Friday, September 27, 2013

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Growing Your Job and Unleashing Creativity

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share these every weekend so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

© Bellemedia | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

  • 6 Ways to Grow Your Job"When a new project is simply not available, look for roles outside your group or organization that allow you to learn and practice new skills and raise your profile. Teach, speak or blog on topics relating to your interests."
  • The Incivility Crisis in America"Americans are working longer hours as wages stay stagnate and the job market remains weak, so it’s not surprising that tensions in the workplace are running high. The problem is these tensions can often result in frustration and interpersonal conflict leading to toxic work environments."                                                      
  • 8 Interview Tips You've (Probably) Never Heard Before"Experienced hiring managers who have interviewed many candidates will often say they don't get nervous at their own job interviews anymore, because they've done so many interviews from the other side and understand how an interviewer's mind works."

  • How to Get Unstuck and Unleash Your Creativity Today"There’s nothing wrong with strategically mitigating risk, but brilliant bodies of work are built by those who are willing to take the small, calculated risks necessary to take new ground."

  • 6 Ways I Find and Hire Hardworking Millennials"Remember, everyone announces themselves in the interview. I learned this the hard way when I ignored my gut response and hired a young woman who made me feel uncomfortable in the interview."

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Green Job Series: Careers in Environmental Remediation [Second Installment]

Several types of workers are involved in environmental remediation. This installment of The Daily Leap's green job series describes engineering and mapping occupations in environmental remediation.

Engineering and Mapping Occupations

Engineers who work in environmental remediation devise technical solutions for cleaning up pollution. They work closely with scientists and other remediation workers to implement the best methods for remediating polluted areas. They also might be responsible for developing methods to increase safety and to reduce the risk of illness and injury for a company's employees.

Engineers are employed by a variety of organizations, including businesses, government agencies, and consulting firms. Most work in offices or laboratories, but they might travel frequently to remediation sites.

Job Duties

Cartographers and photogrammetrists measure, analyze, and interpret geographic information to create maps and charts. The maps and charts detail areas of contamination, as well as the physical characteristics of the site where remediation will be carried out.

Chemical engineers apply the principles of chemistry, biology, and physics to develop remediation techniques. Much contamination is chemical in nature, and many remediation technologies use chemical processes to deal with contaminants.

Environmental engineers use the principles of engineering, soil science, biology, and chemistry to solve environmental problems. They work to control pollution, clean up polluted areas, and monitor the progress of remediation projects.

Environmental engineering technicians carry out the plans that engineers develop. They test, operate, and, if necessary, modify equipment that is used for the cleanup of environmental pollution. They might collect samples for testing, or work to mitigate sources of environmental pollution. They might also assist in the inspection of the site for compliance with regulations.

Health and safety engineers combine knowledge of health or safety with systems engineering techniques to make sure that chemicals and other products are not harmful. In remediation projects, they ensure that workers are safe from contaminants.

Mining and geological engineers use geology to evaluate potential remediation sites. They study the geology of the local area and work with geoscientists and other scientists and engineers to determine the most effective techniques for remediating a particular area.

Education and Training

Cartographers and photogrammetrists require a bachelor's degree in geography, engineering, or physical science. Some states require cartographers and photogrammetrists to be licensed as surveyors, and some states have specific licenses for photogrammetrists.

Engineers must have at least a bachelor's degree in their specific engineering field. Many engineers are certified as a professional engineer (PE), a certification that requires several years of work experience as well as passing written exams. Employers also value practical experience, so many engineers start out assisting more senior engineers, and with experience, they take on more responsibility and more complex projects.

Environmental engineering technicians typically have an associate's degree from a technical or community college.

Earnings

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) currently does not have wage data specific to the environmental remediation industry. The table that follows shows wages for selected engineering and mapping occupations in the waste management and remediation services industry group for May 2011. The wages shown are median annual wages for the United States as a whole; wages vary by employer and location.

Occupation Median annual wage
Cartographers and photogrammetrists $55,970
Chemical engineers $101,040
Environmental engineers $81,970
Environmental engineering technicians $41,310
Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors $75,770
Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers $84,300

For more detailed information on science occupations in the environmental remediation industry, follow the Occupational Outlook Handbook link.

Next week's environmental remediation industry series installment: Construction and Material-moving Occupations.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: Are you a Giver, Matcher, or Taker?

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

In this video Adam Grant discusses the three styles of interaction--givers, matchers, and takers--and shares how each style relates to success.

Learn more in the video below:

Friday, September 20, 2013

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Getting Noticed and Keeping Cool

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share these every weekend so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

© Bellemedia | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

  • 7 Pieces of Career Advice to Follow Right Now"Networking isn't about what other people can do for you. Consider it an opportunity to meet amazing people and learn from them."                                                      
  • The 3 Characteristics of Tomorrow's Leaders"Having access to a wide network of expert collaborators will become crucial, as more views will be required for decision-making."

  • Remember Me? The Art of Getting Noticed"Prior to introducing yourself to a person, think about what you have to offer him or her. Relationships (or, at least healthy ones) are two-way streets; there is some give and some take... If you already have a solid connection with someone, you will find yourself in a better position to ask for help when the right time comes."

  • The 7 People Who Never Succeed at Work"The Apologizer will discredit themselves as soon as they open their mouth. They will start a presentation with qualifying statements ...They lose these deals because they show a massive lack of confidence in the statement, regardless of topic."

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Green Job Series: Careers in Environmental Remediation [First Installment]

Environmental remediation is the removal of pollution or contaminants from water (both ground water and surface water) and soil. These waste products are removed for the protection of human health, as well as to restore the environment. In some cases, a site is so contaminated that it can only be fenced off and isolated as much as possible from the rest of the environment.

Several types of workers are involved in environmental remediation. They might be employed by companies in architectural, engineering, and related services industries; by management, scientific, and technical consulting firms; or by state, local, or federal government agencies.

This installment of The Daily Leap's green job series describes science occupations in environmental remediation.

Science Occupations

Science workers perform studies of the areas that will be remediated and help to determine the best ways to conduct the remediation. They perform tests to see which pollutants are present at a remediation site and determine the most effective technology for removing or remediating each pollutant.

These science workers might spend time outdoors studying the site or have technicians perform the site work. They might spend time in a laboratory testing soil or water samples collected at potential remediation sites.

Job Duties

Biochemists and biophysicists study the biological effects of pollutants and the effect of these pollutants on the local environment. They also study organisms that are used in bioremediation.

Chemists investigate the characteristics of chemicals that have caused a site to be contaminated and those used to remediate the site. When new chemicals are introduced into the soil or water for the purposes of remediation, chemists must ensure that those chemicals do not cause additional harm and will be effective in the removal of pollution.

Chemical technicians assist chemists and other scientists with testing chemical pollutants or with processes for cleaning them up.

Conservation scientists oversee the overall land quality of remediation sites. They work with landowners and government agencies to devise ways to improve the land and safeguard the environment. They evaluate data on soil and water quality and assess damage to the land from pollution. They help to monitor the remediation process.

Environmental scientists and specialists work to reclaim lands and waters that have been contaminated by pollution and work with other scientists and engineers to determine the most effective and safest ways to clean up a site.

Environmental science and protection technicians conduct laboratory and field tests to monitor the environment and investigate sources of pollution. They also conduct tests during the process of remediation to determine the progress of the remediation project.

Geoscientists work with other scientists and specialists to determine the effects and extent of soil pollution and the techniques that would be the most economical for remediation.

Hydrologists determine the water cycle at a contaminated site and the overall effects of pollution on the local water supply. They study ground water, as well as local water sources such as rivers, lakes, and streams, to monitor the flow of contaminants across different bodies of water.

Bioremediation techniques require the use of microorganisms to remove contaminants, and microbiologists determine which organisms would be best for a particular site. They also monitor the progress of the site as the bioremediation is carried out, collecting samples and analyzing them.

Education and Training

Entry-level education for science occupations varies from an associate's degree or comparable postsecondary education for technicians to a Ph.D. for biochemists and biophysicists. A bachelor's degree may be sufficient to enter some of the science occupations, but a master's or Ph.D. is typically required to conduct research.

Scientists must have a variety of skills and important qualities. Computer skills are essential for the majority of scientists because computers are used heavily for data analysis and integration, digital mapping, remote sensing, and the construction of computer models. Scientists must also have excellent written and verbal communications skills, because they must present their findings to other members of a remediation team, including those without a science background.

Earnings

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) currently does not have wage data specific to the environmental remediation industry. The table that follows shows wages for selected science occupations in the waste management and remediation services industry group for May 2011. The wages shown are median annual wages for the United States as a whole; wages vary by employer and location.


Occupation Median annual wage
Biochemists and biophysicists $79,230
Chemists $58,860
Chemical technicians $41,620
Conservation scientists $59,530
Environmental scientists and specialists, including health $64,670
Environmental science and protection technicians, including health $45,720
Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers $67,030
Hydrologists $75,680
Microbiologists $65,230

For more detailed information on science occupations in the environmental remediation industry, follow the Occupational Outlook Handbook link.

Next week's environmental remediation industry series installment: Engineering and Mapping Occupations.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: Sara Blakely and Start-Up Tips

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

In this video Spanx founder Sara Blakely offers tips for starting and building your own business, including "differentiate yourself and be obsessed by it".

Learn more in the video below:

Friday, September 13, 2013

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Finding a Career Sponsor

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share these every weekend so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

© Bellemedia | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

  • The Key Qualities Every Employer Looks For"Ask the question and most people will tell you that they are a self starter, but it is actually quite tough to find people who have the right personal drive and can work under their own steam."
  • 3 Strategies for Managing Life's Many Big (and Small) Transitions"By naming that you are in a transition, you are likely to be kinder and gentler with yourself, be open to the fact that 'not knowing' what’s ahead is a natural part of this state, and also attract other people who are in transition or who have made a similar transition who can support you."                                                      
  • The Right Way to Find a Career Sponsor"When it comes to powering your career up the corporate heights, you need a sponsor.... sponsors may advise or steer you but their chief role is to develop you as a leader."

  • The Interview Questions You Should Be Asking"It’s important to not only find someone with the qualifications to do the job, but also someone who is uniquely driven to help make the company the absolute best it can be."

  • 9 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Next University Career Fair"If you are interested in a company, take the time to review their history and current projects. Explore their website by looking for news reports and press releases to find topics of interest to you. These make great conversation starters with company representatives attending the event!"

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Green Job Series: Careers in Green Construction [Third Installment]

This installment of The Daily Leap's green job series describes some of the most common green specialty trade jobs with a focus on commercial and office sites.

Specialty Trade Occupations

After the designers and construction crews have played their roles in making a green building, skilled craft workers are needed to finish the job. These workers use their unique skill sets and utilize renewable or recycled materials to lessen a building’s environmental impact. Although tradespeople work closely with construction workers on the site, they are more highly trained and have more specific tasks. Their duties vary with their specialty and the project.

Job Duties

Carpenters trained in green techniques play an important role in reducing waste and improving building efficiency. One technique, called optimum value engineering, allows carpenters to use less lumber by increasing the amount of spacing between framing members. This technique also allows for more insulation to be added, increasing the energy efficiency of the building.

Electricians can help improve a building's energy efficiency by installing motion sensors to automatically turn off lights when no people are present. They can also recommend green products, such as smart power strips that stop plugged-in electronics from consuming unnecessary energy. Some electricians might be able to connect local solar photovoltaic panels to a building's energy system.

A good HVAC system is one of the most important contributors to a building's healthy indoor air environment. Built-up water in HVAC systems can be a fertile breeding ground for airborne contaminants, such as mold, that may spread through the building. Skilled HVAC installers can prevent this from happening by properly installing and maintaining the ventilation system.

Plumbers' knowledge of building codes and different system options has allowed them to become more involved in the design process. When working on green buildings, plumbers can recommend and install water-efficient appliances, such as dual-flush toilets, or systems that reuse gray water.

Insulation installers are important for both lowering a building's energy costs and creating a healthy indoor environment.. Properly insulated buildings lower energy consumption by keeping heat in during the winter and out in the summer. However, if a building is poorly insulated, wasted energy is not the only problem: diminished indoor air quality, resulting from insulating products that emit airborne irritants, is also a concern.

To help increase the energy efficiency of green buildings, glaziers frequently install double-paned windows. These windows lose less heat to the outdoor environment than single-paned alternatives. Skilled glaziers also are necessary to ensure that the window's glass is sealed properly into its frame. Any open seams would allow heat to escape and hurt the building's energy efficiency rating.

Temperatures in urban areas are often higher than those in nearby rural areas; hence, it may cost more to cool an urban building. This issue, called the heat island effect, can be mitigated through the work of skilled roofers. Cool roofs, which are made of reflective materials that deflect the sun's heat away from the building, can lower internal temperatures. Some roofers install "green" roofs, which cover the top of a building with vegetation, to achieve the same effect.

Roofers, especially those who are also trained as electricians, also might install solar photovoltaic panels.

Education and Training

Most of the workers in these specialty trade occupations learn their skills through formal training programs, apprenticeships, and trade schools. Craft training and apprenticeship programs usually consist of technical instruction and an additional 3 or 4 years of on-the-job training. Trainees and apprentices also must pass practical and written tests to demonstrate their knowledge of the trade. Many craft training or apprenticeship programs can be found through an NCCER or ABC training program sponsor or a local union chapter.

Continual learning is important for trade workers, because they need to acquire new, green skills. A carpenter, for example, should know current advanced framing techniques. Other trade occupations need to become familiar with green products and be able to install them.

Depending on the state in which they practice, some of these workers need to be licensed. Most states and communities require electricians, plumbers, and HVAC installers to be licensed. Licensing requirements vary, but workers typically must have several years of experience and pass an examination that tests their general knowledge and familiarity with local building codes.

Earnings

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not currently have wage data specific to the green construction industry. However, BLS does have wage data for the nonresidential building construction industry group, which includes construction of commercial and office buildings. The table shows BLS data for the specialty trade occupations in this industry group for May 2010. The wages shown are median annual wages for the United States as a whole; wages vary by employer and location.


Occupation Median annual wage
Carpenters $43,980
Electricians $47,620
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers $41,560
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters $51,490
Insulation workers, mechanical $37,100
Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall $35,910
Painters, construction and maintenance $35,050
Glaziers $36,640
Roofers $31,360

For more detailed information on specialty trade occupations in the green construction industry, follow the Occupational Outlook Handbook link.

Next week's green job series: Careers in Environmental Remediation.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: Building Authentic Relationships

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

In this video networking expert Keith Ferrazzi is interviewed at NextShark and states that "living your life to build relationships authentically makes you a better person. And it’s not just better for the world but better for you. Your blood pressure goes down, your ulcers are fewer, and you breathe easier."

Learn more in the video below:

 

Friday, September 6, 2013

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Ready to Leave Your Job?

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share these every weekend so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

© Bellemedia | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

  • 14 Signs It's Time To Leave Your Job"When you find that you’re spending less time with your family because of work, or you cannot commit the necessary time to your job, you should consider looking elsewhere."
  • Tips for Merging on to Your Career's Smart Track"To gain respect, you have to deliver. Do you consistently produce outstanding work, exceed expectations, go above and beyond what is expected, take initiative and simply work hard?"                                                      
  • Please Stop Complaining About How Busy You Are"If you're really up to your neck, it's very easy to find a scheduler, virtual or otherwise, to help put things on your calendar. Sometimes it's a matter of freeing up that time used for coordinating plans to actually doing them."

  • 4 Ways Older Job Seekers May Circumvent Hiring Fears"Demonstrate that your energy level and intellectual curiosity remain high. Talk about how import it is to be a top producer and why. At every step along the way demonstrate that you are up to date with your skills, and that you don't sit on your laurels."

  • How These Famous Motivational Quotes Can Help You Succeed"The only way you can become a leader is by setting a great example and by putting together a team that is pulling together in the same direction and towards the same target."

Green Job Series: Careers in Green Construction [Second Installment]

This installment of The Daily Leap's green job series describes some of the most common green design jobs with a focus on commercial and office sites.

Design Occupations

Designers of green buildings work together to make their projects as environmentally friendly as possible. These workers are required to evaluate both standard construction issues, such as the number of load-bearing columns required in a structure, and new ones, such as a building's orientation to the sun.

To make buildings that appeal to the masses, designers have to strike the correct balance between being attractive and being environmentally friendly.

Job Duties

The work of architects is critical to determining how green a building is. For example, architects designing a green building might devise ways to maximize the building's energy efficiency. To accomplish this, they might apply daylighting principles and design a building with large banks of windows that face the sun. Or because buildings consume significantly more energy as they grow in size, the architects might design a building with little extra space.

The knowledge of civil engineers possess allows them to be involved in just about every part of green building design. They might work on issues as diverse as erosion control and traffic flow patterns. By adopting green practices in every piece of a building, civil engineers can ensure that the final product is environmentally friendly.

Electrical engineers frequently design the lighting systems of buildings. The importance of energy efficiency in green buildings places a premium on well-trained electrical engineers. For example, electrical engineers might work closely with architects to plan areas of a building where daylighting is the primary source of light. They may use sensors that automatically trigger traditional lighting only when the daylight is insufficient, thereby helping to reduce energy usage.

Landscape architects who work on green building sites apply their expertise to plan attractive scenery while also conserving water. To do this, they practice xeriscaping, or using local plants that require less water. Landscape architects working on green buildings also might plan drainage channels to diffuse rainwater throughout planting beds.

When designing green buildings, mechanical engineers are consulted on any proposed equipment. Mechanical engineers specializing in air-conditioning systems, for example, would be able to provide valuable input on the strengths and weaknesses of different setups. They also might install systems to record and measure energy savings.

Urban planners specializing in green development work with local authorities to develop zoning areas in which new buildings are required to meet standards of environmental efficiency. They also help guide infrastructure additions, such as new roads, to benefit the maximum number of people possible. When determining the ideal location for a green building, urban planners work closely with the rest of the building design staff.

Some planners might help make decisions about protecting ecologically sensitive regions. They are involved in environmental issues, including pollution control, wetland preservation, forest conservation, and the location of new landfills.

Education and Training

Architects, engineers, and urban planners who work in green building design usually have at least a bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline. However, many jobs require more education, such as a master's degree or professional degree, and many architects, engineers, and urban planners who work in green construction have the LEED Accredited Professional (AP) credential.

Architects need to complete the requirements for either a bachelor of architecture—frequently a 5-year program—or master of architecture degree. A master's degree in architecture usually takes 2 or 3 years and requires the previous completion of a bachelor's degree (bachelor of arts or bachelor of science). Licensure is a requirement for all architects working in the United States. Becoming licensed usually requires earning a professional degree from an accredited school, completing a 3-year internship, and passing a national exam.

Engineers typically are licensed and are expected to complete continuing education to keep current with rapidly changing technology. Most companies prefer to hire engineers with 3–5 years of experience in their respective fields and who have knowledge of commonly used building techniques. Entry-level engineers may be hired as interns or junior team members and work under the close supervision of more senior engineers. As they gain experience and knowledge, they are assigned more difficult tasks and given greater independence.

Earnings

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not currently have wage data specific to the green construction industry. However, BLS does have wage data for the nonresidential building construction industry group, which includes construction of commercial and office buildings. The table shows BLS data for design occupations in this industry group for May 2010. The wages shown are median annual wages for the United States as a whole; wages vary by employer and location.


Occupation Median annual wage
Architects, except landscape and naval $77,210
Civil engineers $76,120
Electrical engineers $84,350
Landscape architects $62,090
Mechanical engineers $80,400
Urban and regional planners $63,040

For more detailed information on design occupations in the green construction industry, follow the Occupational Outlook Handbook link.

Next week's green construction industry series installment: Specialty Trade Occupations.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: Success and Happiness

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

In this video author and researcher Shawn Achor states that our understanding of the relationship between happiness and success is wrong. Happiness fuels success rather than success fueling happiness.


View the video here.