Instant Career Advice » career choices

Is a Sales Worker Supervisor Position a Career Choice For You?

admin — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:17:50 +0000

WHAT IS A SALES WORKER SUPERVISOR?

As the holidays arrive shoppers head to the stores. Then, after the holidays, there is another rush by shoppers back to the stores. Savvy shoppers search for good deals in the clearance aisles while others go to the mall to return the sweater that is too small or the CD they already have or don’t want! Sales worker supervisors often assist customers with these transactions.

Sales worker supervisors direct and manage salespeople. They also keep track of merchandise, inventory and assist with customer service. One of the primary roles

sales worker supervisors have is resolving conflicts between customers and sales workers.

Sales worker supervisors also oversee the work of sales workers. Typically they oversee all salespeople in the store but depending on the store, they may only supervise their department. Sales worker supervisors are responsible for hiring and training salespeople. During training, they assist salespeople with sales procedures, such as returns and exchanges. They also check those items to determine if they can be resold. They make sure that merchandise is properly displayed and priced according to advertisements.

They may hire, fire or promote workers. They train salespeople to improve their sales skills. Additionally sales worker supervisors:

Have administrative duties
They develop work schedules and assign different duties to sales workers
Keep track of employee hours
Inventory merchandise
Reorder items that are out of stock
Write reports about their department’s sales and purchases.
Attend meetings and suggest ways for store officials to increase sales
Create return and exchange policies
Set sales goals for their departments

During busy periods sales worker supervisors sometimes perform the duties of regular sales workers. This includes greeting customers, selling merchandise and setting up displays.

WHAT SKILLS AND TRAINING DO I NEED?

One of the most important skills a sales worker supervisor needs is excellent customer service. A sales worker supervisor needs to have this particular skill in order to be effective in his position and to lead by example.

While a college degree is not needed to be a sales worker supervisor, it can be beneficial for advancement towards a sales management position. Other useful training for a sales worker supervisor includes seminars on customer service, team building and other business training classes. Additionally, each company may have ongoing in-store management training such as sexual harassment training and updates on current employment laws.

HOW DO I GET A SALES WORKER SUPERVISOR JOB?

Most sales worker supervisors work their way up from a regular sales position.

Participating in supervisor or sales management seminars will improve your chances of climbing up in this field. A college degree is also very helpful in obtaining a sales management position in the retail field.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BECOMING A SALES WORKER SUPERVISOR?

Sales worker supervisor receive higher pay and benefits versus a regular sales worker.

They also receive training not available to sales workers. For many people, this position is a stepping-stone to a sales management position. The pay and benefits for a sales worker supervisor varies greatly by region and the company that owns the store.

How To Become A Paralegal

admin — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:27:45 +0000

What exactly is a paralegal?

A paralegal is an assistant to an Attorney at Law. Most paralegals have a paralegal certificate and a 4-year college degree. They help conduct legal research, interview clients and prepare legal documents. They are usually the middle person between an attorney and his clients.

Just as there are many specialties within the law, there are a variety of types of paralegal careers. This can range from a civil litigation to criminal law. The duties can also vary depending on the experience and skills the paralegal may have.

What can’t a paralegal do?

A paralegal cannot give legal advice. A paralegal career can involve
assisting others in administrative hearings, but cannot represent
someone else in court. A paralegal must work under the direction of an
attorney. In the United States, business profession code §6450
prohibits paralegals from giving out legal advice. For more specific
information outside the United States, check you local jurisdiction for
rules and codes that may apply.

How to become a paralegal?

A person interested in receiving a paralegal certificate can
contact the Extension Studies of their local university. Other options
include programs offered at a community college or online training. It
is preferable that the Bar Association in your jurisdiction approves
the training program. Contact you local Bar Association for more
information.

Can I receive online training to become a paralegal?

Yes, you can receive online training. It is imperative, though, that
the instructors are fully licensed legal professionals. At the very
least the director of any online paralegal training program should be a
licensed and practicing attorney. This will help assure that your
paralegal career starts with training that includes the most up to date
information in regards to the ever-changing legal system. Ideally, you
will have a chance to interact with fellow students and instructors via
a blackboard system over the Internet.

How long does it take to become a paralegal?

On average it takes about 1-2 years to obtain a paralegal certificate.
A person interested in obtaining a degree in paralegal studies will
need to contact their university of choice for specific requirements
regarding admittance and graduation. A degree in paralegal studies can
take 4-5 years to complete.

Do I need an ABA Approved Certificate to be a paralegal?

While having a paralegal certificate is not required to enter a
paralegal career, it is highly desirable. Most law firms will not hire
an applicant without a paralegal certificate. For one thing, it shows a
certain level of expertise. Secondly, it shows a commitment to pursuing
a career in the legal field. An exception to having a paralegal
certificate is if you were grandfathered in. Basically, that means that
you were assisting an attorney in the same manner a paralegal does for
a certain number of years, prior to the rule was established requiring
a paralegal certificate. For more information contact your local Bar
Association.

Where can a paralegal find work after receiving the paralegal certificate?

Paralegal careers can consist of work in both the private and public
sector. While most paralegals work for private firms, many corporations
and government agencies have a legal department. Many paralegals prefer
to work for corporations and government agencies because they do not
have to worry about keeping track of their time for billing purposes.
Most private law firms require that paralegals track their time so that
clients are billed for their work. The income potential for paralegals
varies by region, years of experience and the type of law. For the most
part, Intellectual Property paralegals are paid the most.

And last but not least, some paralegals freelance. They are able to do
this as long as they are working under the direction of a licensed and
practicing attorney

Top 15 Highest Paying Jobs with an Associate Degree

admin — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:34:59 +0000

A two year degree, also known as an Associate Degree, is a cheaper and faster way to go through college. Yet you can still earn the extra money from your job simply by having this degree. Best of all, you can get many of these degrees through the nation’s top online colleges. Here are fifteen of the great paying jobs you can get with an Associate Degree.

1. Dental Hygienist – $58,000

As a dental hygienist you'll help the dentist and perform services such as X-rays and cleaning of the patient's teeth. You will help to instruct them on how to care for their teeth, and will be responsible for collecting information from them during the appointment. Typically a 2-year degree is acceptable for this line of work, which you may be able to obtain through a top online college.

2. Funeral Directors – $49,620

Funeral directors must be able to work with people respectfully and compassionately. They speak with the family and help make arrangements for the funeral. These jobs range from putting an obituary in the local newspaper to planning the date, time, and place of the funeral. Many are also embalmers at their funeral parlor as well.

3. Registered Nurses – $54,190

Registered nurses are in charge of not only collecting information from the payment, but recording the symptoms they are experiencing and performing various medical tests. They may give shots and draw blood.They usually do the tests, and work along side the doctor who does the initial check-up and diagnosis. It is one of the most in demand and sought out jobs today.

4. Engineering Technicians – $45,850

Many engineering technicians work as assistants. They must have a good grasp of math and technical skills as well as science. Primarily they conduct research and assist in development. Experiments may be performed also, but vary greatly by the type of engineering that you choose to do.

5. Court Reporters – $45,610

Court reporters are responsible for recording what is said doing a trial. They will transcribe the conversations, usually by typing them,so they can be reviewed later on. Their job is essential for legal matters as well as helping the trial to be reviewed later in time. If you have held a job that requires excellent typing skills, then you may want to look into a related dress program at a top online college.

6. Radiological Technicians – $48,170

Radiological technicians are responsible for administering materials into the bloodstream of patients, and primarily taking X-rays. They are trained in X-raying different parts of the body and giving the images to the doctor for review.

7. Respiratory Therapists – $40,840

As a respiratory therapist you are responsible for caring for patients with breathing problems. You will evaluate their condition and help with treatment and diagnoses of it. Training for most physical therapists, such as this, are usually 2-years.

8. Science Technicians – $40,629

Technicians help scientists to set up and monitor experiments. They record the findings of their research and at times come up with the conclusions of the experiment, either alone or working with scientists.

9. Heavy Equipment Mechanics – $34,520

Heavy equipment mechanics are responsible for repairing machines,whether on the job or for a private company. They check the machines for problems, and make repairs if necessary. They may have their own shops, or work for a specific company on the job site.

10. Automotive Body Repairers – $38,500

Automotive body repairers work on cars that have been in accidents.They repair dents and make repairs to broken parts of the car or truck. As an automotive body repair person you will be in charge of restoring parts as well as paint jobs to cars that have been wrecked.

11. Paralegals – $50, 670

Paralegals are responsible for helping lawyers in their work. They research laws and past cases that may help in their current case. They are responsible for having a thorough understanding of the current case so that they can inform the lawyer of the details both before and during the hearing. Some paralegals can work as virtual secretaries for lawyers who are more flexible on telecommuting. If you have never held a related job, you can look into a telecommuting program at top online colleges.

12. Cardiovascular Technologists – $42,300

These technologists are responsible for assisting with the treatment and diagnoses of patients with cardiovascular, or heart, problems. They work with a doctor as their assistant.

13. Sales Worker Supervisors - $33,960

As a sales worker supervisor you are responsible for overseeing the sales going on in various departments. You will also be the one to interview and hire new employees. Many times the supervisor assists in training the new workers. People skills are important in this line of work. The courses required for this degree would be obtainable through a top online college.

14. Machinists – $24,960

Normally working in a factory, machinists are responsible for building a specific metal part. Normally they produce many of the same part during the course of day. They have various mechanical and engineering skills, but must only be able to put together their specific part inmost cases.

15. Surgical Technologists – $36,080

Working under a surgeon, a surgical technologist is an assistant. They help by setting up equipment, and cleaning the patient before surgery. During the surgery itself they monitor the patient's vitals and assist the surgeon.

More Career Choices! (newly added in 2010)

16. Auto Mechanic - $55,000 to $60,000

An auto mechanic serves by solving problems of vehicles. There is also plenty of room for advancement in the auto mechanic‘s field.

Certification Programs That Can Make You More Competitive

admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 06:30:50 +0000

It is undeniable that progression is imminent in one’s career, but the extent of your development depends on how you project yourself so that you appear more desirable to quality employers. One way to raise your value as a potential employee to your preferred conglomerate is to invest in different certification programs according to your needs and the job requirements. The good news about this is that there are a number of top online colleges that allow you to earn some of these certifications online; therefore, allowing you to study on your own schedule.

If you are thinking about entering the highly competitive IT job market, you should consider investing in CISCO Career Certifications whereby three varying levels of education are provided: Associate, Professional, and Expert. These three levels can be obtained accordingly as you see fit. And whatever your job requirements are, be sure to pick the right path. The six certification paths offered by CISCO include Design, Routing and Switching, Service Provider, Network Security, Voice and Storage Networking. Although you cannot take the exam from home (these exams are only offered by CISCO in a secure environment), you can study for it at home. You can also find a top online college that offers a similar certification program.

And for those who are thinking of building reputation in the field of accountancy, you may consider contacting the Accreditation Council for Accountancy and Taxation to take the Accredited Tax Advisor certification which will greatly boost your career as a tax advisor. A chartered tax advisor is viewed as the elite profession in accountancy whereby remuneration given is highly attractive even if a tax advisor is self employed. You may also be able to find a top online college that offers a similar certification program.

Being a registered nurse can be very rewarding for some individuals but they first need to acquire the Nurse Practitioner Certification from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioner, which will be a testament of sorts when it comes to the nurse-to-be’s experience and expertise. A nurse will need to renew this certification once every five years and she can even opt to take up a Clinical Nurse Specialist Certification course from the American Nurses Credentialing Center for career advancement purposes.

If you are keen to pursue a career in hospitality can reap untold benefits once they acquire certification such as the Certified Hospitality Trainer from the American Hotel and Lodging Association. Individuals who do so have no regrets, as they will be better equipped with advanced skill set and the proper know-how when it comes to dealing with customers whether they choose to go into hotel, restaurant or entertainment industry. Extreme competition as well as rewarding perks did the job in motivating these individuals to take up extensive training in customer service. You may be able to find a comparable certification program available through a top online college.

Those with a penchant for vacancies in Human Resource might want to take advantage of the Human Resources Certification Institute which offers certifications such as PHR (Professional in Human Resource) as well as SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resource). Once they do, they will be able to increase their value as an employee who is well versed in the art of human resource development, strategic planning, employee rights and HR-related company policies.

Although the specific certification programs mentioned here are the top in each industry, plenty of certifications programs can be found by searching offerings from top online colleges. These certifications will be just as good at landing you a job in one of these industries, as the certifications listed above. This will allow you to study and get your certification on your own time, which will help you advance your career and give you the opportunity to move beyond your current position.