Monthly Archives: August 2009

Author : Tony Jacowski

Choosing the Right Career

Travel is a growing industry that offers many exciting careers Lodging is one of the largest employers in the travel industry and offers many educational, internship and certification opportunities for professionals pursuing a career in hotels Hotel employees can rise to management through formal education requiring degrees in management or through vocational training followed up by experience

Hotel Management Programs

An AHM, associate degree in hotel management, takes around 18 months to complete from a standard hotel or motel management school After completing this course successfully, graduates with an AHM degree are eligible to work with any large or small company around the world in an entry-level management post with hotels, motels, and restaurants Hotel management students will have communications, general studies, and English as their combination subjects while taking up a business course in hotel management Most hotel management schools also provide hands-on experience and practical projects for their students

A BHM, Bachelor of Hotel Management degree, can be ideal for those seeking advancement in their already established careers in hotel management By obtaining a BHM, students will be prepared for moving towards the higher levels of the industry in specialized areas such as business accounting, food and beverage services, accommodations, marketing hospitality services, and human resources among others

An MHM, Master of Hotel and Motel Management degree, offers specialization in marketing, entrepreneurship, operations management, information systems management, and real estate and investment The MHM degree in any of these areas can surely facilitate the students in appearing for and achieving higher-level positions in the hotel and motel management Industry

An MS, Master of Science Program, takes about 12 to 18 months to allow hospitality professionals to continue their careers in an academic or research setting

The CTE courses in Hospitality Management, Hospitality Services and Hotel/Motel Marketing offer certification from National Occupational Competency Testing Institute and the American Hotel & Lodging Association

Responsibilities

Managers are responsible for every aspect of the hotel, including customer service, food quality, catering, and hotel supplies The manager also looks after the scheduling and conference planning, valet and transportation services and all other special services provided to the esteemed guests and visitors Therefore, the manager has a key role and responsibility in keeping up to the name and reputation of the hotel or motel by managing the rest of the staff efficiently The responsibility of hiring, training, and supervising other members of the staff is given to an assistant manager who co-ordinates with the general manager He also schedules working shifts and assigns duties to his subordinates Writing reports, negotiating with the vendors, and coordinating various events also come under the supervision of assistant managers

Facilities

Hotel and motel management professionals enjoy discount rates in travel and lodging amenities This can be especially attractive for those who love traveling Besides, though the initial stage may require a lot of struggle and hard work, once you have reached a higher position, you may earn a lot of money as perks excluding your regular salary Additionally, the hotel industry is commonly associated with a lot of glamor, which also attracts many students to select hotel management as their career The job itself involves some general facilities such as lodging, food, parking, laundry, and other services Additionally, some hotels even provide educational assistance and profit sharing plans to their employees

Ranks & Salaries

The different managerial positions in a hotel or motel start from executive housekeepers to front office managers, food and beverage manager, and convention service manager These are all ranks of an assistant manager who co-ordinates with the general manger The salaries of the mangers depend on the responsibility and segment of the hotel they work for Overall, it is quite a lucrative Industry with opportunities of earning up to 25% bonus on the basic salaries

Job Requirements

The initial phase of your career can be quite hectic, and you might need to clean dishes and do other similar chores The job involves a lot of patience, energy, good communication skills, and quick wittedness to tackle difficult situations, and handling different customers There is no specific work schedule as the hotel industry works around the clock

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’s Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

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Author : Anna Stenning

These days there is a wide variety and selection of employment positions, all with promising career progressions ahead of them Each of these positions has become difficult to apply for and tend to be very selective on their candidate choices Some of the more competitive career paths lie within the technology recruitment sector, can be a very difficult job to obtain, and may require plenty of unpaid work experience

Those looking to get into technology recruitment will need to begin by doing their research into this industry Many people begin their research online and use the internet to find the jobs that they want Some prefer to approach employers directly but posting through their CVs and covering letters Others are more comfortable with applying for graduate traineeships or internships; these are usually unpaid and so you would need to be prepared financially before you apply

Research various roles you could potentially apply for within this sector, as this will give you an insight of what jobs are available and what job roles are in high demand Be aware that if you are going to apply for a competitive role, it may be a good idea to find unpaid work in this role

The easier option is to approach a technology recruitment agency, which will guide and direct you into a field specific to your skills The only criteria is that you provide demonstrative evidence of your skills, whether it is in computing, IT, E-commerce, new media or engineering Consultants of this level can only help to promote your CV and skills based on your previous experiences and knowledge Having specialist skills will put you above other candidates and put you into more focussed roles

Before approaching, an agency or applying for a role that you may be interested in it is a good idea to have a look over your own CV and make adjustments yourself Any experiences that has relevancy to the role you are applying for, or may have some connection to the company will increase your chances of having the employer taking an interest Note that they will ask you questions about your skills, so be prepared to speak in depth about this

Never ever put in information that you may have had vague experiences in, otherwise this will reflect negatively on you during the interview day The technology recruitment sector is fierce and many companies require you to demonstrate your skills on the interview day, or some will even test you on your skills using a PC You should specifically ask about the interview process prior to the interview itself, so you can allow yourself the time to prepare

In addition, before the interview date find out information about the company and the role you are applying for, as this will show that you have a genuine interest in the company You can also try to connect any related experiences with the job role, even if you have never worked in this role before It is better to over prepare rather than walk in without sufficient knowledge of the employers

Anna Stenning is an expert on technology recruitment having worked within this industry in the past.

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Author : Zen Trucker

Truck driving schools are flourishing Demand for truck drivers has exploded since the early ’90s With the onset of new and ever more stringent federal regulations, truck driver training has become one the most popular trade/vocational programs available And the costs can be high, as much as $10,000 for a commercial drivers license

Many workers loosing jobs in the manufacturing and textile industries are turning to trucking to match or exceed that lost income Many of those workers receive federal educational grants due to downsized industries However many must pay out of pocket for such training, and evaluating the worth of various schools can be overwhelming

Some of the largest trucking companies pay for training, but in return, the student must agree to an employment contract, sometimes as long as 18 months If something were to go wrong, such as an accident or illness and the person could not fulfill that contract, they would become liable for the full cost of training

As with anything, you get what you pay for Some schools will charge a couple thousand dollars and seem like a good deal, but looking deeper you see the training is a “crash course” lasting only a week to ten days Giving little real knowledge and less value Usually the state universities offer the most comprehensive programs and also federal financial aid

Never spend more than a few thousand dollars for these schools, unless it is an accredited college and since the training hours can be used toward a general college degree Check into company sponsored training, don’t sign too lengthy a contract- six months to a year is long enough Don’t forget to check the Better Business Bureau and do some online research

Best of luck in your career choice!

Zen Trucker was a ‘long haul’ truck driver for twelve years before
leaving the industry to start various internet businesses and engage
in other pursuits.
Read more about road life and the Trucking career www.zentrucking.com

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Author : Thomas Pretty

Whether you are a chef, a plumber, a nurse or even a dance or fitness instructor, jobs in the travel industry could well be open for you Whether you want to travel to the Caribbean, the Mediterranean or just travel around on a cruise ship, there are many jobs available in the tourism industry It may not be a holiday, but it will give you the option of working in paradise

As the travel and tourism industry grows at an unprecedented rate there are increasing job opportunities for workers in all manner of trades The majority of these positions are in well known and highly visited vacation spots and are diverse in both salaries and job roles It is no longer just pool attendants and hotel concierges that are needed, but with budding entrepreneurs setting up businesses abroad, restaurant and store managers are also required

If you have no strings tying you to a particular place it may be time to uproot and consider a new life abroad Job opportunities will most likely be found with major tour operators in the travel industry It may even be worth looking into the lucrative foreign real estate industry for jobs as they often have agents and contractors employed

The most dissuading factor is the relatively low starting salaries, but do not be totally disappointed and quick to judge a travel jobs because of this There is more to life than money Remember that while the salaries of these jobs may be less, you will receive you room and board as part of the salary as well as having access to all of the resources in the resort This means your off time can be well spent, and also consider that it is always possible to climb through the ranks and earn more

Increasingly graduates are being recruited for jobs within the travel industry; this especially true for language graduates who have the ability to speak multiple languages fluently Having this kind of skill can be extremely useful in the travel industry as being able to converse with locals and natives is invaluable If you can speak another language fluently, you may well want to consider working in travel, consultation between companies and locals is always needed and you could find yourself in a very strong employment position

Cruise ships offer a unique opportunity on their own These floating holiday resorts are full of jobs for a variety of workers with disparate skill sets They require all manner of workers from catering staff through to cinema projectionists Cruise ship workers also have the opportunity to see many sites in a variety of regions If you think you have the sea legs to cope and can deal with being away from home for extended periods of time, a cruise ship may be the perfect place to work

Jobs in travel will give you a different viewpoint on life in general Hopefully they should give you a more laid back attitude, and of course a tan Many people choose careers in the travel industry to escape the poor weather at home or simply to experience a new culture for extended periods of time Both are valid reasons for working in the tourism industry

So if you think you can cope with the long periods away from friends and family and will strive to make tourists’ holidays more enjoyable then the travel industry could be the place to work If you think you are hospitable enough to make travellers holidays better, seriously consider travel jobs as a career option

Career expert Thomas Pretty looks into travel jobs open to those in all manner of industries.

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Author : Dewitt Shotts

There is nothing like getting scholarship information directly from someone who has already had the experience Here are a few tips that one parent shared about getting scholarship money for college Her son went to a private college for four years on a full scholarship and her daughter earned a scholarship at a state school Below are some brief thoughts to consider when looking for your scholarship

Her words of wisdom, for getting the scholarship that you want, were to start early, start early, start early! There are two important scholarship dates to make sure that you stay ahead of the deadlines One of the most important things to start doing early, is to study and sit for the ACT or FAT Many students start in the seventh or eighth grade start studying for and taking the test She says that it does not matter how many times you take the test so many people take the test several times The most important thing in qualifying for a scholarship is your final test score

It would be good to check to see what test is required in your state for scholarships Because of making a 32 on the ACT, her son won the governors scholar award and received scholarship money from the state program called the academic challenge Watching for test deadlines is very important because they missed one test that could have given them more scholarship money

The second important date is the deadline set for applying to be eligible for the various scholarships You will start testing at least in the eighth grade and it does not hurt to start learning what scholarships are available by the time you reach the tenth grade For sure by the eleventh grade, you need to know the scholarship rules that you are interested in pursuing because the deadlines for applying for many scholarships can be nine months before the fall that you would enter college

Another start early point for scholarship success is when applying for a scholarship, you would treat it like you would preparation for a good resume You need to put as many scholarship enhancing details as you can about how involved you are in the community, how you are serving at the home for senior citizen, you volunteer at the hospital, you are a life guard at the pool in the summer, you have a part time job at the mall or anything that enhances your chances of being selected for the scholarship A good idea is to document anything to use when applying for your scholarship that shows you are an asset to your family, your church, your school and your community

Here is a Good Way to Start Your Scholarship Success!

Now you have one eye on the test dates and test scores and the other eye on the scholarships that you want and the scholarship application deadlines Then you want to contact the college that you wish to attend to see what their scholarship requirements are The college should be very helpful and interested in your success not only in applying for your scholarship but in your success throughout your college experience They will be able to tell you what scholarships you will qualify to receive and the tests and test scores that will be required for that scholarship

A good way to get a general idea and overview of what scholarships could be available is by searching the internet This a great place to start to get a broad base scholarship information The college that you are interested in attending should have scholarship information online and your state department of higher education should be a very good scholarship source online You can do scholarship searches for free on some websites and get a feeling of what is available and what additional questions that you should ask about any scholarship There are some sites where you have to pay for scholarship searches and there are government supported counseling services along with paid seminars that would give you more scholarship information

When you are selecting a scholarship, be aware to consider the source of the scholarship funds and the organization that is behind the scholarship The Federal Trade Commission warns students and parents to always be aware If the scholarship sounds too good to be true, then you need to be careful Below is one of their announcements

Scholarships guaranteed or your money back! Beware of scholarship “guarantees ” Before you pay for a search service, get the refund policy in writing Call the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP to learn how to avoid scholarship scams

Once you get a scholarship, the money should go directly to the school and they will take care of the details on your behalf Something to be aware of after you get into school is the requirements to keep your scholarship Once you get your scholarship, you do not want to loose it by not keeping your grade point to the required level or missing one of the other scholarship rules

Here is one last point Treat it like a business Be serious Be diligent Treat your scholarship search like you are getting paid to do it Actually, you are getting paid

Dewitt Shotts is President and Founder of Marketing Solutions, Inc. Marketing Solutions serves the proprietary school industry as a full service company including television production, media buying, direct mail and internet lead generation. http://www.collegecareersource.com/

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Author : James Copper

Become an electrician and you will know how great the job is? Today electricity is in everyone’s day-to-day life Televisions, computers, ovens, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, air conditioners etc , the list goes on It’s interesting to know how all these appliances work We all, in this modern world, are completely dependent on various kinds of electric appliances

Become an electrician to have a great career But that comes with its own advantages and disadvantages Electricians are one of the important people in our society Their work involves different challenges To become an electrician, one needs to take up a great social responsibility An incomplete work done by them may even cost others, their lives To become an electrician one needs to have some special qualities within them One has to have good mathematical skills as working in a technical field involves mathematical calculations An electrician has to work with different types and colors of wires To become an electrician it is necessary to have a good vision to differentiate between colors

Technical work, like this, involves hard physical activities like climbing and hanging at different times To become an electrician it is important to have a good body and health Many people have a habit of wearing metal ornaments like golden necklace, bracelets, rings etc To become an electrician it is important to practice safely and also keep others safe by take some common safety measures, like using things which are non conductors of electricity like rubber hat, rubber shoes, rubber gloves etc Wearing the right kind of clothes on the job is also important It is better to wear tight clothes on the field as loose clothes may interrupt your work and come in contact with wires while handling them All the tools of an electrician must be kept in well organized manner This will help in finishing the job well in time

There are many options to become an electrician One can just start working under a senior supervisor This is called on-the-job training You won’t get a certificate in this method One can also join an apprenticeship program This includes classroom as well as practical training A proper certificate is issued after completion of this program To become an electrician, it is better to have a certified academic course from a reputed university Just completing a conventional electrician course is not enough to become an electrician One has to take up a specialization subject like specialization in outdoor wiring, specialization in indoor wiring, specialization in maintenance, specialization in repairing household appliances, specialization in handling transponders, etc After completing the course with specialization in one of the subject, it is better to take certification from a competent authority This will keep you one step ahead of others Research brings newer technologies every day To become an electrician with latest technological knowledge, one has to keep appearing for exams as time changes to acquire latest certification and knowledge

To become an electrician is easy, but to keep up yourself to the responsibilities, the job brings along is hard If you like tackling challenges then you will love to become an electrician

James Copper is a writer for http://www.electricianscareer.co.uk where you could find out how to become an electrician

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Author : Paul Fitzgerald

Massage as an alternative source for healing and relaxation, is fast becoming popular in the country You could observe, that in the past years, the rise in the number of massage therapy clinics have risen And many states have noticed this growth in the industry And as with all successful business ventures, the states have created laws in order to regulate the industry and those who are practicing the craft

Today, massage therapy is not just the ordinary rub and press And today, likewise, massage is a seriously considered medical and health option, as well as solid business venture Correspondingly, practitioners and even the would-be practitioners themselves have been seeing massage as a lucrative career in itself In fact, many colleges are offering massage therapy courses to match the demand of licensed massage therapists

Getting a degree in massage is important mainly because there are laws in most states that require degrees before giving you a business permit This is ultimately understandable as with any business that deals with the health and well-being of other individuals I mean, you would not trust yourself over to just anyone who claims to be a doctor without any educational backing to prove that claim, now, would you?

Second, earning around $65 per hour (the average rate for a massage therapist) doesn’t come easily There are reasons why people shell out sixty-five bucks, and one of the reasons for that is a credible background in your practice A degree always backs you up and is proof that you, as a massage therapist, are knowledgeable in the techniques and details pertaining to your profession

And third, is for personal reasons A massage therapy degree gives you that confidence in yourself as a practitioner of the craft And not just a confidence that you can sniff out from thin air, but this is the confidence of the real deal, backed with real know-how in theory and in practice And every individual who is serious in his or her profession knows fairly well that the desire to start a career is but the first half of the actual career The second half which completes the goal is one that is earned

So, whether you are going to a massage college for business or personal purposes, a massage degree will help give you an edge in employment opportunities and give you the credibility in your chosen craft

Aloha Massage School of Massage Therapy serving Haiku, Makawao, Kahului, Kihei, in Maui, HI. We offer a professional600 hour training in massage therapy. You will learn Lomi Lomi, Shiatsu, Swedish Massage Techniques , reflexology and so much more. We can be reached at (808) 871-9966

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