Careers

If you have ever been told that you have a great voice, then you may have thought of making use of that great voice in a professional way, as a singer, announcer or as a voice over talent. Voice over, or adding your voice to advertisements and recorded messages, can be a very lucrative field for a trained talent. If you would like to get the training necessary to succeed as a voice over talent then here are a few steps to take.

But first before I give the step-by-step guide to a career in voice over, remember one thing: in the commercial world all kinds of voices are needed: low voices, whiny voices, gravelly voices, flat voices and even average voices. So, even if you don’t have a classic “good voice” you can enter the field if you have determination. Here is what you should do.

1. Take Acting Classes:

Yes, take acting classes if you are in a major city. Find a course and enroll in it. Why acting classes? You need to know how to create the characters who “speak” in a commercial. Just taking an animation class won't do it. You need to start the process organically. It's not about the voice, yet, it's about the intent beneath the voice that shapes the voice.

2. Take a Voice Over Class

After you've opened yourself up for three months in an acting class, time to move into specifics with a voice over class. In L.A., the best resource is http://www.voiceoverresourceguide.com. It lists all the studios as well as all the classes in L.A. At the top are http://www.voicecaster.com and http://www.kalmenson.com.

3. Start Practicing at Home

In addition to class, listen to any and every commercial on the TV and radio. Mimic them. Pick up magazines and read aloud the ad copy as though it were a commercial. Get so used to your voice that silence sounds wrong.

4. Find Your Niche

Once you've gotten a handle on your instrument - your voice - you need to know what your range is and, by association, what your market is. Are you the classy BMW voice, the GenX hamburger guy, the Don Pardo game show host? You could be all three and more. Knowing all that you can do will help you with confidence and direction when promoting yourself.

So, start studying, keep practicing and try to determine where your voice would fit in best.

In the next article, I will discuss how to get your demo reel ready and made, how to find an agent, and how to book the job.

About the Author:

D.C. Douglas is a professional actor and voice over talent based in Los Angeles, California. Visit his website at http://www.myvoiceoverguy.com for more information.

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Deciding what job to pursue after college entails more brain cells that most activities. Unlike deciding on what car to buy or what clothes to wear, one must give the decision its due because it will effect your happiness and quality of life for the next three to four decades.

Most people believe that a career in travel nursing is stuff that dreams are made of. For those currently following this career path… most of those who have experienced this lifestyle agree that it is a great way to make a living but there are a few who argue and refute this. But all agree that it's entirely up to you whether your career in travel nursing becomes to a dream come true.

How do you start on a career in travel nursing?

Let's divide the answer into two parts: travel and nursing. We'll tackle the latter first. To be able to pursue a career in travel nursing, you must of course be equipped with a creditable nursing degree. Now some may possess one-year-diplomas and call themselves professionals but unfortunately for them, not all hospital or healthcare employers accept that as enough credentials. If you only have a vocational degree tucked under your belt, then perhaps you'd rather pursue a career in care giving rather than travel nursing. Caregivers, after all, still get to travel across the globe. It all comes down to the skills.

The second half of a Travel Nursing career is the traveling. So you're the proud holder of a nursing degree and you're duly licensed to practice nursing. The next step to tackle then is learning how to go about your travels. Most people prefer to seek recruitment agencies for help in this matter. These agencies are ably experienced in assisting people interested in making a fortune in travel nursing. But you must beware! There are several recruitment agencies that may just be a scam to whisk your money away. And remember, using their services means paying some fees and if in some instances the fees are high so be careful and be wary. Ask questions and don't go with any agency that you don't feel is being 100% honest with you and if there fees are out of line then find another agency or you can always go it alone.

A few things to consider when traveling are the need of a passport. First, check with the embassy in your country of choice and see if they require a visa. Second, make sure that all your nursing documents, proof that you have graduated from a reputable school and have passed the necessary examinations, are all duly authenticated. A career in travel nursing may mean jumping from one country after another so it would definitely reduce your stress level if all your papers, even your resume, are supported with valid reference documents.

How do you adjust or embark on a life of travel nursing?

Experienced travel nurses provide us with plenty of advice and tips to make sure that first time nurses in this particular career will have an easier transition into the field.

Double-Check Everything

At least three to five days prior to your departure make sure that you haven't forgotten anything. Make a checklist of all essentials and cross them off the list as you pack them. From documents to the clothes you've packed, make sure that everything in your list is accounted for. A career in travel nursing is a demanding job and leaves little room for error so it's best to start on the right foot.

Research Your Destination(s)

A travel nursing career requires that you to go to different countries meet different people and adjust to different cultures. Researching destinations beforehand will help avoid miscommunication, reduce the possible culture shock and basically just make your experience a whole lot more enjoyable and less stressful.

Ask For An Early Move-in

An early move is suggested by experienced travel nurses because it enables you to relax and breathe a little before embarking on your new travel nursing job. Familiarize yourself with the place and the people. And best of all, enjoy the new sights because one of the major perks of having a career in travel nursing is of course... the travel.

While the compensation and perks are quite exceptional because the Travel Nursing Career is such a high demand, highly sought after position it's a bit more difficult to secure than most other nursing positions. As a result, most employers are very picky so make sure that you have what it takes. And if you don't, then improve your skills (education and / or experience) or find another sector of the nursing profession to make your career.

About the Author:

Kevin Erickson is a contributing writer to the following websites: http://www.eyeonnursing.com and http://www.total-transcription.com. This article may be reproduced only in its entirety.

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eBay's being spoken about everywhere these days. At work, school, down the pub... everyone's getting into eBay, looking for those bargains and trying to save themselves some money. Not a day goes by without eBay getting some kind of press publicity.

Although people are increasingly turning to eBay for bargains, the majority of users are only buying and do not open a selling account. Lets be honest, I expect you've used eBay in the past and I'm sure if your reading this that you've even sold items on it. It's not hard is it?

There are three specific reasons why I believe eBay is the greatest opportunity online to make extra cash or even build up your sales to make a full time online career.

Everyone's Equal.

On eBay everyone's equal. All users no matter what your status, bank balance or feedback is - everyone gets exactly the same opportunity to sell their item, starting with a blank description form.

It's your call how you describe your item and it stands the same chance of being seen as the next persons. If your selling an ebook, you could do it on eBay or though your own website. With eBay you pay exactly the same fee as your competitors. Selling though your own website your can use Pay-Per-Click campaigns to advertise your site & your competitors can outbid and out manoeuvre you easily. I know which one I'd choose to make the task easier.

Targeted Traffic

eBay lets users take away all the hard work by allowing customers to search for you. Normally online it's the other way around with you advertising your product, building links to your website, starting joint ventures, etc just to get the correct type of visitors to your site. I could go on but you hopefully you get the idea.

Getting visitors to your own website to purchase items isn't easy. It can also be costly & timely if your new to net marketing. But by selling on eBay you can forget about it all because users actually search for you. They simply type what their looking for and up springs a list of results including your item.

User friendly

eBay is easy to use and guides you though the selling process. With help at every point, it's hard to go wrong. And if you do it's easy to correct it your mistake. With communities and forums across the net, you don't have to look hard to find someone to help you. Plus there are hundreds of eBooks written on the subject.

So now you know why I rate eBay so highly. Start selling today and make the most of your experience online.

About the Author:

Mark Kenny, runs http://Trading-Web-Solutions.com & creates eBay related turnkey websites including a turnkey website to promote an eBay Trading Assistant business. This article is taken from his eBay Maximum Resources Mini-Guide. To subscribe send a blank email to taebay@aweber.com

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Do you want a rewarding career that also lets you work with a lot of people? Do you enjoy sports and physical activity? Do you want to be a doctor? If you answered yes to any of these then you may be interested in a career in sports medicine. A career in sports medicine has many advantages for you. Not only is it an excellent career, but people educated in sports medicine are always needed. You know you will always have a job in the field of sports medicine.

Sports medicine has two fields of expertise. Sports medicine first focuses on injury treatment and injury prevention for athletes. The second focus of sports medicine is to provide an athlete or athletes with performance enhancement. This can be for any type of athlete. In sports medicine you can treat: runners, bicyclists, football players, soccer players, hockey players, baseball players, and many other types of athletes. Sports medicine is open to many fields. The goal of a person who works in sports medicine is to make sure the athletes he or she treats achieve top performance and optimal health at all times.

There are many careers in sports medicine. One is called a sports medicine physician. A sports medicine physician goes through medical school first and then gets educated in sports medicine. This is when they learn to diagnose and treat sport related injuries that athletes have incurred. A second career in sports medicine is called a sports medicine physical therapist. A sports medicine physical therapist works with athletes to rehabilitate them from sports related injuries, muscle problems, joint problems, etc. For A career as a sports medicine physical therapist you will need to get certified as a physical therapist after your initial medical school training.

Many college campuses offer courses in sports medicine. Some even have job placement for people that wish to start a career in the field of sports medicine. One great school to look into is The American College of Sports Medicine. They offer certification in this field and are world renowned. For more information about sports medicine you can check out a book called The American Journal of Sports Medicine. It has details on sports medicine education and articles about sports medicine.

This career is an excellent choice for many of you out there. It's great to know when you are the one that helps an athlete perform his or her best. If you are really good at it you may even get to treat the athletes that are in the Olympics! Perhaps you will get to treat some of the world famous basketball stars or football players! Then you too can world famous!

About the Author:

Jay Moncliff is the founder of http://www.buy-meds.info a blog focusing on the Medicine, resources and articles. This site provides detailed information on Medicine. For more info on Medicine visit: http://www.buy-meds.info

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Did you know that you might be eligible to gain entry into the field of patent law even without a law degree? The basic requirements are a degree in a technology-related field and the will to pass the Patent Bar Exam.

The field of patent law is wide open to Biologists, Chemists, Engineers, Computer Scientists, and many other science and technology professionals. And it’s true; individuals with the proper science or engineering degree need only pass the Patent Bar to become registered Patent Agents.

Upon becoming a Patent Agent, you may gain employment writing and prosecuting patent applications at law firms, technology transfer offices, biotech or engineering corporations, and government institutes.

From there, you may decide whether or not to go on to law school and become a Patent Attorney. In addition to writing and prosecuting patents, a Patent Attorney can also litigate in patent infringement cases.

The Perfect Skill Set
Patent law is the perfect field for many creative and talented individuals since it requires so many qualities to be successful.

There is definitely a people-oriented side to a career in patent law. This is especially true when you consider the “isolated lab environment” most scientists and engineers are used to. Contrast this with the fact that an inventor’s hopes and dreams will be riding on the invention and that you will be there every step of the way to help them achieve their goals. Obviously, a great deal of interviewing and excellent communication is required in order to adequately learn what was invented and write a patent application.

Which brings us to the next point; patent practitioners must also have excellent writing skills. Drafting a quality patent application is tedious work that requires the absolute best in written communication.

In addition, a strong background in either science or technology is a must. You will have to understand exactly what has been invented in order to write a quality patent application.

Lastly, as a Patent Practitioner, you should possess a thirst for never-ending knowledge. You will be right on the cutting edge of research and development. You will constantly be exposed to new and exciting discoveries virtually before anyone else!

The Dollars and Cents
It’s the million dollar question. What might you expect to make as a professional in the field of patent law? Well, the pay scale varies from $45,000 up to $250,000+ for Patent Practitioners and is determined by many factors (yes I realize that’s quite a span).

First, as we’ve already eluded, if you are a scientist or engineer without a law degree you will be classified as a Patent Agent after you pass the Patent Bar Exam. If you have a law degree and are already considered an attorney, you will be classified as a Patent Attorney upon passing the exam. As a Patent Attorney with the same level of experience as a Patent Agent, you will typically earn the higher income because in addition to writing and prosecuting patents, you may also help protect patents in a court of law.

Second, your degree level will help determine your pay. If you have a Bachelor's degree in your particular area of expertise, you will typically make less than someone with a Master's or a PhD.

Third, your experience level will make a difference. Your previous positions will count when factoring your salary. The number of years you have worked as an engineer or scientist will make a difference. The more experience you have, usually the more valuable you will be perceived by the company. The longer you have worked in the field of patent law, the higher your pay will be as well.

Lastly, where you seek employment makes a difference in your pay. Law firms typically pay the most, whereas a Technology Transfer department at a University will usually pay the least. Furthermore, the state and city you apply for work in will also play a factor.

Hot Commodity
Businesses in the science and technology sectors regard patents as their lifeline. Therefore, gaining status as a registered Patent Practitioner can open many career doors for you.

Since the fields of research and intellectual property are so intertwined, imagine the new career opportunities you would be presented with if you were trained in both areas. Furthermore, as a scientist or engineer, most of the qualifications necessary to achieve registration as a Patent Practitioner have usually already been met. It is likely that your only requirement may be to pass the Patent Bar Exam. It is a difficult hurdle, but in comparison to the time and money you already spent to become a scientist or an engineer, the time and money necessary to pass the Patent Bar Exam is reasonable.

In today's unpredictable job market, expanding your skills makes sense, especially when this can be accomplished for a relatively low expense and little time. Compared to getting a degree, setting aside even a full year (although it can be completed in much less time) to learn about the patent prosecution process and take the Patent Bar Exam is very reasonable. Especially when you further consider the fact that it will open an entirely new career door for you. Whether you wish for a complete job change or the desire to become more marketable for technology based companies, gaining skills is always a smart move to make.

About the Author:

Lisa Parmley is a Registered Patent Agent and the owner of Intellectual Properties Enterprises, Inc. To learn more about a career in Patent law, please visit http://www.patentbarstudy.com

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