This post comes from ZDNet.

“In theory, everyone wants to climb the corporate ladder. With promotions come steps up that eventually land an employee in the coveted management echelon, with the opportunity to increase both their pay grade and influence.

Yet in practice–as anyone who has ever had a lousy boss or manager can tell you–not everyone is actually cut out to be a manager. Perhaps they’re happiest buried in thick lines of code or have little patience for the schmoozing or interest in the visibility that come with more pivotal roles. Perhaps they’re better suited for other things.

Though the fault is rarely with the individuals–all too often companies reward employees they don’t want to lose with inflated titles and promotions, whether they’re ready for prime time visibility or not–many could save themselves headaches further down their career path by understanding their own limitations and finding more suitable paths.” Click here to read the eight telltale signs.

Although online job board postings slowed down by 11% during the second quarter of 2008, the Healthcare Services  industry and Information Technology industry appear to be virtually recession proof according to the,  “Second Quarter 2008 Career Trend Analysis and Industry Outlook Report,” just released by Beyond.com.

“Although many industries have been affected by the economy, some industries experienced continued growth during this period. Information Technology continued to hold the top position with 13.99% and exhibited the second largest percentage gain over the past 12 months with 1.13%. Healthcare & Medical also remained strong with 12.65%, representing not only one of the largest percentage gains of 0.52% this period, but the largest gain over the past 12 months with 2.15%.” To download the most recent report or previous quarterly reports click here.

Gatlin Education Services is pleased to announce the immediate availability of a new California Chartered Income Tax Professional Online Training Program.

With this innovative nationally recognized online California Chartered Tax Professional Certificate Program, students can become qualified as California Tax Preparers through the California Tax Education Council (CTEC), and start working and earning money while completing coursework. The CTP® certificate program is comprised of 6 courses in Federal Income Tax Preparation, plus a California supplement. After successfully completing the first two Federal courses and the California lessons in the CTP® certificate program, you will be qualified to prepare individual tax returns for almost all U. S. and California taxpayers. This online certificate program is only offered in partnership with major accredited colleges and universities.

Accredited education institutions interested in offering this curriculum to their students should contact Gatlin Education Services.

This article comes from the L.A. Times.

“During a typical 12-hour shift, Hector Hernandez can be found in just about any corner of Kaiser Sunset, tending to premature infants and the elderly, to patients with asthma and those with AIDS, to heart attack victims and survivors of car wrecks.

He connects patients to ventilators, evaluates lung capacity and blood gases and administers oxygen and aerosol medications. Clad in green scrubs and white running shoes, he is often the first to arrive on a “code blue” — the term that is broadcast when a patient has stopped breathing.

Yet most of those he sees probably could not name his occupation. Hernandez, 49, is not a doctor or a nurse but a respiratory care practitioner.

“A lot of people don’t hear much about respiratory therapists,” he said. “We’re there. We help you. We’re gone.”

Many patients also probably don’t know that there are barely enough respiratory care therapists to go around.

Most people have heard about the nationwide nursing shortage. But the country is also experiencing a shortage of trained workers in the “allied health professions” — respiratory care practitioners, medical transcriptionists, radiographers and about 200 other occupations that make up about 60% of healthcare workers.” Click here to read the rest of this article.

This post comes from PayScale.com.“Amid the daily din of news about a possible economic downturn, U.S. workers are left wondering what to do if a recession hits. What’s the best business to be in during a recession? Are some industries safer than others? Experts say there are, in fact, some recession proof jobs that may be a better bet.

In the wake of the housing crisis, news abounds of a looming recession, with regular reports of financial gloom. It’s no wonder workers are fretting over finances and the employment outlook for the coming months, as a recent Hudson Employment Index shows.

Workers shouldn’t worry, experts say. Jobs in some industries do have good potential for weathering a financial storm. It’s more important, though, for employees to focus on making themselves recession proof.” Click here to read the rest of this article.

This post comes from Network World.

“Back in April we discussed research that found IT job security was dropping five times faster than the national average. But there’s some new research that shows a rosier view, with numerous technology skills being labeled as “recession-proof.”

You’re in good shape if you’re skilled in software design and development, networking and system administration, database administration, business analysis software implementations, and software testing. Workers in these five professions were among the top 25 “most wanted U.S. job candidates” in the 120-day period ending July 7, according to an analysis by  Jobfox, a career Web site.” Click here to read the rest of this article.

 This post comes from The Wall Street Journal.

“American businesses are increasingly moving their research and development operations to India. Companies like General Electric and Cisco now have their second-largest research centers in Bangalore. Debates rage in the U.S. about whether this will lead to greater prosperity or threaten the country’s global economic leadership. But it’s more productive to ask how India is training a workforce capable of handling such complex work.

The global engineering and entrepreneurship project team at Duke University traveled to India several times between September 2006 and May 2008 to meet the executives of dozens of multinational and domestic Indian companies to review their R&D projects and operations. What we found was astonishing: Despite its low science and engineering graduation rates, India is rapidly becoming a global hub for R&D, with a momentum and scale similar to what it accomplished in information technology services.” Click here to read the rest of this article.

This article is from The Chronicle.

“Tucked away in a 1,200-page bill now in Congress is a small paragraph that could lead distance-education institutions to require spy cameras in their students’ homes.

It sounds Orwellian, but the paragraph — part of legislation renewing the Higher Education Act — is all but assured of becoming law by the fall. No one in Congress objects to it.

The paragraph is actually about clamping down on cheating. It says that an institution that offers an online program must prove that an enrolled student is the same person who does the work.

Already, the language is spurring some colleges to try technologies that authenticate online test takers by reading their fingerprints, watching them via Web cameras, or recording their keystrokes. Some colleges claim there are advantages for students: The devices allow them to take tests anytime, anywhere. Many students must now travel to distant locations so a proctor can watch them take exams on paper.” Click here to read the rest of this article.

This article comes from The Dallas Morning News and it illustrates why courses like Gatlin’s and Chartered Tax Professional and Certified Bookkeeper have become so popular with baby boomers.

“Looking for a job was an exercise in frustration for Mike O’Bryan, and nothing was more aggravating than the interview. The Grapevine man’s 25 years in information technology turned out to be more a liability than an asset. Employers looked at the 60-year-old applicant and asked him whether he might be “overqualified.”

I guess my age scared them,” he said. “They must have thought that if they hired me, I’d retire soon.”

After a dozen disappointing interviews, Mr. O’Bryan decided to become a self-employed financial planner. With retirement nowhere on his horizon, he helps his clients plan for their golden years.

“I’m now my own boss. It’s OK,” he said.

The weak economy is putting a squeeze on workers in their 50s and 60s.” Click here to read the rest of this article.

This post comes from Science Daily. “Online courses are helping staff to develop the skills they need to tackle hospital-acquired infections, such as MRSA and C.difficile, and this expertise could also prove vital in a pandemic, according to a study published in the latest issue of the UK-based Journal of Advanced Nursing.” Click here to read the rest of this article.