Many of the fastest growing occupations in the United States are in health related fields. However, you don’t need to be a full-fledged doctor to get in on the action. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, some other top jobs in health services include home health aides, medical assistants, physical therapists and physician assistants.

With these jobs, you don’t need to get your doctorate degree, but you do need training and coursework. A physician assistant is a position that is both lucrative and financially rewarding. According to Salary.com, the average annual income for a physician is nearly $80K. That’s not bad.

Physician assistants can be employed in hospitals, clinics or doctors offices. They treat patients who don’t necessarily need the expertise of an actual physician.

To become a physician assistant you need to take accredited coursework (which usually takes about 2 years) and then pass an examination to become licensed.

If you think you want to get into the health care field but don’t want to spend so many years in school becoming a full physician, becoming a physician assistant is a good way to go.

Every woman knows she should wear a suit for a job interview. But what about accessories?

Accessories can make or break your outfit. A bad pair of shoes or a junky handbag can really turn off a potential employer. So what should you wear?

Classic black pumps

Keep it simple. No open toes or glitzy embellishments. A basic pair of black leather pumps with a medium heel is ideal. The heels shouldn’t be too high - you aren’t going to a night club. And they shouldn’t be so low that they make your legs look stumpy.

Pearl or diamond stud earrings

Like your shoes, your jewelry should be classic. Don’t wear dangly earrings, instead choose pearl or diamond studs. If you don’t have them, it’s better to skip earrings altogether than wear something inappropriate. You can nix the rest of the jewelry too - no necklaces or bracelets are necessary. Except you should wear a watch.

Gold or stainless steel watch

Sure, we all check the time on our cell phones these days but most major business people still wear a watch. Wearing a watch shows class and let’s the employer know you care about punctuality. Speaking of your cell phone, be sure to turn it off before you head into an interview.

Briefcase or tote bag

Carrying a briefcase or simple leather tote bag is stylish and business-like. Inside keep your planner (PDA or old fashioned paper planner is fine), pens, copies of your resume, a lipstick and compact mirror. Check your makeup and add a dab of lipstick right before entering the lobby. Be sure you don’t have any lipstick on your teeth. Don’t carry your everyday purse filled with junk. Nothing is worse than searching for a pen or your daily planner and having to dump your makeup bag, tampons, dirty kleenex and everything else out to find it.

With everyone “going green” these days, a hot sector of the job market includes any jobs related to the environment or alternative sources of energy, such as sunlight, wind, tides and geothermal heat.

Look for jobs in businesses related to renewable energy, green building and sustainable issues. You can also find tremendous employment growth in environmentally conscious employers dealing with organic food, organic fashion and other organics.

If you have your degree in environmental science or global economics, your services should be in great demand right now.

Jobs such as environmental educators, managers, scientists, engineers and technicians in the areas of energy, geoscience, earth science, environmental science, environmental engineering, forestry, ecology, atmospheric science, oceanography, marine science, renewable energy, carbon management, waste management and other eco topics are readily available.

All jobs aren’t science related however, you can also find more creative jobs in the areas of ecotourism, ecofashions and ecoarchitecture. If you are looking to green jobs, you have a vast array of options.

If you have decided to change careers, you need to make sure you have the skills and know-how to be successful. You may need to get some experience or courses in your new field before actually making the change. Before leaving your current job, make sure you are completely ready. Here are some brief tips to help you get on your way.

Take a Computer Course
Get up-to-date on the latest computer applications you might need in your new career field. You can find plenty of affordable courses online or at your local community college.

Consider an Advanced Degree
If being successful in your new career field will be easier with a graduate degree, consider going back to school. Many colleges offer Master’s Degree programs that can be done online, at night or on weekends.

Find a Mentor
Look through online networking sites like Linkedin, or trade organizations to find a mentor or career coach. Talking to someone who is already working in your chosen field will help you become more prepared for the challenges you might face.

Volunteer or Freelance
If possible, do some volunteer or freelance work in your area of interest before quitting your current job. This is a terrific way to help you understand more about the field. Don’t get in the rut of volunteering forever. Once you are sure about making the switch, start applying for paying positions.

A career change is obviously very exciting. By boosting your worth to potential employers through skills training, coursework and these other methods, you will soon be on your way to fabulous new career.

If you are looking for a job, one of the first things you should do is write your resume. Though you could pay a resume writing service to do it for you, writing your resume yourself is actually a good exercise in identifying your strengths and weaknesses in relation to your career field. You can choose from a variety of resume formats. The three most common formats are chronological, functional and a combination of the two.

A chronological resume is probably the most traditional. You begin this resume by placing your name and contact information at the top, and then listing your work experience from the most recent to least. This chronological list should include the dates of employment, name of employer, job title and basic duties for each job. If you have large gaps in employment or little work history, this type of resume format is probably not for you. The chronological list will emphasize those gaps and may look bad in the eyes of a potential employer. People favor chronological resumes when they want to show stability and increasing responsibilities over a period of time.

A functional resume is terrific option if you are switching career fields, returning to the workforce, or have little work history. With the functional resume, you stress achievements and skills, rather than work history and job duties. A functional resume should show your worth to a potential employer. Be specific when listing your achievements. For example, your list might include: “Increased team sales by 70% in a six-month period.”

The best bet is to create a combination resume. As with the other formats, begin with your name and contact information. Next you should proceed with a short work history section. In this section, don’t be detailed or give dates, merely list previous employment that you are trying to highlight. Underneath that section, emphasize your achievements, skills, certifications and education.

Most employers and job candidates are most familiar with the traditional chronological resume. However, a resume that combines elements from both the chronological and functional resume formats may be the best way to sell yourself to potential employers.

To find resume templates, look no further than your word processing program. Programs like Microsoft Word have resume templates built-in.

Good luck!

Over the last few years, the need for accounting professionals has grown due to government regulations on businesses and how they must maintain their financial records. Job candidates with a degree or experience in finance or accounting are in great demand.

Though the finance field is growing as a whole, some jobs are in dire need of qualified applicants. In addition to personal financial advisors, accountants are needed in four major areas.

Government accountants - Perform audits and monitor financial records for government agencies.

Internal auditors - Perform verification of their company’s internal records, looking for fraud, mismanagement and waste.

Management accountants - Perform accounting and analysis of financial records for a specific company. Also referred to as corporate, cost or private accountants.

Public accountants - Perform accounting, auditing and other financial consulting service for clients. These accountants work for a public accounting firm or have their own business.

To start on a career path in accounting or finance, begin by getting your bachelor’s degree. Furthermore, certifications, graduate degrees, and experience work with computerized accounting software will open up more job opportunities. If you plan on becoming a CPA, you will also need to pass an exam and be awarded certification.

Though finance might seem boring at first, it’s a field with tremendous growth opportunities and the future looks bright for years to come.

When you land a new job, the employer will probably say that the dress code is “business casual.” Somewhere between stuffy corporate attire and sloppy casual dress, most companies are defining their dress code as business casual these days.

But what exactly does that mean? Well, it definitely depends on the industry. A business casual accounting office might not be the same as a business casual graphic design company. Your best bet is to dress a little more business than casual to begin with, and then see what your co-workers are wearing.

In general, here are some basic guidelines on what type of clothing is appropriate in a business casual environment.

Men’s Business Casual Attire

Though men don’t need a jacket and tie, you should still look neat and appropriate. Tuck in your shirt and definitely wear a belt.

* Khaki pants
* Casual slacks
* Button down shirts
* Polo shirts
* Sweaters
* Leather shoes
* No jeans (maybe for casual Fridays)
* No baggy clothing
* No sneakers
* No sandals
* No cotton t-shirts

Women’s Business Casual Attire

Keep your jewelry simple and your makeup light. Skip the low-cut tops and shiny fabrics. Always look stylish and pulled together. Wear pantyhose, if your skirt is above mid-calf.

* Pantsuits
* Twill, knit, linen or other pants
* Skirts (no shorter than an inch above the knee)
* Tailored blouses
* Sweaters or sweater sets
* No jeans (maybe for casual Fridays)
* No open-toed shoes (unless specified in your company policy)
* No extremely high heels

Once you have been offered a job, you might find out that the salary isn’t exactly as much as you had expected. If you research, prepare and plead a good case, you can try to negotiate a better salary with the potential employer.  Research to see if company’s offer is competitive. By using the Bureau of Labor Statistics and professional associations in your field, you can find out if the salary being offered is within industry standards.  If you are relocating for the job, consider the cost of living in the new locale. You can use the ACCRA Cost of Living Index to find out how much your salary is worth in a specific city.

Prepare yourself to explain to the employer why you are worth a higher salary. Be specific about what you will do to increase the productivity and bottomline of the company. Submit a counter offer and shoot a little higher than you are willing to settle for. That way, you will have some room for negotiations.  If the company isn’t willing to budge on the base salary, try to work out a deal for stock options, extra vacation time, performance bonuses or other perks.  If all else fails and you really want the job, accept it under the condition that you can re-negotiate salary again in 90 days. However, don’t accept the job if the salary is so low that you will quickly become disgruntled. There are plenty of other jobs out there.

If you are looking for an interesting, challenging career, you should consider getting your degree in criminal justice. With a criminal justice degree, you don’t necessary have to go on to become a police officer, paralegal or attorney. In fact, several jobs in the field of forensics which require a criminal justice degree are both lucrative and stimulating.

Crime Scene Investigator - With a degree in criminal justice or criminology, you can become a crime scene investigator. The main responsibilities of this job include the collecting and packaging of evidence from crime scenes. Evidence can be anything from blood and fingerprints to firearms and skeletal remains. With the popularity of the CSI television series, more and more people are becoming interested in this field.

Forensic Scientist - Once a crime scene investigator has gathered and logged the evidence, it’s the job of the forensic scientist to analyze the evidence to help solve the crime. Though many forensic scientists have a degree in criminal justice, they also must take a lot of courses in the sciences, such as biology, chemistry, genetics or microbiology. A forensic scientist may play a key role in proving the innocence or guilt of the accused. Most forensic scientists work for government crime labs at the local, state or federal level. They are often called open to testify in court about their findings and conclusions.