wdsisi2: 七月 2011

2011年7月26日星期二

Customer Service Reps Get Low Marks -- Especially Walmart's

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Americans are not happy with the current state of customer service. According to a new Consumer Reports' survey, 65 percent are "tremendously annoyed" by rude salespeople and 64 percent of respondents said that they had left a store in the previous 12 months because of poor service. Guess which store is among the worst offenders.
That would be Walmart, which was consistently ranked among the worst in customer service for its retail service in eight out of 21 industries evaluated. The survey is part of a larger investigation on customer service featured in the July issue of Consumer Reports.
Walmart or Sam's Club, and sometimes both, were among the worst in categories, including retailers for appliances, electronics, cell phones and supermarkets. By comparison, Apple won praise for its retail service for cell phones, computers, computer tech support and electronics.
Interestingly enough, brokerage firms, eyeglass retailers and pharmacies were among the highest-rated industries for service. Computer tech support, TV, phone and Internet service providers earned some of the lowest scores.
As you can imagine, satisfaction is even lower with phone service than for face-to-face interaction. The survey found that 71 percent of respondents were extremely irritated when they couldn't reach a human on the phone. Sixty-seven percent said they hung up the phone without getting their issue resolved.
"There's a feeling on the part of Americans that companies are deliberately making it difficult for them by burying phone numbers, sidestepping calls and steering customers to online FAQs instead of live human beings," said Tod Marks, senior project editor for Consumer Reports.
This is tough news to swallow if you're in the customer service industry yourself -- it may come as a surprise that you and your field are so unpopular. You might be invoking the one bad apple theory, and also thinking that if companies would just loosen the purse strings and hire more people in the U.S., instead of overloading customer service reps and depending on automation and foreign outsourcing, things would be a lot better. Let's see if the Consumer Report survey will have any effect.

For Some Long-Term Unemployed, Jobless Benefits May Soon End

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As millions of Americans can attest, job loss can be devastating -- especially if it lingers on and on. Three years ago, amid recession, Congress sought to lessen the pain by extending the period that the long-term unemployed could claim benefits to well beyond a year.
Come January, however, that provision is set to expire, meaning that those who lose their jobs starting next month will likely be eligible only for the standard 26 weeks of unemployment benefits.

"There's certainly uncertainty about what's going to be available to them," says Chad Stone, chief economist at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a Washington, D.C., research organization focused on the low- and middle-income households.
The federal program, known as Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC), provides up to 34 weeks of additional payments of unemployment compensation to jobless workers in all states and up to 19 more weeks of payments to residents of states where unemployment remains high.
As it stands now, Stone says, only those who lose their jobs and become eligible for benefits by July 4 will be eligible for an additional 20 weeks of benefits should they exhaust their standard benefit before Jan. 3, 2012.
Given the political climate in Washington, it remains unclear whether Congress will act to renew the provisions. Following release of May's disappointing employment numbers earlier this month, President Obama said that he was interested in working with lawmakers to "continue some of these policies to make sure that we get this recovery up and running in a robust way."
It isn't only the federal government pulling back, however. Earlier this year, legislators in Missouri voted to reduce the number of weeks -- from 26 to 20 -- that unemployed workers can claim benefits. Michigan passed a similar law that goes into effect next year, and Illinois and Arkansas each have lopped off a week from their programs.
"For more than 50 years, every state in the nation has provided at least 26 weeks of unemployment insurance protections against the risk of involuntary job loss," says Christine Owens, executive director at the National Employment Law Project, a New York City-based nonprofit advocate for working-class Americans.
Cuts to state programs mean that unemployed workers in those states have less economic protection than workers laid off by the same company in other states, Owens says.
To some extent that's already true, since a portion of federally funded unemployment benefits are tied to a state's unemployment rate. Twenty-four states, for example, offer laid-off workers up to 99 weeks of benefits because their unemployment rate is at least 8.5 percent -- through a combination of state benefits, EUC benefits and another federal program known as Extended Benefits, or EB.
But five states (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Delaware and New Hampshire) only offer up to 60 weeks of payments because their overall jobless rates are under 6 percent.
Though many face the potential loss of benefits, in states such as Arizona, some long-term unemployed already have seen their payments end. They include Joan Miller, a 58-year-old former fundraiser who received her last unemployment check last week.
Miller, who lost her job nearly two years ago and estimates that she's applied for 20 jobs a week since then, resorted to selling lemons plucked from a friend's lemon tree to raise cash. "I'm appalled to find myself in this situation," Miller told Bloomberg News.
Unfortunately for Miller and many like her, a majority of Arizona's lawmakers voted earlier this month not to extend jobless aid to the long-term unemployed -- even though the funds, provided by the federal government, didn't cost the state a penny.
State Sen. Ron Gould, a Republican from Lake Havasu City, told the news agency that people are more driven to find work when benefits are cut off.
"You have to get back to where everybody is responsible for themselves, instead of everyone depending on government to take care of them," Gould said.

How to Make Up to $19/Hour Before You Get Your College Degree

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Want to earn close to $19 per hour while you are still a college student? Some students are doing just that. According to a recently released survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), college juniors pursuing a bachelor's degree in engineering can receive $18.90 per hour as an intern. Other students with technical, quantitative, and scientific majors can also expect to earn at the higher end of the internship wage spectrum with hourly salaries between $17.85 and $18.90.
Here's how the internship salaries for college juniors across a variety of majors stack up.
Communications, $15.71
Marketing, $15.98
Business Administration, $16.15
Human Resources, $16.26
Finance, $16.73
Accounting, $16.79
Liberal Arts, $16.91
Economics, $16.99
Social Sciences, $17.21
Information Technology, $17.85
Actuarial Science, $18.44
Mathematics, $18.50
Physical Sciences, $18.64
Health, $18.68
Engineering, $18.90
In addition, the study reports that offer rates and acceptance rates are the highest they have been for interns in four years, and the conversion rate of interns to full-time employees is reported to be 58 percent, compared to a 47 percent conversion rate in 2007. The study also indicates that interns that become employees have a 76 percent retention rate after one year and a 55 percent retention rate after five years.

Jobs Forecast: June Gloom Sets In, Employment Drought Continues

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With rising inflation, stagnant wages, a dwindling housing sector and a shaky stock market, how could the most recent numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics be anything but disappointing? The unemployment rate rose from 9.0 to 9.1, and only 54,000 non-farm jobs were added -- that's the lowest number in eight months.
We hate to be harbingers of doom, but June is not exactly shaping up to be one of the recovery's brightest months. As California's traditional "June Gloom" starts to sweep the country, remember that these numbers will change next month, and no one knows which direction they'll head. Still, you might want to tighten your belt a bit. There's no doubt that the recovery has lost some of its steam, and it's affecting pretty much everyone.
It's almost impossible not to feel it in some way. CNBC reports that real hourly wages have dropped 2.1 percent on an annualized basis over the past six months, a rate of decline not seen in 20 years. A consumer survey from the Conference Board, which reported earlier this week that the proportion of consumers expecting their incomes to increase was below 15 percent in May.
A study conducted by The Research Intelligence Group (TRiG), and commissioned by Al Angrisani, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor and president of Angrisani Turnarounds, LLC, shows that, in general, the average American worker is not in a good place. The report found:
Seventy-one percent of unemployed job seekers are feeling less encouraged about their ability to find jobs than they were when they started their searches. Older job seekers (age 35+) were more discouraged than younger workers (under 35) by a substantial margin.Fifty-eight percent of respondents reported that companies are not hiring, while 54 percent said that prospective employers are telling them that their skills are either not adequate or do not match the job requirements.When asked why they are looking for jobs, 32 percent of job seekers said they are unemployed and need a job, while 36 percent reported that their current jobs do not pay enough.Overall, 32 percent of American households have at least one member of the household actively seeking a new job, and 16 percent of the households have at least one member officially unemployed. Angrisani says these findings suggest that while the economic recovery will turn 2 years old next month, it still is not strong enough to generate enough jobs -- especially enough high-paying jobs -- to substantially reduce unemployment in America.
He adds that the fact that half of all employed job seekers are looking for new jobs to increase pay may be a sign that the jobs that have been created during the recovery are low-paying. Without sufficient income in the hands of American workers, consumer spending could slow down, and potentially weaken the recovery.
"Corporate America and small businesses remain unconvinced that this recovery, largely built on the free money policies of the Federal Reserve and government deficit spending is sustainable," concludes Angrisani. "So they do not appear to be investing in the creation of new jobs at the same rate as in the previous recoveries."
Before you despair, however, keep in mind that this month's numbers were affected by Japan's earthquake and tsunami, which has put a dent in the automobile industry's recovery. Analysts don't expect the flooding and tornadoes in the U.S. to have a measurable effect on the economy.
As a matter of fact, the U.S. manufacturing industry is actually doing OK, considering the hit it took from the Japanese auto industry. The Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM) Leading Indicators of National Employment® Report, shows that although 5,000 jobs were cut last month in that sector, over half of manufacturers (54.2 percent) plan to hire in June, while only 7.2 percent intend to cut jobs, barring any more natural disasters.
There are a few other bright spots: Private-sector employment overall continued to trend up (adding 83,000 jobs), although by a much smaller amount than the average for the prior three months, when private sector job increases averaged about 244,000 per month. In May, job gains occurred in professional and business services, health care and mining.
There's still a demand for numbers-crunchers and high-tech specialists: Employment in professional and business services continued to increase in May, up 44,000, with notable job gains in accounting and bookkeeping services (+18,000) and in computer systems design and related services (+8,000).
Some analysts are inclined to believe that the latest numbers are merely a temporary "soft patch." But many who are dissatisfied with the current administration in Washington are pointing to these numbers as proof of weakness and ineptitude. Regardless of political leanings, expect major efforts and attention to be focused on refueling the economy. No one wants this June Gloom to last.

Most Americans Think Obama Is Not Doing Enough for Jobs

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The majority of Americans don't believe Obama is doing his jobs when it comes to jobs, according to a recent Harris poll. Almost seven in 10 U.S. adults (68 percent) give him negative ratings when it comes to the economy, and only three in 10 (30%) expect the job market to be better over the next six months.
Although the President's ratings improved after Osama Bin Laden was killed, jobs and the economy remain as top concerns for Americans. The overall sense is that the economy is bad, with three in five Americans (59 percent) saying the economic conditions in their region of the country are bad, about one-quarter (23 percent) saying they are neither good nor bad, and fewer than one in five (18 percent) saying they are good.
While hardly great, the responses show more optimism than was seen at the height of the economic crisis when, in January 2009, almost three-quarters of Americans (72 percent) said the economic conditions of their region were bad.
Speaking about the job market specifically, Americans still rate it as bad overall, but this is the "best" that feelings toward employment have been since 2008. Currently, three in five U.S. adults (61 percent) say the current job market in their region of the nation is bad, while almost one-quarter (23 percent) say it is neither good nor bad, and only 16 percent say it is good.
The economy is currently...getting better.1 (16.7%)holding steady.2 (33.3%)getting worse.3 (50.0%)Overall, attitudes on jobs and the economy have been holding steady for a while now, but they have been holding steady in a negative light. Improvements have been occurring, but they have been subtle, and will have to accelerate substantially in order for the American worker to have a positive outlook again.

Effects of Global Recession to the Call Center Industry of the Philippines

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The call center industry of the Philippines is known today as the leading provider of live answering service to the global market. It was until recently that the Philippines have finally overtaken India as the call center capital of the world after more than a decade. And many industry experts have said that the industry will remain strong for many years to come.

However, before the call center industry had reached the highest recognition the global market can provide, the industry had also suffered a downfall when Global Recession had with the world, particularly when it affected the US' economy which caused the number of call center companies and agencies in the Philippines to drop.

Effects of Global Recession
Before global recession, the call center industry of the Philippines had steadily grown within the country, particularly when new call center services and business answering service were introduced from simplelive answering service and reservation services, to a more business-to-business oriented services.

Due to the continuous growth of the call center industry, the industry had soon entered the global market, in which India was still considered as the leading provider of call center services in the global market. However, because of the varied services that the Philippine call center industry can offer, as well as the skills of Filipinos in using the English language, many foreign investors had decided to outsource their live answering service to companies in the Philippines.

Eventually, the number of foreign investors had grown that the majority of new call center companies in the Philippines were established for the sole purpose of providing their services to foreign investors. This caused a rapid and massive growth of the call center industry of the Philippines until it was placed as the second largest provider of call center services in the world.

However, when Global Recession had hit the world, particularly the US, the call center industry of the Philippines had dramatically declined. This is due to the fact that most its revenues are coming from the US, many call center companies in the Philippines had closed down due to bankruptcy.

It also affected its contribution to combat unemployment, particularly when many call center companies had required their applicants to be extremely fluent and possess above par IT skills.

After Global Recession
Although the signs of global recession are still present, it had slowly receded over the years. Today, the call center industry had grown significantly since before global recession, which is now considered as the leading provider of call center services in the world. ?For more information visit to our site http://www.magellancallcenter.com/

Factors to Choose Among Call Center Companies

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There are several factors that you need to keep in mind before choosing your BPO partner among the call center companies that are in the fray. These factors are important in their individual sense and also in tandem. The hiring of call center services involves a lot of money. Business firms have to be careful about the call center that they are getting onboard. The wrong partnership will lead to not just a loss of money and resources, but also a bad reputation for the client company and the brand of product/service that it is trying to sell. Here are some important features that a BPO service unit should have before it qualifies as a reliable business process outsourcing partner.

1.?? ?Work Experience: This one is the numero uno factor on which call center companies must be shortlisted. The amount of BPO work that the call center has done in the past is a good sign of what it is capable of in the present and the future. The telemarketing firms that have covered a lot of ground in terms of projects will be more capable of tackling new ones. Work experience is something that cannot be bought with money or technology. Find out what domains the firm has provided call center services in. Check if they have already worked in the domain you want them to. Similarly, find out if they are working for your business rivals! You would not want to hire a BPO service firm and then find a conflict of interest.

2.?? ?Financial Stability: Researching into the financial stability of call center companies is always a wise idea. A financially stable call center will be able to hire the required manpower and also invest in proper BPO technology. The call center services provider needs to buy the latest gadgets and equipment as well if they are to provide you with world class telemarketing services. Such technological investments are necessary to take your business to the next level.

3.?? ?Manpower: Call center companies are nothing but brick and mortar and equipment merely toys without a call center services team that can make use of the resources to turn your lead generation campaign into a success. Trained and qualified call center agents make the BPO firm what it is. When you hiring a partner for telemarketing, ensure that you have a skilled team on hands. These skills don't just refer to the way of conducting sales lead generation. It also includes the soft skills that agents need in answering service and the likes
.
4.?? ?Expenditures: Though it comes so low in my list of requisites for hiring call center companies, this becomes the deciding factor. Costs are very integral for a business firm because of the financial crunch and the inflation, not to mention the poor economy. The costs needed to get your call center services done should not bear down heavily on your core business areas. Before inking the deal you must also ensure that you have made the right choice. So do an expenditure analysis before going ahead.

Grants for Women Starting a Business

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Over the past decade, the number of businesses owned by women has exponentially grown and there are more and more women every day seeking for capital to finance their business. The good news is that there are number of grants available out there for women starting a business in all fields.?These grants help women to successfully start or grow their businesses and realize their entrepreneurial dreams. Most grant opportunities are not well advertised, and if you don’t look at the right places, the process can be really time consuming.
The best place to start the search is the Internet. There are numerous opportunities designed specifically for women business owners. Many sites with the focus on helping female population succeed in entrepreneurship are looking specifically for women to give grants to. Probably one of the best resources for entrepreneurs looking for funding when starting a small business is Grants.gov, a site that keeps a listing of available government grants. Federal government offers different grants for women. Most grants are available for women starting a business, buying a business, or those who want to grow an existing business. Women already in business can use the grant to hire new employees, buy new equipment or buy a new property.
The local Small Business Association (SBA) office can also be helpful in finding the right business grants.They can provide help at every stage of development and give advice on how to write a proposal. The SBA helps the Women’s Business Centers around the country provide grants and other services to women entrepreneurs. The Women’s Business Centers have offices in every U.S. state and territory.
Great resources for women business owners are organizations that support women in business. These kinds of organizations usually offer various grants for women who are starting their own business or those who wish to grow already existing business. Among the most popular organization are the National Association of Women Business Owners and Business and Professional Women.
When applying for a grant you need to prepare a business plan that among other things includes a market analysis, the objectives of the company, the mission and cost and profit projection. Business plan is a good addition to the grant application as granting organization can get a better insight of the company and its chances to succeed.
Other important thing is the grant proposal which is intended to help the review committee better understand the need for the grant and the business itself. It contains information on how the community will benefit if the particular woman receives the grant, and what her business will do for promoting a women-owned businesses in general. Grant proposals need to be written professionally and be easy to understand. For this reason many women hire professional writers to write the grant proposal for them.
At the end, make sure to submit your grant early so that it arrives on time to the granting agency. After submitting the grant,? contact the agency to confirm it arrived on time and check? if there is any additional information you can provide.

How You Can Profit From a Call Center Services

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Call center in India can help your business to achieve the desired goal of productivity and profitability. These Call Center India deliver excellent outcomes which allow businesses to achieve the ultimate success. Such call centers have the power to generate profitable opportunities for your business. Outsourcing services to various call centers is widely accepted by many businesses as they are considered most cost effective option available nowadays. Such outsourcing of call center services proves to be more feasible and economical option than running a call center yourself.

Big, small and mid-sized businesses are all benefitting from the customer service provided by call centers. They choose outsourcing the call center services to countries like India which enables them to gain proficiency at lesser expenditure. The saving is used for some other fruitful purpose therefore, enhancing company's profitable income.

The Call Centre India facilitates well-equipped team of professionals which help in improving the overall satisfaction level of the customers. The skilled professionals at these call centers work hand in hand and strictly comply with the specifications of the businesses with which they are able to deliver the assured results.

The call center services also include inbound services which can help handle customer inquiries in an excellent way and provide fast solutions to the customers needs. Businesses opting for call center in India can get services for their customers, 24 hours and seven days a week. Such services have tremendous impact on customers. The customers enjoy live interaction with call center professionals who make them feel important and resolve their issues with utmost proficiency. The call center India has technically sound staff which provides complete technical support to the clients over the phone which benefits the customers and boosts businesses.

Call centre India comprises of highly skilled and proficient call center professionals to meet business expectations and objectives. Such call centers also provide outbound call centers which are considered as an efficient method of publicizing your company to the target audience. The outbound call center in India also helps in boosting your revenues generating much more targeted leads which can be converted to sales. These outbound call center agents use various telemarketing strategies which require defined set of skills and expertise with which they are able to generate the maximum revenue.

Therefore, taking technical assistance and customer support from call center India the businesses are experiencing huge profits and complete customer satisfaction. The outsourcing of call center services to countries like India has facilitated commerce by providing them well-structured services to their customers.

Indian Call Centers and its Impact

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Having a call center India. has become a common phenomenon. Many global companies have located their call centers in India and many outsource their non core business operations to Indian call centers. This is because there are many advantages which other countries do not offer but India offers.

Call centers in India are the engines which propel the service sector of Indian economy. It has been providing services since the last 10 years & lot of changes have been noticed in this period. The range & scope of the services provided by business process outsourcing has improved to a significant extent. In fact these days many important business operations of the clients are being executed by the voice agents who are employed in call centers of India.

Call Center India
The process of outsourcing in India began with many doubts but it sustained & also re-invented itself. BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) services in India have reached to a greater height since the time of customer support. In present, the call center services are very organized & some extremely important business operations of the outsourcing company like sales promotion and collection of debt is done by the voice executives who are working at call centres in India.

Types of Call Centers in India
Indian call centres can be broadly grouped as Inbound, Outbound and Web Enabled. The inbound call centers involve answering services & as the name indicates, the voice agents don't have to make calls to the customers however the existing customers of the company makes a call with their queries or to place a order.

Outbound call centers in India do the real important work that makes them unique. Credit management, sales, Market research & verification services are few among the many core functions of these voice executives. These crucial functions make or break any new business venture and create profit margins

Web Enabled services is a recent development in the field of call centre services of India. PC technical support is one of the recent services that professionals at Indian call centers are providing. This is a type of support which requires the voice agents to be trained technically. Online services include campaign management and prospecting, internet marketing, email marketing, back office services and data processing support.

Call center in India is the most preferred destination in the practice of business process outsourcing. This is owing to many benefits that India offers which are not available anywhere else. Huge English speaking population is a major factor propelling the growth of call centers. Professionals working at call centers in India are known for the quality of service delivered.

How Do I Get Project Manager Certification?

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There are three steps required to get project manager certification: post-secondary education, project management experience, and the certification examination. A project manager is responsible for directing a team of professionals to complete a specific project within a predetermined time frame and budget. Project management certification is becoming increasingly important for a wide range of professionals, ranging from engineers to construction managers. People who want to get project manager certification have usually been working in their area of expertise for several years and have both the academic credentials and work experience required to be considered for management positions. Project manager certification is granted by the Project Management Institution®. Successful graduates can use the designation PMP® (Project Management Professional®) after their name on business cards and related stationary. This certification is internationally recognized for providing a high level of training in project management. The first step toward getting a project manager certification is to complete a post-secondary education program. An undergraduate degree is not mandatory, but is a great benefit, reducing the number of years of experience required. The discipline of the degree is irrelevant when obtaining project management certification. It is important to note that project management is typically a mid-career transition. Employers rarely provide new graduates with the opportunities to manage a project, given their limited working experience and the level of risk. A minimum of three years' project management experience is required before you are eligible to write the project management certification examination. This must be verifiable project management experience, where you are solely responsible for a project from planning to implementation. This type of experience is usually earned over a period of four to five calendar years. Most people who have obtained the required experience are at least ten years into their career. The project management certification examination is four hours in length and is 400 multiple choice questions. Many associations offer preparation courses and seminars to help students prepare for this exam. This exam is notoriously difficult, covering a wide range of topics in both practical and theoretical project management subjects. Research the exam preparation options available to you, and be sure to check the accreditation status of the school before paying the fee. Upon successful completion of the project management certification, candidates can look for employment opportunities as project managers, set up their own consulting firm, or work for in a project manager role for a company. This type of certification is often required to advance a professional services career into the managerial level.

How Do I Choose the Best Paramedic Classes?

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There are four things to consider when looking for the best paramedic classes: certification, small class size, qualified instructors, and simulation mannequins. A paramedic is an emergency medical technician with additional training in advanced emergency techniques. Paramedic classes are available from a wide range of community and career colleges. There are specific health requirements to become a paramedic, due to the high level of interaction with patients. The most important item to look for in paramedic classes is the name of the certifying agency. This information must be prominently displayed in all advertising and course material. A very specific course curriculum and material is provided by these agencies, and it is important to ensure that the program meets this criteria. Paramedic classes combine theory and practical application. The lower the number of students in the class, the more individual attention the instructor can provide to each student. It is important to grasp the theory and the actual techniques from paramedic classes, as life saving techniques must be over-learned through repetition. All CPR class instructors must be qualified to teach these courses. Specific training and certification by the Red Cross, Red Crescent, or the St. John's Ambulance Society is required. The training and examination process is quite intense, as these instructors are responsible for training the public about CPR and first aid. Check the certification of the instructor to make sure it is current and from a recognized agency. The skills taught in paramedic classes must be provided by qualified instructors. This includes emergency room doctors, nurses, and CPR instructors. Most schools provide a short biography of their instructors in the promotional material for the classes. Take the time to review the information provided. It will give you a better idea about the specific qualifications of the instructors and their area of expertise. Human mannequins are plastic dummies used to simulate a person with a wide range of injuries. The best paramedic programs use these artificial tools to evaluate your skills. Computer sensors are built into the head, neck, and upper torso. They also have mannequins with inflatable lungs and a sensor to measure chest compressions. The mannequins are used to practice the CPR technique and provide feedback. These mannequins and other computer simulations or mock disaster drills are extremely valuable as a training tool. Only when actually presented with an emergency situation can the candidates truly evaluate their coping skills. Many schools use a mock disaster as the final examination for advanced paramedic classes.

How Do I Become an Astrophysicist?

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Astrophysicists conduct theoretical and applied research to better understand the physical properties of the universe. Scientists study celestial bodies with telescopes and satellites, and compare their observational data with physical models and detailed mathematical formulas. A person who wants to become an astrophysicist should be prepared to complete about eight years of academic coursework to receive a Ph.D. in the specialty. In addition, a new scientist usually participates in a fellowship to gain practical training and prepare for independent work in the field.An individual who wants to become an astrophysicist should first pursue a bachelor's degree in mathematics, astronomy, or physics from an accredited four-year college. As an undergraduate, a student can take a number of lectures courses that explain important fundamental laws and theories related to physics. Laboratory and planetarium classes may provide an individual the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with the tools and techniques he or she will need to become an astrophysicist. An undergraduate can gain additional experience by becoming a research assistant at his or her college or a local observatory. Working as an assistant, a student often gets to participate in actual research with esteemed scientists and professors. He or she has the opportunity to learn about data entry and study design and help publish scholarly articles. Near the end of a bachelor's degree program, an individual can apply to astronomy or astrophysics Ph.D. programs. Competition for admissions into four-year doctoral programs can be very strong, and schools tend to accept students who have the strongest grades, entrance exam scores, letters of recommendation, and research experience. Once accepted into a program, a hopeful astrophysicist usually speaks with department advisers to identify a professor who will act as a mentor and help him or her receive a degree. A student typically spends the second half of a program conducting independent research under the guidance and supervision of a mentoring professor. Most schools require students to submit detailed dissertations based on their research in order to earn their degrees. Following graduation, an individual can apply for a postdoctoral fellowship program at a university, observatory, or private research institution. A fellowship program can last from two to four years, and allows a new scientist to perfect his or her research skills by working alongside established professionals. By completing a fellowship, a person can officially become an astrophysicist and pursue a career in applied or theoretical work. The field of astrophysics, much like other sciences, is constantly evolving as new technology and ideas allow researchers to become more and more accurate in their findings. A person who is able to become an astrophysicist can expect to attend seminars and lectures on a regular basis. By staying up-to-date on the latest advancements in the field and remaining passionate about their work, astrophysicists usually enjoy rewarding, lifelong careers.

How Do I Become a Restaurant Manager?

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A good restaurant manager can be the heart and soul of any restaurant business. Equally able to design shifts, train workers, and be involved in the creative vision business, a restaurant manager often boasts a job that changes day to day and never has time to get boring. In order to become a restaurant manager, a person must become intimately familiar with nearly every aspect of the trade. The skills and training it takes to become a restaurant manager may vary, but the job nearly always requires a fantastic ability to organize and a lot of mental flexibility. One of the best ways to start on the journey to become a restaurant manager is to work from the ground up. Managers who start as kitchen assistants, wait staff, or even bussers gain great insight into the trials and challenges of these difficult basic jobs. Knowing how to organize a restaurant to best facilitate the job of every worker through personal experience can help improve workplace atmosphere and make staff more efficient and responsive. Some people are able to work their way through the ranks of a restaurant to eventually become managers, but many prefer to work a traditional education into their training as well. Getting a college or trade school degree in restaurant management or hospitality can be a great way to become a restaurant manager. Most degree programs focus extensively on the business aspects of running a restaurant, making students better able to cut down on wasteful spending and better manage the finances of their future jobs. A manager that can help improve the profit margin of a business is a valuable thing, and school-based programs may be an excellent way to hone financial management skills that relate to restaurant management. With professional restaurant experience, or a combination of experience and a degree, a person generally can follow one of two paths to become a restaurant manager. Either he or she can look for available positions within the industry, or he or she can try to open their own restaurant. Some experts recommend spending a few years being a manager at an established restaurant before branching into entrepreneurship, but many aspiring managers simply cannot wait to open their own place. Once working as a restaurant manager, it is important to cultivate good relationships with staff, customers, and suppliers. Excellent personal skills can not only help a person become a restaurant manager, but can also serve him or her well when developing the reputation and financial health of the business. While maintaining good relationships with the staff will help ensure cheerful and efficient service, impressing the customers with personal attention can help create a valuable cache of regulars. Befriending growers, suppliers, and other merchants involved with the restaurant can even lead to discounts and better deals.

How Do I Become a Pastry Chef?

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A pastry chef is in charge of all of the baking and desserts in a kitchen. It is a demanding job, usually requiring long hours in a very stressful work environment. The pastry chef is usually one of the first to arrive at a restaurant in the morning, needing to get the dough rising for bread and the other pastries for the day started. Despite the long hours and challenges, it can be a very rewarding and lucrative job, if a person is committed to making a career out of it.Anyone who wants to become a pastry chef should first read and learn as much as they can about baking and working in a professional bakery or restaurant. There are a lot of fantastic recipe books and pastry and bread guides available. Learn as much as you possibly can before applying to colleges or to restaurants. Perfect the skills needed to make a loaf of bread, a perfect pie crust, and puff pastry dough. You should also learn the basics of cake decorating. Decorating courses are available through some craft and cooking stores, or may be available through a community college or adult education program. There are two ways to prepare to become a pastry chef. The first is the traditional path of an apprenticeship. After learning as much as you can about baking and pastry, you should visit local bakeries and high scale restaurants to see if they are looking for an assistant pastry chef. Another option would be to volunteer to work for very little pay, or even for free, in exchange for getting a chance to train with the resident pastry chef. This can provide you with the skills and experience you will need to become a pastry chef in a relatively short amount of time. The other option is to attend a culinary arts school. There are culinary schools all over the world, many of the best in Europe, but there are also a lot of great pastry programs in the United States. The Culinary Arts Institute, with campuses in both New York and California, is considered one to the best. Many community colleges and private universities also have programs that can help you to become a pastry chef. A culinary degree may take longer than an apprenticeship, but you will get a more complete education and the skills you will need to tackle any pastry challenge later on in your career. After an apprenticeship or receiving a culinary arts degree, the next step if you want to become a pastry chef is to get a job in a bakery or restaurant. You may still not be being paid much, but this will get you started in your career. Be available to work extra hours, and put in as much effort and enthusiasm as you possible can. This will prove to the head pastry chef that you are committed to making a career out of baking, and could lead to you getting more responsibilities around the kitchen. Once you have learned all that you can as an assistant, it is time to take the next step in your goal to become a pastry chef. Get involved in the local restaurant scene, and let other restaurant owners know that you are looking for a position as a pastry chef. Type up and mail a resume, along with any letters of recommendation you might have from previous professors or head pastry chefs that you have worked with. Be able to showcase how you would make an excellent addition to their team. A pastry chef is one of the true artists in a kitchen. It takes time to build up the experience and reputation that can earn you a head pastry chef position. During this time, work as hard as you can to improve your skills. A quality pastry chef is a sought-after commodity in the culinary world. Prove that you are a great catch, and you may be able to get job offers from some of the best restaurants in your area.

What Are the Different Delivery Driver Jobs?

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Some of the different delivery driver jobs can involve distributing newspapers, food, flowers, or large packages. A courier might drive his personal automobile or a vehicle provided by the company he works for. Those who transport heavy or bulky merchandise might operate a van or large truck with a square, covered bed — also known as a box truck.One of the most common types of car delivery driver jobs is that of a newspaper carrier. This person normally has a specific course that he follows daily. While driving his route, this worker places a copy of the printed news into a container at the customer's residence. This is usually similar to a mailbox, and typically located near the road or street. This type of work normally lasts for one or two hours a day in the early morning. Restaurants are another type of business that may have delivery driver jobs to fill. For example, food delivery is often offered by pizzerias and Chinese restaurants. Small orders are normally delivered by an employee who is driving his personal automobile. If the restaurant is catering a formal event, it typically has a truck or van dedicated for use in transporting these meals. A delivery van could also be used by a florist. This is because customers often request their purchases be transported to a hospital, funeral home, or office. Many shops have a driver who works full-time in order to get merchandise where it needs to go, and make sure it there when needed. There are a number of businesses that specialize in hauling large packages or pallets of goods. Drivers for these companies often drive a box truck along a designated route and drop items off to residences and businesses along the way. This freight can sometimes be heavy or very awkward, so a person who works for one of these agencies usually needs to be in good physical condition to perform their daily duties. A high school diploma is generally the only education needed in order to obtain one of the delivery driver jobs at a restaurant, floral shop, or newspaper. Freight companies may expect candidates to have completed some college courses in the logistics or transportation fields before applying. A safe driving record and good physical health is also typically required by most of these employers. Goods often need to be moved from one location to another. This means there will likely be a need to fill delivery driver jobs for many years to come. Those who enjoy operating a motor vehicle and working primarily by themselves might enjoy doing this type of work.

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