This chart shows you the 50 best jobs in America

This chart shows you the 50 best jobs in AmericaThis chart shows you the 50 best jobs in AmericaGo to college and get a high-paying job.Thats what most parents say they want for their children. But its hard to figure out which career path offers both high compensation and widespread demand. Thats why we created a new visualization breaking down the top 50 best jobs in America according toU.S. News World Report.U.S. News developed its ranking of the best jobs by taking into account a variety of factors. They considered work-life balance, stress levels, and room for long-term career advancement. We took the top 50 and narrowed the focus to the two key things that really matter, compensation and projected job growth. We maintained the same order from 1 to 50, but our approach reveals that high job growth doesnt necessarily equate to high salaries, especially when there are low barriers to entry.Heres what we mean. All of the occupations at the top of the ranking generate six-figure inc omes with the exceptions of statisticians ($84.1k) and occupational therapists ($83.2k). There are several jobs in themedical field where applicants can expect to earn substantially more than $200,000, including orthodontists, obstetricians and surgeons. But look at the orange bars, which indicate how many new jobs researchers expect will be created in the coming years. We can rightly infer there is a relatively high bar of entry into these fields, namely, medical school. Not just anyone can become a doctor.Now compare these high-paying jobs with the middle and lower parts of the visual. There are a number of jobs with a reasonable degree of specialization, high pay and abundant job growth. Business operations managers, for example, can expect to make $100.4k while seeing well over 200,000 new similar positions in the next decade. And there are also very low-paid occupations with very little training required, like landscapers.If youre thinking about making a career change, there ar e two occupations that stand out to us. The Internet Age requires software developers. They have the best job overall according to U.S. News, and its easy to see why with the combination of high pay and strong future job growth. Plus, the nature of writing software is engaging and intellectually difficult.And second, Baby Boomers are entering their golden years and require lots of additional nurses, a job which requires professional certification. And although lots of people will clearly become nurses in the coming years, theres an obvious wage floor of about $70k that would provide almost anyone with a comfortable life.DataTable 1.1This article was originally published on HowMuch.

Being a Forensic Ballistics Expert

Being a Forensic Ballistics ExpertBeing a Forensic Ballistics ExpertIts a tough job, but somebodys got to do it. Perhaps youve seen them on CSI or Mythbusters. Batman even tried his hand at it in The Dark Knight. Forensic ballistics experts can be found throughout popular culture, on television, in books, and in movies. With the popularity of so many crime shows and films, its easy to see why someone would be interested in such a fascinating career as a ballistics expert. What Forensic Ballistic Experts Do Forensic ballistics analysis is a specialty within forensic science. Like most forensics investigators, forensic ballistics experts perform the bulk of their investigative work in a laboratory. The evidence they analyze, however, is collected in the field. Ballistics experts may examine a crime scene themselves, or they may simply analyze evidence submitted to them by other crime scene investigators, detectives, or police officers. Forensics ballistics experts specialize in loo king at anything that has to do with firearms, from identification of a specific round or weapon to determining the trajectory of a bullet. Ballistics experts can identify the caliber of a round and, with the help of national databases, can learn where the bullet was manufactured and possibly even the gun that fired it. Additionally, forensic ballistics experts may be involved in crime scene mapping. With computer-aided design programs, photogrammetry and laser measuring tools, ballistics experts can determine the location from which a round was fired or the direction it traveled, making the search for physical evidence easier. These crime scene maps can be used to create diagrams for police reports or courtroom presentations. Ballistics experts may be called to lift fingerprints from spent shell casings or help collect DNA samples from expended rounds. The job of a forensic ballistics expert often includes Collecting evidencePerforming gunshot residue analysisPhotographing crime sc enesAnalyzing firearms evidenceIdentifying the caliber of bulletsIdentifying the type of firearm usedFiring test roundsWriting reportsProviding courtroom testimony Ballistics experts can expect to work voreingestellt business hours, but they may be called to a crime scene at any hour. Often, the scenes they investigate are grisly, due to the nature of the crimes they respond to. Most forensic ballistic experts work for large police or sheriffs offices or a state or federal crime lab. With experience, though, ballistics experts can earn lucrative salaries working as consultants or contractors in the private sector. Many expertswork for attorneys or private investigative firms. Education and Skill Requirements Like other forensic science technicians, forensic ballistics experts must typically have a bachelors degree or relevant comparable experience in the natural sciences. Specifically, a strong understanding of physics is necessary. In addition to a college education, ballistics experts must undergo extensive training and maintain a strong working knowledge of all areas related to ballistics, such as types of firearms, types of bullets, muzzle velocities and gunshot residue, to name just a few. The Job Outlook All areas within forensic science investigations are expected to see higher than average growth over the next several years. It is due largely in part to continued advances in technology and an increased public interest in, and demand for, better analysis of evidence. The Average Salary Annual salary potential for ballistics experts can sortiment between around $30,00 to more than $80,00, with the average salary near $55,000 per year. Getting Started on a Career Its important to remember that forensic ballistics experts, like bloodstain pattern analysts and other forensic specialists, often start out as general forensic science technicians and work their way into a specialty. Entry level positions as a ballistics expert, then, will be few and far between. Instead, those interested in a ballistics expert career will want to consider entering the workforce as a forensic technician and gain the required training and experience on the job. How to Determine if a Career as a Forensic Ballistics Expert is Right for You If you are interested in a criminology career and have a fond appreciation for firearms or physics, a career as a forensic ballistics expert may be a great choice for you. The work of a ballistics expert provides the perfect blend of fieldwork, science, and problem-solving for even the most curious and inquisitive mind. The job is not for the faint of heart, but if you have a strong stomach and enjoy puzzles, working as a forensic ballistics effort may be the perfect criminal justice career

Tips About How to Find a Job in HR

Tips About How to Find a Job in HRTips About How to Find a Job in HRWant to find a Human Resource job? You can take action to position yourself for an HR job. These ten tips will prepare you to snag the job of your dreams. Be ready when the right job opportunity comes along. Here are my thoughts on how you can pursue an HR job. Your easiest route to an HR job is through your current employer, so talk with your boss and the HR department to express your wishes. Take and follow any advice that they offer about what you need to do to prepare for a job opening.You need to speak up loudly and clearly, although never obnoxiously, to keep your current employer informed of your career path goal. Your forays into HR can succeed. You just need to stay on their radar.Look for an opportunity to take on additional tasks in your current job that take you in the direction of a job in HR. Many people in accounting started in HR by doing payroll, for example. Maybe there are ways in which your curren t department and the HR department can share your time.One young person started out as a departmental liaison to HR. Another started by running her departments United Way campaign. Another started in reception and gradually assumed mora and more HR tasks starting with applicant greeting, helping with job applications, and scheduling interviews. Think creatively. Some HR professionals will tell you that they targeted the field of HR and took some classes or earned the PHR to prepare to enter the field. Other professionals will tell you that business networking and experience are key. Save the certifications until later when you take an HR job.Why not interview some successful HR managers in your community to seek out their advice about getting into the field of HR where you live? They can share ideas about how to obtain experience and how to develop credentials that qualify you for a job in HR.Many HR people are willing to participate in these informational interviews. The interviews are also a way to get your name known, as interested in HR, out into your community. When you seek out an HR professional, you compliment his or her knowledge and credibility, too. Thus, the HR professional receives something in return when you target an HR job. Belong to and attend any associations or professional groups in your community that attract HR professionals. The networking will stand you in good stead when you are ready to find your dream job.Network also in regional business associations and in erreichbar social media networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and the many Human Resources communities that exist at locations such as job boards, SHRM, and Workforce magazine.Review your prior employment, education, and experiences. Tailor your resume and cover letters to highlight the components that qualify you for a career in HR management. You need to develop a resume that focuses in on your HR-related experience in any position and highlight it for an employer.An employer w ont take the time to read between the lines to find your qualifications for their job. You have to highlight your HR qualifications for them- even more, for your current employer, who may only think of you in connection with your current job. You will want to read through all of the ideas abouthow to transition into an HR career.You could consider taking a brief leave from your current job to do an HR internship. Many employers offer unpaid leave so ask before assuming that leave is not an option. Especially if you can afford the time away from a paycheck, you can gain experience that will make you more employable in an HR job.If you have no college or graduate degree in HR or business, consider that these credentials are becoming more important. A background in HR coursework or a degree might make you more employable in an HR job. Hopefully, youll find that these ideas are helpful when you pursue the HR job of your dreams. If nothing else, they will put you on the road to a succes sful, happy professional career in HR. Why not try them out?