Auctioneers usually run estate sales, selling all of the contents of a home, though they can also host small auctions if they choose to do so. Auctioneers will often sell personal property such as cars, antiques, and artwork, but they are also often responsible for selling real estate. This can include foreclosed homes, closed business and restaurants, properties of landlords who want to sell a large number of properties at once, and more.

Responsibilities of an auctioneer:

Auctioneers are hired by families or individuals, usually to sell a large number of items that couldn’t easily be sold independently. They sign a contract with their clients that stipulates payment rates, the number of workers the client will provide to prepare for and work on the day of the auction (or the number of workers the auction service will provide if the client chooses not to), and advertising costs. Auctioneers are responsible for advertising auctions as well, which involves creating a sale bill to publicize the highlights, or items that might be of the most interest, and updating the auctioneer service’s website to include information about each new auction and the items to be auctioned off. Essentially, auctioneers should be able to negotiate contracts, having a firm handle on what a client contract should look like and include so that they can agree on the services they will provide and which aspects of the sale will be taken care of by the client.

Once auctioneers have agreed on a contract with a client and advertised the event, they must write the terms and conditions of purchase for the items being sold so that bidders are aware of what a purchase will entail before making a bid. Auctioneers may also need to supply a staff if they agree to do so. This would include a runner, someone to display items during auction; a clerk, someone to record transactions with auction attendees and make sure all bidder numbers and item descriptions are recorded accurately; and a cashier, someone to tally bidders’ bills at the end of auctions and accept payments for items that were bid on. Strong communication skills are needed for an auction to run smoothly, as the clerks need to report accurate bidder and item information, and this must match the bills paid to the cashiers. Auctioneers must also be able to control disputes between bidders, if need be, and communication is key here as well.

​Following an auction, auctioneers keep payments in escrow, meaning they withhold the property sold in the auction until it’s certain that buyers have sufficient funds to cover their purchases and that their checks won’t bounce. An understanding of finances is imperative to be an auctioneer, not only for making sales but also for negotiating contracts and determining how much and at what rate you will be paid for your services.

How much would you earn?

Most auctioneers charge a commission, which means that they agree in their contracts to receive a set percentage of the sale of items. This percentage varies based on the price and type of item, so a real state property might have a lower commission rate of 5 percent while an auctioneer receives 40 percent on the sale of artwork. Overall, the income of an auctioneer is highly variable based on location and what you’re selling. However, Indeed.com reports that the average annual income for auctioneers in New York City is $63,000.

Requirements to become an auctioneer:

Many auctioneers begin on their career path as runners or clerks. Although in New York State there is no law requiring auctioneers to be licensed, many states do require you to be licensed before you can hold auctions. To earn your license, typically, you can either be an apprentice to a licensed auctioneer, or you can complete courses at a community college to earn your license. There are also accredited auctioneer academies that you can attend for programs (that are only about a week or so in length) to help you learn about becoming an auctioneer, but taking these courses will not earn you your license. If you intend to become an auctioneer in New York, this could be beneficial to you (especially if you decide to not get your licence) so that you can learn the ins and outs of auctioneering before taking on the task of creating your own auction service. There is also typically an auctioneering test that must be taken, which varies by state as with the licenses.

Perhaps the most interesting requirement to become an auctioneer is the ability to chant. This can be learned through an apprenticeship, auctioneer academy programs, and auctioneer classes. But chanting isn't universally used; there are some who never chant during an auction while others only chant, speaking swiftly for upwards of eight hours straight. So while it’s important to learn how to chant to become an auctioneer, it’s not necessary. In the same way, most auctioneers are trained in appraisal so that they can evaluate the worth of items they are selling, but it is by no means a requirement to have a license in appraisal or even be trained. Some auctioneers have hired appraisers to do this work for them instead.
 
-Hope Swedeen

What are your thoughts on pursuing a career in auctioneering? Is this a profession you could see yourself enjoying and profiting from?

I’ve known so many people who go through elementary and middle school, and even part of high school, dreaming of being a writer. It’s a great dream, and it makes sense that so many would have it. We all read, we all stare at pages of books, inspired and captivated by stories that someone else has written, and some of us think, “I want to write like this. I can write like this.”

This is a mentality that I discovered I had in about fourth grade. I remember reading a series that I was more impressed with than most any other books I’d read up until that point. I had read a lot by then already, and at a fairly high level, but this was one of the series that I enjoyed not because it was challenging but because it was just good. It made me see a new way of writing that told a complete tale with detailed characters with back stories and entire worlds crafted around the characters’ lives. It was an adventure book that ultimately led to my love of writing, and I never stopped loving it. However, I did stop thinking I could just do it.

For so long, I wanted to write a book. There were some other professions thrown into the mix here and there (fashion designer, baker, jewelry maker), but, all the time, I wanted to be writing. It wasn’t until I got to high school and had to start thinking about my future that I realized, or thought I realized, that writing wasn’t a possibility for me. I was told all the time that, even if I was good, it’s hard to be good enough in the real world. That’s true, of course, but no one ever told me how to be good enough. I was told, “You’re great at writing, but being a writer isn’t realistic.”

Well, here I am. Writing. Sure, it’s not a novel. It’s not even short stories. But I’m writing, and about things that matter to me. If your dream is to be a writer, it is going to be difficult. Just calling yourself a writer and writing for a few minutes every day isn’t going to cut it, but it is a start. It helps to have faith in your own abilities and the desire to cultivate them further. You’ll be told the truth in high school; it is extremely difficult – nearly impossible – to leave high school and become a successful writer immediately if you’re writing what you love. It’s simply not a practical career, to begin with, at least. However, there are so many outlets for writing that people don’t consider when they’re thinking about pursuing it as a career.

If you’re truly passionate about writing, you can be successful by finding ways to market your skills, even if you’re using them for something unrelated to book-writing. That said, don’t stop writing that novel or short story you’ve always dreamed about; you can make a living by writing without giving up on your dreams. Below are some tips for starting out on your writing path. You also might want to take a look at a list of advice from Stephen King, who talks about what he thinks all writers need to do to succeed.

1.  Start a personal blog

This will give you something to write as often as you’d like, whether it’s a monthly, weekly, or daily blog, and you’ll have an outlet for your thoughts and ideas. Sometimes just writing something down that’s been in your head for a while can help you figure out what you want to do with that thought or what you can turn it into. Sometimes I start writing a blog post about education, and it sparks a thought about a plotline idea for a story. Everything you write can influence you, and if you do it regularly, you’ll be more likely to uncover an idea worth working with sooner rather than later.

2.  Write blogs professionally

Writing a blog for a company or even writing posts here and there as a freelance blog writer for companies will give you great experience and exposure, and they will be outlets for you to publish ideas and maybe get feedback from readers. It can be difficult to land a job as a blog writer if you don’t have writing experience, so having a personal blog already in the works with some posts that you could share as proof of your proficiency and experience will help immensely with this.

3.  Become a freelance writer

Whether it’s for a blog that asks for freelance work, magazines, newspapers, or a website looking for content, take writing jobs whenever you can. You’ll be able to test your limits and be paid to provide content that will help you get more and better freelancing and full-time writing gigs down the road. Freelancers writing for company publications need to have their own ideas before they can publish, as you’ll be sending letters with your ideas to the editors of the publications. However, you can also be a freelancing who writes content for a blog or website that asks for specific topics to be covered. The problem you might face with freelancing is that people do look for experience to determine whether they want someone to write for them. Again, having that personal blog will help, and, eventually, someone will say yes to you, and you’ll be able to use that to market yourself for your next writing job alongside your personal blog.

4.  Get experience in the real world

Writing isn’t just about the technical aspects of how you tell a story or even the details of your story. Both of these things are meaningless if you don’t have a strong message at the heart of your story. Before you can begin writing anything, you need to know what you want to tell readers and why you feel compelled to tell them. If you don’t know that yet, then figure it out. Travel, do things you’re not used to doing, get a job doing something that lets you see a new side of things or a new way of life. Throw yourself into the world to see what it’s really like for different people and in different areas to get an idea of what kind of world you want to write about and what kind of message you feel you need to send.

5.  Writing might not be your only career

Many writers, especially starting out, have another career or job outside of writing or that revolves around writing things other than books or stories. There’s nothing wrong with pursuing your dream to write, but even writing a blog or freelancing probably won’t earn you enough money to be your only source of income. There’s nothing wrong with having other jobs while you’re writing, and, these days, when you can type up a blog post in a relatively short amount of time, you’ll have time to have a well-paying job and write. Whatever you do, though, don’t stop writing. Never forget that writing is your primary objective, and the other jobs are just allowing you to continue doing what you love while still having a solid income.

6.  Attend writing workshops

There are writing workshops for all kinds of writers based on genre or age or both, and joining a group that meets regularly or sharing your ideas in a workshop that’s only happening once is a great way to give your ideas some exposure and get feedback from people who are going through the same struggles that you are.

If you’re seriously considering pursuing writing as a career but you’re not sure how to do that, talk to someone about it. Talk to a teacher or guidance counselor about what you want to do, but do it in a way that shows you know how difficult it will be. Most people will tell you it’s impractical, so you have to make them see why it is a viable option for you. Once you know what you want, make sure other people know too so that they can help you get there in any way possible. Whatever you do, believe in yourself, and give yourself every opportunity to succeed. If you think you can, the people around you will be liable to think so too.

-Hope Swedeen

How do you plan to pursue a career in writing?

These days, coding and computer programming skills can lead to fairly lucrative careers. Computer science experts can be paid roughly $100,000 a year as soon as they’ve earned their degrees, and they're always in high demand. Everyone is looking for someone who can code or program content because of the simple fact that they are difficult and uncommon skills. Even if you don’t plan on attending a four-year school for computer science or a related field, your skills will still be exceptionally marketable if you’ve fostered them in ways that you can give proof of in the future. As long as you can prove that you’ve put the time and effort into your trade, you’ll find that there are many companies and organizations that value proficiency more than an academic degree.

A great way to set yourself up for coding or programming jobs in the future is to begin taking as many online courses as you can. There are lists of free websites that offer a wide variety of content and learning methods. These can include video tutorials, e-book excerpts, step-by-step instruction guides, programs to allow you to practice while you’re learning, and so much more. There are websites that offer courses with stringent curriculums, and if you enroll in these, you are expected to complete all work as if you were attending and being graded in an academic setting. At the end of many of these programs, you may be able to earn a certificate of some sort as proof of your participation and completion. There are others that are more free-formed and depend on you to shape your own experience, but there are still curriculums set up as a sort of road guide for you to follow, skip around, and do or pass on as much as you’d like. With these, course material will be available, but there will be no actual instructor, tests, or deadlines.

Then there are options that have virtually no structure that you can use to learn anything you’d like. If there’s a specific skill that you’d like to expand on it, these websites will allow you to search all content to find specific video tutorials, reading content, step-by-step instructions, and more individualized content. These are often more helpful for coders and programmers with more experience, as you’ll need at least a basic understanding of concepts before you can begin to implement, or even search, for the skills being taught on these websites. It is also very difficult to prove that you have learned from these sources, so it might be best to use them as additives to another learning platform. That way, if you’re ever in a position to talk about your skills, you can say something like, “I’ve spent two years taking coding courses on this curriculum-based learning platform, and I’ve been able to build on those skills by learning how to accomplish more specific tasks on this free-form learning platform.”

The fact that you’ve invested time into your own education and have made the effort to go beyond learning the basics will make you even more marketable because you will have the ability to form a list of skills that others may not have been able or willing to teach themselves. Below are a list of online resources that can be useful at varying levels of your coding and programming education, and they are all structured differently. With so many options available, you can get a coding or programming education in virtually any way you’d like without paying a cent. You’ll be able to build your own list of skills and determine how much you learn in any time frame, but you can also follow curriculums laid out for you. To figure out which resource will work best for you, think about your learning style: are you someone who finds video tutorials useful? Do you comprehend better when you read about a concept? Or are you more hands-on? Whatever your preference, there are options for you, and you should explore them all to find a good fit.

 1.  Code Academy
 2.  Code Avengers
 3.  Code School
 4.  Coursera
 5.  Free Code Camp
 6.  GitHub
 7.  HTML5Rocks
 8.  Khan Academy
 9.  LearnCode.academy - YouTube channel
10. LevelUpTuts - YouTube channel
11. MIT courses
12. Skill Crush
13. Slide Nerd - YouTube channel
14. The Code Player
15. The New Boston - YouTube channel
16. The Odin Project
17. Treehouse - YouTube channel
18. Udacity
19. Udemy.com
20. WebDevMentors - YouTube channel

-Hope Swedeen

How are you working to better your coding skills? How can you make them more marketable?

If you’re interested in teaching dance and have chosen this as your career path, then you’ll need to be prepared for the obstacles that lie ahead. As I said in my previous post, “Gaining Experience: The First Step to Landing Your Dream Job,” working in a creative career field can be exceptionally difficult when you’re starting right out of high school. You’ll find that you need experience before you can even think about applying for many positions that interest you. It won’t matter to employers that you’re the best at what you do – what matters is that you’ve spent time working for someone else to prove that you can use the skills you say you have.

When you first leave high school, you’ll probably have very little, if any, experience in the world of professional dance. Whether you’re self-taught and trained or have attended dance lessons to foster you skills, you still probably haven’t had any experience working in the field of dance. If you’re looking to put your skills to use as a dance instructor, you’ll need to “pay your dues” before you’ll be hired for a paying position.

There are countless opportunities for volunteer instructors that might be open to dancers without instruction experience, and these range in types and levels of dance. The higher the level being taught, the more experience you will probably need. Teaching dance to children, for example, is probably the easiest way for you to break into the dance instructor business, as teaching children requires knowing only the basic skills that you will be teaching and the ability to demonstrate these basic skills effectively. However, “effectively” might mean different things to different employers.

Often times, being able to teach children “effectively” means that you’ve had experience with children in some capacity and know how to communicate on their wavelength. So if you’re thinking that teaching children might be a good way for you to get into teaching dance, do yourself a favor and start getting some experience working with children on any level now. You can do this in any number of ways, but the most common might be to become a camp counselor at a day camp, teach an arts and crafts program, become an assistant coach for a sport or dance team, tutor or oversee a youth study group, help out with an after-school program, or any other volunteer opportunity that involves working with children. I’ve listed some options below that you might consider trying out to get ahead on building that “experience” section on your résumé.

1.     Sign up to be a volunteer with Educational Alliance

This organization is always looking for volunteers to work events that it hosts all year round. If you’re looking for volunteer opportunities that are easy to plan for in advance and that you can decide to join in on at the last minute, this could be a great starting point. There is a list of upcoming events, and dates and times are displayed to make it easy for you to see what you’ll be available to help with. You can also sign up to be a volunteer, and you will be emailed with opportunities. Most of the events require working with children, so this could help you on your road to experience.

2.     Find listings for volunteer positions at VolunteerMatch

You can search for positions that relate to whatever type of volunteer work you’d like to be doing and in what location. You can search for “dance” to find dance positions, or “children” to find huge lists of positions related to your search terms. Again, some of the dance positions may require you to have previous experience, so you might want to consider looking for volunteer opportunities relating to children if you’re not having any luck with the dance listings.

3.     Volunteer through NYC Service

Much like VolunteerMatch, this website allows you to search for volunteer positions using keywords, but you can also add your skills, interests, and the age range of people you’re volunteering to help. If you’re looking for dance opportunities, your best bet is to type “dance” into the keyword box.

4.     Volunteer to work events and programs at All for Good

Search for positions in any location using keywords. Events with specific dates and times will appear, and you can sign up to help for any of them that are a good fit for you. There are also ongoing programs related to dance that are constantly in need of volunteers. The site allows organizations to post volunteer advertisements, so the list of opportunities is updated and replenished frequently.

5.     Work with children through Change for Kids

This organization works explicitly with children, so if you’re trying to gain experience with children first before breaking into dance, this could be a great medium for you to find opportunities. You’ll find a list of events with dates, times, and the role that you can expect to play at the events.

6.     Find local volunteer opportunities at idealist.org

The website operates much like the other sites listed, as it allows you to search using keywords and specific locations. You’ll need to narrow down your location by selecting “local results only” in the “location” box on the left-hand side of the page.

7.     Sign up to volunteer with New York Cares

To volunteer with this organization, you will be required to sign up for an online account and attend an orientation event before you can begin volunteering. However, in the meantime, the website lists several opportunities that are not connected with New York Cares that involve working with young students in Harlem, including helping with after-school activities, tutoring or helping students with homework after school and in class, and helping younger students transition into high school.

-Hope Swedeen

What are some other ways that you can gain experience in teaching dance?

Responsibilities of UPS package handlers, drivers, and mechanics:

UPS has several types of positions that do not require a college education, including Package Handlers, drivers and mechanics. As a driver, you would drive a commercial or deliver truck to pick up and transport packages and positively interact with customers while making deliveries that require signatures. Drivers must also undergo extensive training to understand how every aspect of the UPS system works from collecting signatures to keeping track of packages.

As a package handler, you would be responsible for unloading tractor trailers and loading delivery trucks, and as a mechanic, you would be expected to maintain and repair tractor trailers and delivery trucks.

How much would you earn?

A UPS worker’s income is variable based on location and how long an employee has been with the company, but UPS pays about $10 per hour to package handlers and related positions, and a driver can make between $15 and $30 per hour depending on location and experience within the company.

Requirements of package handlers, drivers, and mechanics:

No college education is required, but UPS often hire from within the company, meaning you will most likely need to get a job as a package handler and work your way up to becoming a mechanic or driver. For both a package handler and a driver position, you will be required to take a drug and physical test to prove that you are drug-free and physically able to lift 70 lbs. regularly.

If you’re pursuing a job as a driver, you may need a special commercial drivers’ license, and you will be required to pass a Department of Transportation exam and be able to drive a manual transmission vehicle, according to the UPS Driver job description.

Mechanics must be at least 18 years old, and it is preferable that they have experience working with fleet and diesel engines. They must also have their own set of tools, pass a drug test and be able to speak and write English well. Look for more information about UPS jobs and their descriptions here.

Opportunities for growth:

There are training programs available for employees interested in advancing their careers, including training for corporate positions or specific skill sets that can help you grow in and outside of the company. UPS spent $565 million on training programs last year to train its employees and support its “promote-from-within culture.”

Work conditions:

All package handlers start out as part-time employees, who usually work 3-5 hours per day Monday through Friday. While some package handlers work from about 3-8 a.m., most begin their day at 4 or 5 a.m. As a driver, you would work about 8-10 hour days per day every day from 8:30 a.m. to 4 or 6 p.m. During the holidays, most employees, especially including package handlers and drivers, work overtime, but UPS tries to limit overtime by hiring seasonal workers.

Benefits:

UPS offers benefits to its full- and part-time employees, and although these health insurance plans vary, benefits offered can include:
Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Drug Program, Life Insurance, Business Travel Accident Insurance, Healthcare Spending Accounts and more. For a complete list, see the UPS benefits page.

UPS offers an Education Assistance Program, which provides employees with up to $25,000, or $5,250 per year, to pay for college tuition. Full- and part-time employees are eligible to participate at any of the available locations in which a UPS partner school is located, including in Springfield Gardens, NY. Employees can begin using their tuition aid as soon as they begin working for UPS. In 2014, UPS provided about 14,000 students with $16 million in tuition aid, and the company has invested more than $200 million in the assistance program since 1999.


Keep an eye out for next week's article, which will include more alternative career options that don't necessarily require more than a high school education. 

-Hope Swedeen

What are some things that interest you about this career path? Are there aspects of this career that you’d like to learn more about? 

What are the responsibilities of a diagnostic medical sonographer and a cardiovascular technician? 

People who hold these positions are in charge of operating special imaging equipment in order to capture images or run tests, which are then used by physicians to diagnose patients. Before doing so, however, sonographers and technicians are typically responsible for taking a patient’s medical history and taking any questions about the procedure. Afterwards, they must check their work for quality and accuracy. They usually are capable of determining abnormalities in the images, which they include in their summary to the physician. Diagnostic medical sonographers focus more on images of organs and tissues. They create sonograms or ultrasounds. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, on the other hand, create images, conduct tests, or assist with surgical procedures involving the heart.

How much would you earn in this position?

In 2012, the median salary for diagnostic medical sonographers was $65,860, with a range from $44,990 to $91,070. For cardiovascular technicians, the median salary was $52,070, with a range from $27,830 to $80,790.  

Requirements:

Some skills that will help you to succeed in this career include being detail-oriented and having the ability to interact positively with patients. High levels of concentration are key as well. This type of work will require an associate’s degree or other professional certification. These can be attained from universities or hospital programs, depending on the place of employment and state requirements. Courses may include anatomy, medical terminology, and applied sciences.

Work Conditions:

This type of work usually means being employed by a hospital. However, other settings include physician’s offices and medical and diagnostic laboratories. These facilities are often open evenings, weekends, or overnight, meaning employees might need to work these hours. Forty hour work weeks are typical. Some positions may require workers to be on call.

-Samantha Phillips

What interests you about this career?  What other information would you like to know about it?

 Sources:
www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare
explorehealthcareers.org/en/Career/30/Cardiovascular_TechnologistTechnician

What are the responsibilities of a barber, hairdresser, and cosmetologist? 

Customers visit any one of these businesses for hairstyling or beauty services. This includes hair, face, and scalp treatments. Hair care can range from washing, coloring, cutting, drying, to styling. These positions also entail handling monetary transactions and up-keeping tools. Barbers typically provide service to male customers, additionally offering facial shaving. Hairdressers serve both female and male clients. Oftentimes they make home care recommendations, including promoting products. Cosmetologists provide scalp and facial treatments as well as makeup advice. They may also handle wigs and hairpieces or sell skin care products.  

How much would you earn in this position?

In 2012, the median hourly wage was $10.95 for these careers, with a range from $8.11 to $20.39. In 2013, the median hourly wage for hairdressers was $11.12, which demonstrates growth in the profession. The best-paid earned approximately $44,220 annually. The highest paid areas in 2013 were San Francisco and Seattle, while the highest paid sector was the performing arts. Tips are common in this profession.

Requirements:

Some skills that will help you to succeed in this career include creativity, customer-service, listening, and time-management. If you are the owner of the business, other duties include hiring, supervising, and letting employees go. General business tasks must be completed as well, such as maintaining inventory records, ordering supplies, advertising, and more.

Licenses are required for all three jobs, which means one must attend and graduate from a cosmetology program in a post-secondary vocational school. This program might yield an associate’s degree as well. After graduation, an exam must be passed, which typically involves both a written portion and a practical application portion. High school diplomas are typically required too.

Work Conditions:

Other than working in barbershops or salons, these type of positions could be available in spas, hotels, and resorts. Considerations include being on your feet for long periods of time as well as exposure to chemicals, which is why protective clothing is common. Your hours will depend on if you are self-employed or not. This is often a part-time job unless you are the owner. Evenings and weekends are typical.

-Samantha Phillips

What interests you about this career?  What other information would you like to know about it?

Sources:
Occupational Outlook Handbook: Barbers, Hairdressers, and Cosmetologists 
Money - U.S. News: Best Social Services Jobs

What are the responsibilities of a pilot? 

An airline pilot, the type you are probably more familiar with, is expected to transport people and cargo in aircraft such as airplanes and helicopters within strict time schedules. A commercial pilot would be called upon for other reasons, including charter flights, rescue operations, firefighting, photography, and aerial applications. Pilots must monitor the condition of their aircraft, evaluate weather conditions and fuel supply, and communicate with air traffic control. They have to be capable of using cockpit instruments as well as responding to unexpected occurrences quickly and calmly. 

How much would you earn in this position?

In 2012, the median annual wage for all airline pilots and copilots was $114,200.  Most airline pilots start off making about $20,000 per year with annual increases until captain status.  In this senior position, earnings are about $55,000 per year for regional airlines and $135,000 per year for major airlines.  Additionally, airline pilots receive an expense allowance for every hour they are away from home and extra pay for international flights.  Their perks typically include health insurance and retirement benefits, and their immediate families usually can take free or reduced-fare flights.  As for commercial pilots, the median annual wage was $73,280 in 2012.

Requirements:

Some skills that will help you to succeed in this career include working well under pressure, teamwork, communication, observational, and problem-solving. Pilots interact with customers as well as small teams, including copilots and flight attendants, in close quarters. Therefore, their ability to communicate is important; they must be friendly and provide clear and honest feedback.

As for education and experience requirements, commercial pilots need a high school diploma. For certain specialties, additional requirements exist. Airline pilots are required to have a bachelor’s degree in whatever subject. All pilots must possess a commercial pilot’s license from the Federal Aviation Administration. Other certificates and ratings may be required by certain companies.

Many pilots attend some type of extra schooling to learn how to fly. This includes independent instructors, flight schools, fixed base operators, and 2 to 4 year universities. Furthermore, most jobs have on-the-job training requirements, which is usually 6-8 weeks long plus 25 hours of flight time. Pilots are not done after this, however. Tests must be passed for the remainder of their career to ensure pilots’ ability to perform certain maneuvers in certain time frames. Periodic training and medical exams also occur.

Work Conditions:

In 2012, about 64 percent of pilots worked as airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers. The remainder worked as commercial pilots. This is a fairly stressful job, as pilots may have to cope with work-related hazards such as fatigue, jetlag, hearing loss from overexposure to engine noise, high concentration demands, being responsible for other people’s safety and lives, and having to be ready at all times for emergencies or tough landings.

Pilots work all over the country, but most are based near large airports. Their work hours are regulated by federal mandates, especially pertaining to the amount of rest between flights. Airline pilots fly an average of 75 hours per month and work an additional 150 hours per month performing other duties. Schedules are often atypical, with intense days on and then several days off.

Commercial pilots usually fly between 30 hours and 90 hours per month. They typically have more nonflight responsibilities than airline pilots. Both types spend long periods of time away from home, although this is usually truer for airline pilots. All pilots are required by federal law to retire at age 65.

-Samantha Phillips

What interests you about this career?  What other information would you like to know about it?

Sources:
Occupational Outlook Handbook: Transportation and Material Moving

What is an elevator installer or repairer?

An elevator installer or repairer does work on elevators, escalators, moving walkways, and other lifts.  They are required to read blueprints, evaluate which equipment will be necessary for the installation or repair, identify the problem with the machine oftentimes by using test equipment, handle electrical wiring, comply with safety regulations and building codes, and keep records of all of their adjustments.  This job demands regular maintenance, including oiling, greasing, replacing parts, in addition to emergency repairs.   

How much would you earn in this position?

In 2012, the median annual wage for this profession was $76,650, with a range of $39,540 to $106,450.  Apprentices usually earn half the pay of fully trained and qualified installers and repairers.  According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, elevator installers and repairers is the highest paying job available to those who earned a high school diploma (and did not receive a higher degree).  

Requirements:

Some skills that will help you to succeed in this career include problem-solving and mechanical.  One should be detail-oriented and possess physical stamina and strength.  Team work is necessary for major installations or repairs, but minor maintenance or technical repairs are done alone. 

The Occupational Outlook Handbook states, “Maintenance and repair workers generally require greater knowledge of electronics, hydraulics, and electricity than do installers because a large part of maintenance and repair work is troubleshooting. In fact, most elevators today have computerized control systems, resulting in more complex systems and troubleshooting than in the past.”

The education and experience requirements include possession of a high school diploma in combination with an apprenticeship program.  Programs usually last for five years and contain instruction as well as on-the-job training.  Topics covered include blueprint reading, electrical and electronic theory, mathematics, applied physics, and safety.  To enroll in a program, basic aptitude tests may be required.  Additionally, 70% of states require a license for this career.  Ongoing education is common in order to keep mechanics up to date and potentially qualify them for promotions. 

 Work Conditions:

Elevator installers and repairers are seldom self-employed, typically working within the building equipment contractors industry.  This profession does involve lifting heaving equipment, potential falls from ladders, and electrical shocks.  Hence, protective gear is a must, including hard hats, harnesses, and safety glasses.  This job may require being on call around the clock due to the possibility of emergencies.  Working overtime, evenings, and weekends is also commonplace.  

-Samantha Phillips 

What interests you about this career?  What other information would you like to know about it?

Sources:
Occupational Outlook Handbook: Construction and Extraction

What are the responsibilities of a cook or chef? 

A cook is in charge of preparing, seasoning, and cooking the food.  They must check the freshness of ingredients and follow recipes.  They must tastefully arrange the food to be served.  Cleanliness of work area and equipment is key.  On top of these, a head chef will supervise the food preparation of others, create recipes, plan menus, manage inventory, and monitor sanitation and safety work practices. 

How much would you earn in this position?

In 2012, the median hourly wage for cooks was $9.88.  When breaking it down further, however, the range extended from $8.85 for fast-food cooks to $11.29 for private household cooks.  For chefs and head cooks, the median annual wage was $42,480 in the same year.  Those who earned the most were mainly located in upscale restaurants and luxury hotels in major cities and popular resort areas. 

Requirements:

Some skills that will help you to succeed in this career include team work, considering a group of people, each with a specialized task, will work in tandem to assemble dishes.  Additionally, being able to handle a variety of equipment, communicate, employ creativity, and manage your time will be assets.  For head cooks, leadership skills are also beneficial.  Familiarity with certain software might also be useful for scheduling and purchasing.  Furthermore, if you are interested in running your own catering business, basic business skills would be a necessity. 

As for education and experience requirements, experience is valued more in this field.  On-the-job -training is available if you have no formal education.  However, programs are available at culinary arts schools, community colleges, technical schools, and 4-year colleges.  These are all very hands on, which relates back to the emphasis on experience.  Other options include vocational and apprenticeship schools.  High school education is typically a requirement for these programs.   

Certifications are also not compulsory but available to offer an advantage.  Different levels exist, ranging from 6 months to 5 or more years of work experience. 

Work Conditions:

There are different types of cooks, mainly defined by their settings, including cafeteria, restaurant, short-order, fast-food, and personal cooks.  These type of positions demand long periods of standing in a fast-paced environment, which can lead to a pressured environment.  Hours range from early morning to late evenings, weekends, and holidays.  Twelve hour days are not unusual.  Depending on the setting, positions might not be available year-round, such as at a school or resort.   

-Samantha Phillips

What interests you about this career?  What other information would you like to know about it?

Sources:
Occupational Outlook Handbook: Food Preparation and Serving