It might be tempting to skip over this article, sure you are indeed the right person for the job, however, there is key information included in this article which will help determine your employability, your motivation for beginning this quest and your preferences for what kind of position you’d like.

Single or married with dependents?

Teaching couples are the most sought after commodity in international schools because they are the most cost efficient to hire. They are hired together and require only one living allowance.

Singles would come next, and are especially attractive if they are willing to share housing. Also, some schools will only hire single people. Towards the beginning of the new academic year, when schools are becoming desperate to fill their remaining vacancies, single teachers become even more attractive because they are usually very mobile, in that they have no dependents to make arrangements for.

Couples with children would head up the bottom of the list. One or two children are not an unattractive prospect for most schools, but you might find that you will not get extra benefits for having more than two children. Some people I have worked with that have three children have reported that they have had to pay tuition fees for their third child.

Teaching couples

Teaching couples and teachers with dependent spouses and/ or children should apply early on in the process when there is more flexibility. If you are intending to find positions as a teaching couple, you are not likely to be very successful to attend job fairs towards the end of the season.

It is often the case that one member of a teaching couple will find the perfect job, whilst the other member may have to make do with an acceptable or part time post.

Single teachers

Single teachers are able to find positions through to the beginning of the new academic year because they can fill school’s unfilled or unexpected vacancies easily.

Age (at both ends of the scale)

Age might be an issue in some countries because of visa requirements, but usually more mature people are attractive to international schools because they are believed to be stable.

On the other hand, many schools operate a salary scale that makes less experienced (which frequently means younger) teacher financially attractive to schools.

If you are used to being on the top of the pay scale, you might want to ask if the salary step you start on is capped. I have heard that some schools require all new teachers to the school to start on the same salary step, regardless of years of experience.

Qualifications and experience

Some sources of information on teaching in international schools state that you have to have a degree in education, a license to teach and two years experience. This is not true at all. You will need some kind of qualification OR experience, but there are opportunities for almost everyone.

If you don’t have two years experience, then you will need to pay close attention to the sections on finding a job through job advertisements. You will probably not be invited to attend a job fair, as two years experience is one of their selection criteria for candidates. This doesn’t mean you are an unattractive candidate for schools, just that you aren’t necessarily going to get a job through a job fair.

If you have a Bachelors’ degree and a TEFL qualification you will be able to teach in an ESL position in most schools. The nature of your Bachelors’ degree is usually inconsequential; many countries expect this basic level of education to qualify for a working visa. My first teaching job was in a private language school in Taiwan when the only qualifications I had were a Bachelors’ degree in business and a TEFL certificate that the ink was still wet on.

If you have no teaching qualification at all, and no experience in teaching children, you will need to look at the section titled ‘What employment opportunities are there for my non-teaching partner?’, look into getting a TEFL certificate or one of the many non-government organisations that sponsor or offer internships in teaching in different countries.

If you do not qualify for your dream job now, do not give up in defeat. There are many opportunities to increase your qualifications both by going back to university full- or part-time, or distance learning online. Use this book to help you discover what qualifications you need to get your dream job, and go get them.

Sooner or later, most managers must face up to the task of firing someone. Here's some career advice that will help you handle this odious task when you must do it. But it is never easy.

Recognize, firing someone is a distasteful and painful experience for everyone concerned. People get hurt. Lives are disrupted; livelihoods are threatened. Egos are devastated. There are costs to employees and employer alike. Therefore, it goes without saying: firings ought to be avoided if at all possible.

A step toward this goal will be accomplished if every manager will conduct regular performance appraisals with each employee he or she directly supervises. If these sessions are open and candid, the boss and the employee will be able to see problems as they begin to emerge and correct them before real damage is done.

Both parties should sit down together. The positives should be identified and praised. Problems should be defined and a plan of action to correct them agreed upon. This is a fair process which clearly puts both parties on notice that things are not as they should be; they must get better; if they don’t, dismissal is a definite possibility. Surprise, one of the cardinal sins of management will be avoided.

If the employee’s performance does not meet the agreed-upon goals for improvements in critical areas, and there are no acceptable reasons for the failure, the manager has to be firm and dismiss the erring man or woman. To do otherwise is to lose credibility as a manager and do damage to the organization.

Common Sense Guidelines

Be very sensitive to timing, as I have already indicated.

Deliver the bad news in a face-to-face meeting. There can be no delegation of this responsibility. It may be desirable to have one other person present, especially if the meeting might end in a heated confrontation. But no more than one additional person should be involved in the ordeal, or else it may appear that a kangaroo court is in session.

The meeting should be conducted in a strict, arms-length business-like manner. Reasons for the action should be spelled out in detail, including a review of the evaluation process. Empathy should be expressed. However, resist being overly generous in praise for the employee’s contributions. Such expressions may be translated into some unfounded hope that the decision can be reversed. Also, in this litigious age, praise may be taken out of context for legal action by a disgruntled employee.

Terms of severance – pay and benefits – should be detailed. If the circumstances allow it, an offer may be made to provide help in getting another job.

Turning in your resignation is not always easy. Even if you hate your job, hate your boss and can not wait to start that new exciting job or perhaps you have an inkling that you are about to be fired, it can be very difficult to resign tactfully and gracefully.On top of that you want to leave on good terms for future references or perhaps even to be rehired by the organization at some future point. The grapevine travels amazingly so you can never know how far bad vibrations left over will travel at some point.

What to do. First of all do you really want to quit in your heart of hearts. If this is so then ensure that you handle your resignation with as much tact and preparation that you would assign any other business endeavor. Again it is not wise to burn your bridges no matter how angry you feel.

First of all you are always more valuable to another employer if you are gainfully employed. Do not quit your job before you find another. For some psychological and cultural reason an employer will feel that if you are employed by another firm then it stands to reason that you must be employable , a good catch and they will have to pay you more to obtain your services.

If you do quit without finding a new job or are placed in that position by downsizing , being fired or just bad luck remember it can take three to six months or even longer to find that new employment. Unless you quit for good cause you may not be eligible for the unemployment benefits that you may feel that you are entitled to.

Consider if you have enough savings or income to manage on. Even if your employment situation is not the best you might want to consider hanging onto the job that you have, as well as your paycheck to start your job search before you resign. The old saying is that a bird in hand is worth two in the bush reigns true.

Now if you do give notice be aware that there are government and employment labor contractual rules that state what “minimum notice “. It is generally two weeks term however perhaps your firm, industry, government rules or employee decency demands more. For example if a retail store does 90 % of its business during the Christmas season it may be legally correct neither but nor morally or ethically to leave your employer in the lurch during that vital peak time. If you choose to stay a longer time period after resigning remember you that it is your choice and not the employers.

What to say and how to handle the difficult task on hand of actually informing your boss or employer. You are best to say the minimum – which you are leaving. Even if you are tempted to “ tell off “ your jerk superior remember that in the end it may make you feel good but other than that will accomplish nothing and may cost you either in the interim period before you leave or after. You may find that your job for the next 2 weeks is to clean the parking lot with a toothbrush. Your grandmother may have advised you that if you have nothing nice to say don’t say it. Emphasize the positive and talk about how the company has benefited your life and the life of your family but now it is time to move on. Offer to help during the transition and afterwards. Perhaps you can be involved in the hiring and training process with all or your well recognized expertise.

Whether in sales or employment-seeking situations, interviews can be stressful! Many companies have added telephone interviewing to their hiring regimens as a means of getting additional opinions of a potential candidate without incurring the expense of travel. In addition, many preliminary sales processes are started on the telephone. Whether you’re selling a product or service or seeking new employment, here are a few ideas you can use to help prepare yourself for the telephone interview and make the most of the opportunity:

No place like home!- Be home on your regular land-line phone. Use a speakerphone if you have one, and be sure to let the other person know as a courtesy that you are using a speakerphone. Ask politely if they can hear you easily. Cell phones are risky what with background noises and the possibility of losing the call due to shifting signals. Above all- you are on your home turf, in your own comfort zone. This gives you an advantage compared to on-site interviews. Take full advantage of it!

Be prepared! Have your resume and any copies of any other documentation you have sent to the company handy. It only makes sense that you and the interviewers are both “on the same page” and that you have all the details at your fingertips. This will aid you tremendously if the interviewer questions any of your resume information. Think of this as an “open book” test. It is reassuring to have this back-up if the interview becomes stressful.

Do your homework! Hopefully, you have spent time researching the company you will be interviewing with. Just to be sure, have the company’s website up on your computer during the interview and do some browsing on their site just before the interview starts so you will have some pertinent information fresh in your mind. The more details about the company that you are able to speak of, the better. This shows that you cared enough to prepare properly, and that you are truly interested in a position with this company..

Be comfortable! Have a comfortable seat at your desk or table, and have a glass of water ready in case you need it. Remove any possible sources of noise or distraction prior to the interview. Sit quietly for a few minutes before the call comes in. Breathe slowly and relax! You are home- you are in your own best element- you are truly ready to present yourself!

Smile, smile, smile! Your facial expressions do transmit over phone lines- especially to people like HR managers who spend a lot of time on the phone and develop very keen perception skills. What is the best way to make sure you’re smiling as you speak? Set up a mirror in front of you and watch your expressions as you speak.

Take note! Take notes and ask questions. Keep all of this in some form of journal with date, time, person contacted and telephone numbers. This is especially important if you have applied for many positions, and in case you get called for additional interviews. You may need to quote the person you are interviewing with.

Positive, positive, positive! Avoid any and all negative words during your conversation. Think of putting a positive “spin” on all of your previous work experiences, good and bad. For example, at your last job you didn’t have a difficult boss- you had a boss who challenged his employees to aspire to high standards and enabled them to learn and grow in their positions. Today’s business world wants positive, team-player contributors- not people who constantly complain and cast negative shadows in the workplace. Always combine an idea or solution along with any criticism.

If you are searching for a job, an excellent place to put your application is in a hospital. Hospitals hire a lot more than just registered nurses, doctors and pharmacist. Hospitals have need for every type of worker just as other corporations do.

Hospital jobs usually pay a higher rate for entry-level positions. Many hospital jobs are union. Another benefit of working for a hospital is health care. Hospital jobs usually offer the best health care benefits because these benefits must be comparable to the benefits afforded the professional staff which is comprised of Doctors and Nurses.

Hospital jobs offer employee benefits that are equal or better than the majority of other industries. The benefit programs are constantly being reviewed to provide a high level employee retention program. With nursing shortages and doctor retention problems, hospitals realize that they need to provide the best in health care benefits for their employees.

Whether you are trained as a secretary, IT professional or have janitorial experience, a hospital job may be something to consider hospital jobs offer some other unique advantages.

You can be assured that you will work in a clean safe environment. By its very industry standards, hospitals must maintain a clean healthy environment. Hospitals are held to a higher standard than other industries so you do not have to worry about working around being unprotected working with toxic chemicals.

Hospitals are particularly compliant with OSHA standards. She’s mission is to “assure safe and healthful working conditions for today’s workers. Hospitals are mandated to provide a safe work environment.

Hospitals have superior Human Resources Departments that search for interview and hire top-notch talent. These Human Resources department put guidelines in place that insure that personnel are treated fairly. Because most hospitals have some type of government involvement, they are very forward thinking in the way employees are treated.

For the most part hospital jobs offer a pleasant employee interface. People who have dedicated their lives to helping others are usually pleasant people to work with. Hospitals have codes of conduct that dictate how people are treated within the workplace.

The chance for advancement is high in hospitals. With training you can move from one position to another with relative ease. Hospital jobs often offer tuition reimbursement to individuals who want to major in subject that will benefit their jobs and the hospital.

A hospital needs a variety of skills to run their operation. It does not matter what your work history contains, there is probably a hospital job that you can apply for and get hired. No matter where you start in a hospital job, there will be room for advancement

People tend to consider that a professional degree can be a guarantee that one will get a good job and, subsequently, a decent income. Indeed, if you are a degree-holder it means that you received proper education and you can be considered a young specialist in this or that field. However, practice shows that college or university diploma is not always sufficient to get a good job.

So many graduates enter a job market annually and compete for best positions. Sure, if you graduated from some of top-10 universities, the odds are that you will be noted because your educational background speaks for you. But if you are not, you will certainly face certain difficulties when applying to nice and promising positions. First of all, one should take care of one’s resume, because a resume serves as a visit card of a potential employee and thus a resume should be professionally prepared. Resumes are written according to certain standards. Of course, you might think of your own format of a resume but do not make a resume too bright or too long. Today one can search in the Internet and find many successful samples. In resume you should include your experience and qualifications, and some other fields. It is always good if you state your objective. Employers like people who are well-oriented in the world and know what they want. That is why you should think well on what you really want to get from your job and profession as such. Interviews are probably most difficult for young graduates, because not so many youngsters stay calm when they have to speak to respectable employers. It is very much similar to exams while studying when you feel that you are checked and your level is estimated. Number one is to be confident when speaking at interview. Demonstrate that you know what you speak about and that you know the field. However, do not be self-confident. Modesty plus healthy confidence can guarantee a desirable result. And last but not least, never stop learning. Some graduates think that they are already quite self-sufficient professionals, while in reality that does not work. You have a degree and that is a very good start, but you have to invest a lot of efforts and will if you want to be a real pro. Read a lot about labor market issues to know about current tendencies and that will serve you a lot when making crucial decisions about your career.

Combine your inborn talents with acquired skills, plus good knowledge of current trends and issues. That might serve as a success formula for young graduates who may find themselves at a loss when first facing the necessity to get employed.

When was the last time you received a job promotion? You are doing a great job at work but everyone else seems to get the promotion you want. You may even start making excuses as to why you are not getting the career promotions you deserve. Well, I ask you the following question.

Did you ever tell your story?

The following career advice story will show you how to put your career on the fast track: Recently, I was facilitating an oceanfront retreat for over two hundred employees of a university. During this session, I had the participants think of something or somebody they appreciate. I then asked for volunteers to share with the group whom or what they appreciate and why this is important to them.

Lonnie volunteered and stood up in front of the group to share his thoughts of appreciation. Lonnie explained that in his job he helps children improve their lives. He mentioned that whatever the lowest pay and title scale was, he was at that level. However, he said that was all right because of the joy he received from helping the children. You could hear and sense the passion in his words as he shared his experiences with the audience.

About a month later, Lonnie was in another workshop I was facilitating, and he asked to speak with me before the start of the session. I could see the excitement in his eyes as he explained what had happened to him since the oceanfront retreat. One week after sharing his story at the retreat, he received a call from the Office of Academic Affairs. Someone of influence, who was impressed with Lonnie's speech and the way he told his story that day, wanted Lonnie to come in for a job interview. Lonnie went to the interview and received the job of Assistant to the Dean of Academic Affairs, with a substantial increase in pay and title. That was a career quantum leap from just a couple of weeks earlier.

So what happened?

Lonnie told his story for career success. Like so many of you, you are toiling away in your careers everyday and making a difference for your organization. But if no one knows about your successes, your passions, and your ideas, you will not achieve job and career success. The following are three secrets to putting you on the fast track to career and job advancement:

1. It's Not What You Know... - I'm sure you have heard the old saying, "It's not what you know, it's who you know," when talking about getting ahead in life. Well, in this new age of information and self responsibility, I am declaring that this saying is dead. Instead, I always say the following:

"It's not what you know. It's not who you know. It's who knows what you know that creates success for you."

There are people doing a great job everyday. There are people everyday that know people of influence. Yet, unless these people of influence know what you know (your skills, your knowledge, your ideas), you won't be put in a position for success. Lonnie, during his two-minute presentation, let people of influence know that he was passionate about helping children at his job and he was willing to do it for little compensation. That's a powerful message. It moved people to help him and make him a part of their team.

2. Prepare Yourself for Powerful Story Telling - When the opportunity comes to tell your story, will you be prepared? Lonnie was prepared and made the most of his opportunity. However, I have seen many opportunities vanish for a person to tell his/her story because of the fear of speaking in front of a group or in a meeting. Whether it's in a job interview, monthly meeting, or at a conference, have the confidence to tell your story. You may never get another opportunity to do so. Have the courage to work on your presentation skills. There are various resources for improving your presentation skills. You can take a class, join Toastmasters, or hire a presentation skills coach. Also, outline what you will tell in your story. Think of your successes and how you achieved those successes. Thinks of the challenges you faced and how you overcame them. Express the joy you felt while achieving your goals. Relate how your activities helped you develop your skills, your creativity, and your determination. Let your passion show in your story.

3. Create Opportunities to Tell Your Story - When Lonnie volunteered, he created an opportunity to tell his story. How can you create opportunities to tell your story? You can volunteer for job-related assignments and give reports during management briefings. You can be active in workshops or seminars and tell your story among a variety of people that normally might not be exposed to your story. Join various associations and groups and tell your story. This is a great way to network among people who are active in their industries. Contribute your story to your in-house publication, local newspaper, or magazine. Create a blog or website and tell your story. The more you tell your story to a wide variety of people, the greater the opportunity to increase your success.

The success anyone will have in freelance will depend not on luck, not necessarily determination, but just the simple belief that the day will come where you realize that yes, you can make a living doing it.

Let me explain. What is a freelancer’s primary fear when first starting out on their own? Finding some project to work on? Yes, but that is probably number two. Of course the number one fear is “How am I going to make money to pay the bills?” This fear is often so pervasive that it prevents the larger part of the “rookies” from actually toughing out their first couple months and continuing.

Starting out in freelance is almost like anything you do for the first time (ahem…). For a freelancer, it is finding the first project. I’m sure other freelancers can attest to the fact that projects get much easier to find after the first one is out of the way.

The problem is that even after completing that first project and getting paid whatever, the “How am I going to make money?” thought still haunts every second. Something happens, though, to diminish it’s power and that is you find your second, third, fourth project and so on. If you are still a freelancer at the end, you are left to wonder why you even worried about money in the first place.

Those are the ones that go on to be successful.

The other rookies that continue to worry about money, even after finding and completing more projects, often reach a point to where they need to go back to a regular job and regain that security. They just could not handle either not earning what they use to or the worry about money was just too much of a burden.

The truth is that the majority of rookie freelancers do not make what they expect to when first starting out, unless they have already prepared themselves for poverty line salaries. This is because instead of a career specialty, there are also administrative tasks that are time consuming and are often met with unfamiliarity. A few key ones are finding projects, sending invoices and managing collections

Colleges and universities are fond of reminding anyone who will listen that there is great value in earning a bachelor's degree. In the most recent statistics available the U. S. Census Bureau tends to agree.

Results from the 2004 Census Bureau report shows a $23,000 difference between the average annual salary of adults with a bachelor's degree ($51,554) compared to adults with a high school diploma ($28,645).

In what may or may not be an anomaly, the income gap narrowed slightly from five years earlier when bachelor's degree graduates made nearly twice as much as high school graduates.

The percentage of Americans 25 and older with a bachelor's degree rose to 28%, and the percentage with a high school diploma rose to 85%. In 1970, 36 years ago, only 11% of Americans had a bachelor's degree and a little more than half had a high school diploma.

It is probable that the increase over time has had much to do with the advent of technology in our society, and the impact of Internet accessibility to the general public in 1993 and 1994 through the creation of browsers.

If you are wondering, Minnesota, Utah, Montana, New Hampshire, Alaska and Washington had the highest proportions of adults with at least a high school diploma, all at about 92%. Texas had the lowest with about 78%.

Connecticut had the highest proportion of adults with a bachelor's degree (37%) and West Virginia had the lowest (15%).

I have long been a believer that there is no real correlation between education and income unless the degree leads to a high paying profession, such as a physician, attorney or dentist. I have known too many people with bachelor's degrees working at McDonald's restaurants.

My standard comment is that it is not like all people with bachelor's degrees make $100,000 a year and those with high school diplomas make $30,000. I also have known many people with only high school degrees and some high school dropouts who make well in excess of $100,000 annually, especially in sales.

Bill Gates is a college dropout who ranks as the richest man in the world. Forbes magazine rates William H. Gates III as the richest person in 2006 with $53 billion, proving perhaps that even Harvard dropouts can make a lot of money.

You, dear reader, will have to decide for yourself how big a difference in income is possible with a college degree instead of settling for a high school diploma. There is no question in my mind that the income gap will increase as the upper and lower edges of our middle class are falling away and the gap between the rich and poor in America widens.

I also have found little correlation between talent and income, intelligence and income and experience and income. Is there anyone in America who has not heard of the starving artist, or educated idiots in menial jobs, or janitors becoming millionaires?

The only real correlation I have noticed is between people skills and income. How else can you reasonably explain how a high school dropout becomes a self-made, multi-millionaire entrepreneur?

These successful entrepreneurs may not have perfect subject-verb agreement when they speak, but they certainly know how to relate to people in a meaningful way. You may have noticed that the whole world steps aside for the man who knows where he is going (ditto for women).

Also of note is the Bureau of Labor Statistics National Compensation Survey which shows that white-collar earnings average $21.85 an hour while blue-collar earnings average $15.03 and service occupations average $10.40.

Source information for the following statistics come from the Employment Policy Foundation.

Go ahead and study for the bar exam if you really, really want to.

Become a podiatrist, a taxidermist or a typist if you feel so inclined. Get into the smoked meats industry if that's your legacy. But if you want to lead a charmed career: become a junior copywriter.

When you become a junior copywriter, every part of life noticeably changes. Coffee tastes richer. Traffic seems less snarled. Roommates don't seem so 'roommate-like.' After you arrive, the good life takes form.

So here, in no particular order, are the top 5 reasons to become a junior copywriter:

1) Play XBox. Get Check.

It is NOT a misconception that junior copywriters have free time to burn. They do. It's called 'concepting' in the advertising biz. In fact, a junior copywriter and a junior art director (hence a junior creative team) can 'concept' deep into the night with enough games. And beer.

But they can only do this IF they deliver the goods when it comes time to present their work to their Creative Directors. It seems almost crazy, but junior creatives can ABSOLUTELY do anything and everything they want besides work, IF they perform when it comes time to 'show the work' and then produce the work.

2) Movie Times Usually Start Around 11:45am

Hey, you spent months on building the perfect portfolio, you've got movies to catch up on.

Don't laugh, junior copywriters go to the movies a lot more than anyone thinks. In fact, most juniors really believe they're being set up when they head out to the movies the first few times. But just like #1 above, your time as a junior is your time. And if you can 'concept' through the roof and catch the new Harry Potter installment at the same time, then more power to you.

It's all a balancing act. With no net.

3) Every Day Is Dress Down Friday

This one gets under the skin of almost everyone who isn't a junior creative. The ability to wear ripped jeans and a t shirt and earn six figures is a way of life in advertising. As long as clothes are clean (and even that's a bend-able rule) juniors are able to wear whatever makes them comfortable.

Sandals during the winter? Head bands? Work out clothes? No socks...ever? All perfectly acceptable if the work that's presented is GREAT. (Otherwise, break out some socks really fast!)

4) You Become Sexy

It doesn't matter if you're overweight, a heavy smoker and have ear hair starting to show, when you become a junior copywriter, you get sexy real fast. "See that guy by the bar? Junior copywriter." Society will view you differently. The opposite sex will be more inclined to overcome the outside to get to the inside. Sounds crazy...but its true.

(Caution: #4 is typically over abused by the male junior copywriters we have seen.)

5) You Instantly Gain The Right To Compete Against Others To Sell And Produce Television Commercials

This is the biggie. And it's no laughing matter.

When you start as a junior, you will repeatedly be brought into new business pitches, client saves and general creative 'gangbangs' (just a fancy way of saying competition) where it is and always will be winner take all. You will put your best thinking up against the best thinking from people who have been in advertising forever.

Preparation basics for interviewees

Let's face it successful interviewing is much more than just giving the right answers to questions. As with most things, preparation is the key to success. Without proper preparation, you will go into an interview as if you were driving a car blindfolded and on the wrong side of the road.

Plan your travel route

The last thing you want to do is get lost or be late for an interview, so plan your travel route ahead of time. Find out where the interview will take place and decide how you will get there (car, bus, taxi, etc.), then conduct a "trial run" using that mode of transportation. Factor in any other possible complications such as road construction or rush hour traffic do determine how long it will take you to get to the interview.

Once you know how long it takes to get there and you have factored in other issues such as traffic, add at least 15 minutes to the amount of time you think it will take. This extra bit of "insurance" means you will be better able to deal with unforeseen events and last minute issues.

Get to know the organisation

Potential employers want to know that you are interested enough in their organisation to learn a bit about it before an interview. Conducting research to learn about an organisation also demonstrates that you are proactive, forward thinking, and willing to put in extra effort to be better prepared.

The internet is an excellent tool for researching an organisation, as are marketing brochures and annual reports from the organisation. Ask around to your friends and professional contacts to find out if anyone has any experience with or knowledge of the company. Some experts also recommend that you check the electronic archives of the local newspaper to see what, if anything has been written about the company over the previous twelve months or so.

Plan how to present yourself

Once you get to the interview you will have to "sell" yourself. The interviewer will be evaluating you on the answers you give to questions, of course, but also on many other things that you might not think about, so plan for these in advance.

A plumbing designer is an engineer that is charge of planning the big picture of plumbing in building, reservoirs and other situations dealing with water. In the process they will work with architects, engineers, plumbers, and other designers. Their charge being to design the most efficient and effective plumbing systems in the new structures. The materials they choose on include pipes, tanks, valves, pumps and other means of channelling water as needed.

Plumbing Design requires building extremely strong plumbing systems with failover. The plumbing designer must never cut corners even if encouraged to, as the end systems may cause major disaster should they fail. When it comes to this, redundancy and backup systems are a large part of the planning. Failures in plumbing design could cause many displaced persons, and maybe even fatalities.

Education Required For Plumbing Design

The most complete education for Plumbing Design is through a university. You won't find a 4 year program called “plumbing design” rather you would focus on studies related to building construction, civil engineering, or mechanical engineering. This choice of study will bring you the widest spectrum of knowledge, and other opportunities should you decide that being a plumbing designer isn't for you. These programs will likely find you a vast resource in contacts, and some excellent internship opportunities that can give your career an extra boost from the start.

You will often find a more specific 2-year program in “plumbing design” at a number of colleges. This shorter degree program will definitely get you what you need. Still you will want to gain experience in your field prior to graduation to give you better chances once you are ready to start your career.

Some plumbing designers come from the many master plumbers out there. With years of experience they have become experts at the big picture of plumbing. With this come many certifications from various professional plumbing organizations that specifically confirm their qualifications. Often their career path was aimed towards the engineering side of commercial plumbing where the systems are much larger than those in residential installations and repairs.

Many students have the educational background that employers and graduate schools are looking for in potential candidates, but they don't really have the work experience and skills that are required. It's kind of like a catch 22 situation, right? Well if you find yourself in this situation, don't despair. There is a solution. Some of the ways that students can gain real-world experience that is related to their field of study is by participating in volunteer opportunities, summer or part-time jobs, or internships.

Internships are a great way for undergraduate and graduate students to gain hands-on work experience within their industry. This hands-on work experience will provide you with marketable skills that are attractive to future employers when combined with your education. Many colleges and universities partner with local companies who will offer their students internship opportunities. Some internship opportunities are paid positions, while others allow you to earn college credits toward your degree. Other internships are simply for the experiences themselves.

Internships are a great way to break into a particular company as well. Many students start with a company as an intern and then are offered a full-time employment opportunity after graduation. That is why it is important that if you do partake in an internship that you work very hard, not just for something to put on your resume, but because it may just be your foot in the door to a career.

You can find out about internships several different ways. Your college or university career center can help you find available internships in the area. They can also search by whether or not they are paid internships or for credit or experience only. If you are trying to complete an internship for class credit, be sure to check with your counselor to make sure that you are eligible to do this. Online job boards also list internships. These job boards are setup so that you can search by industry, type of position (internship), location, and whether it is a paid or unpaid position. If there are companies in your hometown (for summer work) or that are in the local college community that fit your industry, contact their Human Resource Department and ask if they have any internship opportunities available.

Graduate School Superstars Are Deeply Invested In Their Graduate School Experience

The key to being a graduate school superstar is involvement. Many people who pursue graduate degrees do not have the luxury of making school their sole focus, so the temptation can be great to stick to the essentials of getting your graduate degree rather than taking advantage of all that your graduate program offers. While it's true that the demands of post-baccalaureate life are indeed a challenge, not engaging in your graduate program to the fullest extent you can would be a mistake. Regardless of what graduate program you are participating in, much of the graduate school experience takes place beyond the world of classrooms and assignments. Do well in these areas, of course, but also expand your definition of education while in grad school to include as many extracurricular options as you reasonably can. You will probably only go to graduate school this one time -- make the most of it.

The Basics: Attendance, Homework, and Class Participation

Some things about school never change, regardless of what level of degree you're pursuing. The basic requirements of a graduate school superstar include excellent attendance at all of your class meetings. Just like undergrad, your professors probably won't call you out if you skip class, but just like undergrad, if you don't go to class, you're only cheating yourself. To get the most out of your classes, become an expert in time management and make sure you're well prepared for every meeting. Let your professor know you're a graduate school superstar by actively participating in every class meeting, too.

You took all of the pre-med prerequisites in college. You know your biology, your organic chemistry, your anatomy. Now it's time for medical school. Medical school may be one of the most difficult challenges you will face. But the most successful doctors don't just make it through medical school; they shine. Here are a few tips to help you become a medical school superstar.

Know Your Stuff

The key to a successful medical career is to have the most important medical information at your fingertips. There is a lot to know about health and the human body, and as a doctor you will need to know it all, and in many disciplines, know it quickly. Rote memorization may not be too exciting, but if you want to excel in medical school, you have to show your professors that you know your stuff. They had to learn it, and so do you. Use mnemonic devices to remember long lists of material, and test yourself constantly. It can be even more helpful to randomly test your friends and have them test you.

Pay Strict Attention in Class

Unlike in college, you may have many medical school classes where the only person responsible for making sure you know the material is you. You may not be worried about grades, but when the medical boards come, you're going to wish you paid more attention if you didn't.

Talk with Senior Students

There's no substitute for experience, and talking to students who have walked down the road you are walking down before can enable you to benefit from the most important experience you will encounter. Find out what pitfalls they had to deal with and how they dealt with them, so you can handle those difficult situations with ease.

Pass Anatomy

If you don't know the human body, you can't be a doctor. Anatomy is a broad subject with a lot of hard information you need to know cold. Again, use memorization tactics frequently, and do not allow yourself to fall behind in this crucial subject.

Do Extra Work

I know, who has time for extra work? But if you go out of your way to study texts on each subject area, even ones the professors may not have assigned, you will find yourself ahead of the game on many occasions. It couldn't hurt to start studying some medical school texts the summer before your first year.