career and job

Minggu, 24 Oktober 2010

Should You Recruit A Targeted Market for Your Network Marketing Company?

By Art Lovell

  
Job Vacancy Indonesia, Employee, Vacancy


This article will discuss the pros and cons of the traditional strategy of recruiting from your warm market or targeted cold market as a network marketer. Ultimately the aim of this article is to provide valuable insight into the benefits of each method to help you grow your business. As network marketer, you are building a team and it goes without saying, that having the right team members is pivotal to your success.
Benefits of Recruiting from the Warm Market
Recruiting from the warm market has 3 main benefits having an existing relationship with potential business partners, potential referrals, and the locality of your leads. When you recruit from the warm market, specifically your family members and friends, you have the benefit of existing relationship. You will not be seen as a stranger salesman and this can be extremely effective in piquing people's interest. Another benefit of recruiting warm market is that you may get an easy referral due to your existing relationship. You friend or coworker may not be interested in joining your business, but they may refer you to their associates who are. Lastly, a major benefit of recruiting warm market you have the benefit of your potential business partners being local which makes it easier to invite to local hotel or home presentations.
Benefits of Recruiting From a Targeted Cold Market
There are 3 major benefits of recruiting from a targeted cold market. They are more leads due to a bigger market, the ability to target leads interested in your business, and starting the recruiting process from a position of authority. First, by moving your recruiting efforts online allows you to reach more people than you can by simply recruiting from your friends and family through various advertising methods online. Recruiting online allows you to filter out people who are uninterested in your opportunity and only speak to people who are interested through advertising. Lastly, recruiting from a targeted cold market allows you to recruit from a position if authority through marketing online and attracting only the leads that are interest in more information about your company and your team.
Conclusion:
Is one method better than the other? Ultimately, both methods should be learned and mastered. People have seen success using both methods but the trend of many network marketing building strategies have focused online simply because there are more people online than in your warm market. However, network marketing will always will be a relationship business and you should work hard on establishing relationships with potential business partners online and offline.

Finding a Job in the Cleaning Service Field

By John F Smith
  
Job Vacancy Indonesia, Employee, Vacancy 


Discounting the premise of location, from polishing floors in a popular restaurant or washing the windows on a swanky sky rise building it is much easier to get into the cleaning industry at numerous positions. Housekeeping jobs are great for individuals looking to cash in on short term jobs. Housekeeping is comprised of repeatable tasks and involves a great deal of pre planned actions. Garbage disposal and hospital grooming as a career provides a more stable outlook and can last you a good deal of years.
There are many job openings that partake in the cleaning industry and provide great options when it comes to compensation and benefits. There is disaster sanitation, upholstery and carpet maintenance, eaves tough cleaning and window maintenance cleaning. A cleaner will carry out waste water restoration, toxin and industrial waste disposal and your occasional plugged sewer inspection with the use of inspection devices.
What you need
The cleaning and sanitation industry is divided into two fields; the consumer and commercial aspect of cleaning. Cleaning organizations and home cleaners are hired to sanitize and groom offices, hallways rooms and hotels. You can consider combining the two dependent on your cleaning career preferences. Apply and get a job in this industry is successful depending on the services you have to offer. Keep your clients happy all the time as this is a true requirement in a thriving cleaning business.
A selection of pre organized rules and commissions are laid down for employees before they initiate a cleaning job, with any organization. Employees are expected to abide by these rules and take note that customer happiness is entirely depended on how the cleaning crew performs on the job. For example, patrons will shun away from a hotel that has nasty cleaning service and is on the down low when it comes to it's overall sanitation. This will affect your client's business and your reputation dramatically.
Choices in the Service Industry
The cleaning and service industry has boomed throughout the years and now more than ever many opportunities have come relatively available that extend outside of the cleaning scope.
Building Superintendent - You can make a yearly profit of $60,00 a year as a building superintendent All you have to do is make sure that the building and coordinates approximate to your scope are groomed and well maintained.
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner -This lucrative career is easy and pays a lot of money with several opportunities in keeping clientele as there aren't a lot of carpet and upholstery cleaners to go around.
Hazardous Waste Management Technologist -one of the best and most lucrative forms of Service industry jobs, this can earn you as much as $3000 per contract but require you to certify and go through industrial waste management classes, as you will dealing with bio hazardous materials on occasion.
Cleaning as it implies has an unsanitary nature and is not for the picky sensitive types. Cleaning is a fairly in depth job and requires a certain amount of desensitization to become a good sanitation expert. This makes cleaning a much needed aspect of any industry as not everyone is more than happy to get down on their knees and scrub away grime and mud stains.
How to manage a cleaning service easily
Having your own cleaning service will allow you to meet different kinds of people from different places where you can offer your cleaning services. You won't get bored with your routine, as your business transaction always transcends and evolves as you carry and call your office appointments.
The cleaning industry is now on an all time spotlight as one of the most demanding business service solutions in the market. There is a shortage of professional cleaners and the need for a good cleaning service for both commercial and residential institutes is apparent. Since there is a large demand for cleaning services in the market you can start earning big bucks and manage your own business with a proper cleaning service that can catapult you into a lucrative and in demand career.
This is true! You can earn more money when you put in your own cleaning services and definitely cash in on the demand to make more money. With a small amount of investment it is a sure fire successful plan of gaining income returns providing you with a means to gain financial freedom.
Deciding to put up your cleaning business will gain you the experience of becoming your own boss and dictate the amount of commitment. As a manager it can prove to be an interesting experience with your vast exposure to different clientele setting, which may prove to be your niche when it comes to finding that successful and fulfilling career move. When you have a well structured business that renders quality cleaning services you can build a network of loyal clients and set yourself up for a cleaning service that will last you for years.
Expanding into more cleaning services
If you are a businessman who manages a home cleaning service then your customers will at some point ask you to provide additional services that specialize in different forms of grooming and sanitation such as carpe spotting, floor care, blind restoration and cleaning and power washing. Being the ultimate cleaning service is easy, all you need to do is decide on how to handle specific requests brought about by your customers. The last thing that you want to do is say I'm sorry I don't provide that service" Instead come prepared with the perfect solution that will satisfy your patrons and offer more business solutions for your cleaning service.
When looking for specialized cleaning services to compliment your existing service remember the golden rule of business; If there is an opportunity then grab it by the brass! Providing the service yourself is a sure fire way of dominating the market and making sure that you have your dip in the share of cleaning service expansion to keep your customers happy and in line. Invest in your staff and have them trained and certified on specialized cleaning services so that you can create a professional list of additional features that can be charged at a lucrative price range.

Websume: Resumes As Websites

By Nathan Newberger



As we move into the next millennium, one's approach to the job market is becoming exceedingly more sophisticated. Technologically our options are ever-evolving at a rather fast clip. To find a job today, we work with the new world of career management websites, online communities, listservs, video conference interviews, virtual offices, data mining techniques, virtual reality job simulations, and newsgroups, just to name a few. We are moving so fast, Merriam-Webster, et. Al. cannot keep up with the spontaneous combustion of new words entering our daily lives.

So with all of these new means of communication, how do we put our best virtual foot forward?

A candidate in today's marketplace cannot rely upon the traditional methods of a job search. Responding to classifieds, working with executive search firms and networking with industry associates are not the primary investigative channels that they once were. According to Gerry Crispin and Mark Mehlin, authors of the well respected directory "CareerXRoads" (a guide to the 500 best job, resume and career management sites): "?too many professionals look to find a 'yellow brick road' -- a straight and narrow path" to the ideal job. When, in essence, it is a territory with "crossroads?where both employer and candidates can meet and make a choice or two."

However, even with greater communication, the job of getting a job is still an arduous task. It requires up-to-date knowledge of the new technological process of recruitment. "Recruiters and managers prefer to scan the most candidate data in the shortest period of time," states Gerry Crispin. This is the quickest way that a firm can formulate a short list of applicants that meet their job criteria. So it behooves the job-seeker to become familiar with the "key words" that are needed to make their resumes the most "scan-specific."

But even at this point, how do candidates differentiate themselves from the competition? In other words, once in the the door, how do we move beyond just having face time with the job decision-makers?

Developing a resume web site is a means to that end. Here for the first time is an opportunity for candidates to make their professional background come to life and virtually (no pun intended)?jump off the page (or screen, as it were)! If your written page of vita data got their interest -- think about the icing on the cake -- the advertising vehicle of a website that is able to stimulate the senses of sight and sound.

A few examples follow:
  • When you want to highlight a point, include a photograph or .jpg file.
  • If you were ever filmed during an interview or a personal appearance, transfer that footage to an .avi file.
  • Use a camcorder to conduct your own interview and paste it to your homepage.Film and interview one of your references.
  • Add sound (a .wav file) to accent a hyperlink, or include background music to set a tone.
  • Use clipart or graphics to reinforce a theme, an idea, an experience.

Once the creative process has begun, there are endless possibilities as to what one can do to make the work experience come alive.

However, coupled with this new and exciting opportunity to present oneself is the much needed element of self-promotion. The field of dreams analogy of "once you build it they will come" does not necessarily apply here. One has to be tenacious in the pursuit of making a resume site available to the most people. Similar to the concept of networking, the more people you meet, the greater are your odds for selling the goods.

In promoting a resume website, you can expose your electronic advertisement in some of the following ways:
  • Embed your URL site into e-mail, press releases, and newsgroup communications.
  • Conduct an e-mail campaign to all of your prospects.
  • Send a separate e-mail communication to your networking associates.
  • Connect to search engines with key words.
  • Link to the resume web sites of your associates and trade organizations in your field.Advertise on career placement websites.List your site name on all of your correspondence, traditional resumes and FAX cover sheets.
  • Get your references to give you testimonials so they can mention your site during reference checks.
  • Present your website during the job interview.

Again the possibilities of promoting one's self is endless, but extremely important in making sure that your website receives as much traffic as possible. As a reinforcement to one's printed resume and your face-to-face interview presentation, a resume website can only enhance your chances of getting that next important job.
 
 
Bookmark 
              and   Share

Jobs Available Online

By bestjobcenter com



 

During the past, making an application for a job meant looking thru the classifieds in the local paper. The appearance of the Net has made numerous job sites online making it less complicated for somebody to sign up for work in another state and in even in another country.

It has made the world a smaller place with everything at one’s fingertip and simply a click away. Most job sites will need someone to create an account, fill in certain info and deposit a resume.

These sites typically ask for important info like the person’s name, age, address, contact number and social security number. Other info that’ll be requested are instructional background.

Some firms like somebody with a degree in a certain field or an approved pro to do the job or maybe an individual who has got an advanced qualification.

Work history is also another thing that must be discussed. This contains the job outline and highlights that you have experienced during your career. With the info provided, some of these sites supply a service with a fee that will match your qualifications with jobs that are available and allow you to make an application for that position.

Some even promise to make your resume stand out over other candidates giving that person more preference over others but even that may be a not a warranty that one will get the job.

One also has to say the income the person is receiving both in the present and previous jobs as this is matched with the job the individual wants and the income one wishes.

These sites offer various jobs to folk. It tends to executives and youths who need to work either for full time, part time or on a per project basis. Applying online is not just done thru job sites. Lots of corporations have internet sites that have a section on careers which one can access and check what openings are available.

One simply has to go thru the method of also giving certain info that’s asked for and uploading one’s resume. The first impression companies or headhunters look at is one’s resume.

Given that many folk apply, this often takes these folks a brief period of time to review and screen certain candidates before going to the next segment of being booked and requested an interview.

There are many jobs available in the market. It just takes a little effort on one’s part to sit in front of a P. C. and look for the right job.



Bookmark 
              and   Share

Top 10 Super Job Interview Tips

By Kathi MacNaughton



It’s a tough job market out there today. And getting the job you want requires more than just a killer resume. In other words, you can’t just sell yourself on paper. You’ve also got to be able to do it in person--in a face-to-face job interview.

Here are a few interview tips to help you make a great impression on the person who interviews you.

1. Market your skills and related experience in the field that you are applying for. Be sure to do it in a way that is positive, but not cocky or aggressive.

2. Research the company before your interview. It’s a great way to know where you would fit into the organization. It also lets the employer know that you really want to be a part of the company.

3. Prepare answers to common interview questions ahead of time, and practice saying them, so you aren’t stumped during the interview.

4. Dress for success, in the manner you would dress for the position you’re seeking.

5. Bring a list of your own questions with you in a folder with the company’s name on it, so that you don’t forget them. You should keep your extra resumes in there too.

6. Be a good listener and focus. Some job seekers talk too much during interviews.

7. Be prepared to describe your weaknesses as strengths. For example, saying that you are overenthusiastic about performing at your best.

8. Make eye contact with your interviewer.

9. Don’t volunteer your personal opinions to your interviewer about any subjects unless you are asked.

10. Try to establish a good rapport with your interviewer. Be casual but professional, and most importantly BE YOURSELF! Take the time to implement these interview tips before your next job hunt. It'll give you a leg up on your competition!



Bookmark 
              and   Share

5 Suggested Questions To Ask Before Selecting A Cleaning Service

By James Lombardo

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Employee, Vacancy


1- How Long Have They Been In Business?
There is a level of risk associated with choosing a cleaning company with less than extensive janitorial experience. One concern would be if the company has adequate staffing capabilities in the event of a special request or emergency. They may not have the proper experience or resources to handle a wide variety of requests or problems. An established company may be able to provide testimonials or references that substantiate their performance as where a new company may struggle to provide such documentation. A less established company may experience cash flow venerability which could affect their ability to purchase the necessary cleaning products or equipment to service your building properly. Worst yet, untimely payroll deposits for their employees. Having adequate administrative personnel was also cited as an important consideration. Behind the scenes activity such as quality control, invoicing, interviewing and the training of new hires contribute to running a smooth cleaning operation.
2- What Will Be The Role Of The Salesperson After An Agreement Is Reached?
Take the time to explore the method in which the janitorial company intends to manage your account. Many facility managers believe that having the salesperson you negotiated with remain as your single point of contact throughout the life of the agreement is an important aspect of the relationship. The salesperson may be compensated with a residual commission which is intended to elevate the level of dedication to the client needs.
3- How Long Will The Quoted Price Remain Firm?
Although, most cleaning companies are ethical in their pricing mythology, some do attempt to take advantage low cost selling. Removing the low quote from the selection process often eliminates a potential danger. A firm that represents the lowest quote may soon return to request a price increase so they can then provide the service originally agreed to.
4- How Does The Company Cultivate Their Labor?
Before making a final decision, request a detailed explanation on the process they utilize to recruit, interview, screen, and verify background information for the people who will be entering your building. There are several firms approved by The Department of Homeland Security that can identify individuals that may not meet certain important criteria. An additional level of screening may also include drug screening and credit verification. Increased due diligence creates a peace of mind atmosphere.
5- How Long Will The Contract Remain In Effect?
The most often used term length is 1 year and usually includes a 30 our clause that can be triggered for any reason at all. Many companies are prepared to work with you on a day by day basis so you have the ability to ask them to leave at any time. Negotiate an agreement that both parties are comfortable with and always include a 30 day notice cancellation clause for the protection of both parties

8 Tips for Keeping Your Staff Happy

by articlesbase com




A happy staff makes for happy patients, and happy patients means more business. You will also find that employees are more productive, and you will be more likely to retain them, which will save you the time and cost of training new workers. Putting a little more time and effort into keeping everyone happy is a win-win!

1. Provide training.  When a new staff member starts, take the time to show them the ropes. Even if they've done the job before, it may be valuable for them to "shadow" someone for a day or two to learn the policies and procedures specific to your practice. But don't stop the training there. Providing employees with opportunities to grow can make them feel their career is moving forward. Check out seminars, trade shows, and other learning opportunities in your area. If you can't afford formal classes, consider having employees within the company share their knowledge with the rest of the staff. 

2. Show your appreciation.  Make a point to praise your employees at least once a day. You'll be surprised how much of a difference it makes when people feel recognized for their efforts. Bonuses, parties, and other special perks are other ways to show your appreciation. You can award the staff for referring new patients or doing well on the job.

3. Communicate with your staff.  If they don't get their information from you, they'll get it from the practice's rumor mill. Keep such speculation at bay by being open and honest about what's happening in the practice. You should also hold regular staff meetings to promote problem solving, share news, and recognize accomplishments. Make it clear year-round that you have an "open door" policy, so employees feel like they can come to you with problems or their ideas for improving things.

4. Conduct evaluations.  Twice a year is a good rule of thumb. In your feedback, be sure to point to the areas where the worker is excelling. If an employee has problem areas, be constructive in your criticism: provide advice on how to improve. It's also a good idea to let the staff evaluate you, so you can find new ways to meet their needs and help the practice run more smoothly.

5. Follow your own policies.  If you set a rule, stick to it – for yourself and others. This will help others to take you more seriously, and cut down on resentment about preferential treatment.

6. Be positive.  Don't complain about patients or other workers in front of your staff. Doing so can foster a negative environment. Need to vent? Save it for your friends and family. If you have a problem with someone's work, speak to them in private.

7. Socialize.  If you have a personal relationship with someone, it's easier to communicate with them. Throw company parties to foster this environment. They don't need to be fancy. You can even make it a potluck!

8. Be flexible.  If you respect the fact that your staff has a life outside of the office, your practice will be more likely to retain employees. It doesn't mean you have to give in to every request made by a staff member, but within reason, make compromises to ensure that they are able to comfortably balance their home and work life. Avoid asking your staff to put in long hours or overtime when possible.



Bookmark          
        and   Share

9 Job Search Tips for New Graduates

By Kathy Kristof






College graduation season is set to launch millions of youthful job seekers into an already depressed employment market. If you’re among the masses, realize that preparation is key. Here’s what you need to do to get hired.

1. Edit your profile. Those drunken party photos might have impressed your Facebook friends, but now they could dissuade a prospective employer from hiring you, says Stephen Miles, vice chairman of executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles and co-author of Your Career Game. Recruiters do extensive web searches on people they intend to hire, including checking social media sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. If you’ve posted compromising photos or a stupid status update (i.e. Nice day. I think I’ll call in sick and go to the beach…) it could cost you a job. Get rid of it.

2. Do your homework. Don’t just figure that you can post a resume on monster.com and find work, says Janice Bryant Howroyd, CEO of staffing company AppleOne. You ought to study all aspects of your chosen field and seek information about the companies doing business in that area. Go to the company web sites and see if they’re posting open positions, too. If you send a resume, tailor it specifically to the job you’re seeking, Howroyd suggests.

3. Prepare to relocate. Live in a city where the job prospects are bleak? You can vastly increase your chance of getting work by seeking employment in other zip codes. The folks at job search site Indeed.com recently came up with a list of the best and worst cities to find work.

4. Think small. Many graduates focus on big, brand-name companies, but it’s the smaller and mid-sized companies that are doing most of the hiring now, Howroyd says. Taking jobs that “no one wants” is often an opportunity that no one else sees, adds Nathan Bennett, professor of management at Georgia Tech and the other co-author of Your Career Game. A first job is an opportunity to get experience. The smaller the company, the thinner the staff, the more likely you are to learn a wide array of skills.

5. Set targets. Set goals every day for either sending out a set number of resumes; filling out a set number of applications or finding a set number of new opportunities. Don’t hit the beach until you’ve hit your goal. You can’t change the job market, but you can determine how hard you try. Trying harder than your peers makes you the one most likely to get work.

6. Be persistent. If you go to an interview and don’t hear from the employer, follow up with a phone call. If they gave the job to another person, don’t be angry — be interested. Politely ask the hiring manager if he or she can tell you whether there was something that the other person did that particularly impressed them or something that you did wrong. If your approach is respectful and aimed at learning (rather than second-guessing their actions), they’re likely to help you better position yourself for the next interview. And if they tell you that you were fine, the other person was just more qualified, don’t be shy about asking them to keep you in mind for the next opportunity. If you don’t have a job in three or four months, call again and see if anything has opened up.

7. Work your network. Ask your friends, your parents, your parents’ friends, if they know of anything that would suit you. Check in with your college career office and attend their alumni functions. When there are hundreds of people applying for a given job, a personal referral can make your application stand out.

8. Be a temp. Some companies may not be willing to hire permanent full-time staff, but need help. You can sign up with a temporary company, like AppleOne, that will send you out on a daily basis to these companies. The benefits: You earn money; you get to know employers and employers get to know you.

9. Don’t despair. It’s a rotten job market, so it could take time to get work. And when you do get work, it may not be the ‘perfect job’ that you envisioned. Keep a good attitude and don’t let it get to you. Every job — even a nightmare job — is experience on your resume and a potential reference for a new employer. Do you best no matter where you end up working, and chances are good that you’ll get a better job in no time.




Bookmark          
        and   Share

Options for Managing Customer Relationship Data

By Wayne Hemrick

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Employee, Vacancy 


These days many companies are experiencing extreme information overload when it comes to customer data. Customer relationship management is becoming so over-whelming that the only viable option is finding a good customer relationship software (typically known as customer relationship management or CRM software) to organize, synchronize, and access all this information about current and potential customers.
The customer is the most important element to any successful company. It is therefore imperative to have convenient access to all of the customers' information that might be helpful in increasing sales. The most common information stored in CRM software is related to marketing, customer service, and technical support, allowing all departments within an organization to be "on the same page" for each customer. The customer won't have to constantly be bounced back and forth between departments to get an issue taken care of. Efficient customer relations management is the way to move forward for most types of businesses.
Incorporating a new software into the daily routine of a company can be an inconve-nience, but in this case the benefits definitely outweigh any drawbacks. Implementing CRM software is the best way to find, attract, and retain customers. CRM software also reduces the costs of marketing and customer service because all "known" information is centrally stored, accessed when relevant information is sought, and doesn't become redundant; once something is known about a customer, that info is stored and doesn't need to be found or asked again.
A customer relationship manager is a main key to marketing success for medium and large companies that need to keep large amounts of information about their customers organized and synchronized. Also, with highly organized information, the customer will feel like the company your on top of things and, as a result, they will have a more positive image of your company.
What is the best customer relationship manager software for your company? Look for a CRM (customer relationship management) vendor that has web based tools (known as cloud computing), and software as a service (SaaS) - information accessed through a secure internet connection, but displayed in your Web browser. These two popular trends among customer relationship software vendors are signs of dedicated support and quality service.
In addition, look for a CRM vendor who has been around for several years and isn't a fly-by-night company who will leave you hanging when you need support.

Nine Tips For Young People Starting Careers

By getrichslowly org



Careers , Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy




I asked five managers I’ve known over the years and my favorite workplace expert what behaviors and attitudes in their eyes mark a new recruit as promising and promotion-worthy.
The following attributes will help you succeed:
  • Be willing to ask for help, but be able to take charge. Employers like for employees to ask questions. It’s better to admit you need help than to fumble blindly. But once you’ve been pointed in the right direction, take charge. And if you know what you’re doing, be proactive. “One of the biggest mistakes new recruits can make…is to assume that when they have nothing to do that there is nothing to do.”
  • Know the boss. Understand what she needs. If you can learn what your boss values, what will help her be successful, then your success will follow. Know how she operates and use this to guide your actions.
  • Cultivate good relationships. You can be the best at what you do, but if you’re a jerk, you’re not going to get the promotions. Be easy-going. Be respectful. Be well-groomed. Don’t get involved in office politics.
  • Don’t watch the clock. “If you have to stay a little late to meet a deadline or pull some hours on a weekend without being asked, it shows your commitment.” If you go the extra mile, you’ll be noticed.
  • Know when to go. Most of the career advice I’ve read says the same thing: stay in a position until you’ve got as much from it as you can. Then make a shift to something new, either in the same company or with a new one. It’s important to continue to grow. When that’s no longer possible, it’s time to move on.
I think this is excellent advice. But as an employer, I think there are additional attributes that can help you get ahead.
  • Don’t treat the job like a chore. Many young people in their first real jobs act as if they’re in an adversarial relationship with their employer. This is counterproductive. An “us vs. them” mentality helps nobody. Think “win-win”. If you’re in a shitty job where the corporate culture fosters adversity, then get out. That’s not a career. That’s a life in purgatory.
  • Think like your employer. If you were in his place, what would you value in an employee? An excellent way to do this is to skim material he may be reading. You might, for example, read a list of seven characteristics of highly effective employees written for managers looking to make hires, instead of this list of nine skills for employees looking to get hired!
  • Behave professionally. Don’t bad-mouth your company to clients. Don’t tell off-color stories. Don’t engage in behavior that’s embarrassing to the company. This is common-sense stuff, but you’d be surprised at how many young people damage their careers by behaving in an unprofessional manner.
  • Be flexible — adapt to the demands of the job. There’s nothing more frustrating than employee who grouses, “That’s not my job.” Especially in a small business, your job is whatever your boss asks you to do. Sometimes you’ll need to do tasks that fall outside your job description. Adapt to the situation. Be willing to think outside the box. Employers love this.
Your career is one of your most valuable assets — it’s a regular, reliable source of money. Handle it with care.


Bookmark 
              and   Share

Benefits of Customer Relationship Software

By Raymond Levi

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Employee, Vacancy


The success of a company is dependent upon its customers and customer relationship software will help the relationship among your corporation and its customers. While there is no denying that the customer relationship software can help your enterprise, it's important for business owners to do not forget that the software program is an enabler, but it surely will not take over the running of your corporation. Even with the perfect software, firms nonetheless depend on the human factor so as to be successful.
There are a number of issues that good CR software might help you with. The benefits of a CRM program are a rise in income and profit, leverage, and improved interaction points.
The trick to using customer relationship software is to treat is as technique to your enterprise. You want to use the software to help you improve your business, and it will, but you also must be willing to put in an excessive amount of the work.
Enhancing your enterprise, even with the help of your customer relationship, is just not a simple element to achieve. It's going to take quite a lot of laborious work, and there'll probably be some headaches along the way. The easiest way to approach the improvement development is to sit down and make a listing of issues that you'll want to do. This will not less than give you some place to start. Most business owners discover that they should replace their enterprise guidelines, replace their advertising, tweak their employee coaching, and execute the IT systems.
The data you, the business owner, collects with the help of your new software can assist you with the improvement of various points of your business. The keyword is assist, it won't do the work for you. When you've got supplied the software program with accurate data it might probably provide help to make selections that can affect your marketing plans. The software program also can enable you decide who your most worthwhile buyer is and what they're on the lookout for once they come to your corporation. The most important thing your customer relationship software will allow you to with is figuring out what things you are able to do in an effort to improve your company's client retention.
Putting in a customer relationship software program on your enterprise laptop is a wonderful idea. The benefits you get from the software could have a huge impact in your company's future, provided you might be prepared to do the legwork and the knowledge you feed the software program is accurate.

23 Ways to be Happy at Work: #4 - Work Can be Play

Do you have fun at work?
by Lori Grant





Work can be fun? Really?!?
Yes, it can be. If you think about it, fun is an activity that’s enjoyable or amusing. Surely, there’s something at work that’s fun for you. In my last job, my executive team meetings were always fun. Yes, there were some meetings that were stressful. But most of the time, I enjoyed the company of the team. I admired each member’s contribution, wondering why we worked so well together. Of course, there were a few bumps along the way, but that’s to be expected.

I always looked forward to Friday mornings for this 10:00 am meeting. What do I miss the most? The camaraderie with my colleagues. I had the most fun when we were brainstorming or creativity thinking our way out of problems. The second thing I most fun thing I miss? Working with my direct reports as I shared my experiences and knowledge with them on projects that relied on my product marketing background. 

List the reasons why work is play for you

Make a list of the reasons why work is play for you at your current job. Is it because you enjoy working with your teammates? What aspects of your job is play to you? Is it because of the product you manage or the clients you get to work with? Is it fun because of the people or tasks? How can you do more of the same, allowing you to have more fun at work? Are there some aspects that feel more like play than work? 

List the reasons why work isn’t play for you

Make a list of the reasons why work isn’t play for you, like an unproductive weekly department meeting or a 1-on-1 meeting with your boss. Having a hard time coming up with fun things at your job? What can you do to make changes? Or is it the job that you’re ready to quit? Try to figure out how to make work play; it’s one simple step toward being happier at work

The 23 Ways to be Happy at Work series reflects on 23 ways to help you reflect about the course of your career. After deciding to identify what made me happy at work, my list became this list. Here the are the drivers to my happiness at work that may help you manage your career:
  1. Work by your values
  2. Love your work, love your career
  3. Decide what makes you happy in your job
  4. Work can be play
  5. Know the big picture
  6. Walk in your boss’ shoes
  7. What is the problem?
  8. Try the same old thing to get different results
  9. Try something new to get different results
  10. List your accomplishments
  11. Don’t gossip
  12. Don’t react
  13. Don’t worry
  14. Don’t be unhealthy
  15. Read up
  16. Read It
  17. Share knowledge
  18. Mend fences
  19. Be a squirrel
  20. Change your workspace
  21. Give yourself a gift
  22. Let it go
  23. Change this!


Bookmark          
        and   Share

Make Better Business Decisions

by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, and Switzler





According to leadership experts Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler, "Crucial Conversations" are those tough, day-to-day interactions in which the stakes are high, people have conflicting views, and emotions run strong. The surprising thing about these conversations is that they often occur when least expected whether in the boardroom or by the water cooler. Mastering them can transform businesses and careers, strengthen teams, increase productivity, and boost the bottom line.

The two riskiest times in crucial conversations tend to be at the beginning and at the end. The beginning is risky because you have to find a way to create safety or else things go awry. The end is dicey because if you aren’t careful about how you clarify the conclusion and decisions, you can run into violated expectations later on.

When you're considering how to make better business decisions, it helps to have a way of talking about the available options. There are four common ways of making decisions: command, consult, vote, and consensus. These four options represent increasing degrees of involvement. Increased involvement, of course, brings the benefit of increased commitment along with the curse of decreased decision-making efficiency.

Command
Let's start with decisions that are made with no involvement whatsoever. This happens in one of two ways. Either outside forces place demands on us (demands that leave us no wiggle room), or we turn decisions over to others and then follow their lead. We don't care enough to be involved -- let someone else do the work.

In strong teams and great relationships, many decisions are made by turning the final choice over to someone we trust to make a good decision.

Consult
Consulting is a process whereby decision makers invite others to influence them before they make their choice. You can consult with experts, a representative population, or even everyone who wants to offer an opinion.

Vote
Voting is best suited to situations where efficiency is the highest value -- and you're selecting from a number of good options. Voting is a great time saver but should never be used when team members don't agree to support whatever decision is made. In these cases, consensus is required.

Consensus
This method can be both a great blessing and a frustrating curse. Consensus means you talk until everyone honestly agrees to one decision. This method can produce tremendous unity and high-quality decisions. It should only be used with (1) high-stakes and complex issues or (2) issues where everyone absolutely must support the final choice.

When choosing among the four methods of decision making consider the following questions.
1. Who cares? Determine who genuinely wants to be involved in the decision along with those who will be affected. These are your candidates for involvement. Don't involve people who don't care.

2. Who knows? Identify who has the expertise you need to make the best decision. Encourage these people to take part. Try not to involve people who contribute no new information.

3. Who must agree? Think of those whose cooperation you might need in the form of authority or influence in any decisions you might make. It's better to involve these people than to surprise them and then suffer their open resistance.

4. How many people is it worth involving? Your goal should be to involve the fewest number of people while still considering the quality of the decision along with the support that people will give it. Ask: "Do we have enough people to make a good choice? Will others have to be involved to gain their commitment?"

A crucial conversation about your decision-making practices can resolve many frustrating issues.




Bookmark          
        and   Share

SEO Content Writing Quality Management Systems

By Pete Sohn

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Employee, Vacancy  


"Quality Content Management (QCM)" is a term that we have been propagating into the market and have become their number 1 spokesperson. We totally believe in the purpose of monitored quality content management systems. Our definition is very different than the typical definition that is found in the dictionaries and telecom markets jargons. Typically QCM is defined as the system that monitors and controls the quality of any system. Likewise QCM is a system that monitors and ensures quality of content that is published online.
In order to ensure that the software can provide this kind of requirement, extensive research is required to build an application that understands the principles of QCM. What we are working on is a system that actually understands the human element and then works on building its understanding of content on the Internet. You would have to extensively work with the application and configure it accordingly. The system will require your guidance, inputs and directions. It will be scanning through emails and content to better understand how you define and value quality.
We have beta software out in the market. Previous systems only were able to pick up only certain content. This system navigates through a completely different mechanism. It allows you to link to different sites and evaluate the content.
What we really need to understand is that with such a high influx of content being published daily in the Internet, it is really mandatory for organizations to have a quality content management system in place. This would work as a virtual editor and ensure that only those articles that should be published that have a significant content value.

8 Things I Did to Improve My Current Job

By Rolando Ruiz



The economy is in a terrible state; a state of which we haven't seen the likes since the Great Depression. Employers are slashing jobs at a record pace and unemployment offices are overcrowded with people now forced to reconfigure their lives. During these tough times we all want to avoid being the one to get the proverbial "pink slip"... easier said than done when you are at the mercy of your employers. Hard work may no longer be enough; it's time to step up your game. You need to show that you are not only worth hanging on to, but that you are a contributing member of the team that will help the company survive. The question on everyone's mind--how?

So what is the right mix, the right solution to stay above water during tough times? They say change is coming. I say change is here. It's time to wake up and cope with change.

This has been my experience:
I left a good job that had long given up on the promise of providing me opportunities for growth in my respective field of information security. I was looking for a challenge; the next stepping stone in my career. I worked as an Information Technology technician for nearly ten years. I had suddenly realized the company's technology strategy didn't fit with my understanding and aspirations around enhancing the discipline of Information Security. In 2007, I accepted an offer from IBM and over the course of the next year plus, I learned a great deal which provided me with broader knowledge and experience. Soon after, I accepted a job offer from a healthcare insurance provider which offered many challenges and a promising future. But it wasn't all as I thought it would be - not right away anyways.

During my first year of employment my job felt like a waste of my time. I was not contributing, not because I didn't want to or couldn't, but because in my opinion things happened slowly and very little interest was given to my expertise and purpose. I tried my best to stay busy and contribute even when the rewards were small and few and far between. As work began to come our way and much was expected of us, we needed a plan, we needed a strategic plan to handle information security. However, a plan was never fully developed and a vision didn't immediately flourish. Work became an everyday frustration of "putting out fires" and we were never put in a position to show value and results. One of the toughest things to do in the industry of information security and assurance is show ROI and we simply didn't put ourselves in a position to do so. I saw this as a problem and raised the issue. I raised the issue again and again until it got me in trouble. I didn't get in trouble because I was pointing out the obvious, but perhaps because of complex politics and because I didn't fully understand how the organization worked. Despite all that, I felt it was my obligation to my employer to raise issues of concern since this is why I was hired. So I backed off and went into frustration and unmotivated mode. What a terrible way to work. Everyday I looked forward to being late to work and leaving early although I never acted on it. I remained strong to my commitment to my employer. My job became a burden on me however, and to top that off, the economy started to hit us, big time.
For the first time in years this strong performing company was faced with the tough decision of lay offs. This scared me, or at least got me thinking. I asked myself: "If I was asked by an executive to describe my contributions to the company, what would I say? How can management justify my job?" Wow! Wake up call!

1. I realized that I would, like everyone else, likely struggle to find work if I lost my job. Not because of my ability or marketability, but because there's a lot of competition out there and finding a better job would be really tough. So I decided to change my current attitude and focus to fit my style - the turning point.

2. I wrote down what benefits my job offered. When I say benefits I mean what challenges, learning opportunities, chance to get involved, opportunities to develop my professional status and knowledge. I wrote down the things that I can find at work that would show results for my employer.

3. I looked for areas or projects where my past experience could be of use in an effective manner to help others while helping myself establish a better reputation and improve my brand within the company. This was important to me because in every job I've ever held, I have always been involved in rewarding projects and activities and I wanted to maintain that.

4. I developed plans on how I would contribute to these projects. I didn't want to only contribute, I wanted to stand out and be noticed. So I had to develop ways that I could be productive and be a leader. I thought out my ideas and put them on paper so that when I presented them, they would make sense and gain stakeholders' interest.

5. I took charge. I became a marketing genius of my own work and myself. I sought out people that would be on my side and back my ideas. In many cases I gained people's input on my plans before I presented them. Input from people that have an established reputation in the company is an undervalued asset. If you can find allies, go get 'em.

6. Positive attitude. My attitude changed drastically. I have always been a pretty optimistic and positive person but for a while my attitude was down the toilet. How did I remain positive you ask? Simple, I just stayed true to myself and to my strengths. I figured, if I get laid off, I didn't want to walk away thinking I could have done better. I'm at my best when I am true to myself and when I maximize my strengths and abilities. Find them, we all have them. That's why you were hired in the first place.

7. Get noticed. There is nothing wrong with letting people know that you did something right. You're expected to own up to your mistakes so why not take credit for your good work? I began walking into my boss's office 3-4 times a day to let him know what I've accomplished thus far. I kept him informed of every detail of my work and how it was being received by other departments.

8. Finally, I made my boss look good. When you do good work in cross-functional activities and teams, your ability will shine and everyone will know your worth. But it is your boss that holds your success and job status in his or her hands. If you make your boss look good, he or she will want to retain you because your work actually provides him with job security as well; you're part of his or her vision and helping achieve that. Eventually you will outgrow your job and possibly look to leave, unless you're content where you are and with the growth you've achieved, but while you're at your job, making your boss look good will get you more projects to work on, and more opportunities to shine and develop yourself professionally. Make your boss your ally.

So after all that, where am I today? Today, I'm leading two of the company's most critical information security activities. I'm developing the company's Information Security Incident Management and I'm also heading the information security risk assessment for a high priority project. My boss and others, have shown great appreciation for my work and every day now my work has major rewards with those rewards coming more often. The money is the same, but my life is simpler and my job is a happier place. My positive attitude seems to be contagious as others look forward to working with me and participating in my meetings. I usually stand by the conference room door as people leave my meetings so that I can get feedback. Positive feedback is great food for self confidence.

In all, I feel that I have further solidified my job status and most importantly, I have engaged myself in promising activities that will have great rewards in the future. Information Security has a promising future, so this will only enhance my chances to grow professionally.


Bookmark          
        and   Share

Careers In Herpetology And Herpetoculture

By Dr. Robert Sprackland

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Employee, Vacancy 


So you think you want to establish a career where you get to work with reptiles and amphibians. If that is the case, this article is for you. Why did I write an article about getting what seems to be an easy-to-obtain job? First, there are a lot of people who contact zoos, museums, and websites asking just that question. While there are some pamphlets available that briefly address the question (ASIH, no date; SSAR, 1985), there are few other published resources available (Barthel (2004); Sprackland and McKeown, 1995, 1997; Sprackland, 2000). There are some guides to entering the academic world of biology (i.e., Janovy, 1985), but these generally focus on career paths in the university world, while the field of biology is far broader than herpetology or even organismal zoology. This article, then, gives professional colleagues a resource that may help them answer specific questions from their clients.
Second, many people do not consider a career in herpetology or zoology until they reach the stage where it has become obvious that their collections have outgrown their personal resources. They either wish to expand their contact with large reptiles in a zoological park setting or perhaps wish to engage in meaningful field or laboratory studies. Among the ranks of this group are many seasoned and competent herpetoculturists, and they form a significant group seeking information about how to "turn pro."
Career Options I: The Private Sector
There are probably more paying opportunities in the private sector than can be found among the zoological parks and academic markets combined, though it may also be safe to say relatively few private sector jobs will pay a living wage. Among the jobs that can be classified as "private sector" are those that receive funding as commercial, for-profit ventures. Typical jobs would include animal dealers, pet shop workers, breeders, lecturers, and writers. For most of these positions, success will be based largely on experience and knowledge-from whatever source you obtained it-and less so on formal academic training. Some notable herpetologists came from the ranks of the privately employed sector, including Lawrence Klauber, Constantine Ionides, E. Ross Allen, Steve Irwin, and Hans-Georg Horn, as well as many of the most knowledgeable contemporary reptile breeders.
Working in the private sector generally has two paths available to you. First, you may work for someone who owns a reptile-related business. Pay is variable in such situations, and may be based more on the financial condition of the business than on any experience you may bring. Perhaps the more financially rewarding route is to operate a business of your own. Many commercial breeders start by specializing in a single species (such as leopard geckos) or a genus (such as rat/corn snakes). From there you may branch out to handle other species, or you may remain a specialist dealer and supply your personal passion for exotic reptiles with a private collection.
There are also herpetological supply businesses, school lecturers, and reptile food suppliers, among other possibilities. The key to making any of these ventures work is to tackle them as serious business activities. Take some business classes, or buy some good books about writing a business plan (essential for getting loans) and operating a small business. Take advantage of free advisory services of friends in business or the U.S. government's SCORE program (Service Corps Of Retired Executives), where experienced business people will review business plans and loan requests, discuss accounting and inventory control, and be available to help in a myriad of ways that will make you life easier and business more likely to succeed.
Career Options II: Zoological Parks
It was once true that if you were willing to clean cages and apprentice under an "old timer," you could get a position at even the most prestigious of zoos. By the last third of the 20th century, though, a variety of factors at zoological parks had changed drastically. Operating costs, including salaries and benefits, utilities, insurance, cost of animals, and greater competition for visitor's dollars all made it essential to streamline the operations and assure better-trained staff from their date of hire. People wishing to work in the animal care departments were routinely expected to have completed a two-year associate's degree in biology, animal husbandry, or zookeeper training. Now it is much more likely that a zoo will want new hires to possess a bachelor's degree and have a few years' experience as either a zoo volunteer or part-time worker. Moving into management may require you to have a master's degree as well.
Why all this focus on academic qualifications? There are several reasons, and we'll examine each in detail. First, of course, is that many employers see completion of a college degree as an indicator of your ability to take on a long term project, with all its ups and downs, and finish. An associate's degree program at one of the few community colleges that offers such a course of study will consist of far more hands-on (or "practical") time working in a small zoo that a student would get in a traditional university setting. The two-year course is vigorous, and potential zookeepers will be trained across the lines of the zoo world, being exposed to bird and large mammal care, administration and administrative duties associated with a broad spectrum of possible career positions. The more traditional and popular four-year university degree route may entail little practical zoo keeping experience, but provides a very broad range of classes that include English (good communication skills are expected of new hires), math, history, Western Civilization, philosophy, chemistry, physics, biology, and a variety of optional, or elective, courses. There is rather little focus on zoology during the four year program, so a candidate who can "tough it out" is seen as being a well-rounded individual with a solid background in sciences and who can complete a long-term project that appears to have little direct bearing on the final goal.
The second reason for wanting a strong college background in new zookeeper hires is because animals are becoming more expensive to acquire, maintain, and replace. Zoo managers rightly expect modern keepers to know considerably more about the anatomy, physiology, behavior, and diseases of the animals for which they will have responsibility. The keeper is the first line of action for keeping animals healthy and recognizing when something may be wrong, and the better trained the keeper, the better he or she should be at handling that responsibility. College teaches students how to do research, and the working zookeeper may have to use library, on-line, or professional contact sources to get information necessary to the well being of animals.
Breeding was once the rare and much-heralded accomplishment of few zoos, and then only for large, usually mammalian charges. The pre-1965 efforts were often on so-called "postage-stamp collections" of animals, where zoos would try to obtain one specimen each of as many species as possible. With the mid-1960s enforcement of the U.S. Lacey Act, establishment of the Endangered Species Act and the beginning of CITES, zoos were limited in their abilities to acquire new animals. It quickly became fashionable, responsible, and fiscally necessary to learn to breed more species and use progeny to populate zoo collections. During the pioneering days of captive husbandry, zookeepers with a greater knowledge of physiology, reproductive biology, and the natural history of the animals in their care had a decided advantage over other keepers. Such staff members became crucial to the continued success of many zoo missions, helping drive the recruitment of new employees with a more solid and diverse background in the science of biology.
Third, many zoos have come under increased scrutiny both by the general public, wanting to be sure that the zoo's mission is actually being accomplished, and by groups who advocate against the keeping of any animals in captivity at all. Today's zookeeper needs to know how to educate the public to the needs of animals and the important roles played by well-run zoological parks. An indispensable part of being such a zookeeper is to have a broad view of the mission coupled with exceptional speaking and/or writing skills. Every keeper is also an ambassador for their zoo and the value of all zoos to the visiting public. Employers often equate your ability to handle these tasks with the training you received in university.
Career Options III: Academia
The academic world has much to offer, but also makes considerable demands. Careers under this heading include primarily university positions-almost all of which have teaching responsibilities as well as research-and the small number of museum curators. For an entry into any of these fields a candidate must certainly hold a doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree, and most jobs now also require you to have held a postdoctoral position as well. There has been a fair amount of discussion since the middle 1990s to create a new post-Ph.D. degree, the chancellorate, but most critiques argue that by the time a student would attain that degree, they would be facing retirement age!
An academic herpetologist may have the greatest freedom to explore the topics of personal interest, especially in a museum setting, but even there the job will require expertise and skills that extend beyond studying reptiles. University and museum professionals enter the profession as assistant professors or assistant curators. They will be charged with setting up a research program that is funded by grants-which they must raise with limited institutional help. Earning a grant means having a solid research proposal, excellent writing and budgeting skills, and the resources that will guarantee the promised results if you are funded. Your employer will also expect a certain quantity of peer-reviewed publications (those that appear in the scientific or technical journals) from you. If, after three to seven years, depending on the employer, you meet these goals, you will probably be offered a promotion to associate professor or associate curator and tenure. Tenure means that, barring an extremely serious breach of responsibility, you have a job for life.
But it is not as easy as the previous paragraph describes to get tenure. You will also need to serve on committees, provide input on institutional projects, and establish some sort of interaction with the broader community. Each of these tasks is designed to give you the chance to be seen as an authority in your subject and prepare you for increased responsibilities in the future. Your success or failure will also weigh in on whether or not you earn tenure. On top of all this, university faculty are also expected to teach, which means that you will essentially be charged with two very distinct jobs.
College Preparation
College education is not for everyone, and with the increased competition for available entry slots in each year's classes coupled with ever increasing tuition and related expenses, it should be a well-planned and carefully considered step (Sprackland, 1990). For those of you still in high school-or for parents whose children want to prepare for a career in herpetology-I shall offer some basic advice on how to prepare for college. The sooner you can start your efforts, the better, because you will need three solid years of the right kinds of high school courses in order to be seriously considered for admission to a good university. Opt for the college-prep route, and take three or more years of math (algebra, geometry, algebra II, and calculus), three of laboratory-based science (biology, chemistry, and physics), and work to excel in English, particularly composition. By the junior year of high school you should be researching colleges. Find out which schools offer degrees and courses of interest; not all schools offer zoology paths, and of those that do, not all offer courses in herpetology. Start reading one of the major scientific journals (Copeia, Herpetologica, and Journal of Herpetology) and study where the authors are who have interests that coincide with yours. Each scientific paper includes the author's address and, almost universally, e-mail address.
When you find authors you wish to contact, do so. Write a brief polite letter introducing yourself and expressing interest in studying herpetology. Ask for information about the author's university, its courses, degree offerings, and admission requirements. Plan early, because entry requirements vary somewhat among universities.
If you choose to go the community or junior college route, there are some differences in your procedure from what you would do to get into a four-year school. You do not need the same rigorous high school course load to enter a community college, and entry requirements vary from none to minor. There is little difference to the student between the first two years of college whether at community or four-year colleges, and in many cases the former is a better educational deal. Why? Because unlike four-year colleges, community colleges do not employ graduate students to teach. Faculty almost universally have at least a master's degree plus several years' experience as instructors, providing a considerable potential edge over the graduate student teacher.
Once enrolled at community college, you must meet two objectives if you wish to eventually earn a solid bachelor's or higher degree. First, be sure to register in courses that will transfer credit to the four-year school you plan to attend. If this is not possible-some universities do not recognize some community college courses as adequate-then have an alternative university to aim for or go directly to the four-year school of your choice. Second, take every course as seriously as you can. Work to earn an A average, especially in science, math, and English composition courses. Don't waste your time at community college, assuming it is the easy alternative to a four-year school; this is rarely the case. Many community college instructors are leaders in their respective fields. The late Albert Schwartz was a herpetologist who probably did more than any other zoologist to study and document the herpetofauna of the Caribbean islands, and he is still extremely highly regarded by his peer community. Yet for his entire career, Schwartz taught only at a community college. Several distinguished herpetologists are doing just that even today.
When enrolling at university should you sign up for the bachelor of arts or bachelor of science program? There is a small difference, though few students (or graduates) know what it is. In the bachelor of science (BS) track, you have almost all of your courses determined by a university-set plan. You are required to take specific classes and have very few elective options. The bachelor of arts (BA) is more liberal; it still has a considerable number of required courses, but you have far more latitude in elective class choices. Because my interests were so broad in my undergraduate days, wanting to study paleontology, Latin, and philosophy as well as zoology, I opted for the BA program. Had I taken a BS route, I could not have taken such a range of classes and still graduated in four years.
Graduate School and Post Graduate Options
Graduate school is definitely not for everyone, though it is absolutely essential if you wish to obtain an academic career or a position as a senior zoo employee. Collections managers and zoo keepers typically opt for a master's degree, which provides advanced coursework and a chance to engage in some project or activity that has a direct bearing on the requirements of an advanced career path. A doctoral degree is a research degree, meaning the recipient has been trained to conduct original studies. This is the degree needed for professorial and curatorial positions. The vast majority of people who plan to earn a doctorate do not need to earn a master's degree en route.
Master's programs take from 18 months to three years of full-time effort, and include a large number of courses, some research or work as research assistant in a lab, and often require a written thesis based on library or research work. Some master's programs will require you to either work as a research assistant or as a teaching assistant, supervising laboratory sessions. Doctoral programs in the United States start off similar to the master's route, and with classes, lab or teaching duties. Upon completing a set of qualifying examinations, the student becomes a candidate for the degree and begins working on an original research project, which will eventually be written up as a thesis. If the thesis passes faculty scrutiny, the Ph.D. is awarded. U.S. doctoral programs typically span five to seven years of full-time effort, after which the herpetologically oriented graduate faces a daunting job market. If you want a Ph.D., go ahead and earn it, but do not assume it is a guarantee of an academic job. During the particularly tight job market of the 1980s and 1990s, my contemporaries joked that Ph.D. stood for "Pizza Hut Delivery." (This seemed somewhat appropriate given that we survived graduate school by ordering astronomical numbers of Pizza Hut pizzas to our labs; now "the hut" could pay our salaries!)
If you decide to enter graduate school, begin your job hunt no later than a year before you plan to get a master's degree, or two-and-a-half years before a Ph.D. Once again, read the journals, attend conferences, and find out where people are with whom you would be compatible as a new colleague. Whose research could complement yours and help you on the road to tenure? Make those contacts early and make sure you have people who will vouch for you when those precious jobs become available.
CAREER OPTIONS IV: MISCELLANEOUS
Perhaps none of the previous categories applies to your interests. That still leaves a considerable number of possible careers that will allow at least some work with reptiles. Most require a bachelor's degree, though a job announcement will often claim "master's degree preferred." Among the choices are-
Government biologist-Positions with federal and state wildlife agencies sometimes allow study of herpetofauna. Among the obvious agencies are fish and wildlife, game, and environmental services. However, biological work is also undertaken by the U.S. Geological Survey, forest services, and occasionally in military research (the U.S. Army and Navy long operated a considerable snake venom research facility).
Teacher-Both primary and secondary school teachers have numerous opportunities to acquaint children with the natural world. In many states the teacher must hold a degree in a content area-say biology or zoology-while other states accept applicants whose degree is in education. Check carefully to determine the requirements for the state in which you wish to teach.
Community College Instructor-As tertiary schools have increased their dependency on lower-paid part-time instructors (who typically do not receive health or retirement benefits), the ranks of part timers has exploded. While the working conditions are extremely variable, part-timers can expect to have limited or no campus office space, no faculty standing, and perform the same teaching duties as full-time colleagues, but for 40% to 70% of the hourly pay rate. The rare full-time opening in this market is considerably more attractive, and carries no research, grant-seeking, or "publish-or-perish" responsibilities. Generally, the candidate must have a master's degree in biology, teaching experience, and the ability to teach some combination of general biology, microbiology, and anatomy and physiology.
Writers-Natural history writing has its ups and downs, but many a herpetologist has earned at least some money from commercial publication. Choose a niche, such as writing about herpetoculture or more broadly about a specific group of animals, to get started. Financial success will ultimately depend on reliability, excellent writing skills, and the ability to expand to reach broader audiences. The more biological or scientific topics you can cover, the more your potential income. Although herpetology is my grand passion, I have also published on the topics of education, philosophy, sub-micron electronics, non-metal conductors, evolution, venom research, and history.
Photographer/illustrator-Just as a financially successful nature writer must reach a wide audience, so too must the photographer or illustrator. Few, if any, of these professionals make a living wage by only illustrating reptiles; there is more security in animals and general nature shots.
Veterinarian-A secure field if you do not plan to care only for reptiles. Like graduate school in general, there are serious academic hurdles to meet, and competition for openings (there are fewer vet schools than medical schools) is fierce.

Family And Career: Tips For Women On Career Success

By Dr. LeslieBeth Wish




When Laurel’s boss overlooked her for a promotion, she was stunned. She had received high praise for her market analyses and team cooperation and was sure she’d be selected for a major project.

Tip #1: Get Feedback
Rather than wallow in disappointment, Laurel sought from her boss an assessment of her strengths and weaknesses.

Tip#2: Arrange a Follow Up Plan and Appointment
It was difficult for Laurel to hear an honest appraisal, but she promised her boss that she would address her weaknesses. She asked him about a time frame, and he said to come back in six months with reviews from co-workers and supervisors.

Tip#3: Value Your Past Performance
The boss and team leaders saw Laurel’s strengths as cooperation, enthusiasm and fairness. She encouraged comments from less active team members, mentioned the value of each person’s contribution and was always upbeat. Laurel avoided self-deprecation by reminding herself that these qualities were still vital to any team.

Tip#4: Learn about Gender Differences in Career Success
Laurel researched gender differences in leadership styles of men and women. Women tend to be more democratic, inclusive and communal. They are more concerned about fairness, interpersonal relationships on teams and on-going reward to others for their good performances. Women favor collaboration and are often content to just be part of a great effort or project.
Sometimes, these valuable qualities impede decisiveness, task- and detailed-orientation and follow up and follow through. Yet, women can also inspire, serve, mentor and see the big picture for the future.

Men tend to be more autocratic, direct in their communication and task-oriented. Execution and success are more important than fairness or inclusiveness. Team-building exists to get the job done. Pleasure derives from success rather than collaboration.

These valuable qualities of men can often overshadow critical skills in listening, patience, brainstorming and welcoming conflicting ideas.

Tip#5: Set Personal Improvement Goals to Forge a Personal Style
Laurel now understood she needed to make decisions and promote and implement them. To address her weaknesses of inattention to task detail and follow through, Laurel added an implementation plan to each of her ideas, including follow up and follow through schedules. She melded her cooperative style with task and detail abilities.

Tip #6: Find a Mentor
Laurel learned that mentors can serve as educators, role models and supporters. She asked a woman executive from another department to help her. After six months, this mentor’s report, in conjunction with other feedback, convinced Laurel’s boss to put her on the important projects.




Bookmark 
              and   Share