How to Explore Your Career Choices

How to Explore Your Career ChoicesHow to Explore Your Career ChoicesCareer exploration is the second stage of the career planning process. During the first stage, a self-assessment, you learn about your personality, interests, aptitudes, and values. After using various tools to gather this information, you are left with a list of careers that are a good fit for someone with traits similar to yours. Although the careers on your list appear to be suitable, it does not mean you can just go ahead and randomly choose any one of them. There are other things to consider. Each occupation has characteristics that will make it a better idea to choose some over others. Since you can only have one career at a time, your goal, after learning about all the careers that might be a good fit for you, is to eventually have one remaining that is the BEST fit. Try not to eliminate any profession from your list until you do some research, even if you think you know something about it. You may be surprise d by what you learn when you dig for information. If you cross a career off your list because of some preconceived notion, you could end up eliminating one of your best options. Start With the Basics At first, you will just want to gather some basic information about each occupation on your list. Lets assume you have a list of ten careers. Before spending a lot of time on in-depth research, do some preliminary fact-finding that will allow you to narrow down your list. It will include looking at a job description andlabor market information, including job outlook, median salary and educational and training requirements. The Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a government agency, does a good job of presenting basic career information. Another useful resource is the O*Net Database, sponsored bytheUS Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration(USDOL/ETA) through a grant to the North Carolina Department of Commerce.You can also read individual career profilesor delve intocareers by field. After learning about all the occupations on your list, you will find that several of them dont appeal to you. It could be for a variety of reasons. For example, you may decide that you wouldnt enjoy the job duties of a particular occupation or that you cant or dont want to meet the educational and training requirements. The earnings may be lower than you thought they would be or the job outlook tells you that employment opportunities will be poor. After completing your preliminary research, you will be left with a list that contains between three and five careers on it. Delve Deeper After you narrow down your list of career choices, your research should become mora involved. You will want to learn what working in the field is really like before you actually work in it. The best way to do this is to talk to people who do. Figure out who, in yourprofessional network, knows peoplewho work in the field or fields in w hich you are interested, or ask around to see if any of them have contacts who do.Set up informational interviews with anyone who has experience working in the careers you are considering. Those whose experience is more recent make better subjects.See if any of those people are willing to let you shadow him or her on the job for a day or two.Consider doing an internshipto learn about a work field and get experience. After you complete your in-depth research, you should be able to determine which career is a good match for you. Try not to get too frustrated if you cant make a decision by this point. You may not have enough information yet. Continue to do more research until you can comfortably choose the ?best career for you.

Career Options for the Animal Health Field

Career Options for the Animal Health FieldCareer Options for the Animal Health FieldThere are many rewarding career options in the animal health industry that dont involve pursuing a degree in veterinary medicine. Here are a few popular career paths for those searching for an animal health career Animal Massage Therapist Animal massage therapists use hands-on massage techniques to relax muscles, increase circulation, and improve the animals overall range of motion. Massage therapists must have detailed knowledge of animal anatomy and physiology, and some specialize in a specific species such as canine or equine massage therapy. Professional certification is available in the field. Practitioners usually dienstgrad patients by the visit, with fees normally ranging from $40 to $100 for each session. Equine Veterinary Technician Equine veterinary technicians assist equine veterinarians with performing exams and surgeries, restraining horses for procedures, and taking x-rays. Equi ne vet techs can work in an equine hospital or work as a ride-along assistant when the vet goes on farm calls. Equine vet techs can work long and variable hours depending on the schedule of the vet they are assisting and the time of year (for example, a reproductive vet will have many evening calls to assist foaling mares during the spring). Equine vet techs can expect to earn a salary in the range of $25,000 to $35,000 per year. Veterinary Surgical Technician Veterinary surgical technicians assist veterinarians with a variety of surgical procedures, operate surgical equipment, and perform pre-operative and post-operative care (such as surgical site preparation and bandaging). These specialists may achieve professional certification by passing an exam after logging 6,000 hours (3 years) of vet tech experience (with 4,500 hours of that experience consisting specifically of surgical work). Veterinary technician specialists often earn a salary of over $40,000 per year. Emergency and Critical Care Veterinary Technician Emergency and critical care veterinary technicians assist veterinarians with emergency treatments and surgeries. Emergency and critical care vet techs must be able to respond quickly to treat animals in life-threatening situations. They may achieve specialty certification if they can document 3 years of experience in the field, provide detailed case logs and case reports, and pass a certification exam. Depending on the specialty, vet tech specialists can earn anywhere from $35,000 to over $50,000 in salary. Although, its not uncommon for emergency vet tech specialists to make over $40,000 per year. Those who have significant experience or choose to work night and weekend shifts may earn even higher salaries. Zoo Veterinary Technician Zoo veterinary technicians assist veterinarians with procedures performed on a wide variety of exotic animal species routinely kept in zoologischer garten collections. Duties may include surgical site prepar ation, taking samples, running lab tests, and giving fluids or injections. Specialty certification is available to those who pass an exam after having completed 10,000 hours (5 years) of work, a skills checklist, and detailed case log. The salary for zoo vet techs is $30,000 to $45,000 according to Indeed.com. Pet Insurance Agent Pet insurance agents market health insurance policies to pet owners. Insurance agents advise owners on the variety of coverage options available (including mortality, surgery, and preventative care coverage). Most insurance positions are inside sales jobs, with sales primarily completed over the phone or via the web. Agents must be licensed in their state of residence to sell property and casualty insurance before they can sell pet insurance plans. Compensation may include a base salary, commission, and bonus. The median salary for pet insurance agents is $46,770. Some agents can earn well over $60,000 per year according to Glassdoor.com. Veterinary Pharmaceutical Sales Rep Veterinary pharmaceutical sales representatives market medications and other animal health products to veterinary clinics. Both inside sales (office based) and outside sales (traveling) positions are possible. Competition is keen for unterstellung high paying positions, which often have additional benefits such as performance bonuses, commissions, paid travel expenses, and use of a company car. Total compensation can range from $40,000 to $70,000 per year. Wildlife Rehabilitator Wildlife rehabilitators provide treatment for injured wildlife and care for orphaned or abandoned young animals until they can be released back into the wild. Rehabilitators must be licensed by the state or federal government and obtain all necessary permits before beginning their career. Professional certification is also available. While many positions are part-time or volunteer-based, paying positions usually range from $25,000 to $35,000 per year. Animal Nutritionist An imal nutritionists monitor the nutritional intake of the animals under their care to ensure that they receive a balanced diet. Nutritionists may be involved in education, research, or consulting. Salary usually ranges from $40,000 to $75,000 per year for animal nutritionists. Animal Behaviorist Animal behaviorists study how animals interact with each other and the environment. Behaviorists may choose to work in academia, conduct scientific research, or interact directly with animals for their training for behavioral modification purposes. Salary may vary widely based on the specialty the behaviorist works in, but a salary between $40,000 and $80,000 is possible.

Leverage These Stats on Equal Pay Day and Beyond

Leverage These Stats on Equal Pay Day and BeyondLeverage These Stats on Equal Pay Day and BeyondAs we kick off April with Equal Pay Day, use this month to propel yourself forward in your career or job search by strengthening your negotiating power. A smart first step is to catch up on some of the latest news and trends around the pay gemeinsame agrarpolitik to inform your approach and strategies.Here are some recent highlights of studies about the pay gap and initiatives that are pushing for equal payBiases, not choices.Findings of a new poll released by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) at the end of March found that most Americans- nearly 60%- believe that biases in the workplace are responsible for the in richtungder pay gap. Less than a quarter (23%) of Americans surveyed attribute the gap to womens career choices. In a recent public statement, Kim Churches, CEO of the AAUW, said People of all ages, across all demographics, are well aware that women still face b arriers and biases in the workplace. Most Americans find this unacceptable, and thats why there is so much momentum toward policies and practices to close the gender pay gap.Different treatment in negotiating situations.The AAUW study also found that in terms of advocating for higher pay, three-quarters of Americans say men and women receive unequal treatment in the area of pay negotiations. Over half of Americans (52%) believe men receive better access than women to training, information, and resources that help with successful pay negotiations.Motherhood penalty still in effect.The National Womens Law Center (NWLC) has reported that mothers receive only 71 cents for each dollar that fathers are paid, creating a 21% motherhood wage gap. While moms get the equivalent of docked pay upon becoming parents, new dads have been found to receive a fatherhood bonus, the AAUW reports. Lest you assume this gap is trivial, be aware that the 29-cent gap translates to a $16K shortfall for women each year. Some states do even worse than this, with Utah and Louisiana the worst offenders, paying mothers only 58 cents for each dollar paid to fathers- creating an unconscionable 42% wage gap.Latinas and black women fare the worst.The NWLC recently announced that the wage gap costs Latinas over $1.1 million during their career, and costs black women more than $946,000 in lost earnings. The NWLC hasstate-by-state rankings of the lifetime wage gap.Salary transparency can help close the pay gap.The AAUW has identified salary transparency- being open about employees pay scales and salary bands- as key to closing the gender pay gap. The organization found that 57% of Americans reported having discussed, or being open to discussing, their pay with coworkers. Younger workers (millennials and gen Z) are more likely to talk about their salary with colleagues than older generations (68%, compared to 55% of gen X and 49% of baby boomers).House passes Paycheck Fairness Act of 2019.A new bill that was just passed by the House is designed to help with pay transparency. If enacted into law, the Paycheck Fairness Act would protect employees from retaliation for discussing their salary with coworkers. Employers could no longer fire workers for sharing these details, and this legal protection would help reveal gender-based pay disparities as more workers would be empowered to compare their numbers.Salary history bans increase.The Paycheck Fairness Act is also poised to prohibit employers from using salary history as part of new salary determinations, which will help stop the unfair practice of low pay based on gender-based salary disparities following women from job to job, and company to company. The AAUW reported in March that an expanding number of states and localities are passing laws that prevent employers from asking job candidates about their past salaries. An AAUW map shows which states regulate discussion of salary history.The fact is, public support for pay equity is at an all-time high, according to the AAUW. Leveraging this momentum by supporting legislative efforts to create systemwide change can ultimately help make the gender pay gap a thing of the past for all Americans.