Offshore Oil Rig Jobs

While many of the offshore oil rig jobs are physical in nature, many of the rig companies go out of their way to make sure your time spent onboard is an enjoyable one. For instance employees may find themselves living in accommodation wings that meet 4 or 5 star hotel standards - despite the fact that you a living in the middle of the ocean. While you are on board the company will usually meet all food, board and laundry expenses, along with travel and transfer costs.

There are a large number of offshore oil rig jobs that are available. The range of employment opportunities include:

Driller, Derrickman, Shakerhand or Mudman, Toolpusher, Floormen or Roughnecks, Motorman, Assistant Driller, Crane Operator, Roustabouts, Cleaner/Painter, Storekeeper, Mechanic/Electrician, Sub Sea Engineer, Rig Mechanic, Rig Electrician, Rig Welder, Barge Engineer, Ballast Controlman or Watchstander, Captain and Chief Engineer, Rig Medic and Safety Man.

Most offshore oil rig jobs call for a 14/21 day rotation that means you work for 14 days and have 21 off. This equates to you having approximately 3/5 of the year off on holiday.

In the offshore oil rig industry, there are opportunities for drilling employment and travel to countries such as: Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, the United States, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Mexico, Russia, Norway, China, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Typically salaries for roustabouts and roughnecks (drill deck workers) are approximately US $300 per day. Annual salaries work out to be approximately US $47,000.

More specialized jobs such as that of Driller is likely to make around $56,000 per annum, which Toolpushers, Drill Leaders and Supervisors are likely to earn around the US $75,000 - $100,000 mark per year.

Entry level positions typically make between US $50,000 - US $80,000 per annum. Trades, technical and professional positions will likely earn between US $70,000 - US $220,000 per annum. The website at http://www.oil-rig-job.com features more information on getting jobs in this industry.

Life Offshore

- You will be issued with safety boots hard hat safety glasses and coveralls.

- Keep a good attitude and be focused on why you wanted to work offshore.

- There are smoking rooms at various places on a rig where safety matches will be supplied.

- For meals you take off your work gear and eat in the galley.

- You may have to work a night shift or two as an oil rig is a 24 hour operation.

- Don't upset the radio operator, medic or chef. Helicopters, medical attention and food are most important.

Aboard an oil rig every piece of lifting equipment has a color code on it - this is an indication that it was tested as safe to use on the last lifting equipment check. Only items with the current color code on them should be used.

When working in the petroleum industry, don't bring alcohol, illegal drugs, weapons (of any description) including knives, flammable items, lighters and matches (safety matches will be provided in the smokers room) when working on energy jobs.

If working aboard an offshore rig, remove batteries from electrical equipment before checking in you luggage. If you are to be transported by helicopter your mobile phone may be taken from you before you board the helicopter.

A number of people working aboard oil rigs work are in support roles such as catering crew and doctors, etc. The following is an outline of what may be expected for doctors or medics. Because of the physical size of rigs, many of these types of roles are sole charged and one must be able to make do with the facilities and resources at end. In the case of doctors or medics based aboard oil rigs, it may be necessary to treat patients suffering from a huge variety of ailments and illnesses. Issues can arise as a lot of the workers aboard oil rig installations may speak foreign languages, so it is critical for the medical personnel to be able to quickly and effectively diagnose the problem. Generally medical staff will work one of two shifts, either day or night. Their role can often also include checking and maintianing stocks of emergency supplies, testing and verifying drinking water supplies are clean, as well as inspecting both raw and cooked foods from the kitchen. They are also often responsible for conducting weekly first aid seminars for all workers aboard the oil rig.

Working in Dubai

Dubai in the United Arab Emirates is one of the world’s fastest growing employment hotspots in the world. Up to 20 new companies establish themselves in the emirate’s free trade zones every week and since 2002 some 650 companies have registered in the Dubai Media City free trade zone alone.

Particularly in the fields of tourism, IT, media and finance there are significant job opportunities for qualified personnel and if you’re interested in working in Dubai here’s a guide to employment in the most exciting, tax free, fastest growing multi cultural location in the world.

Yes, you heard me right, Dubai is tax free – if you live and work in the emirate your income will be paid to you gross and furthermore, if you buy a house to live in you will not be subject to property taxes because direct personal taxation is against the law in Dubai!

The emirate currently has 15 free trade zones and 7 more are in the planning stages. The free trade zones are where foreign businesses can establish themselves and grow without the restriction of corporate taxation for example and without having to submit to a local majority shareholding structure. As a direct result of all of the incentives offered to overseas businesses, take up in the free trade zones has been incredible and employment opportunities for foreign personnel are being created within them on a weekly basis.

To work in Dubai you require a work permit and a residency visa and the majority of employers arrange these for their expatriate work force when they appoint them. If you’re planning on travelling to Dubai to look for work you can enter the country on a temporary visa and then as soon as you secure employment you can apply for your work permit and visas. Rules relating to the period of time you can remain in the country on a temporary visa vary depending on the country you herald from and you should check with your local UAE embassy on rules that apply to you before you travel.

Most business in Dubai is done on a networking basis and so when you first arrive it can feel a little alien to have to immediately get out there and start introducing yourself to people. But don’t worry, you soon get used to it. Just make sure you have a pocketful of business cards to hand whenever you leave your accommodation as trading in business cards is the first step to successful networking!

Once you’ve settled into the different working hours in Dubai – many businesses close for a few hours in the afternoon and no local people take appointments on a Friday – and once you’ve settled into the fast pace of your social life you will begin to love your new surroundings. The quality of life achievable in Dubai for expatriates is quite possibly inimitable elsewhere as such emphasis has been placed on creating a paradise where foreign workers can work hard, play hard, live life to the full and experience everything in one day from skiing on an indoor slope to playing golf to diving to camel riding in the desert.

Expatriates make up 94% of the population in Dubai and as a direct result you can almost guarantee you’ll make friends very quickly and easily. The environment in Dubai is so multi cultural, open and free and there are a great deal of social clubs and events designed for people to meet up and make friends. These all help ease new residents into their brand new life. Everyone makes a great effort to get along in Dubai because they are all in the same boat together – working away from home but enjoying being in a country that offers first class business opportunities and a tax free lifestyle – could you ask for more?

Resume Outline - Add Structure & Flow to Your Resume

Building your resume, based on a resume outline will give it structure and flow... it provides an outline of all the things you should include in your resume.

A resume is one of the most important documents you will ever create

First you have to decide on a particular format for your resume. The two main formats in use today are chronological and functional format. Which one is best to use will depend greatly on your situation.

To build your resume you can use free resume forms located on the web. This can provide you with directions if you are having trouble building your resume.

A sample resume outline would include the following sections:

The Heading

Your resume should start with the heading. You can list your basic details so the employer can contact you. You can include your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address.

NAME
ADDRESS
PHONE NUMBER
EMAIL ADDRESS

Job Objective

This is an optional section of your resume outline. Here you can tell readers what the objective of your resume is and what you are looking for.

Example:

Entry-level accounting position with medium to large public accounting firm.

The "Body" is the largest section of your resume outline This is where you can enter details about your education, work experience and additional information. The body contains:

Education

Here you can list your educational background.

Educational Background Format: College, Degree, Major, Honors, Relevant Courses

Sample Education Section: Drexel University BA Educational Leadership, May 2000

If you have a college education, do not list your high school information. You can also list any honors for academic excellence in this section of your resume outline.

If you are a graduating senior or looking for an internship, you can add a relevant courses section to your resume outline.

Employment History

This is an important part of the resume. Here you can list your previous employment history. If you are using a chronological resume format, you should list the most recent job positions first on your resume outline.

Example:
Drug Emporium, Wayne, PA
Cashier, June to September, 2001
Supervised customer check out
Handled the cash register
Managed and stocked merchandise

You can also list relevant volunteer activities or work experience programs if you do not have much job experience.

Achievements

If you have any special achievements you would like to announce, you can use this section. Maybe you made a suggestion that saved your previous boss a ton of money. You can list it in this section of your resume outline.

Special Skills

The remaining sections of the resume can include additional skills such as fluency in a foreign language.

References

You should leave this section out altogether. References are not required at this stage and stating that 'References are available upon request' is assumed anyway... so you just end up wasting valuable space!

Additional Optional Sections

You can add additional sections to your resume outline such as volunteer work, community involvement or honors. You also have to decide on the layout of your resume.

Choose a common font and medium range font-size, such as 12. Decide how you want to highlight the headings of the different sections. You can use bold, italics or underline to highlight section headings. Some people use bold and a larger font size to highlight their name on the resume.

The last part of your resume will probably receive little focus, so if you have a marketable skill or outstanding honor you should try to incorporate them in earlier sections of your resume.

You can find a lot of resources on the web that can provide you with free outlines and sample resume layouts. Usually an outline will differ if the resume is for a recent college graduate or a long time professional. Choose a resume outline that is specific to your career field and you can build your resume around that outline.

Resume Objectives ... The Hidden Pitfalls

Why Use Resume Objectives

Before we can discuss the pitfalls you first need to understand the reasons for including your resume objectives and how they relate to your resume and interview selection process.

Including an objectives section at the beginning of your resume provides a brief introduction to the purpose of the resume, highlighting your career objectives and the type of job you are seeking.

It is very common for job-seekers to include a brief objectives section at the beginning of their resume The objectives section can be an important part of a resume, and might be the first thing employers looks at. Therefore you should put considerable thought into constructing focused and clear objectives.

Look At These Resume Objective Examples

A resume objective does exactly what the name suggests; it highlights your objectives and states the type of job you are seeking.

Here are some examples of career objectives:

· To obtain an elementary education teaching position with upward mobility to a principalship.

· To obtain a position in manufacturing operations and development which will utilize acquired knowledge and collective experience.

· Public relations writer for a large metropolitan hospital. · Auditor position in the public accounting field in the Philadelphia area.

As you can see, the objectives are short and sweet; meaning they are to the point in describing the purpose of creating your resume.

Doorway To The Interview... Resumes

What is a resume... usually it is the first contact you have with potential employers. It is also where you list your skills and create a marketable presentation so that companies understand the benefits of employing you.

Your resume is also the first (and possibly the last!) opportunity you have to persuade your prospective employer to give you an interview.

Clearly... it is in your best interests to ensure your resume is compelling enough to leave the recruiter with no other option but to invite you to an interview.

If you want to learn more about writing resumes that get interviews, visit a site such as Top Career Resumes where you will find numerous articles and tips.

Or, if you prefer... a cost effective alternative is to use a resume writing service to prepare your resume for you.

Pitfalls of Using Resume Objectives

You may have noticed that all previous references to objectives focus on you and therein lies the pitfall !

Employers are not interested in what you want ...

If your objectives fail to match those of the employer, you will not even get to first base ! So keep your options open until you find out more about their objectives.

Some people decide to omit the objectives section and use that space to highlight other abilities and accomplishments. Whether you choose to use resume objectives or not will depend greatly on your particular situation.

Reasons Against ...

A few experts feel that the resume objectives section can be limiting to job seekers. It makes you be very specific as to your goals. This may be constraining if you want to be general and leave your options open.

Employers on average take only 30 seconds to look at a resume. The objectives section is the first thing that catches their eye. If you have a specific objective written, for example to obtain a managerial position, the manager may pass on your resume if he was looking for some other position.

If you are thinking about getting a professionally written resume, now would be a good time.

However, remember that the objectives section can disqualify you for jobs different from your stated objective... if you are not looking for a targeted job you can skip the section without many negative consequences.

It would be advisable to skip the resume objective section rather than be too vague. Unfocused objectives will put off many hiring managers. They may not end up looking at your experience and skills, which would of shown you to be a suitable candidate for the job.

Reasons For ...

If you do include your resume objectives, you should construct several different resumes, each specifically tailored to the job you are applying for. You will want to make your resume relevant to each job. The objectives section may be the best way to create job specific resumes.

A draw back of not including the objectives section is that a hiring manager may not be willing to search your resume to figure out your job objectives and goals... and may bypass your resume.

If you have a specific job position in mind and are clear about your objectives, this section can be useful in informing potential employers about your reasons for applying.

In either case, it may pay you to seek professional advice before you make your final decision. The modest cost of doing this pales into insignificance compared with the cost of making a poor career decision.

Stating Your Resume Objectives

This has greatest benefits for career changers and recent college graduates. Your objectives should be concise and to the point, to quickly inform employers about your background and goals.

Entry-level workers can state in their resume objectives that they are recent graduates looking for positions in their particular field. Career changers should state how they can use their previously earned skills to make a transition into their new career.

Be Employer Focused

An alternative to resume objectives might be the ‘Qualifications Summary’ section. This is a section where you can briefly discuss your skills and how you intend to use them.

This can make your resume more employer focused, as the employer wants to find out what you can do for them. This might be more beneficial than having a self-focused resume, simply listing what you want to do.

Many employers prefer to have employees that are focused on their goals and motivated to achieving them. A well presented objective can be just the high-impact tool that can get a hiring manager’s attention from the start.

Finally ...

When writing your resume objectives you have to consider your career plans. If you have not already done so, now would be a good time to get assistance with career assessment and planning.

When you have completed your planning and taken some time to match your interests with your chosen career, your resume objectives should complement the results you obtained through your searches.

Work In Dubai

Dubai is home to an exciting, diverse, multi-cultural blend of young, dynamic and professional people all enjoying the unrivalled quality of life the Emirate has to offer. It is of absolutely no surprise therefore that Dubai has the fastest growing population in the world.

More and more people emigrate to the city for quality of life, outstanding employment prospects and to experience the very best in the world of work and lifestyle.

One of the most immediate and attractive aspects of working in Dubai is that fact that there are no personal taxes levied against income from employment. This is not as an incentive to attract foreign investment; it is long established fact and policy because direct taxation is against the traditions of the entire United Arab Emirates. This means that if you work in Dubai you will enjoy and benefit from your entire salary, you will have considerably more disposable income than you are used to, you will be able to enjoy the benefits of the offshore financial world and you will be able to afford a lifestyle that others can only dream of.

Many expatriate forums on the internet feature similar threads where those considering taking up an offer of employment in Dubai ask whether life really is as good as it looks and as good as the media portrays it in the Emirate, and time and again, without fail the answers will come back from expatriates who have already made Dubai home that ‘yes, life really is as good as it gets!’

Booming industries in Dubai include telecommunications, information technology, construction, engineering, oil & gas, media and medicine and they all afford their employees significant disposable income. However, if you want to get the most out of your time in Dubai financially speaking you might like to consider the financial services industry.

Those who reside in Dubai are in a position to take complete advantage of all the offshore investment world has to offer them to make their hard earned tax-free income go even further. But they require the advice and on-going services of independent financial brokerages; therefore the wealth of opportunity available to good financial advisers is outstanding. As a result, the limited number of independent financial adviser positions available in the financial services industry in Dubai are highly prized.

For a financial brokerage to legitimately operate within the Emirate they have to be strictly licensed, this places a direct restriction on the number of brokerages who can operate there. Naturally enough this places a restriction on the number of adviser positions there are, but as stated the opportunities for an adviser are fantastic and the job is one worth aiming for if you consider yourself to be a dynamic sales-person, determined and driven by hard work, results and rewards.

When asked what to expect from working life in Dubai, there is no way to generalise. Working hours vary from industry to industry but are never exploitative, pay scales also vary depending on the nature of the job with manual work and lower ranking employment opportunities actually paying well because of the nature of the work involved. High ranking jobs and industries attract significant salaries as well as attractive benefits for staff. Issues relating to holiday entitlement, employee rights, overtime pay, sick and maternity leave are all well regulated, documented and strictly enforced meaning that the employee is generally very well looked after.

If you work in Dubai you are likely to enjoy an excellent working environment with modern, futuristically equipped spacious and comfortable office spaces, many dining opportunities and excellent transportation the norm across the city. After hours the expatriate can enjoy the shopping, nightlife, sports, recreational facilities, tours & excursions, outdoor activities and water sports Dubai is equally famous for.

Families relocating to the city will find rental accommodation fairly easy to secure and always of incredible quality, and since Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoom the crown prince of Dubai granted foreign property ownership rights back in 2002 those who are enjoying substantial tax free incomes can now buy their very own piece of the Emirate. Property in Dubai is not only currently widely available, of incredible quality and style but it is also an excellent commodity in investment terms with prices increasing significantly year on year and supply limited by the physical geographic restrictions of the city.

If you have children and would like them to be education in one of the many schools in the city, securing places can be tricky but not impossible. The educational standards are most definitely better than in most other schools worldwide, just as the medical facilities available in Dubai are some of the best in the world as well.

If you’re considering Dubai for your next assignment what’s stopping you taking the plunge?

Resume Objectives: How Do You Know if Resume Objectives Are Right for You?

Some experts say NEVER bother with resume objectives. While others say they should be an essential element on every resume.

So, how do you know who is right?

The simple answer is... no one is absolutely right. Your decision on whether to use resume objectives will depend on your circumstances, job search goals, and—in some cases—the person who reviews your resume.

We can make recommendations, but you’ll have to make your own choice, based on your individual situation and preferences. But first, let’s try to get a better understanding of the 2 different schools of thought on resume objectives...

THE NEGATIVE VIEWPOINT

Ask anyone who does not believe in using job objectives on resumes why, and they’ll tell you it’s because resume objectives are so often self-serving. In other words, they say what you want, but they usually fail to say how this is relevant to the employer. You see, the company that hires you is more interested in the potential benefits you’ll bring to the organization, not how they can help you achieve your goals.

Another problem is that a narrowly stated resume objective can be limiting. The company may not even consider you for a position you’d love if you have clearly stated in your objective that you’re only interested in one type of job.

Finally, most resume objectives are so vague as to be meaningless. Why waste valuable resume real estate with something that will not help (and may harm) your quest towards obtaining the coveted interview?

ON THE OTHER HAND...

There are many resume writing experts who passionately believe in using resume objectives. They cite the fact that employers want to be able to tell — in just a few seconds — what job you want to do for the company and what skills you bring to the table.

There is also a school of thought that says the lack of a written resume objective translates into a job applicant who doesn’t really know what he or she wants.

Also, if you have a long or diverse job history, resume objectives can help sharpen the focus of your resume. This is also true if you are trying to switch to a career that is not strongly supported by your experience.

If you do decide to use a resume objective, though, you must make sure that it is not self-serving or too limiting, and that it is uniquely stated. Make it specific and work to reflect the employer’s perspective, not your own. Demonstrate the value you’ll bring to the organization.

ONE MORE OPTION An alternative to using resume objectives is to substitute one of the following at the top of your resume:

* Power statement. This is a summarization — in 1 sentence — of your most notable skills and accomplishments, items that are sure to arouse interest in a prospective employer. For example, "Highly- motivated, competent, and organized Administrative Support professional with a proven track record of teambuilding communications, resourceful problem- solving, and technical expertise."

* Profile or Career Summary. This is similar to a power statement, but might be 3 or 4 lines/1 to 2 sentences. It could even be bullet points. But the main intent is to highlight your main career accomplishments to date.

In the end, whether or not to use resume objectives is a highly personalized decision. But if you do use one, keep in mind that employers are mainly interested in what you can do for them. So be sure that your resume objective is employer- oriented and results-focused. Do this well, and you’ll be on your way to your next interview!

Can You Tell Me Something About Yourself!

Interview Question, "Tell Me Something About Yourself?"

"Tell me about yourself" is the query, posted by one of the members and since yesterday I happen to go through many responses. I was just thinking…to give my opinion about the same. So, here I go.

It's a question that most interviewees expect and it is the most difficult to answer as well. Though one could answer this open- ended question in a myriad of ways, the key to answering this question or any other interview question is to offer a response that supports your career objective. This means that you shouldn't respond with comments about your hobbies, spouse, or extra curricular activities. Trust me, interviewers aren't interested. To start with there is no correct answer to this interview question. I would lean in the favor of a quick reference to some personal traits that give a quick-view of who you are. From there one could move to a one sentence of any relevant education/qualification. There should also be a mention of employment history.

Purpose of the Question:

In one of my write-up "Across the interview table" I did mentioned that there is a purpose of asking each and every question in the interview. One cannot ask anything and everything. Again, set of interview questions varies from industry to industry and position to position. Interviewers use the interview process as a vehicle to eliminate your candidacy. Every question they ask is used to differentiate your skills, experience, and personality with that of other candidates. They want to determine if what you have to offer will mesh with the organization's mission and goals.

What type of answer is Expected???

Try to avoid this type of answer: I am a hard-worker who is good with numbers. After I worked as a financial analyst for a few years, I decided to go to law school. I just finished and now am looking for a new challenge.

Speak something like this: I began developing skills relevant to financial planning when I worked as a financial analyst for three years. In that role, I succeeded in multiplying the wealth of my clients by carefully analyzing the market for trends. The return on the portfolios I managed was generally 2% more than most of the portfolios managed by my company. My initiative, planning, and analytic skills were rewarded by two promotions. As the manager of a team, I successfully led them to develop a more efficient and profitable strategy for dealing with new accounts. My subsequent training in the law, including tax law and estate law, gives me an informed view of what types of investments and charitable gifts would be most advantageous for your clients.

Preparing for the Answer:

Follow the following steps as outlined below to ensure your response will grab the interviewer attention.

1. Provide a brief introduction. Introduce attributes that are key to the open position.

2. Provide a career summary of your most recent work history. Your career summary is the "meat" of your response, so it must support your job objective and it must be compelling. Keep your response limited to your current experience. Don't go back more than 10 years.

3. Tie your response to the needs of the hiring organization. Don't assume that the interviewer will be able to connect all the dots. It is your job as the interviewee to make sure the interviewer understands how your experiences are transferable to the position they are seeking to fill.

4. Ask an insightful question. By asking a question you gain control of the interview. Don't ask a question for the sake of asking. Be sure that the question will engage the interviewer in a conversation. Doing so will alleviate the stress you may feel to perform.

There you have it - a response that meets the needs of the interviewer AND supports your agenda.

When broken down into manageable pieces, the question, "So, tell me about yourself?" isn't overwhelming. In fact, answering the question effectively gives you the opportunity to talk about your strengths, achievements, and qualifications for the position. So take this golden opportunity and run with it!

When Asked by Different People?

HR manager or CEO of the company or the Departmental Head can ask the same question and your answer should vary. The expectation of each such person is different.

When asked by HR Manager your response must be like this: "My career has been characterized by my ability to work well with diverse teams. I seek out opportunities to involve others in the decision-making process. This collaboration and communication is what has enabled me to achieve success in my department. People are the most valuable resource of any organization."

When asked by CEO your response must be like this: "I have achieved success in my career because I have been focused on the bottom line. I have always sought out innovative solutions to challenging problems to maximize profitability. Regardless of the task or challenge, I always established benchmarks of performance and standards of excellence. I have never sought to maintain the "status quo." An organization that does not change and grow will die. I would enjoy working with you to help define new market opportunities in order to achieve the organization's goals."

In each instance, we responded to the "needs of the individual." It is almost guaranteed that, when you respond appropriately to the diverse needs of the different managers, you will become the standard by which all of the other candidates will be measured.

Conclusion:

The question is very tricky and being the first question of the interview…one need to be a bit more careful in answering the same. This question can make or break the interviewer’s interest in you.

Children At Work: Looking at Child Labor in the Victorian Age

Today, it isn’t that uncommon for some children and teenagers to work. They may earn extra money by baby-sitting, doing yard work, or maybe even walking dogs. Others, once they go on to high school, may go to work in their local grocery store, malls, or food chains. However, in the Victorian Age, it wouldn’t seem at all strange to see children as young as five or six, go to work full-time (sometimes sixteen hours a day!) in often dangerous conditions.

As you read, ask yourself questions. Why do you think children so young were working? What type of jobs do you do for extra money? What types of jobs did the Victorian Age children have to do? What would you do to help stop child labor? How do you think your life would be different if instead of getting an education, you had to go to work in a paper mill, or on an assembly line?

Why Did it Happen?

During the first United States Census it was reported that the number of children working in 1870, equalled nearly 750,000. This only included children under the age of fifteen, and didn’t count those children who were working on their family farms, or in the family’s business. The number of children working continued to increase as new technology and the Industry grew. What were some of the things that caused families to send their children to work? What about the employers that hired them?

Poverty

One mother in the Victorian Age, Mrs. Smith, was quoted as saying:

“I have three children working in Wilson’s mill; one 11, one 13, and the other 14. They work regular hours there. We don’t complain. If they go to drop the hours, I don’t know what poor people will do. We have hard work to live as it is…..My Husband is one of the same mind about it…last summer my husband was 6 weeks ill; we pledged almost all our things to live; the things are not all out of pawn yet… We complain of nothing but short wages…My children have been in the mill three years. I have no complaint to make of their being beaten…I would rather they were beaten than fined.”

Another roadblock to change was that most people thought that by letting children have jobs, it would serve to help the poor families to make more money.

There were many ways that children entered the workforce. Orphaned children were often sent to a distant mill or factory owner to be fed and cared for while working to earn their keep. Others were indentured, or sold to a business owner by their parents for a certain number of years. Other, more fortunate working children lived with their families while working full-time.

Industrial Needs

While some factory owners and leaders of the industries spoke out against putting children to work so young, others hired children because they didn’t have to be paid as much as adults did. Children were also hired for factory and mill jobs because many of the machines that they used were very small. Children were seen as the ideal candidates to work the machines, and to fix them when they were broken.

It’s also important to remember that children were raised and treated differently in the Victorian Age. There were some employers who didn’t think that there was anything wrong with hiring young children to work. They believed that by hiring these children, the children would eventually grow-up as responsible, hard workers.

However, as you will see in the next section, many of the jobs that children were hired for were often very hard, at times even dangerous.

Working for a Living

When teenagers go to work today, they can choose from many types of work. They can be cashiers, fry cooks, baby-sitters, front desk clerks, stockers or create their own lawn service. Children of the Victorian area didn’t have these options.

So, what did these kids do for a living?

The most fortunate working children were hired on as apprentices for the major trades of the era. Some of these trades would include:

*Blacksmith
*Tinsmith
*Cooper
*Iron foundry
*Cobbler
*Lace making
*Leatherworking

While the children were still required to work, and sometimes required to work long hours, they were at least lucky enough to be learning a profitable trade, which offered hope to them for their future.

Younger children might have started out working as street sweepers, “scavengers” or by selling newspapers. Scavengers were children who searched through trash, rubbish and refuse for items they could sell to junk stores, or even to their neighbors. Some of these items might have included pieces of rope, or metal scraps.

Still other children were put to work in more dangerous conditions.

Glass factories
Textile mills
Coal fields/mines
Cotton mills
Shipyards

These are only a few examples of the hard work children would face, sometimes working up to ninety hours a week!!

Sometimes the children who went to work and were often away from adult supervision would fall into criminal activity. They would wind up involved in things like gambling, stealing, and sometimes even prostitution.

Making a Difference!!

Many people worked very lard and hard to help protect children from being taken advantage of by the industries. Some key people who fought to control child labor were:

Charles Loring Brace - created the Children’s Aid Society

Lewis Wikes Hine - photographer who exposed the child labor problem to the public at large

President Woodrow Wilson - created the Keating-Owen Act (see below)

Lord Ashley - created the Children’s Employment Commission in 1842

Charles Dickens - wrote and spoke out against child labor. For more information, read Oliver Twist

Karl Marx - helped incite public opinion

Michael Sadler - worked on the “Ten-Hour Movement”

Organizations that were involved in gathering support from individuals and law makers to control child labor include:

“Short Time Committees”
The Children’s Aid Society
The National Child Labor Committee

Progress was sometimes slow, but always encouraging. Several Factory Acts (1819-1878) were created in England, which increased the minimum age of children who were able to work. Along with the Factory Acts, there was the “Ten-Hour Movement” which limited shifts to ten hours, with a weekly limit of fifty-eight hours. Other laws in England that influenced the change of child labor laws included Lord Ashley’s Children’s Employment Commission (1842), which was followed by the Coal Mines Act in 1843. This Act stopped the Coal Mines from hiring women, or boys under the age of ten.

In America, activists joined together in groups and coalitions to work for labor law and reform, or change. They received a small victory in 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson created the Keating-Owen Act, which banned the interstate (between two or more states) sale of any items produced by child labor. However, this Act was later found to be unconstitutional. The real victory came in the year 1938, with the Fair Labor Standards Act. This Act created a national minimum wage and set the national working age to sixteen (eighteen if the job was dangerous). Children aged 14 and 15 were allowed to work under certain conditions and fields of work, but only after school hours.

Because of the efforts of the Victorian people and the new laws it created for the children of England and America, child labor isn’t as large of a problem….for us. But child labor hasn’t disappeared! According to some recent surveys and studies done by the International Labor Office, it was estimated that there are about 250,000,000 kids between five and fourteen working. Of these children, 120,000,000 are working full-time, often in dangerous conditions. Take some time to think of ways that you can help with the modern day global child labor reform!!

Working In Iraq: Is It For You?

The US Army Corp of Engineers and numerous private companies are still looking for people to help rebuild Iraq's infrastructure. In fact, one Web site currently has four pages of jobs in Iraq. And the pay can be very good. Some civilian contractor jobs start at $80,000. Others pay even more. A truck driver earning $30,000 in the US may be able to get a job in Iraq paying $70,000, $80,000 or even $90,000 a year.

Iraqi jobs come with tax benefits

Just as important, housing and meals are usually provided, and if you work overseas for a year, $80,000 of your income is excluded from US income taxes. (Note: For complete details on this tax exclusion, see Section 13.3 of the IRS Tax Code, “Aliens and U.S. Citizens Living Abroad: Foreign Income & Foreign Income Exclusion”).

Iraq job postings are usually available online and, in many cases, you can apply for these jobs online. Sites you might want to check out include dangerzonejobs.com, jobline.net, and jobsearch.about.com.

As of this writing (early Septermber, 2006), I found jobs available for mechanics, subcontract administrators, buyers, pest control technicians, legal advisors, truck drivers, telecommunications people, and maintenance workers -- to name just a few.

Companies with jobs in Iraq include Halliburton, KBR (a Halliburton subsidiary) Dyncorp, Parsons Project Iraq, CIS (Critical Intervention Services), Titan Corp., Bechtel, Fluor, Koll, Wackenhut, General Dynamics, EG&G Technical Services, and many others.

The US State Department is also looking for employees. The Iraq Reconstruction Management Office (IRMO) wants to hire highly skilled and motivated United States citizens. IRMO's mission is to support the sovereign, democratic rights of the Iraqi people to govern themselves, defend their country, and rebuild their economy. These jobs fall under Civil Service and, as such, offer excellent benefits, including generous health plans, thrift savings plans, life insurance, annual leave, sick leave, and a student loan repayment plan.

Iraqi jobs

There are a number of positions posted as of this writing that require duty in Iraq. A partial list of these jobs include: Advisor ($62,000 to $97,000), Logistics Program Coordinator ($62,886 TO $97,213), Contract Specialist ($62,886 to $97,213), and Field Services Officer ($62,886 to $97,213).

Another branch of the US Government, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), is currently spending $3.3 billion on contracts with consulting firms that help promote entrepreneurism, improve agriculture and manufacturing efficiency, stimulate investment and develop information technology skills.

That's the good news. Here's the bad news. In an article on the Web site www.dangerzonejobs.com dated Feb. 14, 2005, one recruiter says “you'll be working eight- to 12-hour days in a 120-degree desert populated by scorpions, camel spiders and people looking to kill you. You'll be dusty and dirty most of the time. You're shown slides of what your residence -- a prefab metal container -- looks like when it's blown apart by mortar fire. You learn that about 60 other company employees or subcontractors have been killed -- and one is missing.

Still willing

Still, 1 in 10 applicants for jobs with the Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg Brown & Root, based in Houston, remain willing to take those well-paying truck driver, food service, laundry and maintenance positions in Iraq. This despite extensive media coverage of the kidnappings, beheadings and suicide attacks on civilian workers there. And there's no doubt that civilians are prime targets. Besides the roughly 3,200 U.S. military casualties so far, there have been more than 300 casualties among civilians working for U.S. contractors, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.”

Two of the largest contractors staffing for jobs in Iraq, Halliburton and KBR. The big picture is that billions of dollars have been allocated to construction and reconstruction projects throughout Iraq. Salaries are high and the lure of making more money that one could sometimes make in years at home is hard to resist.

So, is a job in Iraq right for you? If you have a sense of adventure, are not afraid to take a risk and would like to double or even triple your wages for a year, the answer just might be yes.

A Career in Image Consulting

You might have seen them while watching TV shows such as Extreme Makeover, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, or What Not to Wear. Or you might have heard that Martha Stewart needed them to give her advice on how to look sympathetic to a jury.

We're talking about Image Consultants, and they have one of the hottest new businesses today.

Also known by such titles as wardrobe consultant, fashion stylist, or makeover consultant, image consultants are paid to show people how to create a fabulous impression. They might recommend wearing different colors or new styles, go through closets to toss out clothing that isn’t working, shop for a new wardrobe, and put together incredible outfits. They might advise a change of hairstyle, makeup, or grooming.

However, image is more than physical appearance. In addition to how someone looks, we also form impressions based on how someone talks and behaves. So image consultants may also advise people on their vocal communication (voice, grammar, vocabulary, etc.), non-verbal communication (handshakes, posture, eye contact, etc.) and etiquette – from dining to cell phones.

Most image consultants also develop a network of strategic partners they can refer clients to, such as hair stylists, makeup artists, nutritionists, dentists, personal trainers, plastic surgeons, and voice coaches.

Image consultants offer the kind of advice that can help people land a job, get a promotion, find someone to love, or just feel good about themselves.

It's no wonder they are so well rewarded, typically earning at least $50 per hour advising individuals how to present a better image. A particularly lucrative avenue is presenting training programs for corporations. Image consultants can earn thousands of dollars a day teaching seminars on dressing professionally (including dos and don’ts for casual Fridays), telephone etiquette for customer service staff, communication skills for new supervisors, and other topics.

TIP: If you are one of the rare few who think image doesn't matter, try shopping at a fine store dressed in what you would normally wear to clean your basement or move furniture. Then visit the same store looking well-groomed and wearing your best suit. Chances are the staff will treat you quite differently!

The first step to becoming an image consultant is to decide what kind of services you want to offer. You could specialize in wardrobe or fashion consulting, offer advice on communication skills and etiquette, or be a makeover consultant who gives feedback on "the whole package."

The next step is to get some experience. While there are a variety of books and training programs you can use to quickly learn the basics, nothing beats hands on experience. Offer free makeovers for friends and family members who will agree to let you take "before and after" photos. You can then put the photos in a portfolio or on a web site to help you get paying clients.

There are many types of clients who use the services of image consultants, including: women who want a new look, job-seekers, corporate executives and their spouses, beauty pageant contestants, lawyers and their clients, cancer survivors, television personalities, transgender individuals, politicians, and singles seeking a partner.

"It is a great time to get into the field," says celebrity image consultant Gloria Starr. A 20 year industry veteran who has helped shape the image of clients such as Destiny’s Child, 3M, and Celebrity Cruise Lines, she shares expert advice on how to get started in the FabJob.com Guide to Becoming an Image Consultant.

"This is the busiest time in my 20-plus years. People are looking for the edge in business," says Starr. "Presenting themselves for success by dressing well and using appropriate business and dining skills opens the doors for greater recognition and success."

Is image consulting the right career for you?

- Skills that can help you succeed in this career are a strong visual sense as well as excellent communication skills. You must be able to diplomatically tell someone what they need to improve about their appearance.

- Image consulting is a service business so it doesn’t require a large investment to get started.

- You can start part-time while working at another job.

- To be credible, you must have a professional image yourself.

Strange Jobs Still Pay The Bills

Strange jobs? How do we define that? Years ago I stole cars as a repo-man, had some adventures as an investigative process-server, and even handed out samples in grocery stores. Here are some other unusual jobs you can aspire to:

Wrinkle Chaser

This is the person that irons wrinkles from shoes as they are being made to ensure they are perfectly smooth when you buy them.

Chicken Sexer

This is a real job title. A chicken sexer sorts through baby chicks to determine if they are male or female, and then segregate them.

Citrus Fruit Colorer

A Citrus Fruit Colorer, with the help of steam and chemicals, gives citrus fruit a more natural coloring, because fruit is usually picked before it is fully ripe.

Celluloid Trimmer

A Celluloid Trimmer shaves down a golf club and then adds celluloid bands onto the golf clubs to make the leather grip stay in place.

Odor Judgers

Want to smell armpits all day to help make effective deodorants? I'm not sure why somebody other than some strange fetishist would want this job.

Furniture Tester

Now here's a good one. The La-z-Boy Company (and probably others) employs furniture testers to check out their recliners. Want to relax for a living?

Cowpuncher

You can herd, castrate and brand cattle. Then, when you get bored castrating cattle, you can repair fences, watering troughs and do other maintenance work on the ranch.

Alligator Wrangler

This is more of a dangerous job than a strange one, and probably not worth the pay, unless you get a T.V. show like the The Crocodile Hunter.

This is just a small sampling of the weird jobs out there. I understand that sumo-wrestlers need helpers in the bathroom, for example, and a friend of mine once had a job painting "Brake Release" on those little handles all day. Then there are the strange businesses you can start, but that's another story.

Funny Interview Questions

Job Interview is generally a set of questions asked by the interviewer to test the ability of a candidate, his/her knowledge and personality. It is the employer’s way of assessing prospective candidates, to find if they are good enough for the job for which the company is recruiting. During the interview process the interview will ask different types of questions to know more about the candidate. In most of the companies the interview questions is divided into different types.

Job interview questions differ according to the work structure of a company. But most of the job interview questions asked by the companies are related to the three categories. In the first set, the interview asks about the candidate’s family background, education, and interests. The second set comes with question meant to assess the technical knowledge of the candidate. While the last is to judge the candidate’s personality – his/her nature, decision making capacity, ideology, and ability to solve problems.

But some interview boards also ask a few funny interview questions to the candidate. This is a tricky method to check the candidate’s reaction. Many candidates don’t know how to answer a funny interview question. Hearing a funny interview question some candidates get irritated. What is there in getting irritated hearing a funny interview question? The candidates have to know that these questions are meant to check the psychological structure of the candidate. There is nothing to get panic or irritated hearing funny interview questions. Just answer the funny interview questions as other technical questions in a simply way.

By asking funny interview questions the interviewer is trying to test the nerve of the candidate. Just relax and show enthusiasm to answer the funny interview question as the other interview questions. The interviewer is trying to check what type of person you are. That is whether you have enough humor sense. Funny interview questions are asked to put the candidate at ease. By asking funny interview questions, the interviewer is also trying to make you relaxed and enthusiastic. The interviewer also needs to remove the tension in you and make the interview process very informal. This is done so as to smoothen the interview process.

If the interview feels that you are tensed, he cannot judge clearly whether you are fit for the job or not. When the interview is done in a tensed manner, you will also be not able to answer all the question correctly as you may forget many answers because of the tension which remains in your mind. This is the main reason why interviews ask many funny questions to you.

So now you get the idea what are these funny interview questions meant for. There is nothing to worry about funny interview questions. Simply answer the questions with a funny answer so that the interview will enjoy your answer. By answering the funny interview questions in a funny way or responding to the question in the same enthusiasm as the other questions you can sometimes make a ticket into the list of expected winners.

Your Weakness Interview Question: How Do You Answer It?

What is your biggest weakness?

This is one of those difficult interview questions that interviewers ask from time to time. The way you handle your response to the question might be as important if not more important than what you actually say.

The question is how to answer the question without making it look like you have a weakness that might prevent you from getting hired.

At the same time, you don’t want to mention a weakness that isn’t really a weakness and simply tell the interviewer what you think they want to hear.

Trust me, an experienced interviewer has heard every clichéd answer to this question and will know when you are feeding them a line.

The purpose of asking this question is firstly to see how you handle a stress question and secondly how you actually respond to it.

Here are some guidelines for responding when an interviewer asks what about your biggest weakness:

1. Answer the question honestly. It’s always best to answer any interview question honestly (obviously) but this is an especially important one. Making up a weakness that isn’t really a weakness will most likely be very noticeable to the interviewer. If they think you are lying, they may ask you for another weakness which will cause you even more trouble trying to think of one off the top of your head.

2. Don’t mention a big weakness that could cost you the job. Your goal here isn’t to lie of course, it’s simply to present yourself as best you can. We all have weaknesses but it doesn’t mean we tell an interviewer everything that we do wrong. If for example you are interviewing for a project manager job, it’s probably best not to mention that you have trouble getting along with people since you’re going to be constantly working with others.

3. Don’t evade the question. Don’t try to avoid answering the question. Also be careful about giving a clichéd weakness (ie. I work too hard) and then quickly stating how you deal with it. That looks too scripted and the interviewer has probably heard it one million times before. Admitting a real weakness but then stating what you are doing to improve yourself is preferable ie. “My presentation skills are not as strong as I’d like so I signed up for weekend presentation skills classes and also joined a Toastmasters club.” Remember that the specific job you are interviewing for will help to determine how you answer the question.

4.Keep your answer factual and brief. Typically, stress questions such as these that put us on the spot tend to cause us to ramble on and speak for longer than we should especially if we’re nervous. The best way to answer the question is to be well prepared and to know how you are going to answer the question before the interview. This will avoid you trying to think off the top of your head and saying more than you need to which could hurt your chances of getting the job.

5. Be careful about using “my biggest weakness is my biggest strength” as your response. Saying that “I’m a perfectionist” or something like that is another of those clichéd answers that people often give to this question. It will probably come across as being scripted and the interviewer will most likely determine that you got the answer from an interview tips book.

Competency Based Interviews - 6 Steps to Success!

Competency based interviews are intended to get the best from you, the candidate, whilst also fulfilling the needs of the organisation to get the very best person for the job. There are some easy steps to make the most of yourself and have a much better chance of success.

1. Prepare well, but keep it sensible
   As long as you know the job you are going for, ask for details of what you will be measured against. Ask for a set of competencies. Ask for a job description. This sets you up to succeed, not just because you are better informed, but also because you have asked - which will impress the decision-makers, before you even get there!
   
2. Get Creative
   Here is the time to use your own experiences to create 'stories' which you can use in the actual interview. These 'stories' are real scenarios that you have been a part of, which over a period of days and weeks beforehand, you write up. Maybe you will have 20+ initial ideas.
   
3. Leverage!
   Take the very best scenarios and write them out, bullet points first. Then flesh them out, whilst referring carefully to the competencies you've been given. It is amazing how you can 'tune-in' your scenario to include many, if not all of the competencies. And if you can't fit them all in, there will be a use for them - later!
   
4. Practice
   By reading through your scenarios (and by now you should not have more than six or seven) you will familiarise yourself with the contents, so well, that they will become second nature - even in the scary experience of an interview.
   
5. In the Interview
   There are some tactics in here too!
   
   
   • Using your scenarios make just three key points about what you've been asked. Make them relevant and the right 'weight'. Not too long or too short.
   • After that, leave space for them to ask more - that's what they are listening for.
   • Say 'I' a lot - they want to know what your personal involvement and experience was, not 'the team' or 'they'.
   • Have fun - whilst not contrived, smile and make some simple jokes, if you feel comfortable with that - they want to employ happy as well as capable people.
   • Can't answer? That's fine. Make sure that you reflect on your shortcomings by saying things like, 'It's one of the first things I want to develop in my next job - if you did your stuff on your scenarios and your competencies well enough, you will have covered 90% of the bases well and you'll be forgiven for not being 'perfect'. If you are really stumped - say so!
   • Ask questions - relevant, about their culture, focus on developing you, opportunities - the positive 'peopley' things (remember it's your chance to see if you want to work with them!).
   • Also ask about current issues they may be facing - you did do your homework on them, didn't you?
   
   
6. Strong Ending!
   Keep the whole thing light, even as you leave at the end. Have a conversation in general terms - about anything! Do make sure that you ask them some things that are about them - they will love it if you ask them some open (what, how, when, where, who) general questions about your new job! About something nice in the building or their clothes - take as it comes and do what feels comfortable!

Remember that competencies are there to help you and they provide a guide-map for your competency based interview success!

How To Start Your Own House Cleaning Business

If you are thinking about starting your own house cleaning business, begin by evaluating your present circumstances. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, but how you reply will affect what you do.

How much strength and stamina do you have? If you have lots, you can schedule more house cleaning jobs than someone who is more average in these ways.

What times of the week are you available? If you have a job, weekly meetings of any kind, or children that you want or need to be with at certain times, draw up a schedule of when you can be available for your new house cleaning business. Don't worry if there are only a small number of hours per week that you can work right now. That will be enough to get you started, and you will be glad of the income.

Do you want to work alone or with your partner or another friend? If you have someone compatible to work with, it can be more fun to work together. Also, it can make it easier if you or your co-worker gets sick or has a family emergency come up.

There are many ways to get customers, and none of them have to cost much. Here are several:

Go to a local copy shop and have some business cards made up. (Or make them yourself on your computer if you happen to know how. Office supply stores sell boxes of cardstock already perforated for business card size. You'd need a program capable of making business cards.) Give these cards out and post them in grocery stores, laundromats, etc.

With a computer and a word processing program (or a poster-making program, if you happen to have one), you can make a one-page or half-page flyer that says something like: "Don't Have Time to Do It All? Let Lou's House Cleaning Business Make Your House Shine! Special Introductory Half-Price Offer!" Be sure to include your name, phone number, even your email if you have one that you check every day. Indicating your prices will get you more calls. Don't set your prices too low, a common tendency for new business owners.

Tell everyone you know. Get on the phone and tell your friends. Place a small classified ad in a local shopper-type paper.

Okay, you will soon be getting customers. How will you actually do the house cleaning? What tools do you need to start with? There are probably as many different answers to this as there are people who have started a house cleaning business. Here are some ways to decide what you will do: Poke around on the internet. Ask your mother. Go to a library or bookstore and read.

You may need to get a business license. Check with the city, town, or county, where you live. This rarely costs much.

So there you have it. You can start your own house cleaning business. Go for it!