Friday, September 9, 2011
Carla Visser Career Talk: Carla Visser Career Talk: An Ordinary Flight - in ...
Carla Visser Career Talk: Carla Visser Career Talk: An Ordinary Flight - in ...: An Ordinary Flight Carla Visser Written on September 21 2001 Home. Home. I was going home. My only thought as I boarded the flight to ...
Carla Visser Career Talk: An Ordinary Flight - in memory of September 11
An Ordinary Flight
Carla Visser
Written on September 21 2001
Home. Home. I was going home.
My only thought as I boarded the flight to New York from Paris.
Filled with emotion, I scrutinized the crew and passengers.
Would they be my companions on an ordinary flight?
Or human sacrifices on a flight to eternity?
Please, please, let this be a commuter flight.
So many times I had taken it, the same time, the same place.
This same flight last week was cancelled.
New York airports closed.
After the attack on the World Trade Center.
Quick! I wanted to go home
To be with family and friends
To show determination and resolve.
Business class check- in. Quick, efficient.
Low-risk profile. Frequent flier.
Returning US citizen.
Razor in checked luggage.
Have to get used to new regulations.
Hand luggage searched.
Airport jammed, many people, long lines, people sleeping on cots.
Plane full, business class sparse.
Individual touch screen.
News blanked out.
Funny movie playing.
To distract against the drumroll of war.
War - against whom? A megalamania?
The ruined country of Afghanistan? Iran? Iraq? Syria?
Who else? With what objectives?
With what means? With what victory?
At take off, I thought of the passengers on the hijacked flights of last week.
They, too, had left on a business or pleasure trip.
They, too, had kissed their loved ones goodbye.
They, too, had eaten breakfast.
They, too, had put on their comfortable clothes or business suits. They, too, had packed their luggage.
They, too, had brought their cell phones and electronic organizers. They, too, had checked their luggage and gone through security. They, too, had brought their hand luggage on the plane.
They, too, had settled in the plane.
They, too, had listened to music or watched a movie.
They, too, had eaten and smiled at the steward and stewardesses. They, too, had planned the days ahead.
They, too, had observed the blue sky and billowing clouds.
And the sea below.
Admiring the approaching view of New York.
At what point were they held captive?
At what point did they realize that their fate was sealed?
At what point did they descend into hell?
At what point did they realize that their destiny was eternity? Total silence on the plane.
People quiet, very quiet
Perhaps all with the same thoughts. Bumpy landing.
Pilot announcement: Welcome to the United States of America, John F Kennedy airport. Applause. The whole plane exploded.
No pushing, no shoving to get off.
Quiet, orderly, people, helping one another A silent bond uniting them.
No, this was not an ordinary flight. But a rebirth from the ashes.
Carla Visser is a writer based in Franklin Park, New Jersey. Carlavisser2002@yahoo.com. She lived in France for 12 years, was in Paris on September 11, 2001 and visited her son in New York the week after September 11.
Carla Visser
Written on September 21 2001
Home. Home. I was going home.
My only thought as I boarded the flight to New York from Paris.
Filled with emotion, I scrutinized the crew and passengers.
Would they be my companions on an ordinary flight?
Or human sacrifices on a flight to eternity?
Please, please, let this be a commuter flight.
So many times I had taken it, the same time, the same place.
This same flight last week was cancelled.
New York airports closed.
After the attack on the World Trade Center.
Quick! I wanted to go home
To be with family and friends
To show determination and resolve.
Business class check- in. Quick, efficient.
Low-risk profile. Frequent flier.
Returning US citizen.
Razor in checked luggage.
Have to get used to new regulations.
Hand luggage searched.
Airport jammed, many people, long lines, people sleeping on cots.
Plane full, business class sparse.
Individual touch screen.
News blanked out.
Funny movie playing.
To distract against the drumroll of war.
War - against whom? A megalamania?
The ruined country of Afghanistan? Iran? Iraq? Syria?
Who else? With what objectives?
With what means? With what victory?
At take off, I thought of the passengers on the hijacked flights of last week.
They, too, had left on a business or pleasure trip.
They, too, had kissed their loved ones goodbye.
They, too, had eaten breakfast.
They, too, had put on their comfortable clothes or business suits. They, too, had packed their luggage.
They, too, had brought their cell phones and electronic organizers. They, too, had checked their luggage and gone through security. They, too, had brought their hand luggage on the plane.
They, too, had settled in the plane.
They, too, had listened to music or watched a movie.
They, too, had eaten and smiled at the steward and stewardesses. They, too, had planned the days ahead.
They, too, had observed the blue sky and billowing clouds.
And the sea below.
Admiring the approaching view of New York.
At what point were they held captive?
At what point did they realize that their fate was sealed?
At what point did they descend into hell?
At what point did they realize that their destiny was eternity? Total silence on the plane.
People quiet, very quiet
Perhaps all with the same thoughts. Bumpy landing.
Pilot announcement: Welcome to the United States of America, John F Kennedy airport. Applause. The whole plane exploded.
No pushing, no shoving to get off.
Quiet, orderly, people, helping one another A silent bond uniting them.
No, this was not an ordinary flight. But a rebirth from the ashes.
Carla Visser is a writer based in Franklin Park, New Jersey. Carlavisser2002@yahoo.com. She lived in France for 12 years, was in Paris on September 11, 2001 and visited her son in New York the week after September 11.
An Ordinary Flight - in memory of September 11
An Ordinary Flight
Carla Visser
Written on September 21 2001
Home. Home. I was going home.
My only thought as I boarded the flight to New York from Paris.
Filled with emotion, I scrutinized the crew and passengers.
Would they be my companions on an ordinary flight?
Or human sacrifices on a flight to eternity?
Please, please, let this be a commuter flight.
So many times I had taken it, the same time, the same place.
This same flight last week was cancelled.
New York airports closed.
After the attack on the World Trade Center.
Quick! I wanted to go home.
To be with family and friends.
To show determination and resolve.
Business class check- in.
Quick, efficient.
Low-risk profile.
Frequent flier.
Returning US citizen.
Razor in checked luggage.
Have to get used to the new regulations.
Hand luggage searched.
Airport jammed, many people, long lines, people sleeping on cots.
Plane full, business class sparse.
Individual touch screen.
News blanked out.
Funny movie playing.
To distract against the drumroll of war.
War - against whom? A megalamania?
The ruined country of Afghanistan?
Iran? Iraq? Syria? Who else?
With what objectives?
With what means?
With what victory?
As the flight took off, I thought of the passengers on the hijacked flights of last week.
They, too, had left on a business or pleasure trip.
They, too, had kissed their loved ones goodbye.
They, too, had eaten breakfast.
They, too, had put on their comfortable clothes or business suits. They, too, had packed their luggage.
They, too, had brought their cell phones and electronic organizers. They, too, had checked their luggage and gone through security. They, too, had brought their hand luggage on the plane.
They, too, had settled in the plane.
They, too, had listened to music or watched a movie.
They, too, had eaten and smiled at the steward and stewardesses. They, too, had planned the days ahead.
They, too, had observed the blue sky and billowing clouds.
And the sea below. That would be their gravesite.
At what point were they held captive?
At what point did they realize that their fate was sealed?
At what point did they descend into hell?
At what point did they realize that their destiny was eternity?
Total silence on the plane.
People quiet, very quiet
Perhaps all with the same thoughts. Bumpy landing.
Pilot announcement: Welcome to the United States of America, John F Kennedy airport.
Applause.
The whole plane exploded.
No pushing, no shoving to get off.
Quiet, orderly, people, helping one another.
A silent bond uniting them.
No, this was not an ordinary flight. But a rebirth from the ashes.
Carla Visser is a writer based in Franklin Park, New Jersey. Carlavisser2002@yahoo.com. She lived in France for 12 years, was in Paris on September 11, 2001 and visited her son in New York th
Carla Visser
Written on September 21 2001
Home. Home. I was going home.
My only thought as I boarded the flight to New York from Paris.
Filled with emotion, I scrutinized the crew and passengers.
Would they be my companions on an ordinary flight?
Or human sacrifices on a flight to eternity?
Please, please, let this be a commuter flight.
So many times I had taken it, the same time, the same place.
This same flight last week was cancelled.
New York airports closed.
After the attack on the World Trade Center.
Quick! I wanted to go home.
To be with family and friends.
To show determination and resolve.
Business class check- in.
Quick, efficient.
Low-risk profile.
Frequent flier.
Returning US citizen.
Razor in checked luggage.
Have to get used to the new regulations.
Hand luggage searched.
Airport jammed, many people, long lines, people sleeping on cots.
Plane full, business class sparse.
Individual touch screen.
News blanked out.
Funny movie playing.
To distract against the drumroll of war.
War - against whom? A megalamania?
The ruined country of Afghanistan?
Iran? Iraq? Syria? Who else?
With what objectives?
With what means?
With what victory?
As the flight took off, I thought of the passengers on the hijacked flights of last week.
They, too, had left on a business or pleasure trip.
They, too, had kissed their loved ones goodbye.
They, too, had eaten breakfast.
They, too, had put on their comfortable clothes or business suits. They, too, had packed their luggage.
They, too, had brought their cell phones and electronic organizers. They, too, had checked their luggage and gone through security. They, too, had brought their hand luggage on the plane.
They, too, had settled in the plane.
They, too, had listened to music or watched a movie.
They, too, had eaten and smiled at the steward and stewardesses. They, too, had planned the days ahead.
They, too, had observed the blue sky and billowing clouds.
And the sea below. That would be their gravesite.
At what point were they held captive?
At what point did they realize that their fate was sealed?
At what point did they descend into hell?
At what point did they realize that their destiny was eternity?
Total silence on the plane.
People quiet, very quiet
Perhaps all with the same thoughts. Bumpy landing.
Pilot announcement: Welcome to the United States of America, John F Kennedy airport.
Applause.
The whole plane exploded.
No pushing, no shoving to get off.
Quiet, orderly, people, helping one another.
A silent bond uniting them.
No, this was not an ordinary flight. But a rebirth from the ashes.
Carla Visser is a writer based in Franklin Park, New Jersey. Carlavisser2002@yahoo.com. She lived in France for 12 years, was in Paris on September 11, 2001 and visited her son in New York th
Friday, March 4, 2011
Critical Issues when Considering Immigration to the USA
Reality Check: Critical Issues to consider when Immigrating to the USA Part 1
As I work with many international professionals and executives who are exploring immigrating to other countries or who have come to the US as expats, I have held many discussions about the differences of living in the USA compared to their mother countries
Recent studies have shown that with developing countries economies improving and many job opportunities overseas, there is reverse immigration going on, with American and immigrants choosing to go back to their countries and overseas. With tough immigration laws, anti-immigration sentiments, the lingering recession and high unemployment, these are challenging times to immigrate to the United States if you decide to come on your own.
Here are some critical factors to consider if you are thinking of immigrating to the United States. This is the first part of a multi-part series.
Healthcare
The United States has the most expensive healthcare system in the world. It is a privatized system with a range of options including employer-based, private and government healthcare for the poor. According to the 2009 Census, at least 51 million people do not have healthcare in the United States. In addition, at the current time, efforts are being made by states to reduce healthcare programs for the poor. In 2014, if the health care legislation passed in 2010 is fully implemented, all people will be mandated to have health coverage to spread the risks of this insurance so that healthy people, people with health conditions, young and old will be included in the system.
Be aware that the healthcare system in the USA is not like those in most developed countries. Be prepared to spend money on your healthcare costs. The actual costs depend on your health condition. If you have a regular job with employer-provided benefits, you will have a choice of healthcare plans from which to choose. Have your Human Resources department review with you the differences between these plans as they can be very confusing. Be sure to understand what is covered and what is not covered and the limitations placed on the different types of services and hospital services
Most people will incur costs for their care even under their employer plans. You will pay when you see a doctor and for a range of services Health plans can have limits on certain types of care, like certain tests, hospital visits, physical therapy or psychological care. There may be limits on the amount of money that the health insurance will pay every year for individuals and families. Anything over that amount is your own responsibility. The cost for drugs can also be expensive as the government does not negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies, as governments do in other countries. Insurance companies can raise the cost of their plans and drug costs without letting you know about these changes. You get an individual card that has the name of the company and the type of plans and the costs of doctors and drugs.
If you lose your job, there is a federal law called COBRA that guarantees that you will have health insurance for 18 months longer. However, you pay for the full cost of this coverage as your employer no longer subsidizes these costs. It can cost more than $1000 for a family to have health coverage under COBRA. Thus, some people decide not to have health coverage at all. If they need healthcare, they go to hospitals where they will get billed for this care. Some hospitals will absorb these costs, but some won’t and people can risk going bankrupt due to expensive hospitalizations and procedures without health coverage. If you finish COBRA or are self-employed, you can buy private health insurance which can be very expensive for individuals and families. It can be even more expensive if you have pre-existing health conditions. There are separate health plans for your overall health, your eyes (vision plans) and dental plans for your teeth. So make sure you understand the different plans, costs and limitations of these plans. By 2014, under the health care legislation passed in 2010, you will be able to buy private healthcare through state health insurance exchanges. Every state will have different insurance plans. Subsidies will be given to those unable to pay for healthcare.
For more information about the healthcare system in the United States, please read the following article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_the_United_States
While healthcare will be a major budget item and consideration when you live in the United States, education will be another critical area as well.
Education
Public elementary and secondary education is free and open to all. The funding for public education occurs at the federal, state and local levels through property taxes. Every child starting at the age of 4 or 5, depending on the state and the school system, must be enrolled in school or have home schooling that is approved by the state. Please note that, in general, public pre-school or childcare before the age of 4 does not exist. There is also no system of publically-funded and trained day care workers, day care centers or creches. Thus, working parents with babies and young children make their own private arrangements, using babysitters, nannies or private pre-schools. Private pre-schools can be expensive - as expensive as private colleges- as well as very competitive in New York City. In New York City, children often need to take exams to get into private pre-schools where places are limited.
As education in the United States is not national but is controlled locally, every school system is different. Thus, you need to research the schools and school system in the community where you are thinking of living to make sure that it will meet the needs of your children.
After high school, the cost of higher education is also private and paid by families. In the United States, many families start saving money for the cost of college for their children when the children are young, if they can, and a part of their paycheck will go towards saving for education. If they have not saved enough, then students will need to take out private loans, get scholarships if they qualify or even work. There are some scholarships and grants available from federal, state and private foundations such as the Hope Scholarships, which give students several thousand dollars towards college. Some colleges provide need-based or merit-based scholarships. Students and parents need to research these options.
There are a range of options for higher education, including community colleges, private and public universities. The cost of college varies greatly, with public universities costing much less than private universities.
For more information about education in the United States, please read the article in Wkipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_the_United_States.
I will write about other critical factors to consider when thinking about immigrating to the United States. I hope that this information is helpful. It is important to be an educated consumer and to be well-informed when considering immigration. I welcome your comments and feedback.
As I work with many international professionals and executives who are exploring immigrating to other countries or who have come to the US as expats, I have held many discussions about the differences of living in the USA compared to their mother countries
Recent studies have shown that with developing countries economies improving and many job opportunities overseas, there is reverse immigration going on, with American and immigrants choosing to go back to their countries and overseas. With tough immigration laws, anti-immigration sentiments, the lingering recession and high unemployment, these are challenging times to immigrate to the United States if you decide to come on your own.
Here are some critical factors to consider if you are thinking of immigrating to the United States. This is the first part of a multi-part series.
Healthcare
The United States has the most expensive healthcare system in the world. It is a privatized system with a range of options including employer-based, private and government healthcare for the poor. According to the 2009 Census, at least 51 million people do not have healthcare in the United States. In addition, at the current time, efforts are being made by states to reduce healthcare programs for the poor. In 2014, if the health care legislation passed in 2010 is fully implemented, all people will be mandated to have health coverage to spread the risks of this insurance so that healthy people, people with health conditions, young and old will be included in the system.
Be aware that the healthcare system in the USA is not like those in most developed countries. Be prepared to spend money on your healthcare costs. The actual costs depend on your health condition. If you have a regular job with employer-provided benefits, you will have a choice of healthcare plans from which to choose. Have your Human Resources department review with you the differences between these plans as they can be very confusing. Be sure to understand what is covered and what is not covered and the limitations placed on the different types of services and hospital services
Most people will incur costs for their care even under their employer plans. You will pay when you see a doctor and for a range of services Health plans can have limits on certain types of care, like certain tests, hospital visits, physical therapy or psychological care. There may be limits on the amount of money that the health insurance will pay every year for individuals and families. Anything over that amount is your own responsibility. The cost for drugs can also be expensive as the government does not negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies, as governments do in other countries. Insurance companies can raise the cost of their plans and drug costs without letting you know about these changes. You get an individual card that has the name of the company and the type of plans and the costs of doctors and drugs.
If you lose your job, there is a federal law called COBRA that guarantees that you will have health insurance for 18 months longer. However, you pay for the full cost of this coverage as your employer no longer subsidizes these costs. It can cost more than $1000 for a family to have health coverage under COBRA. Thus, some people decide not to have health coverage at all. If they need healthcare, they go to hospitals where they will get billed for this care. Some hospitals will absorb these costs, but some won’t and people can risk going bankrupt due to expensive hospitalizations and procedures without health coverage. If you finish COBRA or are self-employed, you can buy private health insurance which can be very expensive for individuals and families. It can be even more expensive if you have pre-existing health conditions. There are separate health plans for your overall health, your eyes (vision plans) and dental plans for your teeth. So make sure you understand the different plans, costs and limitations of these plans. By 2014, under the health care legislation passed in 2010, you will be able to buy private healthcare through state health insurance exchanges. Every state will have different insurance plans. Subsidies will be given to those unable to pay for healthcare.
For more information about the healthcare system in the United States, please read the following article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_the_United_States
While healthcare will be a major budget item and consideration when you live in the United States, education will be another critical area as well.
Education
Public elementary and secondary education is free and open to all. The funding for public education occurs at the federal, state and local levels through property taxes. Every child starting at the age of 4 or 5, depending on the state and the school system, must be enrolled in school or have home schooling that is approved by the state. Please note that, in general, public pre-school or childcare before the age of 4 does not exist. There is also no system of publically-funded and trained day care workers, day care centers or creches. Thus, working parents with babies and young children make their own private arrangements, using babysitters, nannies or private pre-schools. Private pre-schools can be expensive - as expensive as private colleges- as well as very competitive in New York City. In New York City, children often need to take exams to get into private pre-schools where places are limited.
As education in the United States is not national but is controlled locally, every school system is different. Thus, you need to research the schools and school system in the community where you are thinking of living to make sure that it will meet the needs of your children.
After high school, the cost of higher education is also private and paid by families. In the United States, many families start saving money for the cost of college for their children when the children are young, if they can, and a part of their paycheck will go towards saving for education. If they have not saved enough, then students will need to take out private loans, get scholarships if they qualify or even work. There are some scholarships and grants available from federal, state and private foundations such as the Hope Scholarships, which give students several thousand dollars towards college. Some colleges provide need-based or merit-based scholarships. Students and parents need to research these options.
There are a range of options for higher education, including community colleges, private and public universities. The cost of college varies greatly, with public universities costing much less than private universities.
For more information about education in the United States, please read the article in Wkipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_the_United_States.
I will write about other critical factors to consider when thinking about immigrating to the United States. I hope that this information is helpful. It is important to be an educated consumer and to be well-informed when considering immigration. I welcome your comments and feedback.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
The Power of the People (updated version)
The Power of the People (updated version)
Mesmerizing. Awe-Inspiring. Courageous. Scary.
These are the words that come to mind when watching the uprising in Egypt. The power of the people, to overthrow an authoritarian government of 30 years, is truly remarkable to see.
Having been a student in France in May ‘68, I have been in the streets when the people rose up to demand change. May ‘68 was started by students in lycees and universities to protest a change in admissions to universities. It snowballed into eleven million workers and others joining in a general strike, demanding changes in society and cultural values as well as a greater democratization of institutions. May ‘68 closed down the country, lasted two weeks, weakened DeGualle, who subsequently resigned and did transform key institutions. Even though elections were held in June and the Gaullists decisively won, the changes perpetrated by this uprising sent a shock wave through this conservative society opening up a more liberal approach to society and moral values. It also transformed educational institutions with greater participation by students.
Of course, May ’68 was an uprising in a democratic country with many democratic institutions and processes in place. This is not the case in Egypt. Thus, we do not know where this uprising will lead and if, in fact, it will lead to a more democratic and liberal society or an Islamization of Egypt.
The tremors, however, are being felt throughout the region, with the Jordanian government dissolved and calling for fundamental changes. And of course an anxious Israel and the West are watching and waiting to see how these monumental changes transform the geopolitical realities of the Middle East.
One can only hope and pray that the people, who have spoken in Egypt, do have the opportunity to transform their country into a more democratic society supported by key economic and political stakeholders. A prosperous, peaceful, democratic Middle East would be the greatest gift to the world. It would be as monumental as the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Mesmerizing. Awe-Inspiring. Courageous. Scary.
These are the words that come to mind when watching the uprising in Egypt. The power of the people, to overthrow an authoritarian government of 30 years, is truly remarkable to see.
Having been a student in France in May ‘68, I have been in the streets when the people rose up to demand change. May ‘68 was started by students in lycees and universities to protest a change in admissions to universities. It snowballed into eleven million workers and others joining in a general strike, demanding changes in society and cultural values as well as a greater democratization of institutions. May ‘68 closed down the country, lasted two weeks, weakened DeGualle, who subsequently resigned and did transform key institutions. Even though elections were held in June and the Gaullists decisively won, the changes perpetrated by this uprising sent a shock wave through this conservative society opening up a more liberal approach to society and moral values. It also transformed educational institutions with greater participation by students.
Of course, May ’68 was an uprising in a democratic country with many democratic institutions and processes in place. This is not the case in Egypt. Thus, we do not know where this uprising will lead and if, in fact, it will lead to a more democratic and liberal society or an Islamization of Egypt.
The tremors, however, are being felt throughout the region, with the Jordanian government dissolved and calling for fundamental changes. And of course an anxious Israel and the West are watching and waiting to see how these monumental changes transform the geopolitical realities of the Middle East.
One can only hope and pray that the people, who have spoken in Egypt, do have the opportunity to transform their country into a more democratic society supported by key economic and political stakeholders. A prosperous, peaceful, democratic Middle East would be the greatest gift to the world. It would be as monumental as the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Ode to American Inventiveness
Ode to American Inventiveness
American inventiveness is fueling revolutions in the Middle East. One can only marvel at how Facebook, Twitter and You Tube have been instrumental in enabling fledgling democracy movements to fan their flames and come to life.
Right now, today, Friday January 28, the Egyptians have shut down the Internet, an American invention originating in Arpanet, a network for engineers and scientists working for the government that was established in the late 60s. Arpanet spawned the birth of the commercial Internet that exploded in the 90s. We all know how the Internet has totally transformed our lives, our work and our culture.
Other American inventions such as Facebook, Twitter and You Tube have enabled the pro-democracy movements in the Middle East to communicate with each other and the world. I remember how striking it was when the American government asked Twitter not to take down its network for maintenance during the uprising in Iran as Twitter was a major tool for communications during this event.
These tools have largely surpassed and supplanted traditional media outlets and will be, in fact, transforming them.
So during this time of economic uncertainty with many people still mired in unemployment, I urge my fellow Americans to keep dreaming, hoping and inventing to keep American inventiveness as a force for major change.
I welcome your reactions to this post. How lucky we are that we can blog so freely!
American inventiveness is fueling revolutions in the Middle East. One can only marvel at how Facebook, Twitter and You Tube have been instrumental in enabling fledgling democracy movements to fan their flames and come to life.
Right now, today, Friday January 28, the Egyptians have shut down the Internet, an American invention originating in Arpanet, a network for engineers and scientists working for the government that was established in the late 60s. Arpanet spawned the birth of the commercial Internet that exploded in the 90s. We all know how the Internet has totally transformed our lives, our work and our culture.
Other American inventions such as Facebook, Twitter and You Tube have enabled the pro-democracy movements in the Middle East to communicate with each other and the world. I remember how striking it was when the American government asked Twitter not to take down its network for maintenance during the uprising in Iran as Twitter was a major tool for communications during this event.
These tools have largely surpassed and supplanted traditional media outlets and will be, in fact, transforming them.
So during this time of economic uncertainty with many people still mired in unemployment, I urge my fellow Americans to keep dreaming, hoping and inventing to keep American inventiveness as a force for major change.
I welcome your reactions to this post. How lucky we are that we can blog so freely!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
20 Jobs with Fast Growing Salaries
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2011
Jobs 2011: 20 Fast-Growing Salaries
You waited weeks to receive your offer letter, but after you tore open the envelope and scanned the form for the salary figure, your excitement was replaced by a wave of disappointment. If this sounds familiar, you're one of the masses.
There is often a disconnect between what workers think they should earn and what their employers are actually willing to pay them. It's also common for companies to intentionally lowball on the first salary offer. In fact, 58 percent of hiring managers surveyed by CareerBuilder.com say they leave some negotiating room in their first salary offers.
It pays, then, to negotiate with your employer to boost your starting pay. The key is to know your market value -- this will ensure that you accept an offer that's fair, but also prevent you from pricing yourself out of any position. (For example, if you're demanding $100,000 for an entry-level coordinator role, you may need to rethink your strategy.)
The Internet is an excellent source for finding salary information. For example, visit CBsalary.com, a site powered by CareerBuilder.com and PayScale (www.payscale.com) to offer free, comprehensive salary information and advice to help you negotiate your pay. On CBsalary.com, users can conduct a quick search for their position and city. For a fee, users can access a detailed salary report that factors in academic degrees, years of experience, type of employer, commute, bonus and other specifics.
Also consider your industry when evaluating your salary offer. Working in a hot industry can catapult you into a higher salary range and give you more negotiating power. Healthcare workers, for example, are commanding higher salaries as employers struggle to fill their staffs.
If you're looking for a job with negotiation muscle, check out this list of 20 jobs with the highest salary growth in the fastest-growing industries, according to data from CareerBuilder.com and Payscale:
Accounting/Finance Jobs with high salary growth:
· Personal banker -- $37,700
· Commercial loan officer -- $75,700
Healthcare Jobs with high salary growth:
· Clinical research associate -- $61,300
· Anesthesiologist -- $225,000
Information Technology Jobs with high salary growth:
· Webmaster -- $49,200
· Senior database administrator -- $93,300
Engineering Jobs with high salary growth:
· Civil engineer -- $57,200
· Project engineer -- $65,200
Sales Jobs with high salary growth:
· Sales assistant -- $35,800
· Sales engineer -- $79,900
Administrative support Jobs with high salary growth:
· Human resources coordinator -- $40,200
· Financial controller -- $79,900
Professional and business services Jobs with high salary growth:
· Paralegal -- $39,500
· Financial analyst -- $70,500
Retail Jobs with high salary growth:
· Retail store assistant manager -- $39,100
· Buyer -- $47,900
Hospitality Jobs with high salary growth:
· Restaurant general manager -- $49,800
· Hotel general manager -- $56,600
Customer service Jobs with high salary growth:
· Technical support specialist -- $49,100
· Call center manager -- $53,800
By Kate Lorenz,
On JobiJobs January 26, 2011.
Jobs 2011: 20 Fast-Growing Salaries
You waited weeks to receive your offer letter, but after you tore open the envelope and scanned the form for the salary figure, your excitement was replaced by a wave of disappointment. If this sounds familiar, you're one of the masses.
There is often a disconnect between what workers think they should earn and what their employers are actually willing to pay them. It's also common for companies to intentionally lowball on the first salary offer. In fact, 58 percent of hiring managers surveyed by CareerBuilder.com say they leave some negotiating room in their first salary offers.
It pays, then, to negotiate with your employer to boost your starting pay. The key is to know your market value -- this will ensure that you accept an offer that's fair, but also prevent you from pricing yourself out of any position. (For example, if you're demanding $100,000 for an entry-level coordinator role, you may need to rethink your strategy.)
The Internet is an excellent source for finding salary information. For example, visit CBsalary.com, a site powered by CareerBuilder.com and PayScale (www.payscale.com) to offer free, comprehensive salary information and advice to help you negotiate your pay. On CBsalary.com, users can conduct a quick search for their position and city. For a fee, users can access a detailed salary report that factors in academic degrees, years of experience, type of employer, commute, bonus and other specifics.
Also consider your industry when evaluating your salary offer. Working in a hot industry can catapult you into a higher salary range and give you more negotiating power. Healthcare workers, for example, are commanding higher salaries as employers struggle to fill their staffs.
If you're looking for a job with negotiation muscle, check out this list of 20 jobs with the highest salary growth in the fastest-growing industries, according to data from CareerBuilder.com and Payscale:
Accounting/Finance Jobs with high salary growth:
· Personal banker -- $37,700
· Commercial loan officer -- $75,700
Healthcare Jobs with high salary growth:
· Clinical research associate -- $61,300
· Anesthesiologist -- $225,000
Information Technology Jobs with high salary growth:
· Webmaster -- $49,200
· Senior database administrator -- $93,300
Engineering Jobs with high salary growth:
· Civil engineer -- $57,200
· Project engineer -- $65,200
Sales Jobs with high salary growth:
· Sales assistant -- $35,800
· Sales engineer -- $79,900
Administrative support Jobs with high salary growth:
· Human resources coordinator -- $40,200
· Financial controller -- $79,900
Professional and business services Jobs with high salary growth:
· Paralegal -- $39,500
· Financial analyst -- $70,500
Retail Jobs with high salary growth:
· Retail store assistant manager -- $39,100
· Buyer -- $47,900
Hospitality Jobs with high salary growth:
· Restaurant general manager -- $49,800
· Hotel general manager -- $56,600
Customer service Jobs with high salary growth:
· Technical support specialist -- $49,100
· Call center manager -- $53,800
By Kate Lorenz,
On JobiJobs January 26, 2011.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
New Year, You Want a New Career, Now What???
A New Year and You Want A New Career, Now What????
So it’s a New Year and you have decided to change careers. You jump into a program that will be the golden gate to this new career, spend time, money and years on new training. Then you discover that there are few if any opportunities in this new field, you could not support yourself in this field, you do not really like this field and you end up going back to your former career. Has this happened to you or someone you know?
People may spend more time researching a new car that researching their new career.
Kicking the tires and being an EDUCATED CONSUMER before taking the plunge are just as important as trying out your new car before you buy it.
Here are some things you can do to fully investigate that new career about which you are thinking.
Does it Reflect You?
Think about who you are and what you enjoy doing. What are your strengths and talents? What do you love doing and want to do more? What do you hate doing and want to do less or not at all? What type of environment do you thrive in and what type of environment do you hate? What kinds of people do you want to work with? What is really important to you in your career and your life? Read Richard Bolles’ book “What Color is your Parachute? and complete the flower exercise. Post that on a wall near your computer to keep it in mind as you research your new career
I also recommend that clients take on-line self-assessments as the Self-Directed Search (www.selfdirectedsearch.com) to find out careers that match your career interests and the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) (www.humanmetrics.com) to identify your personality type. They are free or quite inexpensive and can provide insights into careers that match your personality and profile.
Research is Key
After defining yourself, you want to match your profile to the market and the employer who would be interested in employing you. You will want to conduct secondary as well as primary research to find out about
• The occupation that matches your skills, values, interests, preferred work environment, etc.
• The occupational outlook for this field - is this field in demand, growing or shrinking?
• Salary trends – would this field support your life style or would you have to change?
• How your skills match this field and the new skills you may have to develop
• Trends in the field – new developments, emerging standards and trends, challenges
• Potential employers and key decision-makers
• Professional associations for networking
• Professional magazines and journals
• Targeted job boards for job leads
• Recruiters and headhunters in this field
The website Onetcenter (http://online.onetcenter.org) provides valuable career information such as job descriptions, skills, job conditions, job requirements and other important information. Another web site, the Occupational Outlook (http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs020.htm ) will give you the outlook on this career.
Information Interviews
Nothing beats meeting people in the field in which you are interested to find out what it is really like. Contact people on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) and at networking meetings and set up information interviews to ask the following questions:
1. What are the main functions of this job?
2. What is a typical day like?
3. What kind of people are successful in this job?
4. What are the positive things about this job?
5. What are the negative things about this job?
6. What are the most challenging things about this job?
7. What are the trends in this occupation?
8. What are the hiring trends?
9. What does it take to be successful in this job?
10. What are some professional associations associated with this field?
11. What are the salary ranges of this job?
12. Do you know other people doing this job with whom I can meet?
Kick the Tires
I highly recommend that you seriously consider shadowing someone in your new career to find out what really goes on during a typical day. I once took a week off from work to spend a day at the different settings of a particular field to see if I would like to work in this field and in which setting. In the end, I decided that it was not for me. Ask people if you might be able to spend a day with them just to get a better idea of the type of work, environment, challenges, etc. This may or may not be possible for certain fields. You may have to sign non-disclosure forms or get patients’ or clients’ permission. However, this is an invaluable exercise in finding out if this would be a good match for you.
Educational Training
Once you have decided on a particular field, it is really important to be an EDUCATED CONSUMER about the institutions providing training for this new field. Everyone is out to get your money and promise you the moon.
First of all, find out if you need to get additional training or will you get it on- the- job? Some organizations, including Google, hire highly skilled people and will train them in their content and ways of doing things. Other companies prefer to hire off the shelf professionals who require very little or no training.
Carefully research the institutions providing training for this field. Compare curriculum, costs, reputation, professors’ qualifications, career services support and placement, internship and employment opportunities, graduation rates, jobs that graduates have gotten, alumni of the program and networking opportunities. Speak to current students and alumni of the program to get their opinion of the quality of the program.
During your information interviews, ask people in the field about recommended institutions to get training and from which institutions they recruit. If the same program exists at Columbia University or a community college, ask your networking contacts which institution they would recommend and from where they would hire. Sometimes brand recognition can make a difference in hiring decisions.
Networking is Key
Start developing a network in this new field and go to networking meetings to develop contacts in the field, find out what is going on in the field, where the opportunities are, which organizations you would like to work for as well as which ones to avoid. This will be your window into your new field and will provide invaluable insights as well as job leads.
These are just a few tips on how to investigate a new career to make sure it is a good match before you take the plunge. Be an EDUCATED CONSUMER and know what you are getting into before wasting your valuable time and money. Let me know additional insights that you may have on this topic.
carlavisser@ghrsonline.com
www.ghrsonline.com
So it’s a New Year and you have decided to change careers. You jump into a program that will be the golden gate to this new career, spend time, money and years on new training. Then you discover that there are few if any opportunities in this new field, you could not support yourself in this field, you do not really like this field and you end up going back to your former career. Has this happened to you or someone you know?
People may spend more time researching a new car that researching their new career.
Kicking the tires and being an EDUCATED CONSUMER before taking the plunge are just as important as trying out your new car before you buy it.
Here are some things you can do to fully investigate that new career about which you are thinking.
Does it Reflect You?
Think about who you are and what you enjoy doing. What are your strengths and talents? What do you love doing and want to do more? What do you hate doing and want to do less or not at all? What type of environment do you thrive in and what type of environment do you hate? What kinds of people do you want to work with? What is really important to you in your career and your life? Read Richard Bolles’ book “What Color is your Parachute? and complete the flower exercise. Post that on a wall near your computer to keep it in mind as you research your new career
I also recommend that clients take on-line self-assessments as the Self-Directed Search (www.selfdirectedsearch.com) to find out careers that match your career interests and the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) (www.humanmetrics.com) to identify your personality type. They are free or quite inexpensive and can provide insights into careers that match your personality and profile.
Research is Key
After defining yourself, you want to match your profile to the market and the employer who would be interested in employing you. You will want to conduct secondary as well as primary research to find out about
• The occupation that matches your skills, values, interests, preferred work environment, etc.
• The occupational outlook for this field - is this field in demand, growing or shrinking?
• Salary trends – would this field support your life style or would you have to change?
• How your skills match this field and the new skills you may have to develop
• Trends in the field – new developments, emerging standards and trends, challenges
• Potential employers and key decision-makers
• Professional associations for networking
• Professional magazines and journals
• Targeted job boards for job leads
• Recruiters and headhunters in this field
The website Onetcenter (http://online.onetcenter.org) provides valuable career information such as job descriptions, skills, job conditions, job requirements and other important information. Another web site, the Occupational Outlook (http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs020.htm ) will give you the outlook on this career.
Information Interviews
Nothing beats meeting people in the field in which you are interested to find out what it is really like. Contact people on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) and at networking meetings and set up information interviews to ask the following questions:
1. What are the main functions of this job?
2. What is a typical day like?
3. What kind of people are successful in this job?
4. What are the positive things about this job?
5. What are the negative things about this job?
6. What are the most challenging things about this job?
7. What are the trends in this occupation?
8. What are the hiring trends?
9. What does it take to be successful in this job?
10. What are some professional associations associated with this field?
11. What are the salary ranges of this job?
12. Do you know other people doing this job with whom I can meet?
Kick the Tires
I highly recommend that you seriously consider shadowing someone in your new career to find out what really goes on during a typical day. I once took a week off from work to spend a day at the different settings of a particular field to see if I would like to work in this field and in which setting. In the end, I decided that it was not for me. Ask people if you might be able to spend a day with them just to get a better idea of the type of work, environment, challenges, etc. This may or may not be possible for certain fields. You may have to sign non-disclosure forms or get patients’ or clients’ permission. However, this is an invaluable exercise in finding out if this would be a good match for you.
Educational Training
Once you have decided on a particular field, it is really important to be an EDUCATED CONSUMER about the institutions providing training for this new field. Everyone is out to get your money and promise you the moon.
First of all, find out if you need to get additional training or will you get it on- the- job? Some organizations, including Google, hire highly skilled people and will train them in their content and ways of doing things. Other companies prefer to hire off the shelf professionals who require very little or no training.
Carefully research the institutions providing training for this field. Compare curriculum, costs, reputation, professors’ qualifications, career services support and placement, internship and employment opportunities, graduation rates, jobs that graduates have gotten, alumni of the program and networking opportunities. Speak to current students and alumni of the program to get their opinion of the quality of the program.
During your information interviews, ask people in the field about recommended institutions to get training and from which institutions they recruit. If the same program exists at Columbia University or a community college, ask your networking contacts which institution they would recommend and from where they would hire. Sometimes brand recognition can make a difference in hiring decisions.
Networking is Key
Start developing a network in this new field and go to networking meetings to develop contacts in the field, find out what is going on in the field, where the opportunities are, which organizations you would like to work for as well as which ones to avoid. This will be your window into your new field and will provide invaluable insights as well as job leads.
These are just a few tips on how to investigate a new career to make sure it is a good match before you take the plunge. Be an EDUCATED CONSUMER and know what you are getting into before wasting your valuable time and money. Let me know additional insights that you may have on this topic.
carlavisser@ghrsonline.com
www.ghrsonline.com
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