While each interview is different, there are some general things you need to keep in mind before you go for it. The following tips comprise of both the general as well as some cool tips unknown to most job seekers, which can help you crack an interview.

1. Know what you want

I think the first tip for cracking a job interview is to go for the right job interview. A lot of times college students go for the wrong job; something which they know they’d dislike sooner or later. They usually succumb to peer pressure and follow the herd.

It’s true that we don’t always know what we want, especially right after college when the primary focus is to land a job and start raking in the moolah. That is okay but going for a job which is aligned to your interests will always shape up a great career for you. So think about it for a moment and decide on the interview you should appear for. Listen to your heart and then go for it.

2. Prepare, and then prepare a little more

You may have been the topper at your university and fetched medals in all sorts of activities. Good for you. But that doesn’t guarantee your success in the interview. The HR representatives from corporate firms are a different breed and being complacent is the last thing you can afford to do.

Hence, no matter how confident you feel (which is a great feeling to have), make sure you leave no stone unturned in preparing for the interview. And that means preparing for the common interview questions, refining your communication skills, taking advice from others and more. Here’s a list of common interview questions for your reference.

3. Study and get to know the firm

This is a very basic mistake which a lot of newbies tend to make. They are up for the interview but when asked what do they know about the firm, they don’t have much to say. That’s because they haven’t spent time checking the company’s website and googling its name to check its web presence.

Don’t be a noob. Do an in-depth study about the firm on the internet. Check their Wikipedia page if they have one, check their site, google their name, check who the founders are, check what does the company specialize in…all this will ensure that you leave a great impression on the interviewer when he asks what do you know about their firm.

4. Get your online profiles in order

While you are checking the firm online, don’t forget that they could check you online too. College students are known to be active on social networks and many companies now-a-days prefer to do a thorough online research about their job applicants. Hence it is important that you check out all your online profiles and make sure that you clear anything which you feel could obstruct your success in the interview.

5. Say “I don’t know” when you don’t know

Remember the interview of Chris Gardner (Will Smith) in The Pursuit of Happyness? He tells the interviewer, “I’m the type of person that if you ask me a question and I don’t know the answer, I’m gonna tell you that I don’t know. But I bet you what, I know how to find the answer and I will find the answer.” And he gets the job.

So be upfront and truthful. Don’t try to fake skills because there are strong chances you will get caught right there.

6. Don’t be aggressive

While it’s good to say I don’t know when you don’t know, it could be a possibility that you do know just about everything the person asks. And you might know much more than what the interviewer had expected. But this is where the problem begins. You tend to become aggressive and argue loudly.

Don’t let your confidence become your arrogance. Be calm and to the point when answering questions. You may consider being assertive but don’t try to be aggressive.

7. Have the right attitude

Have you ever wondered why a candidate gets the job even when he seemed far less qualified than the job profile required him to be ? Well, the answer is – attitude matters. And he had the right attitude towards the job. He was calm, curious, listened actively and demonstrated his potential to excel in the job, no matter what his qualifications are. That’s what you need to keep in mind too. Go in the interview room with the mindset that you will come out with an offer letter. Don’t treat it like just another interview.

8. Practice

Practice what, you may ask. Well, practice the interview…in front of the mirror. Yeah, you read it right. It’s old fashioned but still and will continue to be very effective. It can help you study your facial gestures and see where you need to improve. Plus it boosts your confidence.

You could also practice with your friends and classmates. Do role plays and try to create an environment of a real interview.

9. Think before you speak

Most of the time the interviewee assumes that his success in the interview depends on how quick he can respond to every question. And hence many times he says something which he shouldn’t have said. Therefore it is important that you don’t tread that path. There is no harm if you take a minute or two to think if you are stuck at a question. Ultimately, what you answer matters the most.

10. Begging for job

Emotional blackmails might work on some interviewers and you might get the job on the grounds of sympathy, but I’d say the chances are 1 in 100. You beg for the job and you lose the respect of the interviewer. It’s very hard to try any other trick on him after that. So don’t plead for the job. You would get it if you prove that you deserve it. Not by any other way.

11. Smile often

While crying and begging usually doesn’t work, smiling does. A smiling face often has a positive impact on the person on the other side. It makes the applicant appear confident and easy going. Of course for the candidate, a smile can do a great deal in reducing the nervousness and perform better in the interview.

12. Never badmouth college authorities or previous employers

No matter how much you hated your professors or any previous boss when you did a summer job, make sure you don’t tell that to the interviewer. This is when not being truthful is better. You don’t have to sing songs in their praise, just speak well of them.

By asking such questions, the interviewer will try to judge how comfortable you are under authority. That’s because you’ll have a boss at the job. So badmouthing your college authorities could leave a negative impression on him.

13. Money isn’t everything

It may be everything but you don’t have to show that in the interview. Also, as I mentioned earlier, you should go for a job which you know you would be interested in. Because when you appear for that interview, you would be enthusiastic about your future prospects irrespective of the money you’d make. And that is music to the interviewer’s ears.

14. Resume

How could I forget one of the most important things in an interview, especially when the applicant is a fresher just out of college. Your resume should clearly reflect what you were and what you are capable of.
A resume which is nicely done gives you an advantage over other candidates.

Here are some great resume writing tips you might want to take a look at.

15. Be precise and clear

A common complaint which HR managers have when they interview college students is that the interviewees tend to beat around the bush and waste their time. That is again an indication of not preparing well for the interview.

So make sure that you answer precisely and clearly. Don’t add unnecessary sentences because that could give the interviewer a chance to grill you more.

16. Social networking

The importance of social networking before an interview is often ignored by the candidates. If you have a job interview coming up, why not go to LinkedIn or Facebook and try to find people who recently joined that firm. And then try to contact them to get some pointers. This is just one example of how you could utilize the social networks to prepare for the interview.

17. Take advice from seniors and professors

That’s why it is always advisable for a college student to maintain a healthy relationship with his seniors and professors. They are the ones who could give the most valuable tips which could help you crack the interview. So don’t forget to take advice from them before the D-day.

18. Ask questions to the interviewer

Every interviewer gives a chance to the applicant to ask him questions about the job and the company. You should utilize this opportunity to ask relevant questions about the job. Shying away from asking questions at this point could mean that you aren’t very enthusiastic about the new opportunity.

19. Switch off your cellphone

A simple but an important thing to do before the interview. It shows you are really serious about getting the job. In fact a better step could be not to carry your cellphone at all to the interview. That would eliminate the possibility of your cellphone ringing suddenly in case you forgot to switch it off.

20. Your posture and eye-contact

The way you sit and look at the interviewer matters a lot. It’s also a part of having the right attitude. Sit straight and have a constant eye contact with the interviewer. It shows that you are confident and ready to enter the corporate world.

HEALTH CARE

1.Medical Roboticist

New technology is doing amazing things for medical patients these days, especially in the world of robotics. We aren’t quite at a Six-Million Dollar Man level yet – but we’re getting awfully close. From physical therapy exoskeletons to new and improved forms of prosthetic attachments, science-minded individuals will be needed to help develop medical technology that is better, stronger, and faster than it ever was before.

2.Genetic Counselor

As genetics continues to be fine-tuned, doctors will be able to run tests to predict all manner of markers and conditions. Genetic counselors have the job of helping families make decisions about their future children in regards to available genetic technologies. At the present, according to MSNBC, “about 2,000 counselors are recognized by the American Board of Genetic Counseling.” As technology improves and becomes more widespread, expect the need for counselors to grow right along with it.

3.Respiratory Therapist

The atmosphere isn’t what it used to be. Between congested highways, the pollutants of industry, and just plain old stress doing a number on our bodies, respiratory problems like asthma are rapidly on the rise. Under these conditions, it comes as no surprise that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is reporting an extremely good job outlook for respiratory therapists. Practitioners and technicians from varying levels of training will be needed increasingly to help future generations breathe well against all odds.

4.Bioinformatician

Whenever new terrain is charted, maps must be drafted to document and understand the new discoveries. Not only is this true in geography, but in biology as well. As genomic and molecular research continues to intensify over the years, the science community will need plenty of young bioinformatics majors to map, analyze, create 3-D models of and compare DNA and protein structures – hopefully resulting in better understanding and treatment of genetics in the future.

5.Stem Cell Researcher

Stem cell research has been a controversial topic since the day it started gaining plausible ground, entrenched in a war of progress and ethics. Still, science finds a way. Already, researchers may have found an alternative to embryonic stem cells that may put the ethical battle to rest. If this is the case, more researchers than ever will be needed to develop cures for diseases, genetic enhancements, and whatever other secrets these cells may hold.

6.Custom Implant Organ Designer

It wasn’t so long ago when organ transplants were the stuff of science-fiction novels. Now human ears are growing on mice for science, mouse brain cells are growing within robots for art, and the next wave of scientists are using gel-suspended cell cultures to draw custom-made organs for implants from scratch. When it comes to biomedical engineering, the sky is the limit, and young ingenious scientists are needed all the time to keep on searching for the next big breakthrough.

7.Massage Therapist

City populations only get more and more crowded as time goes on, and stresses will only increase as towering office jobs become more prevalent and intense. But you have the power not only to do something about it, but to get paid doing it. As the economy levels out and city life stresses become more compact, look for the already booming massage therapy industry to go through the roof.

8.Nurse

As necessary as nurses are, it may stand to reason that we will never run out of nurses…but actually, that is exactly what is happening. According to the American Association of College of Nursing (AACN), our country is “in the midst of a nursing shortage that is expected to intensify as baby boomers age and the need for health care grows.” Nurses will only be more in demand as time goes on, and it’s a profession that will never go out of style.

9.Home Health Care Aide

An entire generation is getting older, and it’s a big one. As the Baby Boomers start to collectively reach senior citizenship, home health care aids will be in hot demand to help elderly folks continue to live at home with dignity, assisting with chores and care and providing valuable company.

10.Pharmacist

Another classic. Just as the rising collective age of Americans is leading to a need for more health care workers, the same thing is also leading to a need for more prescription drugs and those who know how to prescribe them. In addition, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a growing number of pharmacies are starting to offer on-site diagnoses and patient care, stretching the amount of skilled and well-trained pharmacists needed. The demand for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians is expected to rise by over 30% in the next decade.

11.Medical Records Administrator

What’s so high tech and futuristic about a medical records administration career? As a matter of fact: everything. The world of information is rapidly changing, and medical records are at the forefront with a huge push toward going digital. Once doomed to navigate halls of bulging paper files, the medical records administrators of the future will need to be tech-savvy and quick on the draw with digital databases, in a field where fast information recall can mean the difference between life and death.

12.Nutritionist

The United States is dealing with an obesity epidemic of epic proportions – it affects 32% of adults over 20, and leads to complications that add up to $147 billion a year in health care expenditure. Something has to be done, and a healthy diet is a great start. In addition to a growing need for nutritionists and dieticians to help combat obesity, there will be an increased need for nutritionists who can work with elderly patients on adjusting their diets to improve health in the face of age-linked conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.

13.Dentist

Not so futuristic in theory, but certainly a perennial. No matter how far into the foreseeable future, we will always need our teeth – and we only get one natural set, so it pays to treat them well. Unfortunately, the dental profession is seeing a shortage as populations grow while the average age of dentists rises, with many dentists retiring faster than they can be replaced. That’s good news for new crops of prospective dentists, who will find themselves highly in demand.

SCIENCE and ENGINEERING

14.Space Tour Guide

When the time comes for space travel, tourism will be there at the forefront, giving the wealthy and the curious a taste of the exotic. But who will narrate the tours and bring the majestic vistas of outer space to life? You, if you become a space tour guide. It’s not as far off as some might think – multimedia mogul Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic space tourism venture is already garnering some serious financial backing – so anyone interested would do well to start brushing up on their public speaking skills.

15.Robotics Technician

From precision factory work to precision surgery, a robot’s place in society is growing every day. Of course, skilled workers are needed to tend to robots: to build them, maintain them, and keep them running smoothly. Well-versed in both sturdy classic machinery and cutting-edge technology, technicians of the future will play an important part in greasing the gears that keep the world turning.

16.Nanotechnologist

True, science is expanding – moving ever outward with space probes and grand robotic and architectural creations – but it is contracting just as surely. Nanotechnology is the study of matter on a molecular scale: manipulating individual atoms, building structures by the nanometer. It’s a fairly new practice where sciences are concerned, due mostly to it previously being physically impossible, but scientists predict it to have possible applications ranging widely from medicine to electronics and even new forms of energy production.

17.Simulation Engineer

Advanced 3D technology is improving everyday (already movies are a far cry from the headache-inducing red/blue lenses of yesteryear), and it shouldn’t take long for holographic and other simulation-based technologies to follow suit. According to UCSD’s Jacobs School of Engineering dean Frieder Seible, in an interview with MSNBC, “simulation will be in every industry and every engineering field.” The age of full-size interactive holodecks is coming, and Physics and Comp-Sci whizzes will be at the helm of it all.

18.Energy Resources Engineer

Where does our energy come from? Mostly from electricity and oil, but perhaps not for long. As global concern over environmental issues grows, a race is on to create new major sources of energy. New engineers with fresh outlooks are greatly needed to help develop more effective wind turbines, more compact solar panels, safer atomic fission, and the next big thing in energy production.

19.Aerospace Engineer

While MIR and our probes are impressive, our country’s space program has by and large stalled for quite some time. Where will you be when it starts up again? It’s only a matter of time before thoughts turn once again toward exploring the great frontier of space, trekking to new planets and seeking out new life and civilizations – and with the right engineering degree, you could be the one to design the craft that makes it all possible.

20.Biorefinery Plant Manager

A huge talking point of the last presidential election was the potential of biofuels as a valid replacement for our finite sources of petroleum. From corn-based to grain-based ethanol, biomass technology has become a formidable opponent to our current fuel situation. If efforts continue at their current pace, it won’t be too much longer before biorefinery plants are cropping up with the frequency of oil rigs, all of them needing plant workers to make sure the crops flow smoothly on their journey to powering the nation.

21.Laboratory Technician

No man is an island, and that includes scientists: behind every good scientist is a crackerjack team that gets the job done. A laboratory technician takes care of everyday tasks like testing, sampling, measuring, recording data, and generally ensuring that experiments in progress are running smoothly. With so much focus on science and technology in industry, the job outlook for taskmaster lab technicians is quite promising.

22.Transportation Engineer

In just a few short years, rising oil costs and economic downturns have led most of the world to shun former single-serving social status titans like the Hummer and the Segway, while falling head over heels in love with the Prius and the light rail. The face of transportation is changing, and engineers are needed to help design newer, cleaner, and more efficient ways of moving people.

23.Seed Production Technician

Changing technology changes all factions of our lives, and even agriculture is getting a different look these days. With the rise of factory farms, jobs are becoming increasingly parsed out by specialty. Large corporations like Monsanto are consistently looking for skilled workers in fields like seed production, to distribute and produce the crops that keep the country running.

24.Technical Writer

Robots, rocket ships, computers, prostheses and enhancements: all of these are new or evolving technologies, and none of them are exactly simple and self-explanatory. Someone needs to be there to write the manuals for these products, and that person could be you.

25.Inventor

The best part about emerging technology is that it never goes out of style. Whether your interest is chemistry, biology, physics, or engineering, scientists of all disciplines are always needed to think, hypothesize, develop, and create. They are needed by private corporations and government agencies alike, to build better weapons for the army and better toys for the holiday store shelves. Inventors are necessary to progress, and will be needed for as long as progress of civilization is an option.

ENVIRONMENTALISM

26.Organic Food Producer

While it’s always been popular with the eco-conscious, now organic food is more popular than ever before. Taking up nearly 10% of the food and beverage market, a tenfold increase from a decade prior, so many people are clamoring for the “organic” label that it’s on the verge of going mainstream. When the scales do finally tip in organic food’s favor (an event that no doubt will be happening some time in the next ten years), more farmers, producers, and scientists will be needed than ever before to improve organic farming techniques and just simply grow the food that the population is demanding.

27.Sustainability Officer

Sustainability has become a real concern among businesses, but it can be hard for busy execs to find the time to learn all the ropes. Instead, many companies have started hiring on eco-savvy individuals as “sustainability officers.” It’s a new title, and it entails finding, researching, and implementing eco-friendly policies that are of the most benefit to the company at hand. Green Tech Media describes it as a little like IT Techs in the 1980s, helping older businessmen navigate a strange new world – once technology, now sustainability.

28.Waste Management Consultant

Waste is a problem on our planet, and someone has to deal with the overflowing landfills. Consultants will be needed, with backgrounds in biology and chemistry, to bring new ideas to the table on how to break down and eliminate the tons of refuse currently clogging waterways and stretches of land. In addition, scientists are needed more than ever to come up with improved ways of dealing with e-waste, which is becoming a bigger problem with every passing year.

29.Food Scientist

What’s in your dinner? In the near future, that answer may get a lot more technical. Food science is huge: in genetics, vegetables are being modified for more pest-resistant corn and frost-resistant tomatoes spliced with fish genes. In agriculture, farmers are looking for better ways to grow food more organically on a local scale. Meanwhile, in chemistry, scientists are trying to build more effective supplements to make us stronger and healthier on less. No matter what your scientific interest, there’s a way to incorporate our most important fuel of the day.

30.LEED Certified Architect

These days, even constructing houses is a delicate science. People tend to want the best for their new homes, and increasingly this means paying special attention to environmental awareness concerns. For new up-and-coming architects, the smartest career move available is to invest time and study into LEED certification, giving you the training to draft buildings that are ecologically state-of-the-art. Your clients will thank you, and the Earth will thank you more.

31.Renewable Energy Technician

Many electricians these days are still working within the same tired old paradigm of energy resources – but we’re approaching a new age of energy, and the industry will soon require a heavy influx of fresh new faces that reflect that. In the past, industry standards dictated your career to consist mostly of repairing your standard air conditioners, radiators, and electric lines. Soon, however, these tasks will be upgraded to installing and troubleshooting solar panels and integrated home climate control centers as everyday consumers continue to embrace a new world of energy in all its sources.

32.Hydrologist

Water is one of our most vital resources, and hydrologists study both the form and function of water: its distribution, its physical properties, and patterns of circulation and rainfall. In recent years though, both private and government sectors are recruiting the talents of hydrologists for other purposes, namely conservation. With their reservoir of knowledge, hydrologists can help to predict drought zones, analyze quality of newly discovered water sources, and judge how safe construction projects are for surrounding bodies of water – all functions that make the skills of a well-trained hydrologist as desirable as water itself.

33.Sustainable Urban Planner

Individually, engineers and architects are all working on building cleaner and greener homes, offices, and vehicles. What about someone, however, who ties all of those individual pockets together into a cohesive city structure? Sustainable urban planners work hard to solve current spatial problems like urban sprawl and excess pollution with innovative ideas, or even build separate communities known as “eco-villages.” Who will construct the best solution since vertical farming? It could be you.

34.Geophysicist

The work of a geophysicist is in the study of the earth. Earthquakes, atmosphere, the shifting of the continents – these are all within a geophysicist’s realm of study. While some find work as professors, most are employed elsewhere. Some geophysicists work for government agencies, working with architects and predicting earthquake zones. Others work for mining, oil, and gas companies, charting magnetic forces and the probability of natural resources from location to location, making them a powerful asset in the corporate world.

35.Ecotourism Travel Guide

Preferred modes of vacation vary from person to person, and there is a new trend emerging in the travel world: ecotourism. Defined by the International Ecotourism Society as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people,” the main emphasis is on building awareness, fostering cultural sensitivity, and minimizing impact on the destinations visited. Thus far ecotourism has collected a niche following, but with our country’s recent enthusiasm over going green, it’s an industry poised for mainstream popularity.

36.Wind Turbine Technician

If solar power is the weathered veteran of the alternative energy trade, then wind turbines are the bright young upstart. As natural as the sun and just as plentiful, wind power is being hailed as one of the best new energy forms. At the moment, production is rocky due to the economy, but once funding picks up in the near future, wind is predicted to be one of the fastest growing industries in the green energy sector.

DIGITAL

37.Cyber Security Specialist

Back in the 1990s, hackers were demonized as the reckless pirate scourge of the internet. Who would have thought that, a short time later, their dexterous computer skills could be put to good use? Cyber security is a swiftly growing industry, and few reveal site weaknesses and better than those who know a thing or two about exploiting them. Interested in turning your cyber whiz skills into a real profession? With a degree and ambition, it’s possible.

38.Media Search Consultant

The internet is major in business these days, and being seen is everything. Nothing says “you’ve made it!” like showing up on the first page of a Google search, and media search consultants can make that happen. Armed with search engine knowledge, a good media search consultant finds clever keywords and the right ways to drive up traffic and take your website to the top (of search engine ranking)!

39.Data Technologist

Every year we are finding new ways to exchange and process data. We are conducting more business from the screen of a mobile phone than we ever could have thought possible ten years ago. It’s all thanks to data technologists, who are constantly designing and developing new technology from ever smaller processing chips to innovative operating systems to finding the next big thing. If we’re conducting business from the display of a cell phone today, who knows where we’ll be in another ten years?

40.Interface Designer

Pretty soon your PC won’t be the only interactive digital element of your home. It’s probably already started with your television, but more scientists are needed to work on ways to streamline the home experience. From integrated entertainment elements to simpler multifunction pads to adjust climate control devices, part of the challenge is to devise ways to make new interface elements attractive and user-friendly.

41.Distance Education Consultant

The future of college is online. There has been a boom in the distance learning sector over the past few years, as people struggle to balance getting a college education with holding down a day job to support themselves or a family in this economy. It’s a fairly new teaching model, however, and improvements are needed. In turn, more distance education consultants will be needed to develop new techniques and use innovation to solve any and all current problems within the structure of distance learning.

42.Site Acceleration Engineer

The internet is faster than it’s ever been before… but that doesn’t mean it can’t be faster still. The more people get online and the more data is transferred on a daily basis, the more innovation is needed to transfer that data faster and more efficiently. Computer science majors with an interest in the inner workings of the World Wide Web could find a rewarding career advancing the technology of the hypertext transfer protocol.

43.Computer Forensics Analyst

Crime takes many forms, and evidence is left everywhere if you know where to look. Sometimes evidence is locked away within computers, and that’s when computer forensics analysts are called in. In our generation and those to follow, computers and other data devices are found in nearly every household, making computer forensics a hot career commodity. With a solid education in computer science and a clever analytic mind, you can spearhead the next trend in CSI.

44.Quality Assurance Engineer

As new technology evolves, someone has to be on the frontline to observe, test, and suggest corrections for every prototype that emerges. These brave soldiers are known as QA Engineers, and the need for more sharp, analytical, computer-savvy minds will be huge as digital applications, devices, and components continue to stock our shelves at an exponential rate.

45.Cloud Computing Engineer

Look up “cloud computing” on Wikipedia and, faced with a 20 page thesis comprehensible only to comp-sci graduate students, you may assume it has nothing to do with you. Quite the contrary. Facebook, Wordpress, Flickr, Gmail: wherever you can store data and access it from any internet port, cloud computing is to be thanked. Savvy engineers are needed to brainstorm ways to streamline processes, cut costs, and enhance usability.

46.Internet Crack Team Volunteer

The internet is near limitless, but it is also fragile. Its integrity rests on the back of an elite group of programmers with the skills and the know-how to find errors, navigate the tenuous web of the internet, and restore service to damaged sectors. So far this job is selfless and volunteer only, but as the world becomes more dependent on internet service, it stands to reason that a few will find careers for themselves by doing what they’ve so thus far done for free.

47.Integrated Digital Media Specialist

Once, media outlets mostly worked independently: newspapers, film reels, glossy magazines were all completely separate entities. Thanks to the advent of the internet, however, media forms are starting to conglomerate. The journalist of the future must know how to harness the power of multimedia, working with photography, video, sound and written word to create a well-rounded picture of events that will stimulate the average media-saturated mind.

48.Casual Game Developer

PC and console video games have always been a mainstay of the gaming industry, but that industry is changing. With the advent of the internet and mobile applications, casual games have captured the hearts of people who might not otherwise be into gaming but appreciate those mini-distractions throughout the day. Advertisers have taken notice as well – high click rates for game-associated ads have made casual web-based gaming a rewarding pursuit for developers on various levels.

49.Mobile Application Developer

Progress in mobile technology has been swift and immense – it wasn’t so long ago that cell phones resembled bricks and car phones were a sign of wealth. Now, mobile phone use has spread throughout the ranks and technology has seriously blurred the line between phone, PDA, and personal computer. The mobile media industry is continuing to rise in revenue, and as technology continues to become more sophisticated, more developers will be needed to ensure its upward climb.

…AND BEYOND!

50.Intelligence Analyst

The world can be a scary place, but intelligence analysts help the general public to sleep a little more soundly at night. Usually working for the military – but sometimes for private interests – intelligence analysts examine information compiled from different intelligence operatives (think James Bond types), make sense of that information, and plot the next move of terrorists and villains before they make them. In the world’s political climate, intelligence analysts are always in need to save the day one encrypted file at a time.

51.Corrections Officer

Unfortunately, as the earth’s population continues to multiply, one of the side effects is that the prison systems start to overfill. In addition, new “tough on crime” legislations are demanding longer prison sentences and tighter control on inmates. Thanks to these circumstances, The Bureau of Labor Services is projecting growth for corrections officers in the near future, in both the public and private sectors.

52.Sarbanes-Oxley Specialist

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act was introduced in 2002, to better regulate financial practices within the corporate sector. Observance of the act is not a choice: all businesses, no matter how large or small, are required to comply. It isn’t always simple, however, which is why many companies are hiring Sarbanes-Oxley specialists to work with their auditors to design business plans that both benefit the company and fall within the walls of compliance with the act. A fairly new profession, it seems poised to become a booming career choice for anyone with a mind for business and accounting.

53.Tax Examiner

Nothing can be said to be certain in life, except for death and taxes. Tax examiners have been around since practically the dawn of civilization, but as long as people are doing their taxes, tax examiners will be needed to check over those taxes and make sure that every credit, exemption, and addition is perfectly kosher.

54.Regulatory Compliance Officer

Are you a stickler for regulations? If you’re interested in a career as a regulatory compliance officer, it could really get you somewhere. Regulatory compliance officers work with corporate and administrative staff, ensuring that procedures at companies fall within acceptable boundaries for federal and state regulations. Just like tax officers, as long as we have a functioning government there will always be a need for compliance officers to keep things in order.

55.Small Business Owner

This one is really quite simple: there has never been a better time than right now to be a small business owner. Thanks to the internet, it’s easy to get your products to the public without a third party or the massive pull of corporate backing. If you have the ideas and the gumption (and a business degree for the know-how can’t hurt), then you have a mighty good chance of making your business plan work.

56.Welding Technologist

In a future world full of technology and cold metal science, few skilled tradesmen will be in higher demand than welders. Whether fitting together pieces for a factory machine, or repairing vital oil pipelines under the ocean, corporations need welders now and will only need them more in the future. In case the job security doesn’t sound convincing enough, according to Popular Mechanics most welders leave trade school making $17-20 per hour.

57.Employment Recruiter

Quite simply, a growing population demands a growing number of jobs, and the job-hunting climate in our country isn’t always the kindest. Regardless of our economy’s fluctuations, ever larger masses of people will be flocking to employment agencies to help them find suitable careers in a time when “suitable careers” are far from a free-flowing commodity.

58.Financial Engineer

Entrenched in both finance and technology, the financial engineer is a unique animal. Financial engineers are well-versed in finance and mathematics, money and technology, and the relationships between them. Unlike risk-taking stock market cowboys, financial engineers

59.Quantitative Finance Analyst

Also known affectionately as “quants,” quantitative finance analysts are the numerical wizards of the finance world. Rather than gamble stocks and bonds based on trends and feelings, quants employ mathematical concepts, patterns, and even calculus to better understand investments and offer quality solutions for investors. If this line of work interests you, rethink that economics major: most quants hold degrees in physics and mathematics.

60.Virtual Services Worker

The internet has changed everything, from the way we communicate to the way we handle daily transactions. Role playing wonderlands like Second Life may have started out purely recreational, but forward thinking captains of industry have established nightclubs, shops, and even online colleges within its cyber-walls. Of course, someone has to keep those establishments running. As more people venture into virtual reality otherworlds, more people will be needed to conduct sales and offer a friendly personal voice, without ever leaving home.

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About Get Degrees

Get Degrees® is one of the most comprehensive online education destinations on the web today. Check out our entire selection of accredited degree programs including mba degrees, business schools, nursing schools, criminal justice degrees and more.

There are hundreds of social media sites where people gather together online to express themselves, chat it up with other web users, even making a name for themselves in cyber space. LinkedIn is perhaps the most professional of the well known social sites while MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit and Digg tend to be more informal. And that is precisely where problems might arise.

Younger people tend to say what is on their minds without regard to what other people think. That may work when you’re being anonymous, but if your online profile syncs with who you really are, then you have a problem that must be dealt with.

Businesses today have caught on to what the internet is all about and are employing sophisticated methods to gather information about job candidates through the internet. Damaging details related to your political life, religion, community activities, etc. can short-circuit your job search, in most cases without you ever learning the reasons why no job was offered.

7 Steps To Repairing Your Online Image

1.Clean Up Your Profiles

Your online profile tells readers something about you. Trouble is, some of the information you share could be held against you. Make a point to visit your favorite social media sites to see if anything untoward needs to be removed.

2.Use A Professional Email Address

Hotmail, Gmail and Yahoo each make for very good free mail sites, but it is often the choice of email address that causes problems. Several years back I posted a resume online for a young woman, but not before I told her to use a different email address besides her oh-so-sexy-lips AT hermail.com address.

3.Update Your Photographs

Avatars are fine as long as they aren’t unprofessional. But unprofessional photographs can sink you too. If you’re looking for work, then have the photograph that best represents who you are online. You may look fine in a bikini, but you won’t be wearing that “suit” to the office!

4.Cancel Community Memberships

Speaking of social media sites, just how many do you belong to? Probably a lot more than you realize. Cancel all inactive accounts and consider distancing yourself from communities that incite its members or are otherwise unproductive.

5.Reread What You Wrote

The best censor online is you. Remember, anything you publish may never disappear even if you delete the files. Internet archiving ensures that what you wrote in 1996 and 2001 will be readable in 2010 and beyond. You may not need to delete what your wrote, but modifying an article could help. Oh, by the way, get rid of any YouTube or other video file sharing work that reflects poorly on you.

6.Check Your Blog Comments

Your comments on someone else’s blog or forum could come back to bite you. Even words said in jest can be misinterpreted. Chances are you can recall one of your more colorful exchanges — even though you may not be able to modify what your wrote, be prepared to explain it to the interviewer if that conversation is brought up. Otherwise, forget about it and move on.

7.Remove Negative Search Results

Everyone should Google their name and variations of the same to read what was written about them. The Search Engine Results Pages or SERPs can reveal much about you, some of that information could be misleading or false, while other material could be true, but regretful. You may need to hire a professional to help remove negative search results, especially if particularly damaging information appears.

Free speech defenders may howl over some of the points made, but in reality employers don’t have to hire you if they uncover unfavorable information about you. Worse, you’ll likely never learn the reason why, but if you suspect that your online presence is the culprit then you must clean up what you can.

Inasmuch as most students expected to find a thriving job market as recently as one year ago, things today are vastly different, perhaps permanently changed as far as someone’s career choice goes. The technology grad may have discovered that her software design field has shrunk while the history major may have learned that important government cutbacks in paleontology research will delay new hiring for many years.

Visualize Success Arriving In Different Ways

Planning an “outside of the box” job hunt means that new grads are going to have to look for ways to find work by nontraditional means. To that end we’ve come up with some methods to help you land yourself a job, utilizing ideas you may never have considered previously:

Temp To Perm — Temporary workers continue to supplement the workforce and will always do so. True, in a severe downturn “temp” employees are usually the first to be let go, but they’re also the first people a company will look to bring back on board before permanent hiring begins. That company on your “A List” may not have room for you as a full-time, permanent employee but they might considering hiring you on a contractual basis. If you prove to be an excellent worker, then when the economy improves you could be offered “perm” employment — going from temp to perm.

Volunteer Your Services — New grads often sorely lack the variety of skills that today’s employers want. However, to get those skills you need on-the-job training — but no one will hire you. Instead, consider applying for a short term volunteer position, perhaps managing the books for a local nonprofit, overhauling the website for a local homeless shelter or volunteering at your church’s food pantry. Though you might not consider full time, paid employment with a nonprofit if that opportunity were to arise, you’d come away from that gig with new skills and valuable employment references.

Start A Business — It used to be that entrepreneurs would need thousands of dollars in seed money to launch their own business. These days all you need is a computer and internet connection to get your business started. If you are a decent writer, consider marketing yourself as a resume or article writer. If you know something about blogs, market your writing or blog development skills. And, if you have a service that you can promote online such as marketing, creating a tutorial, fixing a computer problem, etc., then use a free online service such as Craigslist, Kijiji or Oodle to help spread the word.

Take Anything — When unemployment climbs into the double digits, then the job market has certainly turned sour. This means that you’ll be competing with more experienced people for jobs, requiring that you lower your financial expectations accordingly. However, even in the worst economy some businesses continue to thrive including food service, discount stores and auto repair. Consider taking any available position with a company who is hiring, using your spare time to find something more to your liking. And don’t forget that many of these same types of employers need people like you to work at their home or regional office. Get your foot in the door and then check to see if other opportunities are available (such as an accountant in the company’s home or regional office).

No one can say for certain when or how the current economic climate will change and what that will mean for new grads looking for work. What you don’t want to do is spend the next year unproductively which might mean that come next summer you’ll be competing against a fresh batch of grads for a limited number of openings. Take some risks — consider “outside of the box” thinking as you look for a new job.

1.In-N-Out Burger

California natives already know In-N-Out as the best burger in the west, and the reputation is slowly (very slowly) spreading across the southwest. But how many know that In-N-Out is also one of the best employers this side of the Rockies?

The Inside Scoop

In-N-Out owner Rich Snyder’s approach to employees is different from most fast food purveyors: why let good people move on when you can use them to help your company grow?” In-N-Out offers flexible hours and some of the highest starting part-time wages in the country, and all on top of the benefits of working for a company that treats its employees the way it would like to be treated: like family.

2.Barnes and Noble

Since 1917, when its flagship store was opened in New York City, Barnes and Noble has grown to become the largest book retailer in the United States, with almost 800 locations nationwide.

The Inside Scoop

A quiet and relaxed place to work, you say? Benefits for part-time employees, you say? A bountiful 30% employee discount on movie and books (and that includes textbooks), you say? Paid sick days and reimbursement for transit costs, you say? It might sound like a dream come true, but in fact it’s just a job at Barnes & Noble. Sign us up!

3.Wegmans

Wegmans is a Rochester-based grocery store with European open market aspirations. Family-owned since 1916, it believes in simple values like good people, healthy products, strong customer service, and accomplishing your goals.

The Inside Scoop

Wegmans is a grocery store that cares about its employees, especially their health. From free yoga classes and subsidized gym memberships to discounts on food to make sure you’re eating right-to say nothing of health benefits for part-time employees-there’s a reason Wegmans has never left the top of Fortune magazine’s yearly “Top 100 Best Companies to Work For” round-up.

4.Starbucks

Since its humble Seattle beginnings in 1971, Starbucks has been at the forefront of the United States’ coffee revolution, putting a store on nearly every street corner and Italian coffee staples into the vocabulary of mainstream America.

The Inside Scoop

Shifts are flexible, and the hours people need their coffee (read: the crack of dawn ’til late night) means that you can get in a day of work regardless of your class schedule. Fit twenty hours of work into your week, and you can start on medical and dental benefits within three months. Not enough? How about a 30% discount and a free pound of coffee or box of tea every week to keep you focused as you ride out your classes?

5.Apple Store

Apple: the other computer provider. Once considered nothing more than a classroom computer for navigating the Oregon Trail, Apple has moved into trailblazer status with its sleek design and innovation for peripheries like the iconic iPod.

The Inside Scoop

A job at the Apple Genius Bar may be just the thing for a techie with a gift for conversation. For one thing, you get the opportunity to share your technological knowledge with all manner of customer (reason enough to work here for almost every Apple aficionado we know). Secondly, even Apple’s non-executive employees are privy to the perks of innovation-from bonuses to free early-adopter merchandise, a job at an Apple store can be tasty indeed.

6.Ritz Camera

Coming to you from malls across the country, specialty shop Ritz Camera is in a class above your average one-hour photo.

The Inside Scoop

Photography majors, take special note. Not only does Ritz offer sales incentives beyond the usual part-time wages (nothing like bonuses and commissions to sweeten the deal!), but the job offers access to hands-on training, a solid learning environment, and a place to develop your craft among a supportive staff that most likely shares your interest.

7.American Apparel

Made sweatshop-free in Downtown LA, over the past few years American Apparel’s garments have become the calling card of hipster kids across the country.

The Inside Scoop

If you have a flair for the latest fashion, American Apparel is a great choice. The stores are bright and fun, with an unbeatable laid-back atmosphere and a great soundtrack (it may sound petty, but the elevator muzak of some shops will break you down sooner than you think). Merchandise discounts are par for the course, but American Apparel realizes that it can be hard affording a representative wardrobe when you’ve just started — which is why they also offer straight-up free clothing for new employees. Bonus!

8.Ikea

Everyone’s favorite Swedish furniture superstore, IKEA brings D.I.Y. ethics home to the masses with its stylish (and inexpensive) ready-to-assemble designs.

The Inside Scoop

IKEA may leave assembly to the customers, but one place they never cut corners is with their employees. The stores offer a relaxed and friendly environment to work in, but the most important thing they offer is health care: the minute employees start working 20 hours or more a week, they are eligible for benefits. Another perk: depending on the hours you keep, even a part-timer can build up to a paid vacation.

9.Whole Foods

Whole Foods Market is a grocer that takes food seriously. Frequently featured on hit show Top Chef as the market of choice, Whole Foods is the world’s largest natural and organic food retailer. What we do know is that it sells (and serves up in the deli sections) some amazingly tasty food.

The Inside Scoop

With its emphasis on organics and unprocessed ingredients, Whole Foods is all about health, and it takes its commitment to employee health just as seriously. After 400 hours of service (that’s around twenty weeks on a part-time schedule) eligibility for health benefits kicks in, but wait: after 800 service hours, the company picks up 100% of your health-care premiums. Other perks include paid time off and a 20% discount on groceries so you can eat like a king… or at least like a top chef in training.

10.Lowes

Since 1946, Lowe’s has been dedicated to providing great home improvement supplies and a great atmosphere for its employees.

The Inside Scoop

Most companies only offer health care to part-time employees after a certain amount of worked hours and with a certain quota per week… if they even offer health care to part-time employees at all. That’s not the case with Lowe’s: the hardware superstore offers immediate benefits for all part-time employees regardless of hours worked per week. With perks like that, paid time off and highly flexible schedules are just icing on the cake.

11.REI

Recreational Equipment Incorporated, better known as REI, specializes in… you guessed it, recreational equipment! From all-terrain apparel to camping and hiking gear, REI has everything you need for an outstanding outdoor adventure.

The Inside Scoop

For the more outdoorsy type, REI is a fantastic place to work. For part-time and even seasonal employees, benefits come standard after 30 days of work, with the costs offset 60% by the company. As if that weren’t enough, a whopping 50% discount on REI brand merchandise and 30% discount on trips planned through REI’s travel company, you’ll have the time and cash to do some outdoor adventuring of your own.

12.Trader Joes

A phenomenon well known to many a college student, Trader Joe’s market brings exotic foods from around the world to your kitchen at extremely affordable prices. (Not to mention the classic Two-Buck Chuck.)

The Inside Scoop

Trader Joe’s is about as laid back as you can get for a supermarket, and its supervisors want to pass that cool demeanor on to its employees — all those fun Hawaiian shirts come free with the territory! Of course, nothing is quite as relaxing as knowing that your health care is covered, and Trader Joes has even its part-time employees’ backs.

13.Nordstrom

Founded in Seattle in 1901, originally a shoe store built by a farmer and prospector who struck gold on the Yukon, Nordstrom by now has grown into the wildly popular upscale department store that we know today.

The Inside Scoop

Despite a changing economical climate over the past couple years, Nordstrom has resisted layoffs — always a good sign. In addition to offering health care benefits to part-time workers, Nordstrom goes a step farther with perks like subsidized gym memberships, to make sure their employees are in the best shape possible.

14.Lands End

Lands’ End is a Wisconsin-based clothing retailer that focuses on casual comfort and warmth for the great outdoors. Though mostly a mail-order company, Lands’ End does have several stores overseas and in the upper Midwest — and that’s where you come in.

The Inside Scoop

The emphasis at Lands’ End is on fun: employees (even part-time employees) get access to a company-owned recreation center, great discounts on theme parks and movies, and a standing invitation to the yearly company picnic. It’s all so exciting; you might not even notice you’re also being offered health benefits and (should this turn into more than a summer job) retirement plans.

15.Cost Plus World Markets

Cost Plus was founded simply as a furniture-import warehouse on Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco, in 1958. Since then it has come to be known as a market for a wide variety of imports, from furniture and dishware to exotic food and wine.

The Inside Scoop

With the amounts of interesting items for sale, a job at Cost Plus is almost worth it for the in-store discounts alone. That said, Cost Plus goes above and beyond with medical benefits, life insurance, and 401(K) options, not to mention and equally flexible vacations. extremely flexible hours

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About Get Degrees

Get Degrees® is one of the most comprehensive online education destinations on the web today. Check out our entire selection of accredited degree programs including mba degrees, business schools, nursing schools, criminal justice degrees and more.

Experts are calling the current job market the worst we’ve seen in a generation. I call it a huge opportunity.

Not everyone who is looking for work will see it that way and you may not either, but if you rethink some of your long held beliefs regarding employment, then a door to new opportunities could swing wide open to you in the form of a temporary position.

Temporary employment (or temp work) hasn’t always received the respect that it should from employers and employees alike. But, temporary work can lead to permanent employment, which is where the phrase “temp to perm” comes from.

4 Steps To Securing Permanent Work Through A Temporary Assignment

If you want to make a temporary assignment permanent, there are four things you must keep in mind:

Act Like You’re There Permanently – Many temp workers act as if their position will go away at any moment. And for good reason too – they may have developed a poor attitude or are working below their capabilities. The saying, “you are what you think” holds true: if want to impress people on the job your passion must shine through. The work that you do should be above reproach, showing attention to detail, completed on time.

Dress For Success – Companies will sometimes relax their dress codes for workers, but that doesn’t mean that you should. Wear your best suit or dress on the first day and gauge how other workers are attired. If you want to be treated like a professional then dress like one, choosing a more relaxed attire only if senior management walks around in tee shirts and shorts.

Work Like You Mean It – Temp workers typically have set tasks, with the lightest load assigned. Clearly, the expectancy level isn’t that high, but you can show them otherwise. Ask the person you report to for additional work, especially if you find that assignments are completed well before your work day ends. Use this time to brush up on your skills as well as to take on new responsibilities. If seminars or training classes are available to temporary and permanent employees alike, then take advantage of these opportunities too. Your updated resume will reflect the temp assignment, your newly acquired skills, and whatever training was completed.

Show And Tell – Unlike permanent employees who are hired after an extensive interviewing process and where their capabilities are only fully known once they’ve started work, temp workers skills are assessed right on the job. If you can’t get the work done, you’ll be sent back to the agency. If you do your job satisfactorily you’ll be kept on, but if you provide superior work, then you may be offered a permanent position.

These days, it’s all about setting yourself apart from the pack. A temp position may not be the ideal, but it can lead to something permanent especially when the economy starts to pick up and companies want to retain and adequately compensate their best people.

1. Convenience

The top reason online learning has become so popular is the convenience of attending class on your schedule. Many people do not have the option to not work for four years while they attend college. So being able to attend class at anytime of day, or any month of the year is an excellent benefit for busy people who want to earn their degree. Going to school online allows you to work on a time frame that is conducive to your lifestyle. Over 4 million students are enrolled in online schools and universities, and that number is projected to grow by 30% every year. You can take class from anywhere that you have an Internet connection. No matter where you are, you can log on and get to work.

2. Earning and Employability

There are many benefits to holding a college degree. Employers will most often hire a degree holder versus a non degree holder. Someone who has taken the time to go to school shows drive and commitment to their career. If you want the opportunity to grow in your field or be eligible for promotions, you will need to have a degree. Full time workers often go to school online to further their education so they can get better jobs or move up where they are at. Earning your degree is a first step in opening the door to further opportunity in the career of your choice. If landing a great job isn’t reason enough, college graduates, or even associates degree holders earn a great deal more than those who only hold a high school diploma. Those who have a degree earn over more the 25 % more than those doing the same job without it. A person with a bachelors degree will earn, on average, almost twice as much as workers with a high school diploma over a lifetime.

3. Student Centered Learning

Online learning lets students learn the material however it works best for them. Some students find that they need to absorb the coursework at a slower pace than in a traditional college lecture hall. On the other hand, students who are quick to concepts can simply move on when they are done with material. With the variety of learning styles of individuals, it makes sense that students work at their own pace. Course material is also accessible 24 hours a day 7 days a week. This way, students can take the time to revisit lectures or discussions that they may have missed. The online format also makes it easier for students to gather their thoughts when they want to add comments. In a traditional environment, discussions often pass by the time a student gathers hi or her thoughts to ask questions or add comments.

4. Attendance

This may be an argument against online learning, but your attendance is not counted. When life gets in the way, you can do your class work whenever you can get to it. You need to be self motivated to make sure you are regularly online for your classes, but you will not have gratuitous absences counted against you. In online learning, your presence will only be noticed if you participate in discussions that are taking place in class. When embarking on your online education, you will need to make a time commitment to yourself, regardless that no one knows if you are there or not. Being committed to your education will allow you to earn your degree in an expedient fashion.

5. Availability

Online courses are available year round. There are many highly reputable, accredited distance learning programs to choose from with varying levels of difficulty. Many major universities nationwide are also offering their same curriculum in an online format. With classes online, there is no waiting for a new semester to start, or trying to sign up in time to meet a traditional deadline. Courses are not only available year round, but around the clock as well. You will be able to take the classes you want, when you want, without having to wait another semester until the class is offered again. There is no such thing as “this class is full” with online courses and you will never have to go to the registrar’s office to try and get in a class that you need or want.

6. Anonymity

A lot of people do not want others to know that they are going to school for one reason or another. Online classrooms provide an anonymous experience where students don’t feel that their age or gender will have any bearing on how they are treated or graded in class. For some students the simple idea of being in a classroom setting, and possibly being called on to answer a question is simply too intimidating. Participating online levels the playing field and allows students to participate as much or as little as they want.

7. Flexible Involvement

Even though online learning is great for those who want to be independent and uninvolved with others, there are forums in which you can choose to be as active as you want. Online classrooms provide chat rooms and message boards that can help to keep you in contact with other students for group projects and meetings. This also helps to foster team learning, even if other classmates are scattered over the country. Being connected to others in the same class is very important for some student, and the sense of community and camaraderie is how many people stay motivated in their learning experience. In an online forum, everyone can meet conveniently without trying to work around everyone’s personal life.

8. Self Worth

There are many people who don’t have the self confidence to go on a college campus and interact with strangers. Some students may even be a little slower with schoolwork, and understanding the class assignments. In an online environment, students can take all the time they need to complete the work, or review what has already been taught, without feeling inadequate. Online learning can really be helpful to people who are afraid of going to a traditional school, or who feel intimidated in a traditional classroom. The completion of an online degree can give you a great sense of achievement, and further boost your self confidence.

9. Family

Going to school for many parents is simply not an option. Even for those without family commitments, many students still need to maintain full time employment to pay for school. With online education you have the ability to continue your education with out disrupting the needs of your family. You can choose to attend class while the kids are sleeping, or while the house is quiet. Even if you have to do class work when kids or other family members are around, all you have to do is find a quiet space for a little bit. Online classes help to save parents from the inconvenience and expense of paying for childcare or baby sitters on top of tuition.

10. Financial

Going to school online can be a less expensive alternative to traditional campus based programs. When you go to school online, there are many expenses you avoid that you may be unaware of. You will not need a car, gas or parking permits to attend school online. You do not have to reside on campus or anywhere near campus to attend school. You can complete your entire education from the comfort and convenience of your own home. This way you cut out eating expenses, childcare expenses, the high cost of books, student fees and most importantly, high tuition. In a traditional setting, if you do not complete your course work within the time frame of a quarter or semester system, you will lose your money and have to repay to take the class. The online course gives you as much time as you need to get your work done. With online classes, you can go to school in last year’s fashions, your pajamas, or nothing at all. Now there’s a savings!

About Get Degrees

Get Degrees® is one of the most comprehensive online degree programs destinations on the web today. Check out our entire selection of accredited degree programs including mba degree, business school, nursing school, criminal justice degree and more.

Being a librarian these days is about a lot more than getting lost among stacks of books. It’s a career of technology and of the transmittance of knowledge, and as such many librarians have taken to the web, sharing their thoughts and musings all across the blogosphere. Here, we bring you what we think are some of the best library-related blogs that the internet has to offer.

PERSONAL BLOGS

1. librarian.net — Holding strong since 1999, rural librarian Jessamyn West relays her thoughts and observations on the evolution of library science technology in what is thought to be “the first single-editor library-oriented weblog.”

2. David Lee King — Digital Branch and Services Manager at the Topeka and Shawnee Public Library, King blogs about library websites and the future of digital technology in relation to library science. (Not to mention fun digital trend-related topics like videoblogging and web 2.0!)

3. Free Range Librarian — K.G. Schneider is the free range librarian, community librarian for Equinox by day and blogger by night. This is her personal blog, detailing her travels and thoughts on writing, librarianship, and the world at large.

4. Hey Jude — Judy O’Connell has a long list of credentials as both a professional and an educator on the subject of information science. In this blog, she reflects on her work, her new experiences, and the changing world of learning.

5. Walt at Random — Walt Crawford is the editorial director for the Library Leadership Network, and has over 40 years of public and college library experience under his belt. While he runs a separate newsletter, this is his personal blog with his own expert musings on music, media, and library science.

6. Annoyed Librarian — The Annoyed Librarian is a mystery blogger, ranting from the shadows with wit and venom. While her posts are quite polarizing, they are topical and discussed enough to become required reading.

7. DIY Librarian — This is the personal blog of Tara Murray, Information Core Director at Penn State University. Dubbed “Librarianship for the People,” her blog details library conference adventures, memes and fun things, and minutiae about days in the life of a good old-fashioned librarian.

8. Information Wants To Be Free — Meredith Farkas is a self-professed tech geek, a published writer with a book about social software in libraries to her credit, and the Distance Learning Librarian at Norwich University. Her blog reflects all sides of her multifaceted life, as well as how to use those social tools of the profession to best serve library patrons.

9. Stephen’s Lighthouse — Stephen Abram is the vice-president of the world’s leading library software company SirsiDynex, and Stephen’s Lighthouse is his personal blog on topics like information technology, social networking, and anything else that may catch his eye.

10. Tame the Web — Michael Stephens is Assistant Professor at Dominican University’s Graduate School of Library and Information Science. Here he writes on library issues, information and social technologies, and how they relate to the people they serve.

11. The Days & Nights of the Lipstick Librarian — Some librarians are complacent in their mousy stereotype, while others are brash and sexy and tell those stereotypes to shove it. The Lipstick Librarian falls squarely in the latter category, and blogs about library events and the hipster side of information science.

12. The Shifted Librarian — Librarian Jenny Levine is fascinated with the way we gather information in this day and age—no longer do we pursue it, so much as it comes to us, and so too must librarians shift their outlook to reflect this. In her blog, she discusses how to adjust to changing technology in a rapidly changing world.

13. Librarian Avengers — In 1997, young Erica Firment wrote a short essay called “Why You Should Fall to Your Knees and Worship a Librarian.” Over a decade later, she is blogger, a User Experience Designer for online community Second Life, and a librarian herself. She blogs about technology, literature, librarianship, and her adventures along the way.

COLLECTIVES and COMMUNITY

14. In the Library with the Lead Pipe — Written by six librarians (like the Clue characters, get it?) from across the United States, who aren’t without their merits: at the moment, two of the six are nominated for office within the ALA. This blog features essays and guest articles focusing on working together to improve libraries and the librarian community.

15. StoryLines — Open to contributions, this Australian blog was created to give support to high school literature programs. It features everything from book reviews to critiques on new Web 2.0 technology.

16. Alternative Teen Services — For teens by teens, this blog describes itself as a “grassroots web site” dedicated to serving teenagers through library services. The teenagers who maintain the site blog about books, technology, and sharing their ideas amongst the supportive environment they are helping to create.

17. School Library Journal Blogs — School Library Journal is the “world’s largest reviewer of books, multimedia, and technology for children and teens,” and their site features ten different blogs covering a range of topics from news and reviews to the latest trends in the library industry. Each of them has a certain unique energy, and it’s impossible to choose just one!

18. Blah Blah Blah Blog — Librarians Patricia Morris and Brad Ward maintain the official blog for the Northeast Florida Library Information Network (NEFLIN), in which they write early and write often about a wide scope of library and information issues.

19. Closed Stacks — An unassuming yet popular little site maintained by a handful of bloggers, dedicated to “ruling the world through information” and writing about the state of information distribution in the age of technology, from Kindles to Youtube.

20. Library Lovers’ LiveJournal — Taking interactive blogging to another level, this is a LiveJournal group where librarians, library science students, and even just library aficionados can congregate to post and converse on topics related to information and literature. Check out their User Info links for great resources!

21. The Society for Librarians* Who Say “Motherfucker” — Another LiveJournal group, also open to students and aides and enthusiasts as well as librarians proper (hence the asterisk), this community endeavors to give those in the field a friendly place to vent about frustrations and days at the library gone horribly wrong.

22. NextGen Librarians — Though LiveJournal is still going strong, many are turning to other forms of social networking: enter the Facebook librarian groups. This group is for young (and “young-at-heart”) librarians interested in forward-thinking methods of information distribution and the emergence of “Library 2.0.”

23. Union Librarian — This blog has a distinct social purpose, keeping up with the latest in social justice and activity within librarian unions, and passing on advice, news, and interesting facts concerning working librarians.

LIBRARIES and REFERENCE

24. iLibrarian — Maintained by up-and-coming librarian and information consultant Ellyssa Kroski, this subsection of the Online Education Database is great resource for the latest news and technology in the “information revolution.”

25. LISNews — The Librarian and Information Science News website has been up and running since 1999, and since then it has not slowed down in its quest to provide readers with articles, links, reviews, and interviews on the latest in library science.

26. ACRLog — As the official Association of College and Research Libraries blog, this is a blog written for and by academic and research librarians, addressing daily professional issues to reflect the place of libraries within “the higher education enterprise.”

27. Library of Congress Blog — Quite simply, this is the official blog of the U.S. Library of Congress. Matt Raymond, the blog’s author, has served as a TV news reporter, a Department of Agriculture speech writer, and UNICEF’s senior advisor for communication before signing on to blog about happenings at our country’s foremost library (and sometimes boxing cats).

28. Librarian in Black — Frustrated by the sheer amount of blogs and websites she had to slog through for up-to-date information on technology and librarianship, Sarah Houghton-Jan (San Jose Public Library digital futures manager) created this site as a “one-stop shop”—providing all the best and latest news for tech-savvy librarians everywhere.

29. Virtual Dave… Real Blog — The virtual (as well as the real) David Lankes is an associate professor at Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies and the director of the school’s Information Institute. Though technically a personal blog, this is written in a highly academic fashion and is chock full of news, not to mention A/V from Lankes’ informative academic presentations.

30. 025.431: The Dewey Blog — Have you ever found yourself wondering about the finer points of the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system? Jonathan Furner is here to help—not only is he the assistant editor of the DDC, but he is the author of this blog, which covers all things related to classification and organization of knowledge.

31. UoL Library Blog — While it started as simply a place for the staff of the University of Leicester Library to share and air their thoughts, this blog has grown into a source of information for all librarians on pertinent events and technology.

32. Law Librarian Blog — Two editors and several contributors work together on this heavily-updated blog that covers all things law library-related, from tools and resources to news and bulletins, plus lighthearted fun on Fridays.

33. Planet Cataloging — Does it have to do with digital or card catalogs? Then you can find it at Planet Cataloging, an automatically-generated blog feed picking up anything and everything related to cataloging and metadata. Sometimes fun, always informative.

FUN STUFF

34. Judging the Books
35. Judge a Book by Its Cover — Similar in nature, but the former is the work of a high school librarian while the latter works at a public library. The results are clever comments on unintentionally hilarious book covers, from teen drama to vintage romance.

36. The Original Librarian Trading Cards — Are you dying to know the stats on your favorite librarians? You’ve come to the right place. If your favorite librarians aren’t currently represented in the form of a fine trading card and interview, don’t stress! Simply shoot this blog an e-mail and nominate them.

37. A Librarian’s Guide to Etiquette — It seemed like this site was dead for a couple of months, but it is now back up and running strong. Brief and full of dry wit, these microblogs turn their eye to the ins and outs of propriety within the workplace, as “a polite librarian is a good librarian.” Sample: If a colleague calls you “a librarian’s librarian,” it is perfectly acceptable to punch him or her in the mouth.

38. Unshelved — When is a librarian blog not quite a librarian blog? When it’s Unshelved, a daily comic strip about real-life tales as acted out by the fictional staff of Mallville Public Library. Though it’s drawn rather than written, it is as full of truth as it is entertaining.

39. The Laughing Librarian — Life in the information science world can be stressful, but this particular blog is there to provide a library-related laugh, whether from amusing YouTube clips to quotes and jokes. It seems to be updated ever more sporadically, but it’s worth checking in.

40. Library Link of the Day — One link per day, presented up front and sans commentary. What could be better? It might be a fun read, a valuable resource, or an interesting library-related news tidbit, but it’s always new and always library-related.

TWITTERS

Can’t get enough of your favorite librarian bloggers? What if you could know what they were thinking 24/7? That’s the way it works with Twitter, the stream-of-consciousness microblogging application that seems to be endearing itself to everyone from students to celebrities to your friendly neighborhood librarian.

41. @librarianmer — The twitter of Meredith Farkas, of Information Wants To Be Free. As a social network expert and tech librarian of the future, who better to harness the power of Web 2.0 technology for up-to-the-minute reports?

42. @joycevalenza — A contributor to School Library Journals, Joyce Valenza keeps the world updated on her movie picks and life events.

43. @eriquita — Erica Firment, of Librarian Avengers, keeps us posted on happenings in the Bay Area.

44. @shifted — Jenny Levine, the Shifted Librarian herself.

45. @diylibrarian — The DIY Librarian’s own Tara Murray.

46. @mstephens7 — Michael Stephens, of Tame the Web.

47. @heyjudeonline — Judy O’Connell, Australian librarian and author of Hey Jude.

48. @LibraryJournal — Keep up to date with news from the Library Journal!

49. @libraryofcongress — The Library of Congress is a wealth of fascinating links.

50. @askundergrad — The official Twitter of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s undergraduate library. One of the top library science programs in the country!

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There’s eco-consciousness, there’s eco-awareness, there’s eco-activism… and then, there’s Greenpeace. Doing for the Earth what PETA does for animals, they are the brash and unmasked defenders of our ecosystem. Do you dream of running away to serve the cause, but wonder if you have what it takes? Here are ten signs that you have the gumption to join the fight:

1.You Care About the Environment

This is a given–if you care about the environment, there is no time more critical to saving it than right now. See how you can get involved.

2.You Want to Put Your Environmental Science Degree to Good Use

So you spent your college years working on an environmental science degree, reading up on everything from deforestation to the depletion of the ocean’s population, and now that you’ve graduated you want to help–but how? At Greenpeace, making a difference in your area of expertise can be a full time job.

3.You Want to Learn More About You

Are you unsatisfied with your office job? Are you looking for something with a bigger social impact? A career with Greenpeace can give you the financial peace-of-mind, while at the same time allowing you to play a part in a cause that is bigger than yourself alone.

4.You are Always Ready for a (Good) Fight

Do you have a feisty disposition, outspoken and always ready to stick up loudly for what you believe in? If you’re looking for a good cause to focus your fury on, organizations like Greenpeace always need people like you to work on the “frontlines,” talking to people in the field and using your gift of persuasion to convert others to the cause.

5.You Want to See the World in a Different Way

You have always wanted to travel, but the usual student backpacking or honeymoon in Paris isn’t for you. You want to see unusual places in unusual ways. Greenpeace operates on a global level, and officers may be needed across the country or as far away as the UK or Japan. Protect the shores, keep the waters green, and see the world in the process.

6.You Want to Take an Active Role

Many people donate money to charities, with little thought to where it’s going or how it will be spent, but you don’t want to take a back seat to your good cause. By working within Greenpeace as a gifts officer, you can manage funds and have a bigger say in how charitable funds are used.

7.You Want Co-Workers With a Common Interest

People usually don’t just fall randomly into competitive jobs at nonprofits. Chances are good that the people you work with will share your passion for a good cause, and working together toward a common goal creates the kind of empowering and positive work atmosphere most people only dream about.

8.You Want Work Experience With an Impact

Do you want to separate yourself from the pack, and show the colors of your character right on your resume? No matter what path you take, managing teams from the office to a summer job canvassing the streets for donations, a job history with Greenpeace will make you stand out as a passionate individual with motivation that future employers can bank on.

9.You Were Born Too Late to Be a Seafarer With a Heart of Gold

Dreaming of living the seafaring life, but the Navy isn’t for you? Greenpeace is famous for its dedication to saving the oceans, and equally famous for its ships that are constantly at war with big corporate whaling companies. Those ships are always looking for some good, skilled, seaworthy men and women to join the crew.

10.You Want to Be a Part of Something Bigger Than Yourself

As almost anyone with a vested interested in the environment knows, saving the Earth isn’t about saving yourself–it’s about making the world a better place for all humans, plants, and animals, in this generation and for hundreds of generations to come. If you want a career with value not just for you, but for every living thing, consider Greenpeace.

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1.You Have a Passion for Organization

Not everybody does; it’s hard to have the patience or the dedication for it. So when you don’t mind losing yourself amidst the stacks and spending long days in numerical organization, you know it’s a calling that should be heeded.

2. You Never Want to Stop Learning

Some people are content to stagnate in their pool of knowledge from the time they get their diploma, but not you. That’s a good thing: being a librarian has a whole lot to do with reading and research, so your days of learning never have to end. And you know what that means–an assured victory for you and your friends at pub trivia night, and it all comes from a great career.

3.You Enjoy the Silence

Sure, the stereotype of spinster librarians wheezing “SHHHH!” from behind the desk is just that–a stereotype, and an outdated one at that. Still, librarianship is a relatively quiet profession, perfect for thoughtful and intelligent folk who want out of the Type A personality corporate race.

4.It’s a Profession With Range

The world of librarianship is a swiftly changing one — whereas once it was nothing but card catalogs and the Dewey Decimals, today it’s a world of computer programming and internet archiving for the tech-savvy, and more forms of active research than ever. Not to mention specializations: from law libraries to children’s libraries, there is something right for every brand of information aficionado.

5.It Goes So Well With Your Flawless Sense of Style

Your cardigans and those thick-rimmed glasses: totally cool. In terms of hipness, being a librarian these days is almost on par with working in a record store.

6.Your Co-Workers Are Probably Just as Cool as You

Unlike more run-of-the-mill office jobs, library science requires a specific degree and attracts a specific type of person. That means that, wherever you go, your co-workers are likely to be intelligent, witty, and well-read–just like you.

7.You Want to Learn Skills You Can Use

Who uses their cash register skills once they clock out for the day? You, however, will leave work a master of the internet search, an information maven, and a little bit more organized in your personal life with every passing day.

8.You’re Into Books on the Company Dime

Sure, they aren’t your books per se, but the library requires constantly updated material and it isn’t going to purchase itself. You get to call the shots on what your library needs–and what it needs just might happen to be what piques your particular interest.

9.You Enjoy Getting Time Off

Everyone enjoys time off from work, but not everyone gets into the right career fields to make it happen. Librarians tend to get about a month’s worth of vacation time every year–and that isn’t including the obvious downtime of librarians at schools and universities.

10.You Want a Job with Security

It isn’t a well-publicized career choice, but it fills a certain role that can’t exactly be outsourced or done better by machines. There will always be libraries, and we will always need librarians. As long as a friendly face with a helpful answer is needed behind a public desk, you will always be in demand.

About Get Degrees

Get Degrees® is one of the most comprehensive online education & degree programs destinations on the web today. Check out our entire selection of accredited degree programs including mba degree, business school, nursing school, criminal justice degree and more.