Five of the best paying STEM jobs

Five of the best paying STEM jobs by Amber Rolfe Considering a career in STEM?If you’re looking for a well-paid position in science, technology, engineering, or maths, your luck is in. Not only is there a vast amount of opportunities available in these sectors, starting salaries can also be extremely lucrative. You just need to find the role that best suits your skills.To make sure you’re not missing out, here are five of the best-paying STEM jobs that will inspire you to get involved:ActuaryAre you always thinking about the financial consequences of your actions? Do you shop on a strict buy-one-get-one-free policy? Can’t even bring yourself to buy lunch without a five point plan? Then you should evaluate monetary risks for a living…It’s up to an Actuary to use their expert knowledge on business, economics, and maths to give financial advice to non-specialists.They usually work for banks, insurance companies, or investment management and corporate finance organisations â€" using statistical theories to help them to predict situations that may put the company at financial risk.If you’re mathematically and analytically minded, with an ability to communicate complex data in simplified terms, a career as an Actuary could be for you. And, you might even learn how to save your own money more efficiently…Will I need a degree? Yes. Ideally in maths, business, economics, finance, engineering, or an actuarial subject.Perfect for: People who think before they spend.Avoid if: You avoid looking at your bank balance until payday.What you can earn: Up to £60,000.View all Actuary jobsView more Maths jobs  Information Security AnalystPhishing for a career in data security?With technology advancing and cyber-crimes on the rise, the security of a company’s electronic information needs protecting now more than ever. To avoid file corruption, unauthorised access, and theft, it’s an Information Security Analyst’s job to analyse security measures and procedures to ensure the network (and the enclosed data) remains safe and secure.Their work involves developing new ways to improve a company’s security, writing reports on its efficiency, documenting/simulating security breaches and recognising flaws, and organising training to ensure all members of the organisation are up-to-date with information safeguarding policies.If you’re knowledgeable about IT security systems and are always aware of common and upcoming threats and trends within the field, a career as an Information Security Analyst could be the best choice for you. You’ll also need to be a proactive problem solver, with excellent data analysis skills.Bonus points if you know what ‘pharming’ means…Will I need a degree? A degree in an IT related subject will be beneficial, but previous work experience in IT could also give you the essential skills to get started as an Information Security Analyst.Perfect for: People who want to work in tech.Avoid if: You can’t stop clicking on pop-up ads.What you c an earn: Up to £60,000.View all Information Security Analyst jobsView more Technology jobsPetroleum EngineerPetroleum Engineers work within several subsectors (completion, drilling, production, and reservoir) to find ways to efficiently extract oil and gas from below the earth’s surface â€" whilst considering other important factors such as profit, environmental impact, and safety.Although it’s not necessarily as popular or well-known as other careers in engineering, salaries for Petroleum Engineers can be the highest in the sector, due to the amount of responsibility they have and the revenue their job creates. And, the oil and gas industry is extremely lucrative.If you’ve got excellent problem solving skills, and want to find better and more efficient ways of doing things, then petroleum engineering could be your perfect career choice. Natural maths and technical analysis skills will also be a distinct advantage.Because, you know what they say, sometimes the best careers ta ke a bit of digging*…Will I need a degree? A degree in an engineering subject is usually required, although other related disciplines will also be considered.Perfect for: People who are good at ‘extracting’ the best out of things.Avoid if: You’re not a big fan of getting your hands dirty.What you can earn: Up to £95,000.View all Petroleum Engineer jobsView more Engineering jobsRadiologistIf you’re looking for a career that allows you to really see things, becoming a Radiologist could be the next logical step…Radiologists diagnose the disorders or diseases shown in X-rays, ultrasounds, MRIs, and other specialist medical scans which are taken by a Radiographer. They then document and share their findings with referring physicians to suggest possible treatment routes and assess the need for further testing.If you have a strong scientific background, and a knack for diagnosing ailments and problem solving, radiology might be the best career choice for you.Specialist medical equipment provides a massive helping hand when it comes to interpreting scans, so you’ll also need to be able to operate these effectively. Because rogue machines won’t end well for anyone involved…Will I need a degree? A medical degree is essential to become a Radiologist, and you’ll also need to complete a residency before becoming fully qualified.Perfect for: People who want a high-paying career in science and healthcare.Avoid if: You have a slightly irrational fear of X-rays.What you can earn: Up to £120,000.View all Radiologist jobsView more Scientific jobsSystems DeveloperBoomerang. Python. Ruby.If you distinguish the above words as coding languages instead of just a flying object, a snake, and you know, a colour â€" then you might just be cut out for a life in systems development.Systems Developers design, build, and develop computer systems. They also test the systems in order to diagnose and fix any faults, as well as suggest further improvements.Their role involv es a lot of technical research and analysis, and a Systems Developer’s keen eye for detail and knowledge of programming languages is what makes or breaks a computer system. Faults are common in any technology, so you’ll need to be able to spot issues quickly and efficiently, not to mention, know how to solve them.If your childhood involved building websites (and yes, Myspace counts) instead of building Lego, you’ve probably come to the right place…Will I need a degree? Graduates with a degree in a relevant subject will be the number one choice for most employers, but applicants with a degree in any discipline who can demonstrate good technical ability may also be considered.Perfect for: People who know how to fix things.Avoid if: You usually run out of ideas after ‘have you tried turning it off and on again’?What you can earn: Up to £70,000.View all Systems Developer jobsView more Technology jobs*May not actually be a saying.  Find a job What Where Search JobsSign u p for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Career Development What job suits me?

What Recruiters Can Learn From Paparazzi Mistakes

What Recruiters Can Learn From Paparazzi Mistakes This article is  sponsored  by Technically Compatible, an online skills testing tool designed to streamline the recruitment of web, IT and software professionals.  For tips and tricks on avoiding baddies and attracting goodies, download their  guide for free: The Gamification of the Hiring Game â€" Complete Your Hiring Mission. Let’s begin with a story. A top US recruiter was approached by a client who wanted to  poach  the lead developer of their main competitor, but  didn’t have his or her name. Undeterred, said recruiter took some tips from the paparazzi and went out of his way to get access to the star. He even hired a food truck and disguised himself as a fast food vendor (hairnet and all). For days he parked his truck in the competitor’s industrial park and questioned customers about the identity of the top tech dog, while selling them cigarettes and sandwiches, until someone finally gave up the goods. Where we recognise that in today’s competitive recruitment market the adoption of innovative tactics is needed to attract the best talent, we do want you to keep your dignity.  To help you stay on the right side of bagging journalistic exclusives, we’ve put together a few quick tips: Don’t hide in bushes Let’s be honest, if you were the target of a recruitment stalk-a-thon, you would feel flattered for all of 3 minutes before a large dollop of ‘weirded out’ landed on your lap. Don’t be creepy, kids. Try not to freak your potential candidates by appearing out of nowhere like a CIA agent and interrogating them and their colleagues. It’s fine to act like a regular human being with a job to do  â€" if you believe in what you’re selling, it’ll be catchy. Enthusiasm is infectious. Go for the right angle, not the embarrassing shot Nothing good comes from researching candidates on social media, with the exception of LinkedIn â€" where things are more professional. You may discover their Facebook photos showing them dressed as a Wookie wearing a bikini while drinking shots of tequila on a stag do. Don’t judge them on this alone (I’m a good person… I mean my friend is). If you do feel the need to delve into this dark art: Be prepared for a bumpy ride. Try  to get a well-rounded impression of the professionalism of said candidate â€" not every Wookie looks great in a bikini. Shift your focus It’s always good to know what your competitors are doing, but don’t jostle with the pack waiting for the best shot. Find your own angle for scoring points with your potential candidates. Just like placing an article with an editor you may need to play the long game to work out what is most appropriate for your organisation. For instance, build your employer brand by launching initiatives like confidential career planning 1:1s in lunch breaks, or a CV amnesty where you review any LinkedIn or CV profiles that have been submitted and give hints and tips on what works and where they could improve. Nothing builds loyalty, respect and great employer branding like giving back and being useful. Think inside the box A little recruitment innovation can go a long way. In 2011, IKEA wanted to recruit new staff for its Australia stores. Step forward: Career Assembly.  They popped an A4 print out of ‘career instructions’ (i.e. apply for jobs at IKEA) into the boxes of hundreds of their bestselling flat pack products. When customers bought the items and took them home, they found the Career Assembly instructions inside. This no-to-low cost campaign targeted people who were already fans of the IKEA brand and resulted in 4,285 applications and 280 ‘careers assembled’. Neat, huh. To kick-start some inspiration for your own organisation, check out this video about the scheme: Greasing your way IN to situations We’ve mainly been sticking to the play nicely philosophy to attract candidates, but sometimes being a little crafty can pay off. All’s fair in love and business, right? Right?! VW needed more skilled mechanics for its workforce so they sent a number of cars to garages across Germany to be repaired, secretly securing signs with ‘Help Wanted’ to the undercarriages of the cars. This brought them a number of skilled applicants, discreetly poached from their competitors. Don’t have a physical product? Fear not, just change your Wi-Fi SSID name to something like ‘We’re hiring â€" contact X’. Just say no to hairnets It’s becoming increasingly more important to think creatively when trying to attract candidates, but try to avoid the creepy tactics. This article is  sponsored  by Technically Compatible, an online skills testing tool designed to streamline the recruitment of web, IT and software professionals.  The Gamification of the Hiring Game â€" Complete Your Hiring Mission. Image: Shutterstock

Business Opportunities Aplenty in the World of the Web

Business Opportunities Aplenty in the World of the Web The invention of the Internet has opened up greater opportunities for businesses to trade in different ways than they may have done in the past. People can start selling their products and services online, market themselves, and use the Internet as a customer services tool. The vast majority of businesses now have an online element to them, and a great number operate solely online. If you are a business owner and you are considering setting up online, then it is important that you understand what elements you need to concentrate on and how they can benefit your business. Here is a basic overview of some of the things you’ll need to consider before plunging into the world of online business. Domain names Just as a bricks-and-mortar store needs a company name so does an online business, this is referred to as a domain name. Having a domain name allows you to be picked up by the search engines such as Google as well as giving your customers a direct route to your store. Choosing a relevant domain name is essential to the success of your online business. While it may be difficult to get the exact match that you want, the time that you invest in searching for the correct name will pay dividends later on. Web hosting In the most basic terms, web hosting is a service that provides space for websites on the Internet. It is not enough just to have a website; it needs to be seen by Internet users for you to be able to sell your products and services. Website hosting will help you achieve this by providing the storage space necessary for your website to become a part of the World Wide Web. Getting the correct amount of storage is also extremely important. By using unlimited web hosting services, you will have plenty of storage with adequate bandwidth for any size of business. However, many companies offer packages that allow you to scale up or down as and when it is needed. You may have designed the most aesthetically pleasing website ever and spent a lot of time making sure that all the relevant information, products and services are up to scratch. However, all your efforts are fruitless if potential customers cannot access the site. Web hosting allows your site to go ‘live’ so that people can find your website and purchase what you have to offer. Marketing Marketing is an important part of growing your business and achieving long-term success. Buying advertising space and using targeted email marketing can get more people to visit your site if they are handled effectively. More people will be aware of your business and in turn this may lead to more sales. A good SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) expert will also be able to help drive traffic to your online door. If your site has been properly optimised, when people type into the search bar the keywords for what they are looking for, your website will be included in the list of results â€" giving potential customers a fast track to your business. Give these points serious consideration before embarking on your first foray into online business and you will have a greater chance of success.

A hidden job market for people who love art

A hidden job market for people who love art Wheres the return on investment for that a bachelors in art history or an MFA? How do  artists support themselves. What can I do if Im a visual thinker? You can answer those  questions with, Get a day job. But theres a lot more you could do besides that. Here are some career paths  that are open to visual thinkers, whether or not you  have a degree. Museum  concierge. Parents  want their kids to be able to go through a museum and appreciate it, but the parents can barely get through an art museum themselves, let alone make it interesting to a pre-teen. High-end tutoring companies contract out this sort of rich-kid playdate to art-history  types. And  entrepreneurial art types can create customized paths through museums that will keep adults interested. I went on a  Museum Hack  tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the tour it blew me away with how quirky  and interesting it was.  (Notice: Melissa trailed behind taking pictures.) But you dont have to run this business out of  New York. You can do it anywhere theres an art museum. And, the best news? You dont need the museums permission to do it. Hospital training.  Erika Hayasaki wrote in the  Pacific Standard,  that  there has been lot of talk in medical circles about the decline of doctors observational powers. This decline emerges because  more and more diagnostic work is done by machines, so physicians are becoming worse at paying close attention to patients with their own eyes and ears. So some hospitals have begun to offer doctors modified art appreciation classes in an attempt to revive their atrophying skills of pattern recognition and awareness. Video advertising.  Online advertising is growing at a much faster rate than offline  advertising  due to the explosion of video. Creating online ads  is half science, half artistry,  on the Internet  you can measure your progress and success. So if  youre great at making ads that run before videos, you can earn a lot of money (and where else can you remember hearing that about any form or art?) Art manufacturing.  I bought a bunch of items from a woman who does cashmere upcycling. She makes everything out of machine-washed cashmere. Everything we bought from her is soft and doesnt shrink.  I asked why she doesnt sell to Anthropologie and she explained that shed have to create patterns and create styles that can be mass produced, but she prefers doing it one by one. (And no web site.)  Ceramicists I have talked to say the same thing. So clearly theres a market for artists who are willing to play the game of mass production. Some examples of artists who do it well: Molly Hatch and Nathalie Lete. But you can bet they have someone behind the scenes who understands both logistics and art. Go for broke.  You could just take a risk and go to New York. But get ready for extreme poverty. Jamian Juliano Villani is a painter who lived in such a small space when she arrived in New York City that she painted in the same room as her bed, and because her bed was the only thing she could see, it ended up in every painting.  Still, she held two solo shows in her bedroom, with dirty laundry in the corner. Now  her paintings sell for $20K each. But be careful what you wish for. She says that when it comes to building her reputation as a hot young artist in NYC, Its like another job on top of painting. And she says, All these people do is just party and hang out. I think to myself am I a socialite or am I a fucking artist?

Marketing Strategies for Freelancers Making The Most With What You Have - CareerMetis.com

Marketing Strategies for Freelancers Making The Most With What You Have Photo Credit â€" Pexels.comRunning your own business or self-employment, be it online or in reality or even both, is not as simple as putting up a web page or opening doors and waiting.There is so much that goes into drawing people in and you need to know exactly how to do everything that is needed in order to make a steady profit in your business.Marketing is one of the biggest tools you need to utilize in order to be successful in your business endeavors.Marketing Strategies That WorkevalevalThere are many different strategies that one can take in order to spread the word of their business. All you need to do is find the one that works well for you and put it into action.One such method that larger companies like to try is with Horizon Email Advertising. This is an automated service, what happens is the software is put into your computer and you set it to deliver your marketing for you at given times. You can do emails or even social media posts.SEO or search engine optimization is a proven method that works well with both on and off-site applications. You need to keep in mind the content creation when dealing with SEO. You want to make sure that anything you post has the right keywords to fit the product or service that you are selling.You can find a lot of ideas and get plenty of help in many ways, simply by talking to others or even watching videos and podcasts online that will give you plenty of tips and help to get started.Social media marketing is a huge way to get the word out. There are millions of people using Facebook and Twitter every day. Not to mention sites like Tumblr and Pinterest as well. The hashtag is a tool to help people all over social media get the keywords they want most noticed and lead them to y our site.The number of different marketing strategies is staggering and ready to be utilized to help you push your company to new heights. All you need to do is look at the variety there is to choose from and pick one or several that you thin k will help you the most. If you are not sure what ones work the best test a few that will not take a lot of money or time until you find something that works best for you.Having a mailing list is a good way to go about getting an email marketing campaign underway. This can be a bit harder to do unless you already have a huge list of people to send your campaign to.evalYou can go about getting a list in a variety of ways from buying a list from companies that compile lists to sell or set up a mailing list on your site and wait for the people that visit to sign up the more that do that the more you will have on the list to help you spread the word. As long as the content is engaging and relevant you will have no problem with this type of campaign.You cannot get anywhere in life especially in business unless you are willing to put in the work. This is the only way you can make anything happen, by giving 100% of yourself to your work until you have become successful enough to where you can hire others to help you, giving you more free time for a family.

Starting a Side Gig 6 Essential Tools to Get You Going

Starting a Side Gig 6 Essential Tools to Get You Going Having the right tools for the right task can make all the difference when it comes to a side job. The fact is, freelancing can sometimes involve the strenuous chore of task management, essential in order to maximize productivity. While as a freelancer, you definitely do not want to become overwhelmed with superfluous tools, there are some basic techniques and resources out there that will aid your endeavors, and go a long way to making you a successful contractor. Here are some of those tools: Laptop/Computer In today’s work environment, almost every kind of job requires a laptop/desktop computer and/or computer-based technology, in one way or another. A laptop or desktop computer, among certain others, has increasingly become the underlying tool for any freelancing job. As a freelancer indulging in a second job online, you need a computer with plenty of storage space to save your work and often with a redundant system for data backup. Internet Connection A second job online can take on several different forms. For instance, you can use your current skills set to carry out freelance jobs for a variety of clients, you can participate in paid surveys, host webinars, meet with clients via video calls, or even promote a product(s) for a company as an affiliate marketer; but without a good, fast, stable internet connection, you will only be able to provide so much. Smartphone Use a smartphone to find more jobs, exchange virtual business cards, research potential clients and keep in touch with existing ones in real-time, and even make changes to project deliverables, all regardless of wherever you are. iPhones and Android-based phones have hundreds of apps that facilitate these tasks for you. EverNote and cloud-based storage apps top most lists. Just take a look at the Best Productivity Apps of 2012 from Business Insider. Job Search Engine / Freelance Marketplace Another essential tool for a side job is a quality job search website. Whether remotely or onâ€"site, these sites are there to help you search for jobs in your area of expertise. You can start your search by using keywords, such as: work from home, freelance, part time, work online, telecommute, evening, weekend, and so on. Since you can work remotely, you dont really need to be location-specific when searching for online jobs. If you want to work on-site, add a specific metro area or city when searching for jobs. Take a look at some of these sites for gigs: oDesk.com, sologig.com, elance.com, guru.com, and getafreelancer.com. Local Newspaper Among the numerous other tools, local newspapers are essential, especially for those who don’t really want to stray too far from home to do a side job. You can search for a side job via former employers, business associations, local newspapers, and other publications. PayPal Account PayPal is arguably the most popular, fastest and easiest option to receive and make online payments. As new features have been added, such as the ability to have payment subscriptions, it has become a powerful tool for a freelancer or side job contractor to be able to receive payments quickly and easily from anywhere around the globe, and in so doing, become the default payment method that freelancers accept and use. Although many of these tools may vary depending on what you do, generally they remain useful for any individual contractor. This is just a partial list of tools to help enhance communications and productivity. It makes a good start. About the author This post was contributed by Joe Linford on behalf of www.mobilegenie.co.uk, the UK based price comparison site for mobile phone and smartphones deals.

Job Search - Utilizing UCR Essentials For Writing a Resume

Job Search - Utilizing UCR Essentials For Writing a ResumeUCR stands for 'Universal Credentials.' This is a comprehensive set of guidelines that set out how to write a resume. It is part of the industry-specific BSidesCNC guidelines, which were developed by a number of organizations that provide information services. In the background of these guidelines, the advancement of technology has been a major factor in giving job seekers an edge.The career stage has become quite complicated, and in many cases it can be more difficult than it needs to be. There are often aspects of the job you cannot see or do, and you are under a lot of pressure to appear as competent as possible. In order to ensure you get the most from your resume, the good thing is that you don't need to know any particular coding languages. Of course, if you did, you would not be writing a resume - you would be writing software. In this case, the goal is to gather information about yourself and what you can do for a pote ntial employer.A resume that is not well written can give an incorrect impression of the skills you possess, or even worse, your personality. It can also put people off who will find themselves in your shoes. What is needed is a resume that actually does your job and creates the impression that you actually have the skills you claim to have. The purpose of a resume, as stated by the UCR guidelines, is to act as a tool for a recruiter or employer to understand what you have to offer them. Here, a little bit more information about the process of writing a resume can be useful.When a job seeker first begins their search for a job, they will take on a certain amount of 'cold calling.' They will approach employers and try to convince them of their capabilities, or at least give them a heads up that they might be interested in getting a job. In some cases, they may just be contacting an employer because they have found themselves having difficulty making contact with another one. Whatever the reason for reaching out to an employer, a resume will be a part of their arsenal.A resume should also include personal details, such as education, work experience, any certifications that they have, and whether they are married. On top of this, you should list any type of education (from community college to a graduate program) that you may have, as well as any type of internships you may have had. This is a good place to mention anything that you have done outside of the workplace that they may be interested in. For example, an article you wrote about yourself at home with your family could be an example of such a task.You should include a link to your LinkedIn profile, in addition to your other career page. That is the place to mention your previous jobs, education, awards, etc. Your personal profile should include your hobbies and interests. They are an important aspect of your personality, and they allow others to get a better understanding of how you view the world and wha t you want out of life. Having a good, succinct description of yourself on your resume is very important, and an employer will appreciate it.Next, you need to review your resume. Obviously, a resume is only as good as its cover letter. The content of your cover letter will be very important, as it will act as the introduction to your resume. Since you will be talking to a potential employer, it is essential that you have something that shows that you have put some thought into your cover letter. Include a picture of yourself and the details of what you are offering in your cover letter. It will also let the hiring manager know that you are prepared to communicate with them in a professional manner.After you have written your actual resume, it will be time to make sure it is all ready to go before sending it out to various employers. The right layout, formatting, and grammar may make a difference on how well your resume will do.