Visual Arts in Denmark

Question:

Hello,
I am a student from Denmark, about to choose a Master's Degree and I'm having a hard time figuring out what to study since I haven't found the right career path. I hope you can help me with this.

Here's my education background:
This Summer I will get my Bachelor's Degree in Digital Design.
Before this I studied Medicine for a year.
I have a lot of experience with the visual arts (I paint, draw, illustrate, create tattoo designs, photograph, model and design album packaging in my free time), which I have developed throughout my life. I also am very interested in music, I sing and write music in a band. The visual arts stuff is however more important for me.

What I'm trying to do is to find the right career where I can have use of as many of my visual art skills as possible and get paid for it. I'm not interested in doing just fine arts in my basement for the rest of my life, I want to create things and be able to live off of what I do :)

This is where I have a lot of difficulty, because I don't know what professions fit me best. I would ideally just find a very long list of career options to pick and choose from but nobody has made this list, so I have no idea what people actually need on the job market now and therefore I don't know how to focus my skills in the rest of my education. Is this something you could help me with?

Answer:
I am not an expert on Danish employment options however I know a letter about Digital Design. You have a lot of career options open to you depending on what choices you want to make.

Here are a few Job Titles that you may look into:

Computer game developer
Computer graphics designer
Technical writer
Videographer
Advertising artist

Animator
Industrial designer
Set designer
Tattoo artist
Technical illustrator
Web designer

I think the best career choice would be Web Design and Software Engineering in general. The needs for those careers are World wide.

Good luck.

Law Degree

Question: I am investment analyst and equity trader in a bank, i am 32 years old and recently read some books on finance and restructuring , got interested in law.

Although already an MBA i would like to know the feasibility of this law degree.

Answer: Education is an investment. Like any investment you have to make sure that you will get the desired return on your investment.

A law degree can be expensive in both money and time. Will you get that money back with increased earning potential?

Most Law programs (the good ones) require you to go full time. Are you in a position where you can take a year or two off from working full time to go to Law School? There are Part-time Law School Programs but they require a fair amount of time also.

You are definitely young enough to go back to school, but I would first do some research on what law specialty you would do and if it would give you the best return on your investment. You may not care about your investment, this may be something that you just WANT to do. In that case, go for it.

Part Time Law Schools:

Part-time law programs allow working professionals to balance a career with evening or weekend courses. Students in part-time programs can usually earn a J.D. in four years. 

Here is a ling to the best Part Time Law Schools as ranked by US News and World Report: http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/part-time-law-rankings

Georgetown Law School is ranked #1.

Students

1,626

 

enrolled (full-time)

334

 

enrolled (part-time)

Tuition

$45,105

 

per year (full-time)

$39,120

 

per year (part-time)

 So, to answer your question. Is it feasible? It is certainly feasible for someone that has the financial resources and time to devote to it. Only you know if you are one of them.

Good Luck.

Army Spouse

Question: I am an Army spouse and mother of four. We live approximately 45 minutes from base. I have a BS in Social Work. I have never had working experience with this degree. I am an honorably discharged Army officer. My MOS was Quartermaster or Logistics. I have a Masters in Human Resources Development. Again, I have not working experience with this degree. I have been working part time at my children's private school. Year 1- I was the aftercare coordinator. Years 2 and present year, I am the Music Teacher, Drama coach, and Musical director of the school musicals. My salary with the tuition discount for my children comes out to about $10K/year. I would like to start working full time in the next year or so. I simply don't know where to start or which direction to move in. I am reluctant to give up what I am doing now because I love music and this is the first time in my life I have been paid doing my passion. But the fact remains that only my husband's salary makes tuition payments very difficult and vacations and fun stuff unrealistic. Thank you so much for your time.

Answer:
You have the following education:
- Bachelor of Science in Social Work
- Masters in Human Resources Development

Have you thought about getting into Human Resources? I have seen many Human Resource Generalist with the same Masters Degree that you have. There are many specialties in Human Resources  that may appeal to your Social Work undergraduate education.

An example:

Employee assistance plan managers, also called employee welfare managers or work-life managers, are responsible for a wide array of programs to enhance employee safety and wellness and improve work-life balance. These may include occupational safety and health standards and practices, health promotion and physical fitness, medical examinations and minor health treatment, such as first aid, flexible work schedules, food service and recreation activities, carpooling and transportation programs such as transit subsidies, employee suggestion systems, child care and elder care, and counseling services. Child care and elder care are increasingly significant because of growth in the number of dual-income households and the older population. Counseling may help employees deal with emotional disorders, alcoholism, or marital, family, consumer, legal, and financial problems. Some employers offer career counseling and outplacement services. In some companies, certain programs, such as those dealing with physical security or information technology, may be coordinated in separate departments by other managers. (See administrative services managers elsewhere in the Handbook.) Source: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos021.htm

Here is are some job examples: http://jobs.career-advisor.net/a/jobs/find-jobs/q-%22employee+welfare%22

Another example:

Training and development. Training and development managers and specialists create, procure, and conduct training and development programs for employees. Managers typically supervise specialists and make budget-impacting decisions in exchange for a reduced training portfolio. Increasingly, executives recognize that training offers a way of developing skills, enhancing productivity and quality of work, and building worker loyalty. Enhancing employee skills can increase individual and organizational performance and help to achieve business results. Increasingly, executives realize that developing the skills and knowledge of its workforce is a business imperative that can give them a competitive edge in recruiting and retaining high quality employees and can lead to business growth. Source: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos021.htm]

Job Examples: http://jobs.career-advisor.net/a/jobs/find-jobs/q-%22human+resources%22+training+-manager

And another:

Training specialists plan, organize, and direct a wide range of training activities. Trainers consult with training managers and employee supervisors to develop performance improvement measures, conduct orientation sessions, and arrange on-the-job training for new employees. They help employees maintain and improve their job skills and prepare for jobs requiring greater skill. They work with supervisors to improve their interpersonal skills and to deal effectively with employees. They may set up individualized training plans to strengthen employees’ existing skills or teach new ones. Training specialists also may set up leadership or executive development programs for employees who aspire to move up in the organization. These programs are designed to develop or “groom” leaders to replace those leaving the organization and as part of a corporate succession plan. Trainers also lead programs to assist employees with job transitions as a result of mergers or consolidation, as well as retraining programs to develop new skills that may result from technological changes in the work place. In government-supported job-training programs, training specialists serve as case managers and provide basic job skills to prepare participants to function in the labor force. They assess the training needs of clients and guide them through the most appropriate training. After training, clients may either be referred to employer relations representatives or receive job placement assistance. Source: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos021.htm

Compensation:

Median annual wages of training and development specialists were $51,450 in May 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between $38,550 and $67,450. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,470, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $85,160. Median annual wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of training and development specialists were:

Computer systems design and related services	$61,110
General medical and surgical hospitals	56,540
Insurance carriers	55,190
Management of companies and enterprises	54,800
Local government	52,080
State government	48,480

More jobs:
Human Resources around Fort Brag: http://jobs.career-advisor.net/a/jobs/find-jobs/q-%22human+resources%22/l-Fort+Bragg%2CNC/mi-50

Human Resources around Fort Lewis: http://jobs.career-advisor.net/a/jobs/find-jobs/q-%22human+resource+generalist%22/l-Fort+Lewis%2C+WA/mi-50

Good Luck.

Two Bachelors and need the next step

Question: Hi,

I believe I have a lot of talents to offer an employer and yet I have been unsuccessful in finding a "good" job.
Currently, I am working a part-time temp. job at a finance firm, I process on-line investments and research accounts. I have been there for 9 months.

I have 2 BA's, one in Art and another in a foreign language. I have studied abroad 3x during my academic career. The last time was with a scholarship where I did an internship for 5 months at a small design firm.

My artistic faculties include: Photography, Graphic Design, Drawing, Ceramics and Metals.

I have office experience, customer service experience,

I am basically a "jack of all trades."

I am feeling really hopeless with the way things are going with the economy and have started to think about going back to school to get my Master's.

Do you think this is a good idea? Would you possibly have any recommendations on a career path I should think of pursuing?

I have a great interest in museums and have gone on sites like USAJOBS.GOV. Most of the positions that I believe I would be able to do require a MA.

Thank you for your help and I look forward to your answer!

Answer: 

It sounds like you have some great skills and knowledge that an employer would want. The problem may be one of two things. 

1) how you're displaying you skill and education when you are applying to positions.

2) Connecting what jobs your are qualified for to what you are interested in.

My first question would be if you have applied to entry level graphic design positions? Or if you have interest in that? Here is a link to some of those type of positions: http://jobs.career-advisor.net/a/jobs/find-jobs/q-entry+level+%22graphic+designer%22

You are right about the fact that Museum jobs usually require a Master's degree or higher. It is never a bad idea to get more education if you are able to. However, Museum Technicians often only require a Bachelors Degree. 

Museum technicians usually need a bachelor's degree in an appropriate discipline of the museum's specialty, training in museum studies, or previous experience working in museums, particularly in the design of exhibits. Similarly, archives technicians usually need a bachelor's degree in library science or history, or relevant work experience. Relatively few schools grant a bachelor's degree in museum studies. More common are undergraduate minors or tracks of study that are part of an undergraduate degree in a related field, such as art history, history, or archaeology. Students interested in further study may obtain a master's degree in museum studies, offered in colleges and universities throughout the country. However, many employers feel that, while museum studies are helpful, a thorough knowledge of the museum's specialty and museum work experience are more important.

Here is some great information about the jobs market for Archivists, Curators, and Museum Technicians http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos065.htm




I found just a few of these jobs but you may want to check in-person at Art museums near you. These types of positions are usually not posted on the internet.  

http://jobs.career-advisor.net/a/jobs/find-jobs/q-%22Museum+technician%22

Here is some great information about Graphic Designers. You can take some local computer classes to get you graphics knowledge up to speed and get a job fairly quickly. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos090.htm

Here is a pdf file titled "What can I do with my Liberal Arts degree". Please check this out too. 

http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2007/winter/art01.pdf

I hope this helps. 

What should I study?

Question: I am a junior in high school and I am not quite sure what I want to study in college. I am thinking about psychology, public administration and business administration-real estate or management. What do you think I should study?


Answer:  While I do not want to tell you what to study, I can give you some information about the job outlook for these majors.


Psychology:

• About 34 percent of psychologists are self-employed, mainly as private practitioners and independent consultants.
• Employment growth will vary by specialty; for example, clinical, counseling, and school psychologists will have 11 percent growth; industrial-organizational psychologists, 26 percent growth; and 14 percent growth is expected for all other psychologists.
• Acceptance to graduate psychology programs is highly competitive.
• Job opportunities should be the best for those with a doctoral degree in a subfield, such as health; those with a master’s degree will have good prospects in industrial-organization; bachelor’s degree holders will have limited prospects.
• Reference: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos056.htm
• Sample of current job openings: http://jobs.career-advisor.net/a/jobs/find-jobs/q-Psychology

Public Administration:
State and local government:

• Local governments employ more than twice as many workers as State governments.
• Professional and service occupations accounted for more than half of all jobs; fire fighters and law enforcement workers, concentrated in local government, are among the largest occupations.
• Although job prospects vary by State and region, overall prospects are expected to be favorable.
• Employer-provided benefits are more common among State and local government employees than among workers in the private sector.
• Reference: http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs042.htm
• This information may change due to current State and Local government budget issues. 
• Sample of current job openings: http://jobs.career-advisor.net/a/jobs/find-jobs/q-%22Public+Administration%22

Business Administration-Real Estate:

• A license is required in every State and the District of Columbia.
• Residential real estate brokers and sales agents often work evenings and weekends.
• Although gaining a job may be relatively easy, beginning workers face competition from well-established, more experienced agents and brokers.
• Employment is sensitive to swings in the economy, as well as interest rates; during periods of declining economic activity or rising interest rates, the volume of sales and the resulting demand for sales workers fall.
• Reference: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos120.htm
• Sample of current job openings: http://jobs.career-advisor.net/a/jobs/find-jobs/q-%22Real+estate%22

Business Administration - Management: 

This is a degree that can be applied to most any job opportunity and may offer the best opportunity for entry level work. Administrative services managers plan, coordinate, and direct a broad range of services that allow organizations to operate efficiently. They might, for example, coordinate space allocation, facilities maintenance and operations, and major property and equipment procurement. They also may oversee centralized operations that meet the needs of multiple departments, such as information and data processing, mail, materials scheduling and distribution, printing and reproduction, records management, telecommunications management, security, recycling, wellness, and transportation services. Administrative services managers also ensure that contracts, insurance requirements, and government regulations and safety standards are followed and up to date. They may examine energy consumption patterns, technology usage, and personal property needs to plan for their long-term maintenance, modernization, and replacement.

Job prospects. Applicants will face keen competition for the limited number of higher-level administrative services management jobs; competition should be less severe for lower-level management jobs. Job prospects will also be better for those who can manage a wide range of responsibilities, than for those who specialize in particular functions. In addition to the new administrative services management jobs due to growth in the occupation, many job openings will stem from the need to replace workers who transfer to other jobs, retire, or leave the occupation for other reasons.

Job opportunities may vary from year to year because the strength of the economy affects demand for administrative services managers. Industries least likely to be affected by economic fluctuations tend to be the most stable places for employment.

Reference: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos002.htm

Sample of current job openings: http://jobs.career-advisor.net/a/jobs/find-jobs/q-%22Business+Management%22

MBA that hates his job

Question: I am 25 and got my MBA 2 years ago. I accepted a job as a reference librarian six months later because I was desperate and it did not seem like a bad job. Now I am really bored and heartily dislike my job. 

I have been applying for jobs in HR, higher ed and events for the last 6 months with few results. I have also considered the Air Force but I have been told that officer positions are limited and extremely competitive right now. 

Now I realize getting an MBA without much experience was not a great plan, especially in this economy. I am also not really sure what I want to do. I have taken several career tests and gravitate towards human resources, entrepreneurship and mentoring/teaching. 

My question is twofold; how do I figure out which career path to take and then how do I get there?

Thank You

Answer: Question #1 How do I figure out which career path to take? Research. Here are some Question that you can ask yourself to narrow down your interests to start your research. 

1. Is there someone in your past or present such as a family member or friend that you admire? What do they do?
2. What do you spend the majority of your off time doing? Such as a sport, entertainment, or hobby. Sometimes the most obvious answers are the ones that are right in front of you.
3. Are you afraid to take a chance? You may need to just take a chance on a career and see where it leads you.
4. The education that an MBA gives you can be adapted to any career, what MBA classes did you enjoy most? Was it Marketing, Management, HR, etc...?
5. If you're bored and heartily dislike your job, why haven't you left already? Wouldn't any job be better then that? Are you afraid to make another career mistake? "A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing. ---George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)"

Question #2 How do I get to a career once I find out which one to take? Research.

• Do you know anyone that works in that career? Ask them to be your mentor.
• The Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), 2010-11 Edition published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics tells you the training and education needed; the earnings; expected job prospects; what workers do on the job; and the working conditions of the majority of jobs in our economy. 

Good luck. Once you make a decision I have not doubt you will be highly successful because you had the courage to ask this question. 

RPN going back to school?

Question: I am an RPN and have recently been accepted to the bridging program at Mcmaster University to become an RN. I kind of applied on a whim and now am not sure if I want to go back to school or not, 3 years fulltime studies seems too long at this point. I'm in my early 20s, still living at home ...not sure what to do!

Answer: You'd be a fool not to do it now while your still young. Education is the best investment anyone can make whether it's in time or money. You can wait till you have kids and a spouse and juggle the cost of day care with your books. You can wait till you have a mortgage payment and have to work overtime to pay for it. What are you waiting for?

But, you do have to be ready to give a solid effort. Make a list of the things that you will get out of this. More money? Sure. More career advancement? Absolutely!

Make a list of what you'll give up by doing this. Family Dinners? some. Watching American Idol with Mom and Dad? Absolutely!

Good luck with your decision.