Working Mums in the UK
Working Mums in the UK

Paid online survey programs are a very new concept to earn money by working from home, at the convenience of one’s own time, place and pace of working. This concept is the most ideal way of work for mothers who have been caught between taking care of kids and at the same time who don’t want to sacrifice their career. This is also suitable for working people who want to make an extra income and for students who have the necessity to earn while they learn.

First we should understand what does an online survey mean. To understand the concept let us look in to the following facts.

Nowadays, most of the companies invest a lot of money to find out what the consumers think about their products and services. So that, depending on their needs and wants of the consumers they can modify and make the products reach each and every household of the consumers. Just by advertising the companies only educate about their services and products, but how will they know the feedback about consumers? This valuable input is possible only through online surveys where the consumers directly give their feedback and preferences to the market research companies and in turn to the respective companies.

These facts make this concept work very well both among the companies and the consumers who give their valuable opinion on the products and services. Although it might seem like a very simple concept, yet, it is a very powerful tool, which helps in the decision-making. It is lucrative for an ordinary person because the one who gives his or her valuable opinion gets paid for the feedback. It is fun to work on the Internet and also a great way to earn extra income in their spare time.

Getting started to take online surveys is very easy, as you need to enroll with an online survey company who will give you surveys depending on the data provided by you during the time of enrollment. Marketing research companies will get your opinion on various aspects while consolidating the information and providing the relevant information to their clients (companies). These surveys are targeted to either to improve the existing products and services to make it more suitable to the consumers or helps in launching a new product or service as needed by the consumer.

Most of the free paid online survey websites are free to join which either offer payment in cash directly or award points which can be redeemed after a cut off mark for cash or gifts. Once joined the market research companies provide the person with surveys, which will be notified through emails. It is advised to join as many paid survey sites as each and every survey site will provide a maximum of 4 -5 surveys a month. Sticking on to one survey website will limit the earning potential. Also, there are several fake market research agencies that have entered this arena, who demand a fee upfront for joining as a member but grossly fail to redeem money after completing the paid online surveys. So, utmost care needs to be taken to find the reputed online survey websites. Although, there are a number of online survey sites, which provide opportunities internationally, it has been found that the most benefited are the people hailing from USA and UK. Welcome all to the world of online paid surveys…

Forensic nursing is fairly new in the industry given that this was only recognized as a specialty of nursing in 1995. Unlike other nursing professions where you have to take a state licensure exam, you are not required to get a job. However, many believe that passing the test adds credibility to the job.

This is very important especially when you have collect evidence from a victim and have to offer this testimony in court. Everything you say should be objective because the evidence presents the facts themselves.

For you to become a forensic nurse, you must have at least be a resident nurse and complete the training regimen. This includes specialized training in the classroom as well as 40 hours of didactics and 40 hours of clinical work.

For those who want to specialize to become a SANE or sexual assault nurse examiner, part of the training focuses on handling and collecting evidence like fibers, hairs and fluids which are collected for DNA testing. You will also need to learn how to use the equipment. It can be very basic like a digital camera to an Omnichrome or a colposcope which can detect bruising underneath the skin’s surface.

When a victim is brought in to the emergency room, you spring into action and then talk to the person. Working with law enforcement officers, you will be able to comfort the victim, get details and then get the person who did it. This normally takes 3 to 4 hours.

Another forensic nursing career could be that of a nursing forensic examiner. This job will also involve collecting evidence but most of those brought in are victims of interpersonal abuse. This includes child or elder abuse, domestic violence, near fatal to fatal traumas, shootings and stabbings.

In cases of stabbing and shootings, the most important thing to get is the bullet and any other items that are left on the victim. They will also remove the clothing so this can be examined by preserving this in a special wrapping before transporting this to the lab.

Should the victim die, then the forensic nurse examiner will work with the medical examiner by answering questions about what he or she saw before this person died.

If you want to go into private practice, one subspecialty is that of forensic psychiatry. Here, you don’t have to collect evidence but you have to evaluate the mental capacity of the person to see if she or she is fit to stand trial in a jury of their peers.

Since you evaluated that person, you may be called in as an expert witness in both criminal and civil proceedings. For this, you need to complete a basic certification course.

Forensic nursing has a lot of potential given that it is something new. Statistics show that there will be a demand for more trained professionals in the next 10 years and with that goes to the wages. This means you are sure to find a job in a community health center, hospital, public health department, law firms and correctional facilities.

But is a forensic nursing career all about money? Certainly not because as a healthcare professional and from a legal perspective, you are able to help not only the victims but also their families coping with what happened especially when what you do helps catch whoever is responsible for it.

It can be a challenge to land a prime spot on a race car pit crew. Yet vehicle dealerships across the country are scrambling to find qualified automotive technicians for their own “pit crews”-even with salaries of $30,000 to $70,000 or more, depending on the market and the technician’s level of training.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the auto industry will need 35,000 new technicians every year through 2010.

Lucrative But Overlooked Careers

With that in mind, an unusual contest is getting into gear with the purpose of increasing awareness about this lucrative and rewarding yet often-overlooked career, and support training opportunities for future technicians. It’s called the No. 29 Goodwrench Expertise Challenge. And it is a challenge. “Historically, being an automotive technician has been depicted as a dirty, dead-end kind of job,” said Peter Lord, executive director, GM Service Operations. “That old stereotype could not be further from the truth. Today’s cars and trucks are very sophisticated-the computer technology in them alone, for example, is nearly 1,000 times more powerful than what took the Apollo mission to the moon.”

“Dealerships need trained, qualified technicians because they know that satisfaction with vehicle service and repair work is closely tied to how customers view their vehicles and the dealership.”

The Challenge benefits automotive technician training like this: If driver Kevin Harvick’s No. 29 car wins two out of 12 selected NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races beginning May 28 with the Coca-Cola 600, GM Goodwrench will set up a $200,000 scholarship fund to encourage Automotive Youth Educational Systems (AYES) high school students to continue their automotive technical education by attending GM Automotive Service Educational Program (ASEP) colleges. AYES is a nonprofit business and education partnership that creates automotive technology career opportunities for promising young men and women at automotive dealerships. It was founded in 1995 by former GM Chairman Jack Smith as a way to address the growing need for technicians.

Spreading The Word

“There are thousands of NASCAR fans-and others-who are ideal candidates for a career as an automotive technician,” said Larry Cummings, CEO of AYES. “The Expertise Challenge is a fun and engaging way to help spread the word about these great career opportunities.”

Students enrolled in GM ASEP two-year programs earn while they learn, rotating their time between classes and interning at GM dealerships and other GM service centers. There are 66 GM ASEP participating schools in 38 U.S. states, 15 in Canada and one in the People’s Republic of China. Successful students graduate with an associate’s degree, and either are ready for or have passed their National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification test. More than 2,000 students are currently enrolled in the program, and there are more than 14,000 graduates.

If Harvick and the team meet the Expertise Challenge by winning two of the 12 select races, GM Goodwrench will award 29 Grand Prizes, which consist of an all-new 2007 Chevy Avalanche, a $1,000 GM vehicle maintenance certificate and a trunk full of Reese’s products.

Program Rules Available

If only one race is won during the promotion, two lucky winners will be awarded an all-new 2007 Chevy Avalanche, a $1,000 GM vehicle maintenance certificate, and a trunk full of Reese’s products. They will also donate $25,000 to the GM Goodwrench Scholarship Fund. If no races are won during the promotion, the promotion will still give away an all-new 2007 Chevy Avalanche, a $1,000 GM vehicle maintenance certificate, and a trunk full of Reese’s products to one lucky winner, and provide a $25,000 donation to the GM Goodwrench Scholarship fund.

The reality today is that even as women are making incredible achievements they’re still battling the stereotypical role of traditional wife and mother. Mom’s expected at home to make dinner and read bedtime stories, but the boss wants that report finished now. Does she disappoint her family and stay late, or tick off the boss and derail her career?

Yes, women can do anything—but they should NOT do everything. To have a career and a happy family life, a woman must learn to prioritize and delegate. She needs to set her own objectives, stop being a commitment queen and shed the guilt.

Here’s the skinny on getting the fat salaries without relinquishing the family snuggles:

1. What your boss really wants is a personal clone as to work ethic and loyalty to the company. Model your boss. Know what your boss needs and wants and deliver it.

2. Most people tend to socialize with coworkers at their same level while considering top executives unapproachable or even the enemy. The real secret to advancement is to spend time with coworkers at all levels, especially the one who decides your next pay raise.

3. Become indispensable. Don’t be a replaceable commodity by shrinking into your chair. Get in the middle of everything and show what you’re worth.

4. When your accomplishments merit a pay raise, ask for it. Do your salary research, then request more money than you expect. Allow for negotiating. But never dangle other offers. That’s blackmail.

5. Learn the power and freedom of “no.” You may have to decline chairing the next school fundraiser or hosting your husband’s law firm clients after their golf game. Reserve “yes” for your personal priorities and when saying it won’t upset the balance of your career and family expectations.

6. Delegate, delegate, delegate. It’s okay to say “I can’t handle all the laundry, all the housework and all the carpool. Your husband and kids will have to chip in and help. Start small and slowly increase their responsibilities. Offer loads of praise and encouragement as you train them to help out.

7. Draw your family in on your dilemma. List the family’s joint responsibilities and the ways they might be handled—owning a particular chore, taking turns, pitching in as a team—then say “I love you all and I love my career. We’re in this together and if we each carry a little weight, no one gets overburdened.” Everyone will benefit—and your kids will have a much happier mom.

So Mom, wake up and smell the money! By following these simple steps you’ll finally have the confidence to get the pay raise you deserve and the happy home life you crave.

For Shirley Mertz, continuing to work throughout the past 14 years as she battled breast cancer was not only natural but also critical to her well-being.

“After I was diagnosed with breast cancer, continuing to live a normal life was extremely important, and for me, normal meant working,” said Mertz, a former assistant superintendent for a public high school district in suburban Chicago, Ill., who is now 59 and a full-time breast cancer advocate. “I was fortunate enough to have a sympathetic employer and compassionate co-workers, but I had to look outside my office for the support and information I needed to cope with cancer. I never really considered that workplace resources might be an option.”

Mertz’s experience is echoed in the results of a national Harris Interactive survey of working women diagnosed with cancer, which, astonishingly, found that a mere 1 percent of them consider their company a source of information or support in coping with their illness. Although they are generally satisfied with interpersonal support and report an ability to balance the demands of their illness and their careers, many survey participants are in fact suffering treatment-related difficulties on the job, such as fatigue, nausea and hair loss, but are not finding help in workplace programs. The survey was initiated by Cosmetic Executive Women Foundation’s (CEWF) Cancer and Careers program and supported by a grant from Roche.

Carlotta Jacobson, President of CEW, a leading trade organization in the beauty industry, says it’s essential for employers to find ways to anticipate and address the needs of their employees who have cancer.

“Our survey shows that, despite their stoic attitude, women with cancer often struggle with physical, emotional and other issues in the workplace,” said Jacobson. “To address their needs, we’ve developed the Cancer and Careers program, which includes free information, guidance and tools for both employees and their managers.”

Cancer and Careers is an online and offline resource for working women with cancer and their employers. The program’s Web site, www.cancerandcareers.org, includes more than 100 online articles, downloadable tools, charts and checklists, and a searchable database of 400-plus cancer resources. CEWF also offers the Managing Through Cancer program to help managers, HR professionals and CEOs initiate policy changes, develop supportive ser-vices, and design flexible work arrangements.

CEWF’s survey also revealed that women with cancer need more than just workplace support to help them address the challenges they face on the job. Nearly three-fourths of women surveyed expressed a desire for a less intrusive treatment to a working woman’s lifestyle. Citing convenience and fewer side effects as rationale, 86 percent of women said they would prefer an oral chemotherapy treatment to intravenous administration.

“Because I took an oral chemotherapy pill instead of going to the clinic all the time for IV treatment, I missed fewer days of work and felt more like myself,” said Mertz. “I also didn’t have any hair loss, which helped me to maintain my self-esteem.”