Robert Contreras

The winter blahs are starting to set in, leaving many a cubicle dweller staring longingly beyond the gray half walls that surround them on three sides, wondering what else is out there.

In fact, there are quite a few cool and in-demand jobs outside the cubicle. Some capitalize on the demand for health care as Baby Boomers come of age, while others capitalize on the trends in technology and social media. Whatever the reason, these jobs aren’t bound by Dilbert-onian rules.

“I think many people secretly fantasize about the freedom that working outside the office provides,” said Jeremy Redleaf, a filmmaker and creator of the job site Odd Job Nation. ”Jobs outside the cubicle allow you the freedom to construct the life that you want.”

Here are a dozen of the coolest jobs outside the cubicle:

Virtual Question Answerer

The economy may be improving but companies are still trying to cut costs — and one of the ways they do that is by reducing the number of full-time employees physically in the office, and taking advantage of the push to move more business online.

“We’ve seen a proliferation of e-businesses looking for ‘virtual field agents’ to answer basic questions in real-time or write articles about simple tasks,” Redleaf said. “While it’s a great way to make money wherever you are, this one’s not for slow typists or the easily fatigued — it’s a volume game when they’re paying per answer.”

One ad for a virtual question answerer on Craigslist appealed to job seekers’ interest in getting paid for things they’re already doing: “Do you spend your day looking up random things online?? Might as well get paid for it!! We are searching for people to reply to questions received by the most popular mobile service in the country. We get thousands of questions every hour and need people to get online and find the answers. You must be at least eighteen years of age and extremely proficient at using various search engines. Pays per question,” the ad read.

Mobile App Developer

Sick of your cubicle? Yeah, there’s an app for that.

Developers who make mobile apps are in demand — and they don’t always need to be in the office or even employed full-time as an app developer.

“That’s really a rare skill,” Paul Forster, CEO of Indeed.com, said of mobile app developers. “People who have those skills can dictate their working conditions, he said. “If you want to get the best app developer you may not be able to say come and work from our office here … you may have to fit in with their working priorities.”

There are over 3,000 job listings for mobile-app developers on Indeed.com, paying $50,000 and up — some over $100,000, and it’s the No. 2 trending topic on the site right now. One ad for a mobile-app developer read “Rockstars Only,” while another from Nokia sought a “User Interface Evangelist.”

Videogame Tester

It’s every kid’s dream: To be a professional videogame tester.

There are a couple hundred listings for game testers on Indeed.com, with pay ranging from $20,000 to $100,000 or more.

The cool thing is that you get to test the games before they’re released. The downside is you have to keep playing the same games over and over and over again until you break them, find a glitch, etc.

Hey, that’s the price you pay to play!

Recreational Therapist

As the Baby Boomer generation ages, demand for health-care workers is surging. But not all of those jobs require you to be in a doctor’s office or hospital, which, let’s face it, is the medical equivalent of a cubicle.

Recreational therapists help patients who were injured recover using all kinds recreational activities, from sports and games to arts, music and dance.

The average wage is about $40,000, according to the Labor Department.

The Labor Department projects demand for recreational therapists will outpace the average for all occupations in the next decade due to the aging Boomer population.

Concierge Doctor

Most doctors are feeling the crush of having to see several thousand patients a year, and patients are feeling rushed. And, with health-care reform threatening to flood waiting rooms with even more patients, an increasing number of patients are choosing to pay extra for the privilege of having a personal physician.

“Concierge doctors,” as they’re known, are private doctors that charge patients an annual fee of anywhere from $1,000 to $25,000 per year for more personalized service. Patients can call or email them anytime of the day or night, don’t have to wait for appointments and get longer appointments. Plus, they’ll make house calls if you want them to.

Doctors appreciate having 50 to 500 patients instead of a couple thousand and the patients appreciate the quality of care they get.

Professional Twitter-er

Social media hasn’t just changed the way we live, it’s changed the way companies operate — and advertise.

“Every business can benefit from some tender Twitter care … and they’re often willing to pay an impressive hourly rate if you can turn those 140 characters into 100 percent brand loyalty,” Redleaf said. “We highly recommend building up your individual following before going after these juicy virtual positions.”

It’s still a growing field, so a good chunk of these jobs are on a consulting or part-time basis. On an hourly basis, it’s about $10 to $50 an hour, Redleaf says.

There are over 40,000 jobs on Indeed.com that in some way involve Twitter, ranging from $30,000 to $100,000 or more. It’s so hot, it’s the No. 4 trending topic on Indeed.com right now.

Brand Ambassador

It’s not just Twitter, companies are increasingly hiring people to be their “brand ambassadors,” really working the interactivity of their marketing.

“It’s been clear that there are conversations about products taking place on the web and companies need to engage in those conversations,” Forster said. “They’re becoming less unidirectional, where companies broadcast their brand messages and more interactive.”

It’s not just the Internet, either. With growing markets in Spanish-speaking countries and emerging markets like China, companies are increasingly hiring bi-lingual brand ambassadors.

There are more than 4,000 listings on Indeed.com for brand ambassadors, paying $20,000 to $100,000 or more. Plus, there are companies emerging like Jason Sadler’s IWearYourShirt.com, where companies pay for Sadler, a professional T-shirt wearer (pictured left), and others to wear their shirt and then engage their fans in discussions about the products, from Twitter to Facebook and YouTube.

Geologist

Hiring in the field of geology is expected to increase by 22 percent over the next few years, according to a recent survey by CareerCast.

The field is benefiting from concerns about the environment, with demand rising for everything from petroleum geologists, who study ocean or land terrain for oil and gas deposits to engineering geologists, who are used for everything from land development and construction to environmental remediation.

The typical starting salary is around $42,000 but can triple to $155,000 or more, according to CareerCast. Indeed.com has about 2,000 listings for geologists.

It’s great for the cubicle-averse — much of your time is spent in the field, though you’re still going to need to be able to use a computer as many jobs still involve computer modeling and data analysis.

Pilot

This one is for those who seek the thrill of the open skies.

(Cue the “Top Gun” music.)

The top 10 percent of commercial pilots earn an average of $120 an hour, according to PayScale.com. Though, most pilots aren’t in the air 40 hours a week as the FAA limits flying time to a max of 100 hours a month.

The best opportunities are still with commercial airlines, but as aviation requirements get stricter and stricter, private planes are becoming more popular.

Indeed.com has nearly 20,000 listings for pilot-related jobs, paying anywhere from $20,000 to $100,000 or more.

Tutor

Spending cuts for public schools and escalating competitiveness driven by a tighter economy mean tutors will increasingly be in demand as students seek to get an edge.

Tutoring jobs pay anywhere from $10 to $80 an hour, depending on location and subject.

Indeed.com currently has nearly 16,000 listings for tutors, from pre-K to pre-calculus.

Focus Group Participant

Here’s one that you don’t think of as a job but if you need the extra money, it can be a good gig.

Companies are always looking for focus group participants to give them real feedback on their products. In this tight economy, companies can’t afford any missteps with products that bomb.

Focus groups can pay upward of $200 an hour for your time, according to Redleaf. “The focus group consistently supplies the best time-to-money ratio,” he says.

The key, he says, is to sign up with several focus group facilities as many have limits on how much of your opinion they’re willing to take!

Indeed.com has about 80,000 job listings involving focus groups, including focus group designers and focus group moderators — two roles you probably didn’t think of!

Cable Box Recovery Technician

This one is a sign of the times: As Internet-connected TVs proliferate, and cable companies increasingly tighten the screws on customers to squeeze more money out of them, an increasing number of customers are cutting ties with their old cable companies and keeping the set-top boxes.

These are pretty pricey little items, so Redleaf reports that companies will pay you $500 to $1,000 per week to recover those boxes.

A recent ad on Craigslist for one of these jobs called the technicians “road warriors” and counted “street smarts” among the skills required.

Road warriors? Paying handsomely to recover a precious box? Sounds like the plot to the next “Indiana Jones” movie!

This article is part of a series related to being Financially Fit

Cindy Perman 

Move backward in 1950, blue-collar industrial and agricultural jobs were common, with a modicum of clerical work thrown in for women who worked outside of the home. Unfortunately, faster than you could say “job security,” such jobs as secretaries, steel manufacturers and newspaper printers diminished rapidly – and are still dwindling today.

Thanks to the advent of technology like computers, automated machines, voice recognition systems and cell phones, many jobs that used to be deemed essential to the work force are on the decline. Thankfully, workers who hold these positions will be able to transition their skills to similar occupations with more job growth.

If you’re looking for job security during the next 10 years, here are 10 jobs to eye with caution and their more secure job alternatives. While they’ll have job openings to replace workers who leave the industry, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects they’ll have fewer new jobs over time.

1. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers and weighers
Why it’s evolving: Many companies now use self-monitoring production machines, which alert inspectors to flaws they would normally detect by hand.
Salary:* $27,148
Decline rate: **7 percent
Instead: Try your hand as a different type of inspector: Agricultural, construction and building or transportation inspectors are all growing occupations.

2. Data entry and information processing workers
Why it’s evolving: Personal computers are abundant. People either do their own word processing or contract out their work, rather than hiring full-time staff. Other technologies like bar-code scanners and voice recognition systems reduce the need for data entry keyers.
Salary: $29,430
Decline rate: 7 percent
Instead: Other growing jobs that deliver information in a timely manner include dispatchers and interpreters and translators.

3. File and order clerks
Why it’s evolving: Organizations use automated systems to place orders and most files are now stored digitally and retrieved electronically, thus reducing the need for file and order clerks.
Salary: $32,190 (file clerks) and $28,130 (order clerks)
Decline rate: 41 percent (file) and 24 percent
Instead: Employment for shipping, receiving and traffic clerks is increasing, and they also handle and keep records of materials.

4. Photographic process workers 
Why it’s evolving: Since digital cameras have virtually taken over photography, digital camera owners have the ability to download, view, retouch and print pictures on their own computers, reducing the need for workers to do so manually.
Salary: $26,710 
Decline rate: 45 percent
Instead: Use your knowledge of photo processing as a photographer or printing machine operator.

5. Telephone operators
Why it’s evolving: Cell phones and 411 call services have reduced the demand for telephone operators, because fewer people use directory assistance, collect calls and pay phones.
Salary: $32,710
Decline rate: 45 percent
Instead: Try another informational job. Hotel, motel and resort desk clerks, and customer service representatives are both growing occupations.

6. Pharmacy aides
Why it’s evolving: Pharmacy technicians will perform many of the duties aides normally do, like answering phones, stocking shelves and operating cash registers. Pharmacy aides will also receive more training, moving up to the technician position.
Salary: $20,950
Decline rate: 11 percent
Instead: Get more training to becoming a pharmacy technician, where employment is increasing by 32 percent.

7. Bindery workers
Why it’s evolving: Computers allow binding to be automated and now, printing companies are binding products in-house, so the need for binding shops is decreasing.
Salary: $27,370
Decline rate: 22 percent
Instead: Unfortunately, many production positions are declining, but printing machine operators are decreasing the least.

8. Radio and television announcers
Why it’s evolving: New technology and advancement of other media sources like satellite radio and syndicated programming mean less need for radio and TV announcers. 
Salary: $36,120
Decline rate: 8 percent
Instead: Use your communication skills as a news analyst, reporter, correspondent, interpreter or translator.

9. Floral designers
Why it’s evolving: Many people leave the job because of its low starting pay and limited opportunities for advancement; also, Internet florists take away the demand for designers at independent floral shops.
Salary: $23,040
Decline rate: 9 percent
Instead: Give other creative positions a try. Landscape architects also create designs with plants and flowers. Or, try working in a nursery or greenhouse.

10. Telemarketers
Why it’s evolving: Thanks to the “do not call” registry, the need for these pesky sales people is not as prevalent.
Salary: $16.16/hour
Decline rate: 21 percent
Instead: Other sales or telecommunications positions are steadily growing, like retail sales or data communications analysts.

By Rachel Zupek

We know where the jobs are today — and we definitely know where they aren’t. But what about in 10 or even 20 years?

As things like technology, medicine, science and environmentalism continue to advance in the coming years, several occupations are bound to emerge. By understanding these trends, job seekers can play a more active role in planning for their careers.

Some are speculative, some are definitive — but here are 10 potential jobs of the near or distant future, based on the trends:

1. Cyber security specialist

Cyber security is a growing industry. Knowledgeable professionals who can protect websites and expose hackers will be a hot commodity in the coming years.

2. Genetic counselor

Genetics are advancing at a rapid rate. Doctors can now run tests that will predict genetic conditions, and soon, parents may be able to choose the sex of their unborn children. With the help of genetic counselors, families can educate themselves on available genetic technologies and options.

3. Organic food farmer

Organic food currently occupies about 10 percent of the food and beverage market — and it’s only going to increase. As a result, more organic farmers and producers will need to improve organic farming techniques and grow the food.

4. Medical records administrator

Medical records are at the forefront of innovative technology, with a strong push to digitize medical records. An increased number of medical researchers will be needed to help transition records from paper to digital, and to be able to navigate records quickly for patients.

5. Mobile application developer

Remember car phones? You know, the equivalent of a cell phone, except that you could only use it in the car and it was the size of a brick? With the development of phones like the BlackBerry, Android and iPhone, the mobile media industry is continually progressing. An increased number of developers will be needed to help develop applications, in addition to combating security and compatibility issues.

6. Robotics technician

Robots are becoming more commonplace and they don’t run on their own. Technicians will be needed to build robots, maintain them and keep them from malfunctioning.

7. Simulation engineer

There’s a simulator for nearly everything these days, from surgeries to flying to drinking and driving. As more simulation-based technologies follow suit, engineers will be required to help out.

8. Social media manager

Social media is the new “it” profession. It started with Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and has expanded to many other platforms. Organizations are now employing social media managers to oversee their online communities and enhance/protect the company brand.

9. Stem cell researcher

Although it’s a controversial topic, stem cell research is gaining ground. If this continues, more researchers will be needed to develop cures for diseases, genetic enhancements, and the other information these cells may potentially hold.

10. Sustainability officer

Sustainability has become a concern around the world and also among businesses. Since the executive suite may not have time to learn all there is to know, organizations are hiring eco-savvy individuals as “sustainability officers.” These folks will find, research, and implement eco-friendly policies to benefit the organization.

By Rachel Farrell

Job titles constantly develop in line with the altering needs of businesses. An evolution of the sales function could seem like: sales representative, accounts supervisor, business development professional. Employment of a sales representative would be to sell to clients and potential customers. An account manager makes certain that existing accounts are looked after and providers.

A business development professional may also focus on particular accounts to assist develop the business to its full potential.

Business development professionals might focus on accounts however they may also use the executive team of the company to build up the business enterprise generally. You can do this through a number of techniques, for example:

Collecting Business Brains – An expert will help you find out about things happening running a business as well as in your industry that will help you methods.

Producing Leads – Leads generation and follow-up are necessary facets of earning money. A professional will help you uncover new leads and be sure that you’re taking full benefit of every hot and comfortable lead you receive.

Proper Preparing - Have you been planning the near future depending on business cleverness and aggressive evaluation? A consultant or specialist might help.

Marketing and advertising – Your marketing strategy may have an immediate effect on business energy. A professional will help you market successfully and calculate business energy that will help you continue to plan and grow. An enterprise development specialist is usually a mixture of advertising and marketing and a sales representative. Oftentimes this role is really a liaison between sales, marketing, purchase, and management. They’ll sometimes work internally and also at times they’ll work directly with clients too.

For those who Develop your organization:

Companies that decide to hire people during these roles (or that decide to hire a advisor) wish to make sure that they are not only maintenance current client requirements but they utilize possibilities too. Those opportunities can exist depending on current clients, potential customers, and business modifications, for example new releases and / or services. It’s really no longer enough to merely manage your business. It must continually evolve using the changing tide of business generally along with the alterations in your particular industry. A lot of things have to be considered when attempting to service your existing customer base and grow. Some business development specialists count their weight in gold; dealing with your visitors, profits force, your management team, as well as together with your vendors to ensure you’re best in a position to position many as well.

 

Last week when we posted our list of companies hiring, we were all bracing for a blizzard. Now, in the aftermath of the big game on Sunday, we’re stuck with pantries full of canned soup, jugs of water, and economy-sized jars of mayonnaise that we didn’t get to use during the storm. While you’re figuring out how to make a delicious stew from those items, feel free to check out this list of companies hiring this week. They’re ready to bring on new employees right now, and you could be one of them!

 
1.Sprint

Industry:Retail
Sample job titles: Retail store manager, lead retail consultant

2.Morgan Stanley

Industry: Finance
Sample job titles: Annuity planning associate, private banker

3.Dell Inc.

Industry:IT

Sample job titles: Project manager, application development senior specialist

4. Maintenance Engineering

Industry: Business development
Sample job titles: Outside sales representative

5. RehabCare

Industry: Health services
Sample job titles: Physical therapist, occupational therapist

6. Cook Children’s Health Care System

Industry: Caretaking
Sample job titles: Social worker, vice president of development

7.Blue Rhino

Industry: Transportation
Sample job titles: Delivery truck driver, bilingual customer care specialist

8.Waste Management Inc

Industry: Sales
Sample job titles: Territory sales manager, plant maintenance manager (recycling)

9.ConsultNet

Industry: Technology and consulting
Sample job titles: ASP.net developer, systems engineer

10.Update Legal

Industry: Legal
Sample job titles: Admitted attorney fluent in Hebrew, legal recruiter

——————————————————————

By Anthony Balderrama

What career advice do you follow? Do you search for a job like a lemming? Do you follow the other lemmings – the “common career advice”, “rules of thumb”, pitched by hundreds of career coaches, alumni associations, government & non-profit job agencies?

Or do you search for a job more like a tiger? Do you blaze your own trail, differentiating yourself as much as possible, standing out from the crowd? Do you experiment with different techniques in your search?

Examine these job search strategies to see if your own search is more like a lemming or like a tiger.

1. ____________ Enter the number of lemming job search strategies listed below that you use

2. ____________ Enter the number of tiger career strategies listed below that you use

3. ____________ Score = Entry 2 – Entry 1

If the result of Entry 3 is positive, you’re using more tiger career tactics.

The higher a positive number in Entry 3, the stronger of a job search tiger you are -and the less likely you are to have career frustrations.

If the result of Entry 3 is negative, you’re a search lemming, probably finding difficulties in the job market – chances are you’re blaming these difficulties on the economy rather your search strategy.

11 Job Search Strategies Of Lemmings:

1. Apply to jobs through job boards
2. Write a generalist resume, describing the many things you “could do”
3. Apply to jobs through corporate web sites
4. Send virtually the same resume to the jobs you apply to
5. Attempt to look like a tiger with a cover letter, like 96% of the other lemmings
6. Don’t waste time with pre-resume research … instead use the time to apply for more jobs
7. Network with people you know well
8. Don’t waste your time with social networks
9. Send your resume to human resource managers
10. Send your resume to everyone you know, asking for their help, informational interviews, and to pass your resume to hiring managers
11. Expecting recruiters to find your next job for you

 

11 Career Strategies Of Tigers:

1. Use job boards for research, not for applying to jobs
2. Write a subject matter expert resume, describing what you do best and how that would solve problems of the hiring company/department/manager
3. Apply to jobs by first meeting (or talking to) the hiring manager and uncovering problems before you send a resume
4. Send a highly customized, highly targeted one-time use resume to target companies, demonstrating that you’ve already solved critical problems of the hiring manager
5. Write a resume that stands on it’s own, showing why your accomplishments make you ideal specifically for your target company, rather than using a cover letter and discussing your skills
6. Spend hours researching a target company, before you send a resume
7. Expand your network in your industry, job function, and region with in-person and social networking
8. Use social media to build your influence and personal brand
9. Don’t waste your time with Human Resources
10. Always provide value to your network but never spam your network
11. Utilizing recruiters as one of many opportunity channels, but recognizing you’re more likely to find your next job through the contacts you build

Examine your own job search – are you a job search lemming, or a career tiger?

Readers – Please comment below to list other lemming and tiger job career advice.

Working on Wall Street has always been the road to riches.

Goldman Sachs employees, on average, were paid $439,700 last year. Those at Morgan Stanley got $256,596. Bank of America paid an average of $122,491, but that included lower level commercial banking jobs as well as high-flying positions at the Merrill Lynch investment banking arm.

Chiefs of these institutions are also expected to be well-rewarded for their work last year. Citigroup’s chief executive, Vikram Pandit, got a $1.75 million raise in 2010 after earning a symbolic $1 in 2009.

While firms small and large went under during the financial crisis, with 344,000 people leaving the industry, it’s still lucrative.

Not everyone can work at Goldman, or reach the rarified level of CEO. But finance still offers a wealth of interesting, satisfying and — perhaps most important — well-paid opportunities. During the worst of the great recession, while Main Street Americans were losing jobs and closing businesses, many folks in finance were still getting bonuses and living well. Tiffany, the ultra-expensive jewelry retailer that caters to the finance industry’s elite, recently raised its sales and earnings estimates for the year ending Jan. 31., which can only mean one thing: Wall Street is spending again.

With the economy recovering this year, so is the banking and finance industry. Certain areas will offer more job prospects this year than others. We’ve put together a list of the top three:

1. Compliance officer

What it is: The passage of the Financial Regulatory Reform bill by Congress last year has created demand for compliance officers, the folks who help interpret detailed new rules that companies must follow when filing taxes, issuing bonds and doing a host of financial acrobatics.

Industry recruiters expect hundreds of companies to be looking for compliance officers over the next 18 months.

What it takes: Most companies require an undergraduate degree in economics, mathematics or statistics for an entry-level job, according to Doug Rickart, a division director at finance recruiting firm Robert Half.

What it pays: According to Salary.com, compliance managers get paid about $150,000 a year at the high end to $73,000 at the low end.

Who’s hiring: Hedge funds, private equity firms, investment banks and local and regional banks.

“Whether it’s an investment bank or a broker-dealer, firms will need to deal with this overarching regulatory wave that’s coming. Firms really need to shore up their infrastructure,” said Jack Kelly, managing director at Compliance Search Group, a New York-based compliance recruitment firm.

• Find Compliance Officer Jobs
• Compliance jobs among most in demand in 2011
• How to become a compliance officer

2. Credit analyst

What it is: How do you know if something is a safe investment? For many people, what Jim Cramer says on ‘Mad Money’ passes for sound investment advice. But large institutions like banks, pension funds and governments get their information from credit analysts.

These analysts study and research bonds and other financial instruments to determine whether they are going to gain, lose or maintain their value. If they like what they find, they give a bond a high rating, like AAA. If they don’t like what they see, they give it a lower rating, like AA or BB or even lower. That way, investors know how risky an investment is and can make an informed decision.

What it takes: Credit analysts come from all walks of life. When Mark Howard was the co-head of global research and credit analysis at Barclays Capital, a large British investment bank, he hired people with knowledge of specific industries and inquisitive minds. He also liked to hire hockey players and chess buffs, because they could think many moves ahead.

“Great analysts have to be able to think laterally,” he said. “My experience is, people who are very strong in silos don’t necessarily think effectively outside of those silos.”What it pays: There are about 68,000 credit analysts in the United States right now, earning an average of $67,000 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Who’s hiring: Investment banks like Deutsche Bank and credit ratings agencies like Moody’s, among others.

• Find Credit Analyst Jobs
• Credit Analysts are New Belles of the Ball as Investors Demand Deeper Research
• What it takes to become a credit analyst
• How to Get a Job at Moody’s

3. Financial advisor

What it is: Financial advisors help investors manage their money. From stocks to bonds to various kinds of funds, financial advisors are a conduit to the market for many retail investors.

While the job does entail a fair amount of watching the market and acuity with numbers, it also involves marketing, customer relations and sales. Financial advisors help families plan for owning a home, college expenses and retirement.

Essentially, financial advisors need to have good social skills. Think of it as a service job that happens to be about money.

What it takes: Financial advisors come from diverse backgrounds. Some study economics and go to work for a big firm like UBS Wealth Management.

Others start later in life, after having a career that puts them in contact with a lot of people who could make good clients. Lawyers, accountants and other professionals can make an easy transition into the profession if they’re good with people and numbers.

Financial advisors need to get their Series 7 and Series 66 licenses. Most registered investment advisor companies, like Edward Jones and Charles Schwab, will help new financial advisors through this process.

What it pays: Advisors made $173,000 in 2009, on average, according to Registered Rep magazine. Those new to the field should expect to make less in their first year.

Who’s hiring: The large registered investment advisors, such as Edward Jones, Raymond James and Charles Schwab, are always looking for good advisors.

Today’s column comes from David Bell, a successful job seeker who used networking to help land a new job in the current economy. I asked him to explain the secret to his success, and he distilled his experience into six key points that can help you build a better network:1. Always remember that you’re asking people for information, not a job.

Networking often goes bad because job seekers try to ask friends and strangers about specific job openings. This puts people in an awkward position – after all, if they don’t know you, they’ll naturally hesitate to recommend you for a job. When you make people uncomfortable by being too pushy online, you destroy any opportunity you might get to meet face-to-face, or find out about new jobs openings in the future.

2. Start with people you know, then expand to their acquaintances and finally strangers after the process becomes second nature.It’s important to practice on your friend before moving on to people they suggest. Using a referral’s name when you contact someone you don’t know can be very helpful in breaking the ice.

But you shouldn’t avoid networking with strangers just because you have no automatic “in” with them. As David Bell points out, “Contact to everyone you can, whether it’s by email, social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, or even over the phone. You never know who’ll have the most useful information or take an interest in you. Aside from helping you find a job, it’s a wonderful way to make new friends, especially if you’ve recently moved to a new city.”3. When you reach out to a contact, have in mind what you want to say, but don’t obsess about it.

While the delay built in to most social network communication makes it easier to “think before you speak,” some contacts you meet will prefer the immediacy of phone calls or instant messaging. In these cases, be prepared to give the name of your referral (if you have one), state why you’re contact them (for information not a job) and ask a short list of questions about your contact’s area of expertise. Putting these thoughts together ahead of time can save you the embarrassment of now knowing what to say.However, be careful not to over-prepare, since this can easily turn into an excuse for putting off your first contact. Or worse, you can get so married to a specific script that you blank when a conversation strays to another subject. It’s the same as reciting a memorized poem back in English class – if you’re too rigid, any distraction will cause you to lose your place and screw up.

4. Recognize that you’ll have good and bad days.People won’t respond to your messages, or decline your requests to chat. A few experiences like this, and you may begin to resist reaching out to key contacts for fear of being rejected. But don’t give up! Persistence and a sense of humor are key to successful networking.

Maintaining your objectivity when you’re on a job search roller coaster is easier said than done, especially if you are trying to do it alone. A good support system of friends, fellow job seekers, a career counselor, enjoyable activities etc. can be really helpful in smoothing out the unrealistic highs and lows you’re bound to experience.And if you find yourself putting off networking because you just hate doing it, try to come up with a plan that will be excuse proof. Promise a friend you will make 10 contacts a week, and give them reports on your progress. Dedicate time just for networking. Tell yourself you will connect with 12 people before you do any other activities. Then reward yourself for sticking to your plan.

5. Prepare a specific topic for each discussion.Do some research on the company, industry or career of your contact. Put together a list of questions, including some that deal specifically with their background. Ask for advice on your job search, and the names of other professionals who would be beneficial to connect with. Think about ways you might help, like suggesting other contacts they might find useful.

6. If your contact refers you to other people, keep in touch about how the new connections are going.Your contact will feel gratified that their contacts were useful, and will admire you for seizing available opportunities.

With a little practice and perseverance, networking can help you connect with important people and positions much more effectively, and stand out in an increasingly crowdedjob market.What did you think of these tips? Comment below!

Want to a job that earns $50 per hour? Prepare to break open the books, attend classes and gain some serious know-how. That is the way to earn big bucks. The following is a list of 10 jobs in IT, health care, engineering, law and other fields that will get you earning six figures.

01. CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST Hourly pay: $50.29 - $102.00

If you find human behavior fascinating, and you’d like to earn a hefty income, consider a career as a clinical psychologist. You can work in a variety of settings, from a private practice in your home to a being part of a medical team at a hospital. Clinical psychologists help their patients deal with both mental disorders, like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, as well as shorter-term needs like processing the death of a loved one or a divorce. This job requires earning a Ph.D. and the competition to get into a doctoral program in psychology is fierce. The market is expected to grow for this job in the coming years, especially for psychologists with subspecialties in certain disorders or age groups.

• Clinical Psychologist Jobs

  02. ATTORNEY / LAWYER Hourly pay: $51.33 - $102.00

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they’ll always have a job. From building a new office building to sorting out a will, lawyers are essential to all kinds of negotiations and business processes. As a lawyer, you can specialize in the area that most suits your strengths and interests, like justice for children or patent law for new technologies. To get working as a lawyer, you need to complete an undergraduate degree, three years of law school and pass a state bar exam.

• Legal Jobs

03. SENIOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEER Hourly pay: $42.01 - $69.53

Who makes a DVD player show movies, a robot talk or your computer save those family photos? Electrical engineers do. They design, test and improve electronics of all kinds. Electrical engineers need to be good with the numbers, as well as creative, curious, and detail-oriented. As a senior engineer, years of experience and managerial skill are essential since you will be leading a team. To get into this line of work, you need to complete an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering, and can expect to take continuing education courses throughout your career. Demand for these engineers is expected to grow as our dependence on electronic devices does.

• Electrical Engineer Jobs

04. OPTOMETRIST Hourly pay: $50.12 - $62.83

If you have your eyes on a healthy salary in a growing field, consider optometry. As the baby boomers age, this is yet another area of health care that is expected to grow. Optometrist test for eye sight problems and eye diseases and can prescribe certain medicines or refer patients to other doctors. This work requires completion of a four year degree at an accredited school of optometry. And, even if you’re up for four years of school, acceptance into optometry school is highly competitive and may be a barrier. Earning and keeping up a license is also required.

• Optometrist Jobs

05. CONSULTANT, BUSINESS PROCESS / MANAGEMENT Hourly pay: $43.99 - $73.20

Here’s a “behind the scenes” gig that makes a big difference in how decisions are made at a company, government department, university, hospital or any other organization. You provide a knowledge base that an organization doesn’t already have and use it to help them solve a problem, like reworking their marketing strategy or streamlining their manufacturing process. And, you get paid well for your help. This work can often be project-oriented, short-term and highly demanding. The use of consultants is up in recent years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as businesses hustle to compete with as small of a payroll as possible.

• Business Jobs

06. PROJECT MANAGER, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) Hourly pay: $44.85 - $73.77

In a world where technology can put a company on the fast track to success, workers who understand both technology and how to lead a team have a lot of work opportunities. Most IT project managers have an undergraduate degree in some area of computer science or math and employers often prefer that they have an MBA, as well. Project managers are often in line to become chief technology officers.

• IT Jobs

07. SOFTWARE QUALITY ASSURANCE (SQA) LEAD Hourly pay: $44.1 - $57.02

Do you tend to find and notice everything wrong with how your computer, a website or some other electronic device works? You might be able to put that knack to work. In fact, you might not even need an undergraduate degree to get hired if you’re a natural. You need a logical mind and great attention to detail to get started in quality assurance. You can then lead a team of people whose job is to find errors in software or other systems before they are made available to the public. This line of work is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years as the demand for electronics grows.

• Quality Assurance Jobs

08. CONSULTANT, EDUCATION/TRAINING Hourly pay: $39.15 - $78.63

Education and training consultant was named one of CNNMoney’s “Best Jobs in America.” Imagine flying to some major city, meeting with a company’s top employees to train them on the latest technology or team building technique. For the right person, this could be a really fun job. Education consultants typically work for themselves so it’s important to market yourself in order to find work. Job opportunities are expected to grow in the coming years.

• Education Jobs

09. PSYCHIATRIC ADVANCED REGISTERED NURSE PRACTITIONER (ARNP) Hourly pay: $42.02 - $61.33

Nurses are in-demand and well-paid these days. But, which ones earn the most? Registered nurse practitioners with a specialty in psychiatric care can earn more per hour than most. They treat people with personality and mood disorders. These nurses have not only completed a bachelor’s degree and nursing school, they have gone on to complete either a master’s or Ph.D. and can work independently of a physician, prescribing therapies, certain medications and creating treatment plans.

• Nursing Jobs

10. SENIOR MECHANICAL ENGINEER Hourly pay: $35.00 - $51.52

Mechanical engineering is a field with very broad work opportunities. You could lead a team of engineers who design refrigerators, gas turbines, elevators, escalators, robots and much, much more. This job requires at least an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering or a related field, with continued professional exams to keep up with changing technology. And, to become a senior engineer requires having many years of experience in a particular field and being able to effectively lead a team so that they are on task and productive.

• Mechanical Engineer Jobs