Recession Blues? Six Certifications You Can Earn in Six Months

For those facing unemployment, the idea of retraining for a new career can seem daunting--especially for adults who don't have the luxury of attending a two- or four-year college. America's career-training institutions can offer hope, though. Here are six careers you can become certified for in six months or less:

Computer Technician: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that careers in the IT field will increase by 27-53% by 2016. In fourteen states, ComputerTraining.com offers accelerated, classroom-based courses to prepare students for Microsoft Certification (MCP, MCTS and MCSA) in six months.

Medical Careers: According to the Department of Labor, Medical Assistant is one of the fastest-growing fields in America. Training programs to become a Medical Assistant, Dental Assistant, Medical Billing Technician or Phlebotomist vary in length depending on certifications, starting at eight weeks.

Culinary Arts: Schools now offer training in classic culinary techniques and pastry arts in as little as six months.

Cosmetology: Courses have evolved beyond one-year courses in hairstyling and now include shorter, specialized courses beyond hairstyling, including accelerated courses for manicures, facials, or makeup application.

Massage Therapist: A massage therapy education is typically based on hours, rather than weeks or months, of experience. Most students are ready for the exam in as little as 300 hours and certified after 1,000 hours--about the equivalent of six months of full-time work.

Pharmacy Technician: Pharmacy Technicians can receive on-the-job training, but employers favor candidates who have completed a formal education and certification process.

Affiliate Marketing: earn commissions and referral fees from web sites as a business model. Work with affiliate marketing networks and online advertisers.

Jerry Collins, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of ComputerTraining.com says he's already seeing an increase in inquiries. "As the recession has spread, we've seen more and more people looking for new career choices, rather than simply waiting for an old job that might never return," he said. "Even people who have earned college degrees for their former jobs are retraining for opportunities created by changing technology."

About ComputerTraining.com
For 13 years, ComputerTraining.com (www.computertraining.com) has provided accelerated classroom education programs designed to help students achieve Microsoft Certification in six months. All classes are lead by experienced instructors and all of the campuses that are eligible for ACCET accreditation are accredited. Graduating students may earn any combination of MCP, MCTS and MCSA certifications. Source: ComputerTraining.com. ANNAPOLIS JUNCTION, Md., Jan. 14, 2009 /PRNewswire/ --

Job Seekers Continue to Shift Towards the Internet, The Conference Board Reports

Job seekers are steadily increasing their use of the internet as a key part of their job search, The Conference Board reported today. In the most recent survey of workers who searched for a job between January and September 2007, 73 percent reported using the internet compared to 66 percent of job seekers in the same time period in 2005.

"The Internet has become the most popular method of job searching," said Gad Levanon, Economist at The Conference Board. "Newspapers are still popular as a major job search method, but job seekers reported using them less, dropping from 75 percent to 65 percent between 2005 and 2007."

Most job seekers continue to use more than one method in searching for a job. Online and print ads were not mutually exclusive and are still the most frequently used methods of exploring job openings. Continue reading...

Top 10 Interview Do's and Don'ts for 2008 Job Seekers

For many professionals one New Year's resolution is finding the perfect new job or even switching careers. Axelrod says that the common mistakes made by people who haven't interviewed for a while and are out of practice are easily correctable. Below is his list of Top 10 Interview Do's and Don'ts to help job seekers in their quest for that perfect job. Continue reading...

Education- your entrée to a new career

By Wendy Croix

The common wisdom that you should "stay in school" has never been wiser. Over the past twenty-five years, the connection between lifetime earnings and education has grown stronger.

While lifetime earnings of uneducated workers have dwindled, earnings of workers with a BA degree are nearly twice that of their high-school-educated age mates. The payoffs for advanced degrees have never been higher.

Most of the twenty fastest growing occupations in the U.S. require career education.

Some, like medical assistant, medical records technician, dental assistant, or vet med tech, require a professional certificate or associate degree.

You can begin an in-demand career like nursing with an AS degree and earn your BSN on the side while you work.

Going back to school can significantly change your life

Lets be honest about the career education bottom line. Education and career define social class, as do income and wealth. You're no snob, so should you care? Yes, says the New York Times, since class determines the quality of your life, your work, even your health.

An AA degree puts you in America's 75th educational percentile, a BA in the 91st. Either opens doors to higher income, which allows you to accumulate wealth.

But it all begins with going back to school. What are you waiting for?

Sources
Bureau of Labor Statistics <www.bls.gov>
Day, Jennifer Cheeseman and Eric C. Newburger. The Big Payoff: Educational Attainment and Synthetic Estimates of Work-Life Earnings. <www.census.gov>
How Class Works. New York Times. <www.nytimes.com> (May 19, 2005)

Are online degrees an option?

Online degrees make career change or advancement convenient. If your job makes it hard to get to a campus, then online study can help you get the career education you need. Just make sure your online degree is from an accredited program.

If you are searching for a school to further your education, browse through our selection of well known educational institutions. Request enrollment information and explore educational opportunities from our affiliates. New schools being linked continuously. Take online classes or sit in on a class at a campus near you.

Expand your horizons with a degree, upgrade your skills, or explore a new career. Search for a school near your zip code with our new School Search Engine (left). Request complimentary information, find out about enrollment and locate the bext school near you.

Health-related education careers

Find out more about preparing for a career in the health field with complimentary information from top schools in the nation. We have compiled some background on popular and developing medical careers in administration, billing and surgery techincal fields.

Careers in the dental fields are also expanding as technology advances. FInd out more about dental career opportunities.