Biotech Careers
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Biotechnology has been around for centuries. From farming to food production and storage, biotechnology has touched our lives in numerous helpful ways.
As baby boomers age, there has been an increased demand for new medical procedures and equipment. As a result, biomedical engineering, a field that combines medicine with engineering and biology, is expected to grow in the next decade and beyond.
With an insight into both medical and engineering fields, biomedical engineers work effectively in hospitals, research facilities, academia, government regulatory agencies or as consultants.
Biomechanics, which applies biomechanical engineering to biological or medical problems, utilizes scientific principles to produce new ways of keeping the body functional and healthy. These include the creation of synthetic organs and joints, as well as machines that control body functions, imaging systems like X-ray and ultrasound, and the laser systems used in corrective eye surgery.
As a result of these advances, the medical community has a better understanding of how certain organs and musculoskeletal systems function.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, biomedical engineering is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2014. While a bachelor’s in engineering is required, a graduate degree in engineering is also recommended for most entry-level bioengineering jobs. Many universities offer accredited engineering graduate programs.
Professional organizations, such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), can help students interested in pursuing biotechnology careers.
ASME promotes the interests of its members and keeps them informed of industry developments. Additionally, networking opportunities offered by the organization can help students find jobs and get on the right career track.
Bartending Pro Tips
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In a bar, you will find an interesting and diverse community of people who will seek out fine bartending, not only for the relaxation and camaraderie, but also for a familiar and comfortable environment where they are recognized and accepted. For many people, in this competitive and aggressive world, a bar may be a sole source of sustenance for those basic things that are so essential to us all as humans. We are, after all, social beings.
Who doesn’t recall an episode of the television series “Cheers” when every time one of the leading characters would walk in, the entire bar would erupt in the chorus of “Hey Norm?”
Few of us are entitled to such a universal form of recognition and instant acceptance from bar patrons, but an excellent bartender can provide almost the same sort of experience for customers.
I bartended to work my way through both undergraduate and graduate school, and have gone back to it several times when I grew weary of corporate life. The money (if you do it right) is about the same anyway, and, admittedly, it is tiring and demanding, like any job, but it is a heck of a lot more fun!
Every bar is different in its nature and appeal (strip bar vs. a restaurant’s cocktail lounge), so this is not a “one size fits all” but, for the most part, if you follow these few words of advice, you can make it both enjoyable and very profitable!
1. Welcome all of your customers as though you know them and introduce yourself. Remember their names and welcome them, using their names, the next time they visit. (Keep a legal pad if you need too, “gray beard, thick glasses, name George, drinks Bud”…and any quirks you can note that will help you recall. Failing that just say “Hey good to see you again!” Just think of it like if you were having a party in your own home.. It’s easy!
2. Always keep in mind what their drink of choice is and be prepared to offer them their preference. You should already know the names and preferences of your regulars.
3. If a customer comes accompanied by a date or companion, treat them both as if they are royalty, address the customer as in “Wonderful to see you again, Mr. or Ms so and so (if they are a regular). And what can I do especially for your guest?” Be sure to use the finest glass for their friend. If you treat them with that sort of respect, you cannot only expect a nice tip, but you can bet that they will be back over and over, and looking for you.
4. Yes, do remember jokes. Remember them when you hear them and study them on the Internet. Internet jokes are so boring that most of us just delete them, but ahhh…the telling of a joke is just that, it is the delivery and the story telling that makes it both interesting and amusing. Be prepared to have at least two new ones on every shift.
5. Your smile and your obvious enjoyment of both your job and your customers are worth a lot more than tossing bottles about or doing circus tricks. If you can do it, well it doesn’t hurt, but most folks are there for a drink, company and the respect and recognition that they don’t receive in day-to-day life.
6. Depending on the policy of your employer, when customers come in for the first time, and have just one beer while reading the newspaper or looking around, and then start to leave, slide them a free beerdrink and say “I am glad that you came in and I have enjoyed your company,” (calling them by name, of course). “My name is so and so, and please do come back.” Pay for that beerdrink out of your tips if you must; you will get it back, ten-fold.
7. Remember that these are customers. They are not really your buddies, so stay professional.
8. Though you will have many opportunities for intimate encounters, stay focused on your career and that you are there to make a living. Don’t ever forget that “one night stands” are never just that in the bartending world; the customer you became close with will likely be sitting on the other side of the bar, within a few days, regardless of how much you regret that moment.
Tips 9-13 are not listed due to article length constraints. Please visit our website listed in the resourcebio box for part two of these bartending income generating tips or look for Part 2 of this series on this website titled: Bartending Pro Tips Part 2: How to Make Money and Have Fun With a Career In Bartending!
If you’re seeking a career in biotechnology, one thing is for certain … the more education you have, the higher up you can go. The fact is, no matter where you wind up working, you will be surrounded by people with Ph.D.’s and medical degrees. It is highly unlikely that an individual without an advanced degree such as these will get to the top of the corporate chain.
Therefore a bachelor’s degree in the life sciences is a bare minimum. After that, it is recommended that you pursue an advanced degree; whether it be a master’s degree or higher. Common degrees include; molecular biology, cell physiology, biochemistry, genetics and the like.
You should plan to take as many labs in college as possible as these will provide you with hands-on experience. Teaching as a student-teacher is also a wise move, as is becoming a part of a research project. It is possible to co-author a quality research paper before you ever even graduate with a bachelor’s degree.
Biotechnologists frequently gain employment for biotech corporations. Over the last two decades, thousands of biotech corporations have sprung up around the globe. From start-ups to companies the size of Amgen, the choices range from pay to research to prestige.
Employment in the biotech industry may also be sought in academic institutes; such as universities and non-profit organizations. These typically pay less than biotech corporations, but may have more opportunities for independent research.
As a biotechnologist, you will spend most of your work hours in a laboratory. The work can be tedious and requires patience, but many truly enjoy working with their hands. You will design and carry out experiments and will need to keep good records.
The best biotechnologists enjoy innovation and the spirit of helping to advance society. If you choose biotechnology as a career, you can expect to be right on the cutting edge of technology.
An Accounting Career
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An accounting career could be just the thing to bring you satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment. Along with medical and health related careers, accounting professionals are among the group of professions that are projected to see a lot of growth over the next few years.
Graduates of four year accountancy programs are earning 3.7% more in terms of starting pay straight out of college. Master’s degree holders are seeing a 4% increase in starting pay over the last couple of years.
There are many top notch two year accounting degree programs as well. Your choice really depends on many factors, including career objectives, the amount of money that you have to invest in an education or your ability to attain student loans, as well as what your schedule is like.
If you want to educate yourself on accounting in order to better manage your own small business or non-profit organization, chances are you’d do best with some classes from the local community college or other type of learning center.
In many larger cities and some towns, there are learning centers that offer a wide variety of classes, from cooking and home improvement to accounting. Ask around at your local public library or community college to find out about all the learning opportunities that your community has to offer.
For more serious study to put toward managing the finances of your business or organization, you may find that a community college has just the combination of classes that you’re looking for.
If you want to pursue an accounting career further, a community college is still one of the best places to start. If you have children or must work while attending school, community colleges are going to offer you the most flexibility in terms of scheduling.
For more information on the projected outlook for those in accounting careers, take a look at the government’s Occupational Outlook Handbook found at http:www.bls.govoco. There is a great wealth of information here that can help you decide how satisfying various degrees and professions are likely to be over the coming years.
A Popularity Wave For Careers At Sea
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Opportunity is high at sea for those seeking employment, and there are a number of reasons for this.
With the expansion of the Maritime Security Program (MSP), the MSP fleet is growing from 47 to 60 ships. There is also growth in the U.S.-flag cruise ship industry. Because there are so many different types of vessels, there is a range of choices that is unmatched. That means as employees working under contracts between maritime companies and the Seafarers International Union, merchant mariners have the opportunity to sail on a wide variety of vessels, including deep-sea cargo vessels and military support ships, where mariners continue to support U.S. troops in Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
Also in the opportunity mix are Great Lakes vessels, cable ships, tugboats and passenger ferries.
The place for many American men and women who set their sights on setting sail is the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education. The state-of-the-art school, affiliated with the Seafarers International Union, offers the most U.S. Coast Guard-approved courses of any maritime school in the nation-from entry level to license preparation to academic support.
In addition to academic support, the school offers GED and college degree programs. In fact, many of the maritime classes can be used for college credits.
Since its opening in 1967, approximately 145,000 students have trained there. The apprentice program blends hands-on training with classroom instruction. It consists of three phases, including 90 days aboard a U.S.-flag ship. That particular phase has helped boost the industry’s retention rate-approximately 75 percent of students who complete the entire program are still sailing four years later.
At any given time there are 100 trainees at the school-some in Phase 1, others in Phase 3 (Phase 2 is at sea).
Based in Piney Point, Md., the school’s training tools include bridge and engine simulators, the Joseph Sacco Fire Fighting and Safety School and a culinary lab.