To begin researching the top jobs for women, start by assessing local needs for your region and what fields are consistently hiring. In many areas of the United States, the health care industry, education, business and information technology fields are in high demand and provide great income and growth opportunities. If you are willing to move, this opens up your options, but regardless if you want to stay in your current area or are able to travel, knowing the job market is the first real step in deciding your career. Checking online frequently and keeping a job search journal is a great way to keep track of hot job trends and in demand fields.

Next, talk to a career counselor about well paid careers for women and see what suggestions they might have. Career counselors are usually available at training facilities, colleges or employment agencies. They can really give some great insight on what sort of training is available for your area, funding options, help with child care as you attend school or training, and even provide helpful tips on how to land that job once you do complete your training. There are even some online aptitude assessments and career planning tests that you can take absolutely free, which will give an in depth report and help match your results with career ideas for women in many different fields.

No matter if you’re looking at an entry level job like office support, child care, administrative assistant, veterinary technician, adjustment clerk or many others, or thinking about longer term degrees and training such as earning a BA in nursing, teaching, computer software development, network administration or business management, there are endless options available with a multitude of training levels. Researching the hottest careers for women and the current job trends in your area, getting professional advice and planning your career will be one of the best things you can do for yourself and your family.

The Increasing Cost of Health Care

Health care costs in the United States have continued to rise steadily for quite a few years, and they show no sign of slowing down. At the same time, there is a large and growing percentage of the population with no health care coverage at all and an even larger percentage that depends on government-funded health insurance for their health care needs. These factors are making good health care a luxury available only to the wealthy.

Why do health care costs continue to increase? There are various reasons driving the increase of health care costs in the U.S. A population that is growing older and therefore needs additional services has been cited as part of the reason for higher health care costs. The U.S. population is living longer, but that longevity also includes many chronic illness sufferers who need long-term treatment. This also impacts the costs of health care.

The development of new technology and medications has also affected the costs of health care. The companies developing the new technology and medications have to raise costs to recoup their initial investments. Additionally, patients prefer using the newer products, even when there is no need, increasing demand for more costly services.

The health insurance system is another culprit. The cost of insurance premiums, both for individuals and families, is quite high nationwide and continues to increase. Even though most people covered under health insurance are covered by plans through their jobs and the companies cover most of their premiums, the premiums have risen steadily for the past 5 years. Premiums for private insurance also increase sharply as people get older. However, as people get older, they do qualify for Medicare, which is government-funded health insurance for senior citizens and some disabled persons.

Finally, administrative costs also have an impact on the increasing health care costs. These costs include things such as marketing, billing and payroll and only help in causing health care costs to continue increasing.

As the costs of medical treatments, operations and health insurance continue to increase, many people are left without any viable avenues for their health care. Since about 13 percent of the population does not carry health insurance at all and about 27 percent depends on government-funded health insurance, there are many surgeries and treatments that are simply not an option. Preventive medicine might be one way to manage the increasing costs. If more money is invested in prevention now, there is less chance that costly, chronic illnesses will develop later.

CareerExplorer has a great number of schools in the health care industry, feel free to use our school search or job search tools to find the best career path for you.

Source: OnlineSchools.org

With the rising costs of tuition and textbooks at Universities and Colleges, a new movement of open source text books has begun. Which is great for students who may have to drop out of school because they cannot cover all of their expenses. The bad news is that the open source books may never be widely available thanks to old-school publishers trying to squash the idea.

A History of Hacking

Infographic Via: OnlineMBA

Hacking is a general term that refers to the reconfiguration or reprogramming of a computer system in order to allow an outsider who wouldn’t otherwise have access to that system to gain entrance. It is an art and a dark science that has been around ever since the dawn of computers themselves. Hacking is often used by the mainstream media to refer to all types of electronics manipulation including “phreaking” and “cracking.” It is a catch-all term that has fallen securely into place as a handle for any outside manipulation of electronic devices, even though in the real world of hacking it refers to a specific type of manipulation.

“Hacker” is a word invented in the 1940s by mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr., played by Russell Crowe in the movie “A Beautiful Mind.” Meaning it as a derogatory term, Nash used it to refer to anyone looking for a quick way around a problem.

In 1972, it was discovered that a cereal box whistle emitted a frequency that would authorize long distance calls when played into a phone. This is considered one of the first technology hacks.

In 1981, a hacker named Ian Murphy was the first to be convicted of a felony when he broke into AT&T systems and switched their discount rates to daytime hours.

A hacker named Kevin Mitnick made it to the US Most Wanted list after hacking into a number of phone and computer companies. Some believed he could cause the launching of a nuclear device simply by whistling into any public phone.

Allegedly searching for little green men, Gary McKinnon broke into US Navy, Air Force, Army, Defense Department, and NASA web sites in what some consider the greatest military hack ever.

The US leads the world with thirteen percent of the planet’s spam sent from hacked computers within its borders. Cheap online hacking universities in China lead the world in revenue generated with an annual $40 million profit.

Across the globe, intellectual property amounting to around $1 trillion has been stolen by hackers. This is in addition to an annual $4 billion in damages in the US caused by hackers and $1 billion in China. According to a Symantec survey performed in 2009, slightly less than half the businesses surveyed had been hacked and lost valuable information. It is said that a third of companies have to face daily hack attacks, 17 percent of which manage to gain entry. Hackers attempt to break into power plants thousands of times per year. Successful attempts extort millions of dollars annually.

Around 250 professional hackers are hired every year by the Defense Department to protect the US from malicious hackers. Job applicants are given a thorough career assessment of their past life and must pass a challenging aptitude test. The Pentagon invested $6 billion into computer safety measures in 2009 alone. This figure is expected to at least double in the next five years.

Some of the most often hacked sites include Facebook and other social networks.

McDonald's is hiring

“Explore a golden opportunity!” That’s what the job application states at McDonald’s, and in all honestly, they might not be kidding.

According to emerging signs in the recent economic recovery, McDonald’s plans on hiring near 50,000 people later this month –better yet, in a single day – on April 19th.

A large part of this massive hiring move is due to more golden arched locations staying open 24 hours, in addition to America’s “jobless recovery.” To put it simply, several of the chains are in need of more and more people – daily. In fact, people who had at one time never considered the food colossus are now changing their minds as a result of the growing opportunities available to them. No longer is McDonald’s just a place for prepubescent teens to find work during high school – it’s become more than just a McJob, it’s become a career ladder of opportunity.

Despite all the negativity Micky D’s received after documentaries like 2004’s Supersize Me hit theaters – spawning a growing concern for high-calorie foods in an already unhealthy America – the fast-food kingpin has shifted its reputation into a company built on helping sculpt careers. Now that doesn’t mean that every drive-thru and grease fryer is going to end up owning a location or sitting in a desk that says CEO, but it does show promise knowing that most of McDonald’s higher ups have had to ask at some time or another “What kind of drink would you like with your value meal?”

If you’re looking for a career – a growing career with plenty of outlook and opportunities, don’t overlook the big M. Good news is that if you do move up the corporate chain, you’ll already be used to wearing a shirt and tie to work every day – minus the name tag. If you aren’t sure what you want to do with you life, take our free career assessment to get a feel for what line of work may fit you best.

Famous billionaire Donald Trump owns thousands of hotels and other properties worldwide. This man with a trademark hair style also wants to become president of the United States. Even with all of his properties, companies and television contracts, Trump still has considerable debt. Most individuals are surprised to learn this. Trump’s debts reach into the hundred-millions. He was also ordered to surrender his $25 million mansion in a divorce settlement.

Toni Braxton is a well-known singer. After coming from a small church choir originally, Braxton went on to build her way to the top, winning six Grammy awards and multiple other recognitions. She has sold over 40 million records. Despite her success, fame and fortune, the singer and mother has accrued a debt of more than $10 million dollars. She is certainly not hurting to survive; her record sales are well over $188 million.

M.C. Hammer, legally known as Stanley K. Burrell, also has significant debt. His debt reaches into the $40 million bracket. He is not only a rapper, but an entertainer, entrepreneur, actor and dancer. Even after selling 50 million records worldwide, his monetary problems persist. This could be a result of his desire for luxurious living. To give an example of just how much this famous artist shells out for his accommodations, he spent over $2 million on a marble floor for his bathroom.

Mike Tyson also had debts that reach into the $40 million range. He has spent his life boxing, acting and accepting many other well-paying jobs, but he also has some expensive hobbies. Tyson’s passions include exotic animals. He has several pet tigers, which cost over $4,000 each month to keep.

There are many other celebrities that spend lavishly. Elton John spent $468,000 on flowers, Nicholas Cage reported spending $276,000 on a dinosaur’s skull and Kim Basinger actually purchased an entire town for $20 million. Most average workers read these statistics with their jaws wide open in surprise. Although most people could never fathom spending this much money, it is always possible to earn more than the current salary. Most people simply aren’t in their optimal career field. Take a job aptitude test to determine which fields are the most suitable. Career assessments and job aptitude tests determine the best possible jobs for each person, based on their individual answers.

Debt is something that almost every American is experiencing today. With prices constantly on the rise and wages staying the same or decreasing, it is becoming difficult for many to stay afloat. Many people find themselves taking a career assessment or job aptitude test to find a new better-paying career. Getting a better job is one of the best ways to get out of debt faster. Don’t lose heart, though – everyone experiences debt, even celebrities. It is a well-known fact that celebrities spend a lot of money on houses, clothes and vehicles, but some celebs have gotten themselves into deep debt. Several have spent their money on some strange items, which are certainly not things most people would consider essential.

Self-employed individuals have long been the envy of many who are employed in the private sector. The United States and United Kingdom are two of the countries with the highest rates of successfully-self-employed workers. Eventually these workers may take a job aptitude test and enter the ranks of salaried workers. In recent years, research has been conducted to find out which country has a better success rate among those who are self-employed. The United States came out on top, with its self-employed citizens earning about $13,720 more on average than those in the United Kingdom. Average annual wages of self-employed citizens in the United States are $45,092, while the UK average is $31,372. To put that difference into perspective, it is enough to buy 3,843 Big Mac burgers from McDonald’s.

To earn the same as a salaried worker, self-employed citizens in the United Kingdom must work an average of 146 hours more than a United States self-employed person. That time difference is enough to watch 204 episodes of Glee – or almost any other one-hour television show. In the United States, there are 21,351,320 self-employed people; in the United Kingdom, there are 4,070,059. If these two numbers were put into perspectives of the population of countries, the United States’ self-employed population would be equal to the total number of people in Australia. The United Kingdom’s total number would be equal to the population of Liberia, which is significantly smaller.

The amount of self-employed workers per capita in the United States is also higher than the UK’s. In the United States, 13.8% of the population is self-employed, while 8.96% of the UK’s population is self-employed. The United Kingdom also has a significantly higher tax rate than the United States. Tax rates in the United States are 35%; in the UK, they are 50%. The IRS received $962,791,527 in revenue, which is enough to wrap dollars around the moon’s equator more than nine times.

Being self-employed appears to be more attractive in the United States. Although most self-employed workers can quickly dispel all of the positive misconceptions about not having to take orders from a boss. Nearly everyone is enticed by the idea of being their own boss, but the reality is that taxes are higher for self-employed people, both in the United States and the UK. In addition to higher taxes, the income isn’t always guaranteed. Whether a self-employed person works as an independent contractor or a has a business they run as a separate entity, there are many other financial obligations that must be met before the self-employed individual can actually “pay” themselves with the funds. Starting a business or becoming self-employed takes a lot of research, hard work and diligence. Having a steady job is an asset to anyone and eliminates the worry and stress of wondering where money will come from. Those who feel lost in the job search benefit from taking a career assessment test or job aptitude test. Both of these tests provide helpful suggestions for finding optimal employment, based on personal strengths and weaknesses.

Technology in the Classroom

The more technology is developing in our country, the more parents, teachers, and administrators are concerned about making sure that students understand how to use it. Schools are now integrating technology into the curriculum This can involve training in the use of computers, navigating the internet, and exposure to virtual classrooms. These schools also make options available such as career assessment tools, postsecondary education courses, AP testing aides, or credit recovery.

The standards used to determine the scores of each state were divided into two groups: capacity and use. The capacity a state has was determined by how adequately trained the teachers and administrators are, whether their initial license requires technology courses, and if it requires ongoing technology training or testing as a part of relicensing. The use of a state was determined by whether a state has a standard requiring technology education, tests students on technology, establishes virtual schools, and establishes computer-based assessments.

Surprisingly, most of the highly integrated states are located in the Southeast. They also offer the most additional options such as state standards for technology education, required technology courses, virtual schools, and computer based assessments. These states are some of the most economically depressed, and yet, they offer students the most in technology education.

New England was only average in their technology leadership scores and offered only a few of the options that the Southeast offered. New England, however, is the most economically healthy region in the union. Many of these states offered only state standards and computer-based assessments.

The three lowest scoring states were Montana, Nevada, and the District of Columbia. Montana is one of the more prosperous states in the unions though, just as with the case of New England. The District of Columbia failed outrightly. While the District of Columbia is only a province, they are still equipped with federal funding and school systems.

The mention of the economic stability of the region is to demonstrate that these statistics do not align with the assumption that economic stability ensures technology advances within school systems. These schools offer nothing more than a state standard and in all three cases they failed in their ability to provide the capacity for technology education. That means that students had barely any education in technology presented to them during their federally funded education.

The importance of training students in technology in preparation for their future cannot be stressed enough. Whether it’s providing them with the opportunity to take a simple job aptitude test or give them college credit through virtual classrooms, students need the chance to grow with technology. Yet, it’s surprising exactly where these students would have to go in order to gain the most technologically advanced education. States such as West Virginia, Georgia, and South Dakota are some of the last states that people would think of. Yet, some of the states that people would expect great technology opportunities from such as Vermont, California, or Connecticut are providing only average scores.

Job Search Continues for Millions

The economic state of the union is complicated to economist and down-right confusing to people who never stepped foot into an economics class. The many components that determine the health and vitality of the American marketplace go far beyond aspects such as interest rates, stock prices, or unemployment rates. Even such statistics as crime rate, personal income per capita, and fastest growing occupations are considered when describing the state of the economy. While it sounds as if these things only make the economic situation seem more baffling, a simple graph (http://blog.careerexplorer.net/ce-general/the-state-of-jobs-in-the-usa) can help visually explain.

As with real estate, the economic health has improved or suffered regionally. Someone living in the upper regions of Middle America and New England has the highest economic health of the country. Those living in the South has the most depressed economic heath. The Southwest states are surprisingly hit hard by the economic downturn, with states such as Nevada and Arizona rated as lowest overall economic health. The West coast fared little better as well, while the upper East coast is prospering with above-average results.

There are things that can be done to help better personal situations despite the overall economic outlook. Surprisingly, truck driving, food preparation, and cashiers account for only 10% of the most employed jobs. Retail (selling goods of any kind) account for a staggering 82% of most employed jobs in America. Within that 82% is wide range of skills, personalities, and interests which are needed. A career assessment can help an applicant not only narrow their search, but understand what personal interests they possess. If fashion and clothing is of interest, selling clothing in a middle-level clothing chain would be a far more attractive prospect than selling books in a locally owned bookstore.

A job aptitude test is a series of questions that the applicant answers. There are no right answers, simply the choice that explains the applicant best. There are many of these career assessment tests available online for free. The results explain what jobs an applicant is qualified for or has the personal skills to preform well. A person who can’t stand the great outdoors would not survive well as a forest ranger. While this seems obvious, some careers are not as easy to determine how well a person is suited for it. If someone has a hard time making friends or speaking with strangers, than even a job as a secretary can seem daunting and hard to cope with. Likewise, if someone has a difficult time being solely responsible for decisions and making them quickly in high stress situations, then management would cause anxiety and unhappiness. These tests are tools to help ensure that the applicant can find a career that will fit for years, not just until a better one comes along.

Does higher education mean a higher salary?

Everyone knows that there is a large correlation between educational level and salary. However, having a higher education does not always mean that you are able to find a higher paying job and many factors should be considered before deciding to pursue a higher educational degree.

The average income of a college graduate is $49,303 where the average income in the United Sates overall is $32,104, a large gap illustrating how education can improve your job opportunities and income. The salary for careers that only require a high school diploma or GED is between $17,700 and $33,300, on the other end of the spectrum, salary for careers that require a Ph.D., M.D., or law degree is between $53,500 and $166,400+. This illustrates what an enormous income gap there can be between someone who has a higher degree and someone who only has a GED; but this is only the potential gap, and while the actual gap is large, it is much smaller then the potential.

Is having a better opportunity to find a high paying job worth all the work involved in getting a higher education? Not only does it take a lot of work but it also costs money, and even puts many in debt. Career assessment and job aptitude tests are very useful tools that should be included in this decision; they can be very useful in helping find which career you could do well in and would enjoy, therefor impacting your decision on higher education. Knowing what you career you would like to pursue is extremely helpful when deciding whether of not to pursue higher education and can prevent many from making the wrong decision and can even motivate some to make the right one.

Though a higher educational degree will give someone a much greater opportunity in finding a higher paying career, it does not guarantee that they will be able find one. There is a large difference between the average income for a college graduate and the average income for someone in the United States, which shows that it would be worth it to obtain a higher degree. However, there are more factors to consider the as the job market is constantly changing and unemployment is high; which has created a whole new set of problems for recent college graduates that are looking for work. But there are still many jobs that are growing and are expected to continue to to so over the next few years.

The decision to pursue higher education should never be taken lightly. Career assessment and job aptitude tests can be very useful when making this life changing decision. Overall, although salary does improve with higher education it does not guarantee it.

Cold Hard Facts About Money

There are some interesting facts about money that may make you think twice before holding that dollar bill with your lips. Nine out of ten US dollar bills have traces of E. Coli, Staphylococcus and cocaine. Chinese banknotes are even worse with 178,000 bacteria colonies on each one and cocaine residue on one out of 10. There is $1,999,897,000,000 in circulation now and that’s a lot of bacteria.

With all of this bacteria, cash has a short lifespan. Only 21 months for a dollar bill, 16 months for a five dollar bill, 18 months for a 10, 24 months for a 20 dollar bill, 55 months for a fifty and 89 months for a 100.

Right now there are six denominations of bills circulating, but there have been twice that many. The $500, $1,000, $5,000, $10,000 and $100,000 bills are no longer in circulation. There are $1.5 billion in two dollar bills in circulation, but they are no longer being printed.

Have you ever wondered what happened to your old jeans? You may be spending them everyday. Every day the US prints $629 million. In one year about 2.7 billion are ones and 1.8 are hundreds. Fives, 10s, 20s and 50s are around 370 million each. US currency bills are made from 75 percent linen and 25 percent cotton, and very bill contains a little recycled denim.

It is not always easy to detect counterfeit money. There is $200 million worth of counterfeit money circulating in the US. $45 million was printed in North Korea and eight out of 10 of those bills were printed on a personal computer.

ATM machines are a convenient way to collect the cash you need. They seem to have an unlimited supply, but they actually only contain 1,500 bills and only about 40 new ones are added each day. The fees for using them are about $640 million a year for the bank.

One more interesting piece of information about money is about the penny. Every year congress considers discontinuing the penny, after all it costs 1.2 cents to manufacture and the US loses $45 million per year on pennies and nickels. There are 150 billion in circulation and people seem to like it that way. Every year congress decides to continue making the penny.

I order to earn your share of money in circulation now, take a free career aptitude test that will give you the right guidance for selecting employment. A career aptitude test may help you decide what you want to do with the rest of your life. If you already have a job or career but you think it’s really not for you, then you need a career assessment test. Career assessment and an aptitude test will help you determine your strengths and weaknesses and make it easier for you to find an interesting and enjoyable future.

How Much do Americans Save?

Highest Paying Jobs in America

It comes as no surprise that nearly all of America’s top paying jobs fall in the medical field. Seemingly impervious to a failing economy the medical field continues to grow and even flourish in America today. Although the medical field offers some of the most stable and high paying positions there are also some options in the math and technology fields that can bring in big bucks. Do you have what it takes to work in one of these top paying jobs? Take your free career aptitude test to find out if your skills and talents meet the unique needs for one of these high paying positions.

Are you good at math? Do you have strong organizational and analytical skills? You might consider a career as a Certified Public Accountant and get paid up to $138,000 per year. There’s always a need for accountants, and a good one is sure to get frequent work in handling a business’ financial needs. Along the same lines are the Senior Financial Analyst and Intelligence Analyst positions. These careers also require strong organizational and analytical skills, and offer salaries in the $110,000 per year range.

If you prefer working with computers primarily you might consider working in the IT field. As a Software Developer you can work on new computer programs, utilizing your skills in working with technology, problem-solving and bringing in somewhere around $116,000 per year. If you are an expert with technology and are also well suited for the field of management you can find a lucrative a career as an IT Project Manager making around $140,000 per year!

Not surprisingly the medical field pays big bucks. If your career assessment test reveals talents with math, science, anatomy, etc…you might consider a career in the medical field. As a General Physician or Specialized Physician (Gynecologist or Obstetrician, for example) you could be making a salary in the $200,000-300,000 per year range. To further specialize in the medical field as a Nurse Anesthesiologist or an Anesthesiologist you could expect an income up to $400,000 per year.

If you are gifted in math, science and problem-solving skills and also like to work with people, you might prefer a career in the mental health field. Consider a career as a Physical or Occupational therapist, making around $100,000 per year or a Clinical Psychologist at approximately $172,000 per year.

Source

Nailing a Job Interview

Applying for a job is only half the battle. Next comes the interview where the candidate is asked to put their best foot forward. The key to nailing a job interview is personal presentation, well articulated speech, and overall qualification. Hopefully you have taken advantage of tools at your disposal such as a career assessment test or career aptitude test.

These tests can help you find a job that is right for you and for which you are most qualified. Using the results of such tools can help you find the position in which you can be most successful. When it comes to an interview with an employer you truly desire to work for, you are much more likely to do well and make a strong impression.

Arrive at least ten minutes prior to your interview time. Always be friendly and polite to the people you come into contact with. In the first sixty seconds an interviewer will make decisions about your self-confidence and the presentation you make of yourself. Everything from your clothes to your mannerisms add up to an employer’s decision about whether or not you are hired. Dress in adherence to the company’s dress code. Whatever that may be, make sure the clothes are wrinkle free and clean.

Do not attract unnecessary attention to your appearance by wearing excessive jewelry or perfume. It is best to cover any tattoos and remove body piercings. These can lead to assumptions, albeit false assumptions, about your personality and even your standards.

Before your sixty seconds begin do not entertain yourself by listening to music or talking or texting on your phone. The employer should see that you are completely devoted to the interview during that time period. It should also be noted that many employers require a phone interview before scheduling a face-to-face meeting. If this is the case you should be polite and confident, as well as in a quiet place.

During the interview it may be easy to begin answering a question before the interviewer has finished. While it is best not to delay too much before addressing the question, it is common courtesy to allow the other person to finish their thought. Along with your resume, describe your current job title and the duties involved. Also be prepared to explain your specific qualifications and skills that make you the best candidate for the job you are vying for. Be as detailed as possible when responding to question concerning your behavior in certain situations. The interviewer needs to understand exactly why you consider yourself to have each quality you have stated.

Although it may be tempting to negotiate salary during the interview wait until you have officially been given the job before addressing issues of compensation. Aside from salary, ask questions about the position. Let the employer know you are interested in the job and what it involves.

Finally, ask for the job. Think of this as “closing the sale” of your skills to the employer. Your determination and persistence could be the key to your being hired. Also remember that the better you know yourself, the better you can sell yourself as a job candidate. Take advantage of free career aptitude tests and assessment tests.