High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Unorthodox Job Search Techniques

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

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5 Unorthodox Job Search Techniques You Should Try: "You send out perfectly polished resumes and cover letters. Your LinkedIn profile is optimized. You’re networking and volunteering and blogging and tweeting… and still, no traction."

If you’ve been at it for a few months and aren’t getting

the results you want, it may be time to rethink your approach. It may be time to get a little weird."

Careers in Information Technology Services [Third Installment]

As we discovered in the previous two series installments, employment in IT services are projected to grow rapidly over the next decade, outpacing similar professional, scientific, and technical industries and the economy as a whole.

Today’s The Daily Leap post, which is the final installment in this well-received series, describes how individuals typically prepare for a career in IT services.

Preparation for IT Careers

So how can someone get started in an IT career? There are many paths. Having both general and specific skills is helpful. But for many jobs, formal training is essential.

Skills

A general foundation, such as ease with computers and a curiosity about how they work, is important for working in IT. And several specific skills may be helpful for a variety of IT occupations, especially for those that are expected to remain in demand.

• Business aptitude. High school classes in mathematics are helpful for establishing a strong foundation for IT training and for business-related subjects ranging from accounting to finance.
• Wireless networking proficiency. Workers in this area need to be detail oriented to effectively design, install, and maintain wireless networks and systems.
• Information security knowledge. Specialized training prepares IT workers to gain expertise in these issues.

Degrees

A bachelor’s degree is the usual minimum qualification for many IT jobs. Those who do the most complex tasks may need a master’s degree.

The most applicable degrees for IT jobs are those in computer science, computer engineering, software engineering, or information systems. But many other types of degrees can lead to a career in information technology, including management, electrical and computer engineering, mathematics, and arts and humanities.

Not all IT workers need a bachelor’s degree, however. One example is computer support specialists. Jobs in this occupation may be open to applicants who have a high school diploma, some college, or an associate degree.

Certification

Certification programs usually require candidates to take a test or a series of tests; a passing score represents to employers an IT applicant’s or worker’s knowledge and skills. Some programs allow candidates to study on their own for these tests, and others offer test-preparation courses.

IT product vendors generally offer certification in the computer software or hardware they produce. Some vendors require certification for people who work with their products. Professional organizations offer voluntary certification programs in a broad range of subjects, such as wireless networking and information security.

Before entering such programs or paying any fees, workers should research the program to determine its reputation within the IT community.

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: The Key to Success? Grit

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, University of Pennsylvania assistant professor and researcher Angela Lee Duckworth explains that a predictor of classroom and workplace success is not social intelligence, physical beauty, health, or IQ. It’s “grit”—passion and perseverance for long-term goals.

Learn more in the video below:

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: "Hacking" Resume Screening Software

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

© Bellemedia | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

• How Can I Make Sure My Resume Gets Past Resume Robots and into a Human's Hand?: "Here's a brief overview of how resume screening software analyzes your resume and what you can do to get your resume in the hands of a real human and, hopefully, land an interview."


• Job Seeker Question: So, How Do I Find My Passion?: "Here are a few ideas to help you get started in the process of identifying your passion(s). Grab a piece of paper and get to it."


• 4 Things No One Tells You about Working for Nonprofits: "The nonprofit sector might be just the place for you to begin your job search. Here are four things you need to know about shifting to a career in the nonprofit sector."


• What Does Your Major Have to Do With Your Career?: "Small business entrepreneur and author Melissa Anzman explains, 'What did my major in college, that I chose when I was a young adult, have to do with the current state of my life? Almost nothing, really. And here’s why.'"


• The Young Professional’s Ultimate Guide to Twitter: Twitter is an information juggernaut that you can’t afford to ignore as a professional in any industry. Here are tips, tricks and apps that will help you master Twitter like a social media pro.

Careers in Information Technology Services [Second Installment]

Employment in IT services is projected to grow 3.9 percent annually from 2010 to 2020, outpacing similar professional, scientific, and technical industries and the economy as a whole.

Computer and Mathematical Occupations

The high demand for these services has created a large number of fast-growing and high-paying jobs. Today’s The Daily Leap post is the second of three installments on computer and mathematical occupations, which comprise about 56 percent of the industry’s workforce.

Job Duties

Computer programmers make up 8 percent of the IT services industry. By writing computer code, they turn the designs created by software developers into instructions a computer can follow.

Computer systems analysts make up 9 percent of the industry. These workers analyze an organization’s computer systems and recommend ways to make the business run more efficiently. For example, they may assist organizations that want to switch all or part of their systems to cloud computing. Computer systems analysts employed in this industry often serve as consultants.

Computer support specialists make up 8 percent of the IT services industry. They provide help and advice to consumers or organizations that are using computer software or equipment. Some assist customers who call the company to speak to a specialist when they are having trouble with a software program or networking device. Other computer support specialists work in a company’s IT department and provide support for other company employees who are having computer problems.

Growth/Wages/Education

The following table shows projected growth rate between 2010 and 2020, and median annual wage and typical entry-level education requirements in May 2011.

Occupation	Projected Growth Rate	Median Annual Wage	Typical Education Needed for Entry
Computer programmers	29%	$72,100	Bachelor’s degree
Computer systems analysts	43%	$82,160	Bachelor’s degree
Computer support specialists	43%	$48,800	Some college, no degree

The projected growth in employment of computer programmers is attributable to increased demand for new and updated software. However, computer programming jobs are expected to be increasingly outsourced to countries with lower production costs, resulting in a slower projected growth rate over the next decade.

In general, computer systems analysts will be hired by businesses to reorganize IT departments to operate more efficiently. While computer support specialists will be needed as organizations continue to upgrade to increasingly complex computer systems and equipment.

For more detailed information on these computing and mathematical occupations in the IT services industry, click the Occupational Outlook Handbook link.

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: Your Online Life, Permanent as a Tattoo

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/entrepreneur/intellectual Juan Enriquez looks at the surprisingly permanent effects of online presence on our personal privacy. He shares insight from the ancient Greeks to help us deal with our new “digital tattoos”—valuable lessons that ought to be applied to our professional reputation, too.

Learn more in the video below:

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Value of Workplace Laughter

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

© Bellemedia | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

• What You Should Be Doing Way More of at Work: "Laughter is one of productivity’s greatest allies and individuals and companies need to foster it."


• Lessons Learned from Launching My First Product: "In celebration of a successful product launch, entrepreneur Amanda Abella's offers lessons learned with those growing businesses."


• 10-Minute LinkedIn Makeover: "Here are 10 quick LinkedIn profile improvements that will require about a minute each to implement."


• Climb Out of the Resume Black Hole in 3 Steps: "This is the major complaint of job seekers today. They submit their resume and it seems to drop down a black hole. Avoid the black hole by following these three steps."


• 4 Words You’ll Want to Use More Often in Your Career: Blogger Karl Staib shares an admired co-tenant's success secrets in order to achieve success in your own career and life.

Careers in Information Technology Services [First Installment]

Firms in the IT services industry commonly create both computer programs and complex computer systems and networks tailored specifically to meet clients’ needs.

The industry has recently devoted significant resources to technologies that are expected to contribute to employment growth over the next decade, such as cloud computing and mobile applications. Cybersecurity, health care IT, and data management also may contribute to employment growth in the near future.

Computer and Mathematical Occupations

The high demand for these services has created a large number of fast-growing and high-paying jobs. Today’s The Daily Leap post is the first of three installments on computer and mathematical occupations, which comprise about 56 percent of the industry’s workforce.

Job Duties

Software developers create computer programs and oversee the entire design process, from planning stages to future upgrades. There are two different types of developers: applications software developers and systems software developers.

Applications software developers design a wide range of programs, from spreadsheets used by accountants, to electronic maps that help give people directions, to increasingly popular mobile games. Applications developers often design software that is offered through cloud computing.

Systems software developers create and upgrade operating systems, the software that supports a computer's basic functions, such as scheduling tasks, executing applications, and controlling peripherals.

Growth / Wages / Education

The following table shows projected growth rate between 2010 and 2020, and median annual wage and typical entry-level education requirements in May 2011.

Occupation	Projected Growth Rate	Median Annual Wage	Typical Education Needed for Entry
Applications software developers	57%	$88,120	Bachelor’s degree
Systems software developers	72%	$94,570	Bachelor’s degree

The rapid increase in both types of software developers is attributable to an increased demand for new and updated software. Examples include:

• Many consumer electronics include their own computers that need operating systems.
• Mobile computing and health care IT also require new software applications.
• The need for stronger cybersecurity will drive the demand for developers to design new software to detect, contain, and prevent viruses.

For more detailed information on these computing and mathematical occupations in the IT services industry, click the Occupational Outlook Handbook link.

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: Never, Ever Give Up

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, record-setting long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad shares her thoughts on vision, persistence, and other great lessons that can be applied to a career.

Learn more in the video below:

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Personality Testing Video Games

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

© Bellemedia | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

• Will Video Games Replace Job Interviews?: "Personality testing video games are becoming the new hot high-tech tool in recruiting. But discrimination and diversity concerns could chill the hype."


• How to Move on When You Didn’t Land the Job: "If you’re stuck in a rejection rut, here are four ways to feel better—and kick your job search back into gear."


• Finding the Right Kind of Sports Internships: "Use social media tools to help ensure you choose the right sports internships—for that matter, any internship—while in college."


• The Power of a Referral: "Nothing comes close to making for a better hiring experience for a job seeker as a referral from a trusted colleague, employee, friend, or acquaintance."


• Career Direction: Managing Your Online Presence: "Keeping a keen eye on your social media presence is an important part of searching for a job."

Green Job Series: Careers in Biofuels [Sixth Installment]

Once the biofuels have been produced, sales workers are needed to keep supply chains running. This installment of The Daily Leap's green job series profiles sales occupations in the biofuels industry.

Plant Operations Occupations

Sales workers establish contracts so that goods can be bought and sold, and they help to keep biofuel production on schedule.

Job Duties

Purchasing agents buy farm products for further processing or for resale. They evaluate suppliers, negotiate contracts, review product quality, and monitor inventories. Purchasing agents develop budgets based on when and how much of a given feedstock is needed at a plant. They also establish contracts with suppliers, to ensure a steady flow of a given feedstock is transported to the plant to keep production on schedule.

Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives sell goods—such as fuel, by-products from fuel production, or industrial equipment—for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses, government agencies, and other organizations. They ensure that there are customers to buy the fuel, negotiate prices of these sales, and prepare contracts. They are often very knowledgeable about the products that they sell, but they may also work with an engineer who has more expertise.

Education

Some purchasing agent jobs may only require a high school diploma. However, jobs at large-scale commercial plants generally require a bachelor's degree. Some positions, especially those at the managerial level, may require advanced degrees. Degrees related to engineering, business, economics, or applied sciences are preferred. On-the-job training may take up to 1 year.

Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives generally need a bachelor's degree, though some positions may only require a high school diploma. Most companies have on-the-job training programs that a sales representative must complete; these programs usually include time spent shadowing a more experienced employee as they complete day-to-day work. Sales representatives may also choose to earn a certification. The Certified Professional Manufacturers' Representative (CPMR) certification and the Certified Sales Professional (CSP) certification are offered by the Manufacturers' Representatives Education Research Foundation.

Earnings

BLS currently does not have wage data specific to the biofuels industry. However, BLS does have wage data for the basic chemical manufacturing industry group. The following table shows wages for selected sales occupations in this 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
Buyers and purchasing agents, farm products	$51,380
Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives, technical and scientific products	$83,100

For more detailed information on sales occupations in the biofuels industry, click the Occupational Outlook Handbook link.

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: What Makes Us Feel Good about Our Work?

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, behavioral economist Dan Ariely presents two eye-opening experiments that reveal our unexpected and nuanced attitudes toward meaning in our work.

Learn more in the video below:

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Career Resolutions

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

© Bellemedia | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

• 5 Job Seeker Resolutions to Make in 2014: "The New Year often brings the promise of change, possibility and resolving to make this year better than the last. Here are five steps to help you achieve your [job search] goal."


• How Working from Home Can Help Tackle Your New Year’s Resolutions: "In addition to no commute and dress code-–three other factors can have major benefits to your overall well-being. And maybe even your New Year’s resolutions."


• How to Invest in Your Career for 2014: "If you’re thinking about your professional new year’s resolutions, keep the following in mind when evaluating professional development opportunities."


• New Year’s Resolutions Every Job Seeker Should Make for 2014: "If your number one goal for the new year is to land a new job, hopes and wishes aren’t enough; you need to define and execute a plan to ensure your success."


• 10 Professional Resolutions for the New Year: "Whether a pay rise, promotion, or a new career are among your professional resolutions, the following tips may serve as useful in your quest to make 2014 the year for your career!"

Green Job Series: Careers in Biofuels [Fifth Installment]

The biofuels industry employs a wide range of workers in a variety of occupations. This installment of The Daily Leap's green job series profiles plant operations occupations in the biofuels industry.

Plant Operations Occupations

Managers and technicians at processing plants convert feedstock into fuel through various technologies. They perform a wide variety of tasks, from blending chemicals to operating industrial equipment to testing fuel quality. Workers must follow a number of standard operating procedures and abide by all safety protocols. Staff may keep records or logs during each shift, noting any plant activities and reporting any problems to supervisory staff.

Job Duties

Plant managers, also known as industrial production managers, run daily operations at the plant. Managers coordinate and plan the activities needed to create biofuels. They supervise employees in completing their tasks and provide feedback on employees' job performances. They ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local laws and safety requirements. Managers must be able to solve problems quickly, adjust procedures when issues arise, and maintain detailed records on processing plant production.

Plant operators, also known as fuel makers, are chemical equipment operators and tenders. They operate or tend equipment that controls chemical changes or reactions in the processing of industrial or consumer products.

In addition to operating industrial equipment, plant operators may also inspect tanks, clean pumps and other equipment, and dispose of waste products. Some plant workers may conduct quality control checks, testing samples from a batch of fuel. Others may be involved in shipping and receiving materials at the plant. They must follow all safety procedures, including reporting any problems to supervisory staff.

Industrial machinery mechanics test, maintain, and repair plant equipment and other industrial machinery, such as conveying systems, production machinery, and packaging equipment. When malfunctions occur, they need to disable a piece of equipment, locate and fix the broken piece, and reassemble the machine.

Education

Plant manager positions often require a bachelor's degree in a related science, engineering, or business administration. Many manager positions require between 1 and 5 years of work experience, while others may require up to 10 years of related experience. In addition, some employers want their managers to have previous experience as a supervisor. Most production managers must complete company-specific training. Many managers opt to earn various certifications to show a higher level of competency in their field.

Most plant operators need to have a high school diploma, and many employers prefer workers with a degree from a college or vocational school. Many employers value strong math and science skills and related work experience. Moderate on-the-job training is necessary because of the complex equipment and specific safety procedures of each company.

Industrial machinery mechanics generally need at least a high school diploma, though many employers prefer to hire candidates who have completed postsecondary training in industrial technology. Mechanics who have not taken postsecondary courses may need a year or more of on-the-job training to learn the necessary mechanical and technical skills.

Most plant employees work in shifts, as plants operate around the clock. They usually must wear safety equipment, such as gloves or goggles. Work in a plant can be physically demanding because workers may have to lift heavy objects and control large machinery. Individuals working in a plant must complete training to learn all of a company's standard operating and safety procedures.

Earnings

BLS currently does not have wage data specific to the biofuels industry. However, BLS does have wage data for the basic chemical manufacturing industry group; the following table shows wages for selected production occupations in that 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
Industrial production managers	$99,770
Chemical equipment operators and tenders	$49,060
Industrial machinery mechanics	$54,380

For more detailed information on plant operations occupations in the biofuels industry, click the Occupational Outlook Handbook link.

Next week’s biofuels industry installment: Sales Occupations