Career World, a Weekly Reader publication articles from February 2007

Career World, a Weekly Reader publication archives from February 2007

A cultured career.(www.microbeworld.org)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Microbiologists study the very tiniest living things, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi (together known as microbes). Sometimes those tiny things need to be grown in colonies and observed to be understood. This microbiologist is growing...

Jobs of distinction.(Firefighters)(Brief article)(Statistical data)
February 1, 2007... Americans tend to equate prestige with helping those in need--rather than with fame or fortune, according to a 2006 Harris Interactive Poll. For the second year in a row, firefighter topped the list of most prestigious jobs--and admiration for...

Don't hit the snooze bar.(National Sleep Foundation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Sleep-related issues are the most common reason people are late for work. Twenty-two percent of workers admit to lateness due to oversleeping, trouble waking up, going to bed too late, or ongoing sleep problems. SOURCE: NATIONAL SLEEP...

Follow the leader.(low employee morale)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... The causes of low employee morale start at the top. According to a recent survey, human resource executives were asked to identify the main reasons behind employee dissatisfaction. Seventy-three percent of those polled listed "poor leadership"...

A novel approach.(Mylan Murphy)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... On the basketball court, Mylan Murphy is a 6-foot-8 center who leads his team in scoring and rebounding. Off court, he's a budding clothing designer and businessman. Mylan, who's from Peninsula, Ohio, has run Novel Clothing Company since he was...

A major debate.(law for high students to select major area of interest)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... In the upcoming school year, a new Florida law will require every high school freshman to choose a "major area of interest." Instead of elective classes, students will be required to take four yearlong classes in their chosen major--whether...

Love on the job.(Vault.com)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Workers hoping to be struck by Cupid's arrow this Velantine's Day might not need to look further than the next cubicle. Fifty-eight percent of workers polled by Vault.com admitted to having an office romance. And workplace relationship seem to...

Who's bad.(www.workingamerica.org)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... How bad is the worst boss? Last summer www.workingamerica.org sought to find out by holding the My Bad Boss Contest. More than 2,500 people responded with horror stories that ranged from sad to funny to downright bizarre. Here are a few of the...

Auto focus.(Americans Well-informed on Automobile Retailing Economics)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Buying a first car is a rite of passage for many teens. But those new wheels shouldn't put the brakes on your financial future. These tips from AWARE (Americans Well-informed on Automobile Retailing Economics) can help first-time auto buyers...

Stepping onto the career ladder: your first "real" job is a step toward a fulfilling career.
February 1, 2007... Everyone has to start somewhere in paving a career path. That path may start out bumpy. What if you can't find a job in your field? Or your dream job turns out to be a nightmare? The good news: The first job on your career path, whatever it...

Now you're cooking: what does it take to become a chef? These culinary students are finding out.(Culinary Institute of America)
February 1, 2007... VendiRay Jones wields an 8-inch chef's knife like an old pro, even though she officially learned knife skills just weeks ago. Jones is a freshman at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), in Hyde Park, N.Y. Today she's in the Asian cooking...

Scientific sleuths: forensic specialists figure it out.
February 1, 2007... When Leo Waters of New Bern, N.C., stepped outside prison gates in 2003, it was the first time he had been free in 21 years. Following his 1982 conviction on robbery and rape charges, Waters received two consecutive life sentences. Today,...

Fantastic follow-ups: touching base after a good interview can give you an edge.
February 1, 2007... Carol Roth had a problem. As a supervisor for a news distribution company, she needed to hire a new editor for her branch. "I had several candidates who had the same level of experience, did well on our editing test, and aced their interviews,"...

Banking on the tech team: computer whizzes work to keep the systems humming at this Florida bank.(BankUnited)
February 1, 2007... When you enter a bank, tellers, loan officers, and other employees stand ready to help you access financial services. No transaction can take place, however, without some vital workers behind the scenes: the information technology (IT)...

Camp for success: are you over making lanyards? At a career camp, you can learn a lot more than how to pitch a tent!
February 1, 2007... Have you ever wanted to make a film, study sea life, learn about forensic science, or act in a play? You can get your chance at a career camp. Also known as a specialty camp, such a program is a fun way to test-drive a career before you commit...

Where do I go with business?(Master of business administration degree)
February 1, 2007... With a business degree in hand you can find a job in any type of company--a local bank, a Fortune 500 company, a nonprofit, an ad agency. A business degree can also be the first step toward starting your own company. Here are just some of the...

Searching for a clue.(Forensic scientists)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Forensics is where science meets law. For almost 2,000 years, curious and determined minds have applied scientific principles to the law to answer questions about crimes and solve mysteries. In this photograph from 1946, a forensic scientist at...