Ramon Said:

I am 42 years old and only have a gr.12 education. I want to start a new career- what are my best options?

We Answered:

Quantum Biofeedback Therapy.

It's not a regulated field so you don't have to be certified, takes 40 hours of training to begin doing therapy with clients, you are self employed so you are your own boss, the field is growing quickly as people are getting sick and tired of medical dr not helping and turning to alternative health care. You set your own fee schedule.

I've been doing this 2 years now with 30% growth in clientele per quarter.

You set up a Roth IRA and deposit to it weekly or monthly so you don't need to worry about pensions etc. You are self employed so insurance for you is available as a business owner. Some companies pool so the rates are even cheaper.

Draw back is you do have to own your own equipment and the initial investment can be intimidating, however; mine was paying for itself within 6 months.

Vickie Said:

I want to start a new career. I'm in marketing. I live in Louisiana where would you recommend I relocate?

We Answered:

I am a technical guy. What I suggest is that you find an emerging market and then move to where your customers are most likely to live.
Good examples;
I pod music sales
Satellite radio
Advanced material
Cable on demand

Sandra Said:

I want to start a new career in computer field. For a begginer which route would I take for a decent salary?

We Answered:

I know people who do the same job and get paid drastically differing wages. There are ISP Linux admins working for $7 an hour while AIX unix operators doing the same thing get $165,000 a year.

U.S. Department of Labor
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Bureau of Labor Statistics Data
Will provide the pay rate for industries and occupations.


Occupation: Computer Software Engineers, Applications (SOC code 151031)
Period: May 2006 Industry (NAICS Code) Hourly mean wage
Sector 52 - Finance and Insurance (52--53)
39.05
Monetary Authorities - Central Bank (521000)
39.43
Monetary Authorities - Central Bank (521100)
39.43
Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522000)
38.39
Depository Credit Intermediation (522100)
40.61
Nondepository Credit Intermediation (522200)
37.68
Other Nondepository Credit Intermediation (522290)
36.51
Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (522300)
35.57
Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523000)
43.02
Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage (523100)
42.79
Other Financial Investment Activities (523900)
43.86
Insurance Carriers and Related Activities (524000)
36.38
Insurance Carriers (524100)
36.40
Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers (524120)
35.30
Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (524200)
36.20
Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210)
36.72
Other Insurance Related Activities (524290)
35.83
Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525000)
39.69
Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds (525100)
40.00
Other Investment Pools and Funds (525900)
38.16
SOC code: Standard Occupational Classification code -- see http://www.bls.gov/soc/home.htm
NAICS code: North American Industry Classification System code -- see http://www.bls.gov/bls/naics.htm

*****
**************
Steve F - I had my IBM PSS and then got my MCSE and all the MCSE jobs paid less than half what a PSS got.
The best way to lower your pay is to get a certification.
**************
*****
University education get the best jobs, Certifications get the worst jobs. Check it out on the BLS site I linked.

The unemployment rate among System and Network is over %30. Those people are not out of work, they are working at starbucks. Ask your barrista about Cisco cert. He probably has one. The BLS federal Labor Stats do not lie look at them.


gstorms8626 - At the top of the unemployment list is Web development. The automated page generating systems are putting thousands out of work. I know people doing web pages for less than 5 bucks and hour.
READ THE BLS Reports I linked to. Get a REAL JOB.

Job service will no longer pay for networking and Web development classes. The students can not find jobs.
**************************
*************
*********
******
****
***
**
*


.

Stanley Said:

I've been a hospital based registered nurse for 25 years and I want out! Any ideas for a new career?

We Answered:

My background was in laboratory management and I got burned out several years ago. I started a home-based embroidery business. I have always loved sewing and was good at it, so I didn't have as great a learning curve as most other people might have had. Sewing and embroidery is nothing more than applied math, so it fit in well with my math/science mentality. My income dropped quite a bit, but I am much happier. However, to pick up some extra income, I have done the following, using my laboratory management skills:

1. I am a technical consultant for a doctor's office laboratory. I set up the lab, wrote all the policies and procedures, set up the paper trails, implemented QM, QC, safety program, etc. to ensure the laboratory met all federal guidelines. I visit the lab once a month to review all records and to advise the practice manager. I also help prepare for inspections and I am the contact person during inspections.

2. I work part time for the local hospital laboratory (I do most of my work at home). My job is to assist the lab manager with any projects she needs. Since I have a strong lab management background, she doesn't have to over-explain what needs to be done. I spend most of my time helping to prepare for upcoming inspections, writing procedures, and helping to set up new satellite labs. In other words, I get to put to use all of my lab management skills without being responsible for anyone else.

I recommend you think long and hard about what you don't like about nursing and what you do like about it. Then, design a job for yourself. You may have to become self-employed or you could go to work for a company that provides healthcare-related services. For instance, with your ICU background, you might be a great consultant to an architectural firm that designs intensive care units - you would be an expert on efficient layouts. How about becoming a consultant for an insurance company or for a malpractice attorney? Have you considered becoming a state licensure inspector? Open up your mind to all possibilities and design a job that appeals to you and fulfills a need (so you can get paid! LOL!).

Heidi Said:

I'm 41 and want to start a new career. I'm considering getting my cdl and becoming a truck driver.?

We Answered:

There's a lot of people out here on the road who've done just what you're talking about. I've even met lawyers and a psychologist who either retired or needed something new.

It's not the job for everyone. For the first couple years at least, you will be a bit restricted as far as your choices of companies and you will likely put up with the most BS as you adjust, learn how to deal with various situations, and inevitably get "walked on" by shippers, recievers, other drivers, and people within your own company. Most new drivers start out with one of the larger companies (Swift, Werner, Covenant, Schneider, etc). as smaller and more specialized carriers want to see at LEAST 2-3 years of safe driving experience. However, one perk is that some of the larger carriers have various dedicated, regional and even local driving routes if you want to stay in a particular area.

If you want to see the whole country, you can drive OTR and where you go is entirely up to the company....you do get to see some pretty places but lots of time it's at 64 mph or whatever you're governed at :). Except for time-off, if you work for a nationwide carrier you can usually take time off pretty much anywhere you like. This is what I did- I had all my things in storage and got rid of my apartment....so I take time off to visit family, take a Vegas vacation, etc.

Not everyone can do this....if you have family obligations (spouse, kids, etc) not being "home" often enough is a BIG stress point. I started when I was 21, no kids, no family....I'm now 26 with no kids and no family except my husband who drives with me :)....and we are keeping it that way as we have no desire to change....neither of us wants kids and both of us go nuts if we're "off" anywhere longer than a week. But overall I'm not the norm out here, most people have obligations at home and that makes the job harder on them. I love it....it's ultimate freedom to me, matters not where I am or where I am going, for the most part I'm just enjoying the drive.

It's not hard to get your CDL. I'd advise finding a state-run community college or vo-tech school instead of one of those "trucker schools"....a state school has their tuition and curriculum set by the state- they're not driven by profit, Roadmaster and the like can charge anything they want and the more people they graduate, the more money they make. Personally I paid 1300 dollars for an 8 week vo-tech course, vs 4500 dollars for a local 6 week "commercial driving school" ....And once you start driving, it's all you do, all day long so handling the truck quickly becomes easier than you think...a good year of driving is 120,000 miles. Compare that to the average person in their car who only drives 12,000 miles a year. You get used to it, but you gotta like driving. And you gotta get used to a governed truck, most are limited to 65 mph....it took me 3.5 years to finally get hired on with a small company that trusts me to control my own foot. (still no tickets). The governing can get maddening, especially through flat, plain places like Nebraska where the speed limit is 75.....the state seems to last forever at 65 :)

What I've found, is that as long as you're willing to put up with pretty much any manner of "BS" for the first couple years.....you have to consider it "paying your dues" and you use that time to learn what you DO want, what you DONT want.....and spend lots of time asking other drivers about their companies, learn all you can about other trucking companies and sooner or later you will find one, or several, that more closely meet your needs. Don't get STUCK with a company that makes you miserable....I worked for Covenant and we had drivers who'd been there 9 years and could do nothing but complain. There are thousands of companies and lots of different types of freight.....there is a good match out there for most drivers (and then some drivers can't ever stop complaining ;)

Sometimes you gotta look for something a little different or specialized if the ordinary van/reefer stuff irritates you. I spent a year and a half hauling cars....some people like it, hauling personal vehicles gives you a great deal of flexibility....you're not as rushed, make plenty of money and have the time to go spend it ;).....but your trade-off is having to get out and load/unload cars in the heat, rain, snow, ice....cars that leak oil and brake fluid and whatnot, b*tchy customers.....For every driver preference, there is a "niche" out here....I have friends who are movers, friends who do trade shows and conventions, friends who work for singers and broadway shows and haul their equipment around (THAT is a pretty cool job if you like music- it's rushed between concerts but you have plenty of time to relax in between, plus you get to see lots of concerts for free, meet the singers, etc...)....I met a guy who does nothing but haul helicopters, lots of flatbedders who haul military equipment and jet engines and such....There is a lot of money to be made especially in specialized freight and it's really interesting....but you do have to pay your dues in "cheap freight van trailer land" for a while to get there. ;)

either way, good luck in your decision

Gladys Said:

I want to start a new Career as an Electrician. Besides taking online course, what else is involved?

We Answered:

I've taken auto mechanics and the courses are very generalized, not good. Bad reviews. Become an apprentice of the union or a company. The tests for certification and safety are rigorous. Better half is 17yr Journeyman Wireman. good luck..
http://www.njatc.org/