip of the iceberg. Our society’s dependence on computers and the Internet means job security for anyone with an IT degree, not to mention high salary potential. Be sure to look into the possibilities. Getting your information technology degree just might be the best thing for your career that you’ve ever done.

If you are thinking of what to do for a career and you have an interest in animation, then you should consider video game design.  This is an industry that is booming at an incredible rate and shows no signs of slowing down.  In the past twenty years, there have been incredible advances in the video game design industry and you could be a part of it.

In only a few decades, there have been barriers broken that could never have been dreamed of in the past.  Video games are so realistic now that you feel as though you are actually in the game.  You can play a racing game and feel as though you are in the Indy 500 or play a war game and get a good glimpse into what World War Two was really like.  The possibilities are endless but people are needed to come up with these ideas and innovations.

There are a few things that are needed in order to have a successful career in video game design.  First of all, you need to have an interest in video games.  You will be able to use all of the knowledge you have gained from years of gaming to your advantage.  It is quite difficult to find a video game that is one hundred percent original.  Most games borrow tricks and tips from other games and incorporate them into their own.

Therefore, if you have an extensive knowledge of video games, you will be able to use these tricks in your favor.  Another important factor is an interest in computers, specifically animation.  Video games are all produced on computers, so you will need to have a firm understanding of programming and animation.  So if you have an interest in video games and a basic knowledge of animation, then you are set to begin the path of becoming a video game designer.

The next step would be to capitalize on your pre-existent skills.  This can be accomplished by enrolling in a course that deals with video game design.  These courses will be able to take the skills that you currently have and turn them into talents.  Talents that prospective employers will be pleased to see.

You will be able to learn about every aspect of video game design.  This includes all of the animation, development and concept of video games.  You will not only be given the skills to create a video game but also how to plan it out and make it interesting to the gamer.  Since this market is so gigantic, you need to have a good idea if you want your game to sell.  With a course in video game design, you will have the ability to create a game that will fly off the shelves.

A lot of people think that making a video game is strictly done on computers.  However, this is only part true.  A large portion of the development of the game is done in the mind.  You need to have the ability to visualize the finished product in your head before even beginning to program it.  These types of courses will be able to train your mind to work ahead of your body to achieve the best results.

Another advantage of video game design is that it is a market that is guaranteed to stay strong.  People of all ages are interested in video games today and the numbers continue to grow.  So if you have an interest in video games and some computer knowledge, take the steps towards making video game design your rewarding career.

Career advisers tell jobseekers to send a thank you note after an interview. To address the most frequently asked questions on how and what to send in a thank you note, here are some give aways.

Won’t the employer think that an applicant is desperate and a sissy applicant if he sends a thank-you letter?

Of course not. Rarely does an employer not pleased to receive a thank-you letter. It is considered as a common way of showing politeness, a gesture of courtesy, one way to outshine the rest of the interviewees, and a way to keep your name upfront.

Will it not jeopardize the possibility of getting the job?

Not in most cases, but it could in some point of time. So why take the chance? (so they ask) The answer: Most bosses wavers between the last two most promising applicants, a student and experienced officer for example, after the final interview for a certain position. But when the boss gets a thank-you letter from the student, it made all the difference. Because of that simple well mannered gesture, the student lands on the job.

Can it be handwritten or should it be typewritten?

Actually, it does not matter. What’s important is the thought of doing it. It must be tailored to your prospective company and the officer who made the interview. Thus, respect is further established. However, if the company, interviewer or the position being applied calls for a formal business letter, then do so. Mostly, a handwritten note is okay if the interviewer and the applicant have built rapport.

Will it be okay to e-mail the thank you note?

First thoughts indicate that this is a big NO. However, it depends on the company’s culture. If the people in the company use e-mail in all of their communication and correspondence, then it should be acceptable. This will also apply if the company is into fast decision making when hiring applicants. Always remember that even if e-mails fit in with the culture of the company, it’s still a better idea to follow up the email with a hard copy of your thank you.

So you can just save yourself from trouble since “anything goes” right?

NO. On the other side of the previous story, there are prospective applicants who were almost on the verge of being hired but suddenly hit the skids after sending in a sloppy, ill-fixed thank you letters, with many typographical errors and misspelled words. A part of having a good communication skill is being able to write effectively and companies do not need employees who have to be taught simple writing skills.

Will a borrowed thank-you letter do?

Yes, borrowing is one thing. But make sure to look at the basic structure of the letter. Never plagiarize the whole letter as it may be applicable to the one person but not for the other. Surely, there are employers who can distinguish a thank-you note that has been copied or not.

If it was a panel interview should thank you letters be sent to all interviewers?

Frankly, that’s the best. The same letter to each is as essential as making one for each. All you have to do is edit some phrases for individuality in case the interviewers would bump in to each other and compare the notes they received.

How soon should a thank-you note be sent?

The golden rule is to send thank you notes within 24 hours after the interview.

Will it still be okay to mail the thank you note if the hiring decision will be made sooner than when the mailed thank you note is received?

Come to think of it, if the mail is too pre-historic for the hiring decision makers, then find a much speedy way: it can be via e-mail, fax, express delivery or personal delivery. In fact, if you have hand delivered the thank you note, it can leave a great impression.

What if there’s already an offer before even sending the thank you notes?

It’s still better to send the thank you notes as this can be used to accept or decline the offer. This could also be a confirmation of your agreement andor understanding of the offer they have given (salary, benefits, other compensation, starting date, vacations, etc.), this way any discrepancies can be straightened out before even starting for the job.

Always find a way to make it as personalized as possible. Try to think out of the box, you may even adapt what you have observed the interviewer has in the office during the interview. Sending an article that you think the interviewer could be interested in is also another suggestion.

Whatever method you use, make it fast and professional.

Government career outlook predictions aren’t developed yet for the Virtual Assistance industry, whether that’s because it’s a relatively new field or because the tasks done by VAs are as varied as the VAs themselves remains to be seen. One has to examine similar fields and skill-sets to see how VAs will fare in the years to come. By looking at these similar fields, you can see that the growth outlook for Virtual Assistance is above average.  The question of “Will this job still be around in 20 years?” can be answered by looking at the services that a specific VA is offering and closely-related “traditional” employment fields.

The most important thing to remember, though, is to keep current with technology and software that can progress your business. If you only know outdated technology, then you and your business are outdated and your clients may go elsewhere for service. Keep adding to your services and learn everything you can about your niche market and what they currently need.

With many businesses restructuring and downsizing (getting rid of middle managers), companies are utilizing more and more secretarial and administrative support staff to take over those duties. If you offer administrative support as a VA, and market yourself as an off-site solution to those downsizing companies, your “job security” looks pretty good. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that you will have competition from on-site employees for these positions.

If you offer more specialized services than administrative support, you have different chances for sustaining an ongoing career. Here are two examples:

If you offer Public Relations (PR)services, your occupational outlook is rosy. With so many different types of organizations — such as businesses, nonprofits, universities, hospitals and more - looking for media specialists and PR specialists to do more than just “tell their story.” Creativity, initiative, good judgment and the ability to communicate effectively are some of the skills necessary to succeed in this job. There’s lots of competition in this role, but employmentcontracts for PR specialists is expected to grow faster than average, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook.

If you offer Desktop Publishing services, your occupational outlook is also great. Many companies are beginning to outsource these services, as opposed to having in-house staff. With experience andor a degree in graphic design or a related field, desktop publishers have a variety of different organizations to market themselves to. VAs offer an affordable alternative to hiring a graphic design firm.

Whether you specialize in desktop publishing and graphic design or public relations or another niche specialty, it’s clear that Virtual Assistance is catching on and the VAs who are out there aren’t going anywhere. With more and more employers and companies looking to outsource projects turning to offsite personnel to fulfill these needs, the view of using “virtual” workers is changing. It’s no longer as common to hear objections such as “How do I know you’ll really be working?” when proposing using a VA to someone who never has before. Many people have heard of VAs now or know someone who uses theirs. In most cases, once someone has a VA on their team, they don’t turn back to in-house staff to fulfill those duties.

To check out similar fields’ occupational outlooks, visit the Occupational Outlook Handbook (2006-07 edition) put out by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics at http:www.bls.gov.