The fashion industry offers abundant career opportunities to choose from. Also known as a visual merchandiser or an apparel merchandiser, the job of a fashion merchandiser has multiple aspects. To make a successful career in this field, you need to be well informed about where and how to start, how to get trained in fashion merchandising, necessary job skills, certification and employment prospects. The interesting thing to note here is that the job of these professionals includes multiple aspects including artistic, craftsmanship and marketing.

Job Description
The main role of a fashion merchandiser is to attract consumers' attention by designing visually invoking merchandise display. They are responsible for creative decoration of commercial retail establishments. What's important is that the fashion merchandiser has to perform their entire task keeping in mind the brand and the image of the merchandise. Attractive store decorations play a crucial role in drawing consumer attention and compel them to buy merchandise.

To make a successful career, professionals need to put into use their artistic skills, marketing skills and craftsmanship. The job description of a fashion merchandiser will include the following.

Designing display for commercial merchandise
Preparing design sketch using computers
Arranging for lighting, space, table displays and other accessories
Working closely with management and marketing professionals
Getting in touch with advertising and sales professionals
Setting and tagging product price
Stocking displays and ordering of merchandise

Depending on the size of the employer where merchandiser works, they may have the responsibility of looking after some additional job duties. These professionals can choose to work either full time or part time. Traveling may also be required for participating at tradeshows or visiting stores. Though fashion merchandisers work regular hours of the day, they may need to put in some extra hours as per the demand of the project deadline.

Educational Qualification & Training
Though candidates can kick start a career in this field with an associate's degree or a certificate course, a bachelor's degree in fashion merchandising significantly helps individuals land jobs easily and make the most of their careers. There are several fashion merchandising schools, art institutes and design and technology colleges across the United States offering relevant courses to aspiring students. An associate's degree required 2 years to complete whereas a bachelor's degree can be completed in a duration of 4 years. A bachelor degree offers best career prospects for candidates.

Job Skills Required
Besides possessing a degree in fashion merchandising or a relevant field, candidates should also possess some other essential skills to have a successful career. These include strong imagination, creativity, knowledge of fine arts, strong sense of style and color, visualization capability, excellent communication skills, problem solving, manual dexterity, physical strength and knowledge of computer graphics applications among others.

Employment & Job Outlook
There is no dearth of employment opportunities for candidates who aspire to become a fashion merchandiser or a merchandise displayer. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an employment growth rate in this field as fast as the average of all other occupations. More jobs will also be added, as a large number of professionals take transfers, reach their age of retirement or leave the job for other reasons.

Annual Salary
The salary of a fashion merchandiser varies depending on the geographical location, years of experience and the size of the employer. The annual income of these professionals ranges between $32,881 and $116,750. The salary also depends on the level of job position. A visual merchandiser carrying an experience of 3-5 years earns between the range of $32,881 and $52,785. If you are employed as a merchandise buyer and have an experience of 2-4 years under the belt, you can earn an annual income ranging between $68,814 and $91,800. Senior merchandise buyer can earn up to $116,750.

Also referred to as stenographers or stenocaptioners, court reporters are responsible for transcribing speeches, cyber conferences, legal proceedings, discussions, speeches and meetings among other related events. When candidates choose to kick start a career in the field of court reporting, they should also be well informed about the related careers. In any case, the main role of these professionals is to maintain a verbatim record of the words spoken. If you wish to become a court report, you need to equip yourself with career information including the job responsibilities, educational qualification, training and career prospects that the field offers.

Job Responsibilities
Court reporters have an important role to play during judicial proceedings, meetings, discussions and other legal events. Their major responsibility is to create a written transcript of the words as they are spoken. The record they maintain needs to be accurate and complete so that the transcript (legal record) can be present where they are required. Apart from transcribing the spoken words, court reporters also provide assistance trial attorneys and judges. They may also provide useful suggestions to judges and attorneys for the betterment of courtroom administration.

To perform their work, court reporters use either the stenotyping method or the voice writing method. Those who use stenotyping perform the task with the help of a stenotype machine. Using this machine, stenotypists can strike multiple keys at a time to record the word sounds. Later, these word sounds are stored in a computer, to be further translated into text. The technology through which court reports translate word symbols into text is called computer-aided transcription.

The field of court reporting also offers some related careers. While you choose this occupation, you can also choose to work as broadcast captioner or real time reporter for webcasts. With the use of realtime technology, court reports can transcribe the spoken words into text which can be displayed on computer or projection screen. Some of these professionals also use a special technology called Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART), which is used to convey speech to people who are hard of hearing or deaf.

Educational Qualification & Training
Candidates need to obtain education depending on what type of reporting they want to do. You need to know whether you want to get trained in voice writing or stenotyping. There are several technical schools and community colleges and universities offering relevant courses. The National Court Reporter's Association informs that there are around 130 courses and training programs offered in court reporting. Out of this, the NCRA has approved 62 programs. The course duration for voice writing is less than a year whereas it takes around 33 months to complete a stenotypist training program. These courses train candidates in skills including computer-aided transcription (CAT), real time technology and using speech recognition equipment.

Other Skills
Besides being formally trained, court reporters should also possess some other essential to have a successful career. These include excellent English grammar skills, vocabulary and punctuation. At the same time, the occupation requires professionals to be punctual, detail oriented, accurate and disciplined. A transcription speed in excess of 225 words/ minute is vital to make the most of your reporting career.

Career Prospects
Job prospects for court reporters are quite good. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an employment growth much faster than the average of all other occupations. The growth rate is expected to increase at 25%. The increasing demand for accurate transcription has led to good job growth for court reporters. A majority of these professionals are employed with state and local governments. The remaining of them are either employed in court reporting agencies or are self employed.

Annual Salary
Salaries of court reporters vary depending on the geographical location, type of reporting, certification level and working experience. They earn an average annual salary of $64,672. Those who work as broadcast captioners earn between the range $45,000 and $75,000.

The field of diagnostic imaging offers a number of career opportunities. If you have an interest in diagnosing medical conditions, becoming an ultrasound technician may just be the right career option for you. To kick start a career in this field, it is essential to equip yourself with all the information about job responsibilities, technical job skills, educational qualification and training, employment opportunities and job outlook. Below, you can read about it all and make a well informed decision about the degree programs and courses you should enroll in.

Job Responsibilities
During an ultrasonography of an individual, sound waves are used to generate images for diagnosing a variety of medical conditions. The technology is also sometimes used to view the fetus in the womb. However, this is just one application of ultrasonography. Technicians use this technology to diagnose multiple medical conditions in patients. These technicians are also referred to as sonographers or ultrasonographers. These professionals use multiple sonographic equipment for directing high-frequency sound waves into specific body parts of an individual.

Images produced during the imaging procedure are either videotaped or photographed. They are later reviewed by the physician to make appropriate diagnosis of patients' medical conditions. Many ultrasound technicians also choose to specialize in abdominal sonography, gynecologic sonography, obstetric sonography, ophthalmic sonography, neurosonography etc.

Typical job duties of an ultrasound technician are as follows -

Explaining the diagnostic imaging procedure to the patient
Maintaining the record of any relevant medical history
Operating/ maintenance of the equipment
Informing the patient about appropriate movements to obtain best images
Selecting diagnostic images which are best for physician review

In addition to performing the typical duties mentioned above, ultrasound technicians may also have the responsibility of looking after equipment purchase, managing the diagnostic center and preparing working schedules among others.

Educational Qualification & Training
To become an ultrasound technician, candidates need to be well trained. There are several technical schools and colleges that offer training in diagnostic medical sonography. If you get enrolled in a degree program, you may choose to complete a 2 year or a 4 year degree program. Candidates can also receive adequate training in hospitals. While getting enrolled, students need to ensure that the training programs have been accredited by accreditation boards. The Commission on Accreditation for Allied Health Education Programs have given their accreditation to a number of formal training programs.

Ultrasound technicians do not need to fulfill any licensure requirements. However, they can get certified by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers to gain a competitive edge over others. There are some other organizations as well to certify technicians.

Other Job skills
Apart from being formally trained, candidates should also possess some other essential skills to make the most of their careers. These skills include communication skills, patient interaction skills, attention to detail, physical stamina to help patients turn and lift, record patient information with accuracy, visual acuity to select best images for physician review and diagnosis etc.

Career Outlook
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an employment growth rate faster than the average of all other occupations. Majority of ultrasound technicians are employed in hospitals while others remain employed at diagnostic centers and physician offices. Though hospitals are still the biggest employers, the demand for ultrasound technicians will also increase in physician office and diagnostic imaging centers over the next decade.

Annual Salary
Salaries of ultrasound technicians will vary depending on the industry segment and the years of experience they possess. They earn an annual salary ranging between $48,660 and $ 66,680. Those who work in physician offices earn an average salary of around $50,390 annually. Those who are employed in hospitals draw and average annual salary of $47,530.

If you are a fitness freak and have a strong passion for health, becoming a personal trainer may just be the right career option for you. There are multiple degree programs and certifications that can lead you to become a personal fitness trainer. Before you decide to make your career in this field, you need to know about how to start, what educational qualifications to obtain and the other essential skills that guarantee your success in the field of personal fitness training. Below, we discuss about the job responsibilities, educational requirements, employment opportunities, career outlook, earning benefits of a personal trainer.

Job Description
The main job responsibility of a personal trainer is to instruct and coach individuals in a wide range of exercises and fitness activities. Not only do these professionals provide fitness training, but they also motivate individuals to help them achieve their fitness goals. The fitness training involves a range of activities including aerobics, flexibility training and weights. The fitness plan that personal trainers provide may vary from one individual to another.

To begin with, personal trainers perform an assessment of their clients and understand their level of fitness and the goals that the latter wish to achieve. After a complete assessment of the individual, trainers come with a specific plan to recommend changes in the person's lifestyle, proper nutrition, exercise and other fitness activities. Personal trainers use a variety of techniques to measure the progress in an individual. The monitor heart beat rates, calculate the amount of body fat and maintain records of the workout routine.

The job market being quite competitive, fitness trainers can also decide to choose a specialty. There are different certifications that personal trainers can obtain to gain a competitive edge over others. Having a specialty helps trainers land jobs easily and charge a decent pay.

Educational Qualification & Training
There are several degree programs, diplomas and certifications that provide training for becoming a personal fitness trainer. However, employers give preference to candidates carrying a bachelor's degree in health and exercise or a relevant field. An associate degree in exercise science, health sciences, exercise physiology or a related field also helps you make a career in personal training. Typical coursework for personal trainers' degree programs includes training in exercise physiology, sports nutrition, sports injuries, fitness assessment, weight training etc.

In addition, there are many personal trainer certification programs you can choose from. The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) has given accreditation to a number of organizations offering certification programs. Obtaining a certification happens to be the quickest way to become a personal fitness trainer.

Other Skills Required
Apart from completing a degree program, candidates also need to have some other essential skills to become successful in their career. Some of these skills include strong enthusiasm, patience, perseverance, charisma, knowledge, outgoing personality, listening skills, teaching skills etc.

Career Prospects
Plenty of employment opportunities wait for those who choose to become personal trainers. Professionals can land jobs at places like gyms, rehabilitation centers, health clubs, corporate fitness centers, resorts and spas among others. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the total number of fitness trainers employed in the year 2006 was 235,000. The employment growth rate for personal fitness trainers is expected to increase at 27%.

Annual Salary
The salaries of personal fitness trainers depend on the nature and size of the employer and the years of experience they carry. Salary range also varies depending on whether you are self employed or work with an employer. The median annual salary ranges between $34,817 and $42,400. With growing experience and skill sets, you can earn a higher salary.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment growth rate for chiropractor jobs is expected to increase faster than the average of all professions. The low concentration of these professionals in alternative healthcare practices offers good job prospects to candidates aspiring to make a career in the field of chiropractic treatment. At the beginning of your career, the earning may be relatively low. However, earning will increase as you grow in experience and skills. To kick start a career in this field of alternative healthcare treatment, you need to be well informed about what a chiropractor does, their major job responsibilities, work environment, education and training required, career prospects and annual salary.

Job Responsibilities
Also referred to as the doctor of chiropractic or chiropractic physicians, chiropractors are responsible for treating patients with health problems related with the skeletal, muscular and the nervous system, particularly the spine. According to what chiropractors believe, the functions inside the body of an individual are impaired due to any kind of interruptions in the aforementioned systems of the body. As a result, the resistance power of the body gets affected. Doctors of chiropractic also believe that any kind of vertebral dysfunction leads to impairment in the nervous system and skeletal imbalance.

Chiropractic physicians adopt a holistic approach towards the well being of an individual's overall health. The treatment they offer is based on the belief that the body has a strong ability to recuperate. Therefore, the chiropractic treatments involve no surgical operations or drugs. These alternative health physicians recommend changes in the lifestyle to negate the imbalances occurring in the body's skeletal, nervous and muscular system. Relying on the inherent recuperative capabilities of the body, chiropractic physicians recommend changes in an individual's lifestyle including exercise, eating and sleeping habits.

For appropriate diagnosis and treatment of patients, chiropractors review a patient's past medical history and conduct multiple laboratory tests and medical examinations. Since chiropractors particularly focus on the spine and how it functions, x-rays and other diagnostic images play a crucial role in the entire diagnosis procedure. For the treatment, chiropractors also use a wide range of techniques including massage therapy, ultrasound, electric and heat therapy among others. At the same time, the alternative healthcare practitioners also recommend lifestyle changes including proper exercise, nutritional changes, stress management etc.

With growing experience and skills, chiropractors may also choose to specialize in areas like neurology, sports injuries, pediatrics, orthopedics, diagnostic imaging, internal disorders etc. Chiropractors can either practice alone or as part of a group. In large offices, there are chiropractic assistants to help senior doctors of chiropractic in their task.

Educational Qualification & Training Requirements
Since chiropractic treatment involves a wide range of techniques emphasizing on the structural and neurological aspects of the body, candidates need to be formally trained to become a chiropractor. Students aspiring to make a career in chiropractic should complete a four years academic study which includes two years of college work and two years focusing on practical or clinical studies which includes the study of chiropractic sciences. Before getting enrolled in a degree program, students must remember to check for the necessary accreditations. Licensure requirements may vary from one state to another. Majority of the state boards, however, recognize the four part test which is administered by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners.

Other Essential Chiropractic Skills Required
Besides possessing a chiropractic degree, candidates should also possess some other essential skills to have a successful career in this profession. Some of the most important skills required include excellent manual dexterity, capability to work independently, empathy, keen observation for detecting physical abnormalities and a keen desire to help people improve their lives.

Career Outlook
Job prospects for doctors of chiropractic are good. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a employment growth rate faster than the average of all other occupations, through to the year 20102. Employment opportunities grow also as more and more people are becoming health conscious and turn towards this holistic treatment system. The population growth in the number of elderly has increased the demand for chiropractors.

Annual Salary
According to the American Chiropractic Association, the average annual salary of a chiropractor is around $81,500 (year 2000). It should also be noted that self employed chiropractors earn more than those who are salaried. Most of these professionals earn between the range of $44,140 and $102,400 annually.

Also referred to as a chartered secretary, a company secretary has an array of financial and legal management responsibilities to perform. While working as a company secretary, your job is to ensure that company laws and financial rules and regulations are appropriately followed by the company and its directors. From the duties and the job responsibilities, it is obvious that the job position is very prestigious. Not only the job position brings you a lot of job satisfaction, but it is a profitable career as well. Almost every organization which has a corporate structure requires company secretaries to handle administrative responsibilities.

Job Responsibilities
There is an array of legal and financial duties that a company secretary needs to perform. The typical responsibilities of the secretary are as follows.

Maintaining the list of company directors and shareholders
Furnishing company information to the Stock Exchange
Taking meetings of annual and board meetings
Preparation of annual company reports
Handling share schemes and paying dividends
Dealing with professionals like auditors, lawyers etc.

Duties, however, may vary depending on the size and type of organization you work for. In addition to performing the above mentioned work responsibilities, company secretaries may also look after tasks including health and safety management, property management and managing the accounts and finance of the organization.

Educational Qualification & Training Required
To land jobs with a public limited company, you need to be an accountant, a solicitor or must qualify with the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA). Under this scheme, candidates are required to qualify the ICSA certificate in business practice, ICSA diploma in business practice and the Part 1 and 2 of the professional program. On the other hand, if you wish to join as a company secretary with a private company, you need not qualify for this. However, you need to possess educational qualification in business law, public administration, accountancy etc. Today, aspiring candidates have the flexibility of taking ICSA courses both via campus mode and online. For further occupational details of this secretariship profession, you can visit the ICSA website.

Besides having the required educational qualification, there are some other essential skills you need to posses to make the most of your career. Some of these important skills include excellent communication skills (verbal and written), strong presentation skills, strong negotiation skills, good organizational skills, good understanding of law and finance, problem solving capabilities and decision making abilities among others.

Work Conditions
Working hours are standard, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Apart from full time work, part time job opportunities are also available. Company secretaries may need to put in some extra hours depending on the timelines of the projects. Professionals spend most of their time in office. However, you may also be asked to travel for attending company meetings.

Career Prospects
Almost all the organizations that run on a corporate structure and registered companies must need company secretaries. Whether it is the public sector or the private sector, there is no dearth of employment opportunities for trained professionals. For jobs opportunities, you can check national press, accounting industry publications, law industry publications and niche job websites. Both full time and part time employment opportunities are available for secretaries. You can also start your own work as a consultant working for multiple small businesses. With growing experience and skills, a company secretary may also be promoted to senior level positions like company's chief executive or managing director.

Annual Salary
Salaries of company secretaries vary depending on the nature and size of the organization and years of experience professionals carry. Starting average salary ranges between £35,000 and £55,000. As you grow in experience your annual salary can reach up to £120,000.

Do you have an interest in working with machine tools like milling machines, drill press, machining centers and lathes? Are you passionate about making a career in machining? If you answered ‘yes' to these questions, becoming a machinist can be the perfect career option for you. Before you actually get prepared for this career, you should have the knowledge about the job responsibilities of a machinist, training requirements, career prospects and earning. Below, we discuss all of this so as to provide you with the career profile information of a machinist.

Job Description
Machinists are responsible for making and modifying a wide range of parts using a variety of machine tools. These professionals are expertly trained in how to use machine tools for different purposes during the manufacturing process. While using these tools, machinists need to work with utmost precision. Before starting their work, they go through detailed instructions carefully. Then, these professionals take cutting measurements, determine machine speed, decide what materials are to be used and select appropriate tools for the purpose.

A machinist works with a wide range of materials including steel, plastic, aluminum and silicon among others. While doing their work, they closely monitor the feed rate and speed of machines. They also accurately position the work piece to achieve maximum perfection. During the entire procedure, machinists make sure that the work piece is well lubricated and cooled. The machining process generates an immense amount of heat. So, the work piece needs to be cooled properly during the procedure. Finally, machinists compare the finished product with the blueprint to ensure the product has accuracy.

Training & Education Requirements
No specific educational qualification is required to become a machinist. However, high school education is the minimum requirements. Many professionals learn the skills through on-the-job training. Today, candidates can find multiple community colleges and vocational schools where they can get trained as a machinist. Apprenticeship programs are also offered by manufacturers to train candidates in the field of machining. To obtain credentials, professionals can also sit for exams organized by the National Institute of Metalworking Skills.

While being trained, candidates are taught a range of topics including materials science, maths, physics, mechanical drawing, blueprint reading and using a variety of machine tools. In addition, candidates learn about the safety practices. To beat out the competition, you are advised to enroll into recognized certification programs. As changes happen in automation and policies, employers provide additional training to their employees to keep the latter abreast with the advancements.

Career Prospects
Though a small job decline is indicated in the employment growth rate, job prospects will be good for machinists equipped with a wide range of skills and carrying extensive experience. Whether it is automobile or airplane parts, machinist skills are required across a wide range of industries. Job positions will also arise due to a large number of professionals reaching their age of retirement or leaving the field for other reasons.

Annual Salary
Salaries of machinist will vary according to their skill set, experience and the type of employer. Most of the machinists earn an annual salary ranging between $31,654 and $42,411. With growing experience and skills, professionals can earn an annual salary of $48,009 or more.

So, if you have a passion for creating a range of parts used in the manufacturing process, becoming a machinist can be a great career option for you. A solid knowledge of metals and various materials is essential to excel in this machining field. Other essential skills required for this job include strong problem solving skills, mechanical aptitude, physical stamina, accuracy, detail orientation and the capability to adapt to working with a variety of machines and tools.

Also referred to as a medical laboratory technician, a clinical lab technician's main responsibilities include performing laboratory tests for diagnosis, treatment of disease and its prevention. So, if you have a strong passion for helping people prevent the onslaught of various illnesses and improve their health conditions, working as a laboratory technician can be a nice career option for you. The continuous advancement in diagnostic procedures and growth in population creates excellent job opportunities for clinical lab technicians. Most of these technicians perform their task under the supervision of a medical technologist. It is only after the tests have been done that medical professionals are able to diagnose diseases and plan effective required treatment.

Job Description
Medical lab technicians conduct a wide range tests for body fluids including blood and urine. By using microscopic and other clinical automatic analyzer, technicians detect the abnormalities or illnesses that a patient may be suffering from. Next, the diagnostic information is provided to patient's physician so that they can continue with appropriate treatment procedure. Depending on the nature of tests being done, lab techs use various techniques for diagnosing the abnormalities and diseases. Usually, laboratory technicians perform a range of tests. However, there are many who specialize in a specific area. For instance, a phlebotomist specializes in gathering blood sample, testing and analyzing it.

What do clinical lab technicians look for when they perform a test? These technicians are trained to detect the presence of some specific type of microorganism, pharmaceutical drug level and irregularities in the white blood cell levels among others. Technicians are responsible for analyzing the test results and making sure that the findings conform to the specifications. On the basis of what technicians analyze from the results, they issue reports, to be used for providing appropriate treatments to patients. When lab techs detect some abnormal cells in the collected specimens, they consult with pathologists to determine the final diagnosis of illnesses.

Educational Requirement & Training
To become a laboratory technician, candidates need to hold either a certification or an associate degree. There are several community colleges and technical schools where students can enroll in an associate degree. Many lab technicians also receive on-the-job training. The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) has given accreditation to 467 programs across the United States. Besides being formally trained, candidates may also need to fulfill some licensure requirements. A lab technician can also go on to become a laboratory technologist by acquiring advanced skills and education. Licensing or registration requirements vary from one state to another. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the following associations have the authority to certify medical or clinical laboratory technicians.

American Association of Bioanalysts (ABB) Board of Registry
The American Medical Technologists
The National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel
The Board of Registry of the American Society for Clinical Pathology

Besides having an associate degree or a certificate, candidates should also have some essential skills to make the most of their careers as clinical laboratory technicians. These skills include active listening, reading comprehension, time management, communication, problem solving, decision making etc.

Career Outlook
With the increase in population, the demand for a wide range of clinical tests is also increasing. At the same time advancements are taking place in clinical testing methods. Job opportunities for clinical lab technicians are abundant. Employment opportunities for these technicians are on the rise at medical laboratories, doctor's offices, blood banks and organ banks. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment growth rate for laboratory tech jobs will be greater than the average of all other professions, through to the year 2018.

Annual Salary
The median annual salary of a laboratory technician is $35,380.