William and Kate Soon to be Parents

by Alex A. Kecskes

If you’re an obstetrics nurse or aspire to be one, you’ve got to be envious of William and Kate’s OB nurse. He or she will be the first to see Kate's ultrasound, listen to her baby's heartbeat, and help bring her baby into the world.

Is Kate really expecting? The clues are unmistakable: Kate’s glowing countenance, a certain motherly look, a stomach rub, and her refusal to eat peanut paste (which may be harmful to pregnant women). Yes, the Duchess of Cambridge has a “bun in oven” and tabloids are abuzz with headlines confirming the good news.

The 29-year-old queen to be is about 6 weeks along. And not too soon for Queen Elizabeth II, who has been tossing out hint after hint about wanting a great-grandchild and an heir to the throne. Even before they tied the knot, it was made clear that raising a family was a duty expected of the royals.

The happy couple have been going through names for their first-born, whether they’re hoping for a boy or girl and plans for the nursery. Current preparations include three nursery sites: one in their current London residence, Nottingham Cottage, another in their home in Wales and a third in Kensington Palace.

Names being considered include Edward, Philip and Michael for a boy, and Alice or Rose for a girl. It’s been reported that William is hoping for a girl, since his father, Prince Charles, would like a granddaughter.

OB nurses help doctors in caring for pregnant women and in the delivery of babies. They typically work in the labor and delivery department of hospitals, health clinics or doctors' offices. Obstetrics nurses make up a team of caregivers who provide for the needs of infants and mothers.

For an added perspective, check out this video:

If you have any thoughts on pursuing an obstetrics career, feel free to share them in the comments section.

Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients. Please see more of his blogs and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.

Why Being Thankful Is Important To Your Job Search

Why giving thanks should happen more often than once a year.

The holiday season has just kicked off, and every year at Thanksgiving, I think that it is important to remember that focusing on gratitude is something that is important and shouldn't only happen once a year. Giving thanks and concentrating on the positives in life can help you live a more fulfilled and balanced life.

Even if you haven't had a whole lot to celebrate this year, maybe you haven't had the career successes that you had hoped for or you have been struggling to find a job, it's even more important to stay positive. Focusing on the blessings of life is good for not only your soul but your job search.

Staying positive can help you find a job and can even help you land the job you really want. Here are 4 ways that giving thanks is good for your career:

Reasons to be grateful – When you think about the things that you are grateful for it helps you get a clear picture of what is really important. From there, you can see what you have to offer and where your talents lie. This can offer an amazing amount of insight into how you can best market yourself.

Reconnect with the people who mean the most – During the holidays, many people have the opportunity to reconnect with family and friends that they may not have seen in a long time. When you have a positive mindset, it's easier to make connection and keep in touch. You never know, the relative you haven't seen in years might be the one who can tell you about a job or connect you with someone who can help.

Reach out and network with friends – When you count the blessings in your life you will probably find that many friends are on the list. Use the spirit of the holidays to reconnect with them and network with former colleagues. When you are stuck in negativity, reaching out to others becomes even harder.

Fight depression – One of the hardest things about being out of work is how easily depression can set in. Once you fall into the trap, crawling out is tough. Employers aren't impressed by desperate job seekers. By finding things to be grateful for every day, you can keep yourself motivated and hopeful about the future.

Create enthusiasm – Spending a little bit of time each day to feel grateful will help you become more enthusiastic about your life. Enthusiasm is contagious and if you try, you infect yourself with it. When you are excited and confident, following up on leads and networking become easier. An added plus is that employers want to hire enthusiastic people.

Giving thanks isn't just about eating turkey. It's about living a fuller and healthier life.

Do you take time out to give thanks? Why or why not? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog and Beyond.com, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

Related articles

• 3 Ways To Stay Excited About Your Job Search (healthcarejobsiteblog.com)
• Can a Makeover Help Your Job Search? (financialjobbankblog.com)
• 5 Creative Ways To Use Linkedin To Find a Job (administrativejobsblog.com)

What Your Body Language Says About You During an Interview

Using body language to make a great impressing during an interview.

Job interviews are almost always stressful. I've often said that looking for a job is a whole lot like dating, and the interview is similar to a first date. Basically, you have to sit down with someone you don't know and tell them who you are and why they should care. Then, you have to make them like you.

I think that a job interview may actually be more stressful than a first date, because on the date at least you and the other person have the same agenda. Both of you are nervous and trying to impress the other. In an interview however, the employer has the upper hand and they aren't nervous about making a good impression on you.

This type of power disparity is what makes interviews so uncomfortable. Without even realizing it, your discomfort and nervousness comes through in your body language. If you want to make the best impression and present yourself as someone who is enthusiastic, calm and likeable, it's important to manage the information your body language broadcast.

Here are the most common was your body communicates how comfortable you are:

Positive:

Leaning toward the other person.

Uncrossed arms or legs.

Long periods of eye contact.

Looking down and away.

Real smiles.

Negative:

Leaning away or moving further away.

Crossed arms.

Feet pointed toward the exit.

Rubbing or scratching eyes, nose or back of neck.

Before your next interview, practice using body language to convey a message of comfort and excitement. The most important thing you can do is start off on the right note by greeting the interviewer with a genuine smile, a nice handshake and a warm greeting. This way, you can become comfortable quickly and not have to worry about how your nerves are expressing themselves non-verbally.

If you still find yourself displaying some of the mannerisms on the negative list, don't worry too much, most interviewers expect that you will be nervous. In fact, if you were completely comfortable, the interviewer might even wonder if you were taking the interview seriously.

Just remember that when it comes right down to it, there is only so much you can do to impress a potential employer – the rest is up to them. All you can do is be prepared, try to get comfortable at the beginning and keep an eye out for any negative body language you may be displaying.

What do you think about body language? Do you frequently use any of the gestures on the lists? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for HealthcareJobsiteBlog and Beyond.com.. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

Related articles

• Making Sure That Your Body Language Says "Hire Me!" (manufacturingworkersblog.com)
• 4 Crazy Interview Tips - That Actually Work (healthcarejobsiteblog.com)
• 3 Ways To Stay Excited About Your Job Search (healthcarejobsiteblog.com)

In The Hot Seat - Thanksgiving

We are grateful for the people who have supported us in the past and the opportunities that are coming in the future. Have a safe and happy holiday.

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a multimedia developer with experience in web, film, photography and animation as well as traditional fine arts like painting and sculpting. In addition to writing for Beyond.com, she is co-founder of design and promotion company. Heather’s spare time consists of making puppets, teaching Sunday School, building Legos and doing science experiments with her children.

In The Hot Seat - Thanksgiving

We are grateful for the people who have supported us in the past and the opportunities that are coming in the future. Have a safe and happy holiday.

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a multimedia developer with experience in web, film, photography and animation as well as traditional fine arts like painting and sculpting. In addition to writing for Beyond.com, she is co-founder of design and promotion company. Heather’s spare time consists of making puppets, teaching Sunday School, building Legos and doing science experiments with her children.

Five "Business" Card Ideas for Job Seekers

If you are a job seeker, you probably know that networking is a required activity. You can’t just sit around, wishing and hoping someone will fall in love with your resume and call you up, begging for you to interview—no, skip the interview, just take the job! If you believe that, I have some swamp land in Florida that I’m selling at bargain prices…

While researching job markets, I came across an article announcing last September’s Mega Career Fair networking event in Philadelphia. When they said Mega, they meant it! As the article stated, last September there were over 60 exhibitors in three separate pavilions and over 5,000 job seekers at the event! Mega events are great for job seekers, since you meet a variety of employers face-to-face in one location. But how do you stand out among 5,000 other job seekers? In those situations, your resume is your calling card. What about networking events? You can’t just go around handing out your two-page resume to everyone you meet at the monthly Business After Hours.

The employed already have business cards to hand out, but what about the job seeker? You can distinguish yourself by handing out personal information cards, a new use for an old custom when meeting new people.

1. The same size as business cards, they contain your name, contact information and, for job seekers, area of expertise, skill and education. Subtle, clean and professional, they take the place of a resume at a networking event.

2. They are a way to collect business cards with valuable contact information for potential employers. It’s easy to get a business card when you hand a contact one of your own. You can have contact information that can get your resume into the hands of the person who does the hiring or can pass your resume on to HR.

3. They are a confidence builder. I remember taking a job that didn’t merit business cards. I had been a manager at my previous job, but the new job was a staff analyst position, without much outside contact. It was tough attending business meetings when others were passing out business cards and I had none. Handing out your own card levels the playing field.

4. They are a curiosity and talking point. The card itself is unique, and shows some creativity and initiative. Instead of just blurting out your 30-second elevator speech, the card speaks for you, which may prompt the recipient to begin asking for more information.

5. No more “cold calling.” It’s easier to send a resume to someone you met who showed some interest in you than by blindly answering job postings. The clearer the target, the better chance of hitting the mark.

Have you used information cards in your job search? How have they worked for you? Share your experiences with other job seekers in the Comments section below.

Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a consultant, blogger, motivational speaker and freelance writer for phillyjobs.com. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in Training magazine, Training & Development magazine, Supervision, BiS Magazine and The Savannah Morning News. When she’s not writing, she enjoys singing with the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus and helping clients reinvent their careers for today’s job market. You can read more of her blogs at phillyjobs.com and view additional job postings on Beyond.com

Using Spider Venom to Fight Breast Cancer

by Alex A. Kecskes

If you’re an aspiring medical researcher, your career may lead you to cancer breakthroughs using some unconventional approaches. In the fight against breast cancer, for example, researchers have begun investigating the use of spider venom—extracted from funnel-web spiders and tarantulas.

Cancer researchers at the University of Queensland's Institute for Molecular Bioscience hope the “cocktail of molecules” in specific spider venoms might just offer a more natural way to fight breast cancer. The two-year trial involving venom from funnel-web spiders hopes to isolate as many as 300 molecules in the venom and expose them to cancer cells. Spider venom molecules have evolved over millions of years to target very specific sites, and the hope is that some of these sites could include cancer cells.

Scorpion venom has already been shown to bind to cancer cells in mice. Researchers have made the cells glow, which allows surgeons to more clearly identify brain tumor cells. Scientists hope that spider toxins will highlight and even kill breast cancer cells.

Medical researchers have discovered that natural poisons, toxins, and venoms contain chemicals that can be used to create a variety of drugs for treating chronic pains and cancers. Take the cone snail, for example. Its venom is loaded with nerve-debilitating conotoxins, which can be lethal, yet the toxins have led to the development of a new painkiller. Then there’s contortrostatin, a peptide extracted from the venom of the southern American copperhead snake. The disintegrin peptide could possibly stop cancer cells from adhering or sticking to one another and arrest their growth.

If you have any thoughts on venoms used as anti-cancer agents, feel free to share them in the comments section.

Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients. Please see more of his blogs and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.

Some Hope For Job Seekers

A sign of hope for frustrated job seekers.

We all know how tough the job market has been lately. However, there is a small ray of hope. According the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, 80,000 jobs were added in the month of October. Even though it was a lower number than experts had predicted, it's still good news.

As a result, the unemployment rate dropped to 9 percent. It was only a slight drop, but it is the first time in several months that the number has dipped below 10 percent.

In addition, the BLS had some other good news to share. It seems that over 100,000 more jobs were created in August and September than they had reported previously.

Here's an excerpt from their report:

Nonfarm payroll employment continued to trend up in October (+80,000),and the unemployment rate was little changed at 9.0 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment in the private sector rose, with modest job growth continuing in professional and businesses services, leisure and hospitality, health care, and mining. Government employment continued to trend down.

The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for August was revised from +57,000 to +104,000, and the change for September was revised from +103,000 to +158,000.

This news from the BLS is a sign, although it doesn't mean that the trend will continue. Still, it's a good sign that we are moving in the right direction.

What do you think about this report? Have you seem more job openings lately? Please share your thoughts in the comment section.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog and Beyond.com, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

Related articles

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• Your Online Reputation - 4 Things You May Not Know (administrativejobsblog.com)
• Job Seekers are Still Hopeful About The Future (logisticsjobsiteblog.com)

5 Ways To Reach Your Goals

Have you ever wondered why it always seems that other people are better at reaching goals? Is it because they have more talent and better skills than you? Surprisingly, the answer is – not so much. The difference is simply in how they go about setting their goals.

When you are looking for a job or trying to get a promotion, the goal is to be able to make clear goals that will advance your job search or better your job performance. The key to reaching those goals isn't who you are, it's what you do about them.

Here are 5 ways to reach your goals:

Be specific – Vague goals are hard to reach. Instead of saying that you would like to lose some weight, set a goal that you want to lose 5 pounds. It's important to know exactly what you want to achieve, then think about the things you need to do to reach the goal. If you want to lose weight, for example, saying that you just need to eat less or stop eating junk food isn't going to help. Instead, decide on specific actions like, I won't snack in the middle of the night or I will keep my kitchen stocked with healthier foods.

There's no time like the present – Once you have a clear goal set, it's really easy to put off doing the things you know need to happen. It's only human to get so busy that you miss opportunities. One way to prevent it is to set up a schedule along with your list of specific actions. For example, using the weight loss goal, you can specify which day you want to exercise and when. If you know that every Tuesday and Thursday you are going to walk for an hour, then it is less likely that you will put it off.

Monitor your progress – In order to reach your goals, you have to know how you're doing. Plan out times to check and see where you are. For example, you might want to weigh yourself every Saturday to see if you've gotten closer to your goal. Even if you haven't made much progress, monitoring yourself will help you see where you need to try harder.

Focus on progress, not completion – Don't fall into the trap of attaching all of your energy into the end goal. Celebrate your progress as you go. Remember that the goal is to improve, so take adversity in stride and keep working to get better.

Make you goals positive – It's really easy to make lists of negative goals, but they just don't work. Instead of making your goal something you don't want or want to stop doing, make the goal about what you want to do. For example, instead of having a goal like “I won't eat cake” make it “I will make healthier food choices”. When you focus on the things you don't want to do, it just reinforces the negative behavior. Don't believe me? Try not to think about coffee, just for a minute.

Reaching your goals isn't as hard as we want to make it. It isn't all about having willpower or being stronger than others. The real secret is in the process. By setting better goals, we have a better chance of reaching them.

Have you ever set goals? What do you do to make success more likely? Please share your thoughts and tips in the comment section.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for HealthcareJobsiteBlog and Beyond.com.. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

Related articles

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Four Ways to Aim for the $100k Stars

With so many people looking for a job—any job—I wondered if somehow the unemployed population has lost faith altogether. Boomers who feel they are too old or out of step, college grads caught between too much education and little work experience, and industrial or construction workers caught in the collapse of their main source of jobs. What happened to aiming for the stars, going for the gold, reaching for the brass ring?

Those phrases are a bit trite, but if you look at job postings, like those on phillyjobs.com, you’ll find there are all types of jobs listed. People who are already employed leave jobs for various reasons, creating opportunities for others. Companies create a number of new jobs each month. Some of these jobs come with a six-figure salary.

An article in the May, 2011 issue of Forbes Magazine, “The Best and Worst Paying Sales Jobs,” listed Securities, Commodities and Financial Services Agent as the highest paying sales job, at about $100k per year. I have to confess I’d never heard of that position, but I wondered if there were any jobs in that field in Philadelphia. If you’re going to reach for a star, why not target one in your geographic region of the solar system?

I found a list of financial jobs in Philadelphia, and one job, Audit Manager of Financial Services, paid a whopping $100k to $150k a year! This is not an entry-level job, but worth a look if you are a CPA, familiar with public accounting and external audit procedures, and have knowledge of a whole bunch of acronyms—GAAP, FASB, IFRS, ERP and SAP. If you are one of the many highly educated, experienced and credentialed job seekers with a sales and financial background, why not spruce up your résumé and throw your hat in the ring. My favorite quote is, “They can only say no.” You haven’t lost anything by trying, and you may be pleasantly surprised when you get a call because something on your résumé stood out.

It doesn’t cost any more to apply for a $100k per year job than it does for one paying $30k per year. It’s even easier online. The problem is we tend to lower the expectation bar the longer we’re out of work. If your goal is to someday qualify for a job at that level, researching job openings for qualifications can help get you on track:

1. If you’re out of a job and never got around to taking the CPA exam, you can use the time to study and sit for the exam.

2. If you’re already working and keep getting passed over for promotion, watch for opportunities to gain experience in those areas required for that next level position. The job description will give you specific things to look for.

3. Leverage your current job to gain the knowledge and experience you need for your next job. Take advantage of tuition reimbursement, or use your vacation leave to attend some classes or seminars on subjects or technology needed for the next level.

4. Attend a conference in your field, attend educational sessions and network with as many people as possible. Introduce yourself to the conference speakers and ask for their views on the future of the profession and industry.

You can settle for a job below your current salary and experience level or you can fill in the gaps, raise the bar and keep competing. You just might win the prize.

What strategies are you using to get to the next level? Share your tips in the Comments section below.

Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a consultant, blogger, motivational speaker and freelance writer for phillyjobs.com. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in Training magazine, Training & Development magazine, Supervision, BiS Magazine and The Savannah Morning News. When she’s not writing, she enjoys singing with the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus and helping clients reinvent their careers for today’s job market. You can read more of her blogs at phillyjobs.com and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.

Singer Andy Williams Has Bladder Cancer

by Alex A. Kecskes

Famous for crooning such crowd pleasers as “Moon River” and "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire," singer Andy Williams recently announced he’s fighting bladder cancer.

If you’re working in the field of oncology or aspire to, you know that there is hope for people facing this deadly disease.

Appearing in a show at the Moon River Theatre, the 83-year-old Williams promised to return next year to celebrate his 75th year in show business. He indicated what many doctors know: that cancer is no longer a death sentence.

Williams cut short a number of planned performances this fall and noted that he would probably miss his holiday schedule as he battled his illness. Williams' theatre appearance surprised the audience who gave him a standing ovation. The popular singer turned out hit after hit in the 1950s and `60s, including "Can't Get Used to Losing You" and "Butterfly." He produced 18 gold and three platinum albums in his career.

Williams was famous for hosting annual TV Christmas specials and for his live Christmas shows. From 1962-71, he also hosted the Emmy-winning TV program simply entitled "The Andy Williams Show.” Who can forget his Christmas classic, the 1963 recording, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year."

Careers in oncology offer many opportunities to help patients battle this deadly disease. As an oncology nurse, for example, you would care for patients undergoing or recovering from cancer treatments. You may also administer radiation therapy, antibiotics, chemotherapy and blood transfusions to patients.

For an added perspective, check out this video:

If you have any thoughts on Andy Williams’ battle with cancer or oncology careers, feel free to share them in the comments section.

Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients. Please see more of his blogs and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.

5 Funny Cards For The Recently Unemployed

Humorous ways to deal with unemployment


Being out of work really stinks. It can damage your confidence and chip away at your self esteem. The problem is that if you aren't careful, depression can sneak in, leaving you less motivated in your job search and considerably less attractive to future employers.

These days, with so many people feeling the pain of unemployment, many companies have started making humorous sympathy card for job loss. Some of them are from well respected companies like Hallmark, while others are e-cards.

Here are 5 of the funniest cards for the recently unemployed. I hope they make you smile!

The inside says: "Wow! That really sucked!"

Some of these are irreverent, some are just plain funny. What do you think? Have you seen a great job loss card? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog and Beyond.com, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

Related articles

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In The Hot Seat - Veteran's Day

To all the members that have served in the armed forces both past and present, we offer this heartfelt salute of appreciation.

Have you hugged a veteran today?

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a multimedia developer with experience in web, film, photography and animation as well as traditional fine arts like painting and sculpting. In addition to writing for Beyond.com, she is co-founder of design and promotion company. Heather’s spare time consists of making puppets, teaching Sunday School, building Legos and doing science experiments with her children.

In The Hot Seat - Veteran's Day

To all the members that have served in the armed forces both past and present, we offer this heartfelt salute of appreciation.

Have you hugged a veteran today?

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a multimedia developer with experience in web, film, photography and animation as well as traditional fine arts like painting and sculpting. In addition to writing for Beyond.com, she is co-founder of design and promotion company. Heather’s spare time consists of making puppets, teaching Sunday School, building Legos and doing science experiments with her children.

Is the Jawbone Wristband the Future of Healthcare?

Can a wristband monitor your health?

A new product from Jawbone is making waves in the healthcare industry. It's a bendable, waterproof wristband that people can use to track their health stats and keep track of how much exercise they get throughout the day.

The wristband is called The Up and it connects with an app on the iPhone (even though an Android app is in the works) using a small audio jack hidden under a silver cap on the end. In addition to syncing the wristband to their smart phones, users also have to charge the device by plugging into a USB connector every week or so.

The wristband keeps track of how often its wearers sleep and exercise. It monitors the wearer's movements and can tell when they are asleep. As an added plus, you can set an alarm and the wristband will wake you up with gentle vibrations. In addition, it monitors how deeply you sleep and picks a time closest to your desired awake time, attempting to wake you when your sleep is at its lightest.

The Up also keeps track of how much you move during the day and logs all of your activity. For example, if you spent the day shopping at the mall, it will track how long you walked and how many miles you went. Along with the smartphone app, users are encouraged to keep a log of the food they eat and how they felt a couple of hours after eating.

The neat thing is that it combines all of this data to help people get a clear idea of their activities. By tracking these activities, users have a comprehensive tool for managing their health information.

Although it has the potential to grow in the future to be a tool that can also monitor blood pressure and sugar levels, for now at least, Jawbone envisions The Up to be a way for people to connect with their friends and share their health data. The iPhone app encourages people to invite their friends and get support for mini-goals. Even though the app isn't integrated with social networking sites like Twitter or Facebook just yet, there is still space to connect with friends inside the app.

Personally, I don't think that I would want to use the wristband and app with my social network. I think that when I sleep and how much exercise I get is way too personal for my Facebook wall. On the surface, it seems innocuous enough, but I can't help but wonder what will happen when I tell my friends that I couldn't go out because I need to sleep and the next day they see several bouts of strenuous activity throughout my night with few sleep hours?

The other downside is that I would have to have friends who have the wristband in order to share the information with them. Without any friends who have it, it would be hard to stay motivated.

The Up retails for $99 and is available at most Apple stores, Targets and Best Buy.

What do you think about this type of health monitoring? Do you see any other applications for this technology in the future? Please share your thoughts and comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for HealthcareJobsiteBlog and Beyond.com.. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

Related articles

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Willing to Travel? Ten Things to Consider Before Checking "Yes"

Sales reps, sales managers, trainers, project managers, auditors—the list goes on and on for jobs that require travel. Some sales jobs require close to 100 percent travel, which means a life catching planes, sleeping in hotels and driving on unfamiliar roads in all kinds of weather. Most people don’t give it much thought. They choose a percentage from a dropdown box and continue filling out the application. It can affect your quality of life, your family and the ability to enjoy your home and community activities. Here are 10 things to consider before you say yes:

1. Do you like to travel? If you’re a homebody who needs to sleep in your own bed every night, a job with travel may not be for you.

2. Do you have a family? Jim Croce’s song, “The Cat’s in the Cradle,” says it well. When parents are away building their careers and aren’t able to build relationships, the kids learn to live without them and often become just like them.

3. Do you have a support system for your family if you travel? While some great jobs require travel, a strong support system of extended family, friends or church/religious affiliations helps fill in the gaps between trips.

4. Is your spouse on board? Assuming he will support you because of the perks of the job may be incorrect. A long, serious, open discussion can reveal his true feelings. Long periods of separation for a partner who feels burdened or abandoned causes damage to even strong relationships. Is a job ever worth that?

5. Can your spouse handle day-to-day family obligations? It can be a lot to get kids to school in the morning or handle soccer practice and piano lessons after school when dad has a job and mom is on the road. Some people are very organized and detail oriented. Others feel overwhelmed. Can you afford to pay for day care or after-school care with the new job’s salary?

6. Can your spouse handle the finances in your absence? Bills need to be paid on time. If your spouse or partner isn’t a “numbers person,” you may be paying late fees or reconnect penalties when bills aren’t paid on time.

7. Can you handle the stress of today’s travel? After the 9/11 terror attacks, airline travel changed dramatically. Airport security, baggage restrictions and extra fees make travel challenging and frustrating. A type “A” personality may have a tough time waiting at the gate when flights are cancelled or rebooked.

8. Driving late at night in bad weather and then checking into a hotel in a strange town bring up security issues. Find out where you will be traveling, and the class of hotels the company will pay for. Ask if the company pays for travel insurance and roadside assistance.

9. The company’s reimbursement policy may not cover every expense. I worked for a company that didn’t pay for the first $15 for cab rides or parking fees. Two or three of these on week-long trips adds up. Be sure you understand the policy before you sign up.

10. Access to the airport. How much time will it take to get the airport, park the car and get to the gate? Some major airports can add several hours to travel time. Find out if the company will pay for a cab ride to and from the airport or pay for parking your personal vehicle.

What situations would steer you away from a job with a lot of travel? Share these with other job seekers in the comments section.

Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a consultant, blogger, motivational speaker and freelance writer for BusinessWorkForce.com. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in Training magazine, Training & Development magazine, Supervision, BiS Magazine and The Savannah Morning News. When she’s not writing, she enjoys singing with the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus and helping clients reinvent their careers for today’s job market. You can read more of her blogs at businessworkforceblog.com and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.

Healthcare Job Seekers and the HPV Vaccine

by Alex A. Kecskes

In 2007, Texas Governor Rick Perry signed an executive order requiring girls to receive the HPV vaccine before entering the sixth grade. While the Governor’s “opt out” order raised the question of parental rights, it also dramatically raised the awareness of this terrible virus. If you’re considering a career in the healthcare field, you should be aware of the health implications of these vaccinations.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) notes that the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is “the most common sexually transmitted infection.” About 20 million Americans carry the virus and six million new cases are recorded annually. While most people fight off the virus with their immune system, nearly 12,000 women develop cervical cancer from it.

Aside from one mother who told Representative Michele Bachman that the vaccine left her daughter “retarded,” the CDC indicated that the only side effects of the HPV vaccines are “pain and redness where the shot is given” in the arm, “itching,” and mild or moderate fever.

Still, there are real issues to consider. The vaccine prevents only four of the over 30 strains of HPV. This raises the concern that these vaccinations may give tweens and teens a false sense of security. Moreover, some at the American Academy of Pediatrics believe that questions remain about the vaccine's effectiveness and possible side effects. The vaccine’s manufacturer, Merck has aggressively pushed for mandatory vaccinations, which can cost families $360 for a full series of shots.

Ultimately, the choice and responsibility for administering these vaccinations should rest with the family and advice from the family’s doctor.

For an added perspective, check out this video:

If you have any thoughts on the HPV vaccine, feel free to share them in the comments section.

Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients. Please see more of his blogs and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.

Occupy Philly Protestors Face Jail Time

Is the 99% movement making a difference?

The 99% movement has been gaining ground all across the country. Starting with the Occupy Wall Street protests, groups of angry citizens have started occupations in cities across the country. They are protesting the huge amount of control that corporations have over our government, the banking structure and the lack of jobs.

In Oakland, CA, occupiers joined a general strike and have had several serious altercations with the local police. In Philly, hundreds of protesters marched downtown and protested in front of the Comcast Center. Their goal was to bring attention to the fact that Comcast had managed to dodge paying corporate tax and the tax breaks that ensure that they never have to pay a dime in property tax to the city.

During the demonstration, the police tried to make them move, claiming that they were trespassing on private property. After they refused to leave, nine protesters were arrested and may face jail time.

You can watch a video about the incident from FoxNews here.

I just wonder if these protests are actually making a difference. I did some research and it would appear that, yes, they actually are. As the protest spreads, people are beginning to have meaningful conversations about the huge inequality between the top 1% and the rest of us.

In fact, six Deomocratic senators have introduced a constitutional amendment that hopes to overturn the Citizens United decision. Their hope is to stop corporations from being able to make massive campaign contributions. The amendment hopes to restore the ability of states to regulate the amount of funding that political candidates and elected officials receive.

Although it's unlikely that the proposal will have enough support to actually become a constitutional amendment, at least it has people talking - which is the first step to making real change.

Do you think that the protesters are making a difference? Have you thought about joining them? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog and Beyond.com, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

3 Ways To Stay Excited About Your Job Search

Re-energize your job search.

I know it sounds sort of crazy to think about excitement and job searching in the same sentence, but being enthusiastic is important. When you're out of work, it's sometimes hard to feel anything other than desperate. With the unemployment rating staying at 9%, who wouldn't be?

The thing is, employers want to hire people who are enthusiastic and excited about working for their company, not just those who are excited about getting a job. When you feel desperate, it shows in everything you do. Instead of focusing on showing an employer why you are the best choice, you start to send out generic resumes to every job opening you see, which just wastes time and doesn't show anyone anything real about who you are.

If you are starting to feel desperate, here are 3 ways to get more excited about your search:

• Do some research - Think about what you are good at and which companies you really want to work for. From there, target those companies and keep up with what's going on in the industry. Make connections with others who work there and find out about any new job openings. You can write a cover letter explaining who you are and why you want to work for the company. By focusing on what you want, you can show an employer that you want their job.

• Mingle - Build a strong social and professional network. Get involved on sites like Twitter and Linkedin. Look for people who are talking about your industry. Participate in conversations and help others who are looking for jobs. Don't rely on social networking entirely. Look for ways to meet other professionals in your area. Networking opportunities like workshops, job fairs and even public speaking classes can be great ways to make connections with other who can help you along the way.

• Volunteer - Especially if you've been out of work for a month or longer, find a way to use your time and talents to help others. Not only is volunteering great for your self-esteem and gives you some sort of schedule to give structure to your week, it's a great way to make connections with others. For example, if you are an accountant, offer to help a non-profit organization or do tax workshops for poor people. Whatever you pick, it will help you keep your skills sharp and give you something to talk about when an interviewer ask what you have been doing recently.

Staying excited about your job search is so important and really difficult. It's tempting to just sit at home combing the job ads and feeling like a loser. Don't fall into this trap. The job of your dreams isn't going to knock on your door. Instead, do things that will keep you motivated and make you more excited about your future.

What things do you do to stay enthusiastic? Please share your thoughts and tips in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for HealthcareJobsiteBlog and Beyond.com.. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

Related articles

• 5 Creative Ways To Use Linkedin To Find a Job (administrativejobsblog.com)
• 4 Things on Your Resume That Make You Look Bad (healthcarejobsiteblog.com)
• 5 Ways to Improve Your Job Search Today (logisticsjobsiteblog.com)
• Rethinking the Workplace and Taking Responsibility for Your Career (phillyjobsblog.com)

Five Ways to Avoid the Job Fair Crush

A recent article in CNN Money pointed out something that job seekers may not know. People are getting hired – in fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that over 4 million job seekers pulled the brass ring and found a job in January of 2011. What was interesting is the perspective of employers who have openings.

Because there are so many unemployed workers for each opening – about four to one – employers are deluged with resumes and overwhelmed at job fairs. That may be one reason why there are so few newspaper ads for jobs. Short-staffed HR departments aren’t equipped to handle the crush of humanity lining up outside their doors. An Internet job site, like Phillyjobs.com, is more likely to have an up-to-date list of open positions and is a great place to find jobs.

How can you uncover the available jobs and sniff out the hidden ones? Here are five tips to help you in your job hunt.

1. Check job postings daily. Jobs are opening up all the time. A recent statistic showed for those who are already employed, about 20 percent are looking for another position. That means that about 20 percent of all currently held jobs can be available at any time. Check at the end of the workday to see what may have been posted before HR closed, or first thing in the morning.

2. Network, network, network. Those 20 percent employed workers who are thinking of leaving probably confide in at least one co-worker. Those are the hidden jobs, the ones that get filled before they are posted. Someone gets a job and is going to give notice and tells her co-worker who knows someone who is looking for a job. You can be that lucky job seeker if you let everyone know you are available.

3. Do your homework. Not just what the job duties are, but how the company got started, its major products and services. Find out what type of customers they have and what they think of the company. When I was looking for a hospitality job, I went online and checked out review websites like Tripadvisor.com for comments from guests. If the hotel had mostly poor ratings, it said a lot about the company’s management, values and the possible stress level dealing with unhappy guests.

4. Use Social Networking for research. LinkedIn has a lot of special interest groups with lively discussions and insider tips for available jobs. More and more companies have Facebook pages, and you can learn a lot about a company’s culture and work environment through posts by employees and management.

5. Use your imagination. Some people never seem to be happy in a job because they want a job that hasn’t been invented yet. You may have a unique skill set that will fill a need about to be discovered. Steve Jobs had the unique ability to invent products that people had never imagined but that they instantly couldn’t live without. You may be able to fill an unrealized niche for a company. Instead of looking for a job, pitch your job idea to a company you want to work for.

Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a consultant, blogger, motivational speaker and freelance writer for phillyjobs.com. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in Training magazine, Training & Development magazine, Supervision, BiS Magazine and The Savannah Morning News. When she’s not writing, she enjoys singing with the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus and helping clients reinvent their careers for today’s job market. You can read more of her blogs at phillyjobs.com and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.

Top Eye Technician Schools

by Alex A. Kecskes

Laser eye surgery is becoming increasingly popular and employment opportunities in this field are growing. But where can you get the training you need to become an eye (ophthalmic) technician? Fortunately, there are a number of schools that will prepare you for this lucrative field. Here are three:

Greenville Specialized College

Situated in Greenville, South Carolina, this public two-year community and technical college awards certificates, diplomas and associate degrees in healthcare. Students enrolled in the college's ophthalmic medical assistant certificate program are required to complete 90 hours of classroom study and related practical laboratory work. The curriculum covers everything from computerized medical billing to eye care. Students must also perform clinical work at area ophthalmic offices. For more information, visit Greenville Specialized College.

Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute

This two-year public community and technical college in Hudson, North Carolina offers a two-year ophthalmic medical assistant program. The three-semester program prepares graduates to perform ocular testing, administer medications and perform a variety of other specialized tasks. Subjects covered include diseases of the eye, ophthalmic patient care, and how to work and communicate with patients. Classroom study is supplemented with practical laboratory work and clinical experience. For more information, visit Caldwell Community College.

Emory Eye Center

Emory Eye Center is part of Emory University, a private four-year institution in Atlanta, Georgia. This world-renowned center offers two key training programs in ophthalmology. Its Ophthalmic Technician and Ophthalmic Medical Technologist Training Programs prepare students to become laser eye surgery technicians and ophthalmic surgical assistants. Students have a choice of two program tracks, neither of which requires a background in ophthalmology or medical related fields. Courses cover everything from ophthalmic optics and surgical assisting to oculoplastics. Students also perform clinical work in glaucoma and cornea treatments. For more information, visit Emory Eye Center.

For an added perspective, check out this video:

If you have any thoughts on ophthalmic technician schools, feel free to share them in the comments section.

Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients. Please see more of his blogs and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.