Hotel Careers: Hotel Manager Salary

Name: Alissa 
Job Title: Hotel Property Manager
Where: Jasper, Alabama
Years of Experience: 3
Other Relevant Work Experience: Desk Clerk
Education: West Limestone High School graduate
Salary: Use PayScale’s Research Center to find the median hotel manager salary.

Hotel Careers: Hotel Manager Salary

“I clean anything that needs to be cleaned, fix anything that needs to be fixed, and I work non-stop from 8:00am until 11:00pm.” Managing a hotel is a tough job, but the reward of helping a diverse group of guests, and their kind words of appreciation, help offset long hours and often thankless work. In this Salary Story, Alabama-based Hotel Manager Alissa shares an inside look at how challenging hotel careers can be. Learn why the most important qualifications to be a hotel manager might just be determination and a willingness to work 15-hour days. 

PayScale: What is the job description of a hotel manager?

Alissa: Hands-on running of the hotel, working first and second shift on the desk while doing laundry and attempting to make sure everyone is doing what needs to be done. The hotel manager is responsible if housekeepers do not do a good enough job in the least amount of time un-humanly possible. The manager is responsible if not enough rooms are sold daily or if things aren't in perfect condition. I have to report to the owners every little detail three times a day and I have reports that have to be filled out and e-mailed to them every day with the same information that I called them with. I am expected to do all of this while maintaining a clean and inviting area so as to not, by any means, have a paying guest walk out or decide to stay elsewhere. I clean anything that needs to be cleaned, fix anything that needs to be fixed, and I work non-stop from 8:00am until 11:00pm. I pretty much am expected to work every waking moment and that still seems to not be good enough.

PayScale: How did you begin your hotel manager career?

Alissa: I thought I would be able to prove to others that I am good for something. 

PayScale: What do you love about your hotel career?

Alissa: I absolutely love working with the public and meeting their needs. I love the people I meet. I love the feeling of success when a guest commends me on the good work I am doing.

PayScale: What are the biggest challenges you face as a hotel manager?

Alissa: Everything! The fact that I work and only work all day every day is a huge toll on my physical and emotional well-being.

PayScale: What advice can you offer to someone in your field?

Alissa: Make sure that you aren't getting into a situation that is good for the owners yet horrific for you. Make sure the money is good and the hours are at least somewhat decent. Do not get stuck in a place that eliminates your whole social and family life!

PayScale: What are some interesting moments that you’ve experienced as a hotel manager?

Alissa: You see some REALLY off the wall things in a hotel....

How does your salary compare to a hotel manager salary? The PayScale Salary Calculator is a quick and easy way to compare positions. But when you want powerful salary data and comparisons customized for your exact position, be sure to build a complete profile by taking PayScale's full Salary Survey. 

• How Much do Hotel General Managers Make? 
• Hotel Management Job Descriptions
• Qualifications to be a Hotel Manager 
• Questions about Salary? - Ask Dr. Salary

Secretarial Careers: Administrative Assistant Profile

Name: Farieda 
Job Title: Secretary and Personal Assistant to the CEO
Where: KLG Architects, Rondebosch, SC, South Africa
Years of Experience: 14
Other Relevant Work Experience: I worked for eight years at Megalo Distributing Agency and managed the fort. I was also the sales rep and got La Vie Mineral Water and Pepsi in Pick N Pay and five top hotels in Cape Town. I then worked for Seeff Properties and managed six agents’ portfolios.
Education: Pat Kelly Bible College, Eschatology Degree; Modderdam Senior High School diploma. I’ve taken 18 computer courses plus training in bookkeeping and typing. I went to seminars presented by Dr. Brian Jude on how to answer a telephone. I learned that the receiver can “hear” your smile when you actually smile before answering the phone. I learned always to be polite no matter how you might feel. 
Salary: Use PayScale’s Research Center to find the median Administrative Assistant Salary or Executive Secretary Hourly Wages. 

Secretarial Careers: Administrative Assistant Profile

“I am alive and love every minute of being alive and live it to the fullest!”  Farieda’s exuberance, love of challenge, diverse work responsibilities, and wonderful boss have made her secretarial career an emotionally rewarding one.  Learn how her positive attitude, love of learning, and fulfillment of a life long dream are grounded in determination, attention to detail, and loyalty.

PayScale: What is your administrative assistant job description?

Farieda: I love the kind of work I do. I manage the office staff and petty cash. I manage the boss' diary and schedule appointments, etc. I work Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 5:00. I answer and screen telephone calls and direct the calls to individual architects. I type meeting minutes, memo’s portfolios, and the updates of new job numbers. I execute cheques for scrutiny fees and for payments for drawings. I contact owners and clients and set up meetings for individual jobs. I worked on a database since 2006 to get all of the old work and check if they might want extensions or alterations. I do payment certificates, practical completion and final completion certificates.

We are a small group of people at the office but the work load can become hectic as we work with big projects like Northlink Colleges, West Coast Colleges as well as CPUT. In between, we are doing extensions of houses as well as plotting and planning new houses on bought ERFs. Things happen so fast. The phones ring, three bosses talk at the same time to set their appointments, and that is why I type everything for the day on a sheet and collectively work my way through the day. In order to manage the architects’ schedules, I have to be at work every day. When the big boss is on leave overseas, then I take leave to take a breather at the same time. I also work on a debtors list. Before I ask for money, I have a conversation with the debtor. You have to be proactive in this kind of job.

I am grateful that I have a "memory of an elephant” to remember all the names of places and people. It sounds very professional when a client calls and you remember their name and surname. I always add a “last conversation” to their file such as, “the granny passed away” or, “the dog was sick;” when you sound like you are interested in their well being, you have a client for life. I am alive and love every minute of being alive and live it to the fullest!

PayScale: How did you begin your career as a secretary/administrative assistant?

Farieda: I watched a lot of TV when I was small and I always saw secretaries in their suits, beautifully pinned up hair and high heel shoes answering phone calls. I promised myself that one day, when I am big, I want to be like that. I wanted to become a teacher at first but when I saw the boys making faces behind the teachers’ backs, I decided to become a doctor. My marks in math in high school were bad and I got into Nico Malan Nursing but decided to work to help my family. I always wanted to be better than the ladies I saw on our road. They were either drunk or some of them looked like they had given up hope. I was determined to make a success of my life. I started off at a fisheries company and I stunk of fish every night. I had a goal in mind: to one day sit behind a desk and call the shots and dress smart. I now smell like panache every day as I made a choice to be different.

PayScale: What do you love about your administrative assistant job?

Farieda: Particularly during this recession time, I hear about receptionists that were retrenched or the company closed down. I am thankful to God that I still have a “good job.” I have a wonderful boss, Geoff George. He is polite, friendly, and very human. He has compassion. What stood out for me was the day that a valuable client called. She was a little upset that Geoff never came to measure her place. Eventually, the plans were approved and the day she came in to the office to pay, Geoff told her it was fine. He told me her husband is very ill and the extension was to have a bed and breakfast at their house as an income. How could he charge her? Was that not wonderful? I was so proud of him. When my kids sang Tygerberg Eistedfod and were in the ATKV choir competitions, I really appreciated Geoff when he insisted that I go with my children for the finals in Johannesburg for a week. When they won, I was a proud mom and still had my job. I came to work on one of these public holidays recently to type a letter that I know Geoff wanted to go out. I got to work and almost left again, but then he pitched in and we sent the letter. He was so thankful that I sacrificed my day. That is what secretaries are there for.

PayScale: What are the biggest challenges you face as an administrative assistant?

Farieda: To be able to remember the appointments you set for your bosses. I was very down when I forgot to remind Geoff to leave for a meeting and he ended up there late. He was cheesed off with me and said it was my responsibility to remind him. I will never forget that and I can be a pain. I stand in his office, with his cell phone, his car keys, and the meeting minutes in my hands, and nag him to leave for his meeting. I literally push him out the front door. I would like the challenge of doing the books for the company. I feel I can do it and why should we pay an accountant extra whereas we can invest that money in new projects for our community?

PayScale: What advice can you offer to someone in your field?

Farieda: My advice would be to be diligent, to be honest, and to be dynamite. Talk is cheap. I am sure that when I came for my third interview at KLG, they must have thought that I am a big talker. But I am more than that, I am a doer! I reach my goals because I am determined to make them happen. I never procrastinate. I am sometimes a few minutes late for work due to traffic, which is bad.

I am glad that there was no one to advise me about this kind of career. The things I say here are already a mouthful and I was thrown in the deep end. I can only advise that you mingle with mature people and get as much information and work (voluntarily) as you can. Go to companies and stand in front of their door everyday until they give you a job. If the job is in the tea room, become the best tea lady. Or, the very best floor cleaner or the most excellent receptionist. Then, climb the ladder to company secretary. All things are possible if you really want it. If it comes your way, grab it!

PayScale: What are some interesting moments that you’ve experienced as an executive assistant?

Farieda: The craziest thing is that I never stop until I am satisfied. I have also found I am not satisfied with a little; I want a lot. I am healthy, I have a brain, and I have the inner beauty, so what will stop me? Nothing! I love to be challenged and for me it is to study. You never know enough. I want to do a CIS course at law school to become a company secretary. But, at the moment, I can not afford it. Even if I do these courses, that does not mean I will leave my company. I am loyal to Geoff and KLG staff and the best part is that I am happy at work. You can earn much more money elsewhere, but does that determine that you will be happy? I got life abundantly!

How does your salary compare to an administrative assistant salary? The PayScale Salary Calculator is a quick and easy way to compare positions. But when you want powerful salary data and comparisons customized for your exact position, be sure to build a complete profile by taking PayScale's full Salary Survey. 

• Medical Receptionist Salaries 
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• Administrative Assistant Salaries by City
• Questions about Salary? - Ask Dr. Salary

Nurse Practitioner Salaries

Name: Cheryl Cole 
Job Title: Women's Health Nurse Practitioner
Where: Private OB/GYN Office, Port Arthur, Texas
Years of Experience: 5.5
Other Relevant Work Experience: Nursing Educator for 13 years, Labor and Delivery Nurse for 20 years and a Childbirth Educator for many years.
Education: 2004, HSC-MSN Nursing, Women's Health Nurse Practitioner Track, UT Houston; 1995, BSN, University of the State of New York, Regents College; 1984, ADN, Lamar University
Salary: Use PayScale’s Research Center to find the median Nurse Practitioner Salary. 

Nurse Practitioner Salaries

After working with pregnant women for more than 20 years, Cheryl wanted to combine her passions for women's health and nursing, and take her career to the next level. As a nurse practitioner, Cheryl now educates women about women’s gynecological health issues and works with women of all ages in a clinical setting. In this Salary Story, she talks about the wide variety in her daily work and how her diagnoses have changed patients’ lives. She describes her nurse practitioner job description and shares tips on getting started in the field, including a five-year plan strategy that could make or break a job interview. 

PayScale: What is the job description of a women's health nurse practitioner?

Cheryl: I assess and manage post-menopausal women for possible hormone replacement therapy. I also assess antepartum patients and postpartum patients, provide contraceptive counseling and management in addition to insertion of Implanon and IUD's. I do endometrial biopsies for abnormal uterine bleeding, STD assessment and management. I diagnose and treat polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).I review labs and follow through with treatment as needed or refer to the provider I work with or providers outside of the practice. I teach about everything dealing with women's health, including decreased libido to postpartum depression. The only things I have not done, but have taken courses for, are Colposcopy and Ultrasounds.

PayScale: How did you begin your career as a women's health nurse practitioner?

Cheryl: I loved women's health, and after being a labor and delivery nurse for years and teaching vocational nursing, I felt there was much more that I was called to do. I wanted to educate women about their reproductive health. I also wanted to enjoy the clinical aspects of obstetrics and gynecology in a different setting, and at some point to publish articles related to women's health issues. Becoming a women's health nurse practitioner seemed the only logical road for me to pursue.

PayScale: What do you love about your job as a nurse practitioner?

Cheryl: I love working with adolescents and teaching them how to be healthy young ladies and how to protect themselves from becoming an STD statistic. I love working with the pre-menopausal, recently divorced women and teaching them how not to become an STD statistic as they reenter the dating scene. I love assessing and managing women with post-menopausal symptoms and helping them to continue to feel good physically, mentally, and emotionally. I love writing articles to inform my colleagues about the things I find in practice that may help them assess women more efficiently. I love the technical end of being a women's health practitioner; I like putting in the IUDs and diagnosing chronic interstitial cystitis (IC) in women who have had the symptoms for years. Then, I diagnose IC and watch them become new women because they are able to drive ninety miles and not stop four times during the trip. And I also love speaking to the public, whether it is a church group, a youth group or a women's group of some type, on issues that affect women. So, I love every aspect of my job. I have never been so happy to wake up and get to a job before. Each day is different and offers enough diversity to keep me happy.

One short story that really encourages me is about a young woman who was in her 40's and had been having an abnormal vaginal discharge since she was a teenager. She had been to many providers over the years. Some told her the discharge was normal for her, some told her she had chronic bacterial vaginosis (BV) but none could make the problem go away. Well, when I did her exam I knew the discharge was bacterial but I took a closer look at her cervix and I could see old scarring from what I thought was genital herpes so I suggested testing. She said, "I have been tested every year, and everyone says there is nothing there." I convinced her to allow me to do an antigen specific herpes type II test and it came back positive. She was devastated with the news and the thought that she may have exposed other partners during the years she was dating, but so grateful to have someone confirm that something was really there like she initially had thought years ago. Now she is on suppressive therapy, educated on genital herpes and knows life goes on. Her bouts with BV are few and far between and she knows now that when she has an abnormal vaginal discharge, it most likely is a flare-up on her cervix of the genital herpes. And it makes me proud to know I look beyond what the norm is when assessing problems with my patients.

PayScale: What are the biggest challenges you face as a women's health nurse practitioner?

Cheryl: The biggest challenge is to find a wonderful physician and staff to work with. I have been truly blessed to have fallen into an office setting where the staff works well with me, my boss loves working with me, and my boss allowed me the autonomy I needed to get comfortable in my new role as a nurse practitioner. Many of my colleagues have had troubles with the staff not working well with them or the office manager not working well with them. Also, having a physician that either over-worked them for almost the same pay they made as an RN or they paid well but the patient load was such that they could not do the preventive teaching we were trained to give and are accustomed to giving, or the personalities clashed.

I am so glad that one of my professors encouraged us to share our five-year plan with a potential employer during the job interview. This way, you know if your goals and theirs are on the same page. I was very fortunate that my employer was in agreement with everything from salary to personal and professional goals. And all the goals matched what she wanted her clients to enjoy in her office. That’s how we went from having 4,000 patients when I started to 8,000 patients more than five years later. We have only had two employees leave and they left because they retired or they moved out of the area.

PayScale: What advice can you offer to someone in your field?

Cheryl: I would suggest doing a preceptorship in an office you would love to work in. In doing so, once your internship is over, you may have found your dream job. The provider now knows how you work and you have also learned the dynamics of the office and know if you would fit in that setting.

PayScale: What are some interesting moments that you’ve experienced as a nurse practitioner?

Cheryl: I have built rapport with women of every possible ethnicity and social background. I have become a very well-liked and respected nurse practitioner in my community. I have not had to settle for doing only one facet of being an NP and I have written two women's health articles in the Journal for Nurse Practitioners since being here.

How does your salary compare to a nurse practitioner salary? The PayScale Salary Calculator is a quick and easy way to compare positions. But when you want powerful salary data and comparisons customized for your exact position, be sure to build a complete profile by taking PayScale's full Salary Survey. 

• Women's Health Nurse Practitioner Salaries 
• Family Nurse Practitioner Salaries
• Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner Salaries 
• Questions about Salary? - Ask Dr. Salary

Salary for an Ambulatory Patient Care Coordinator

Name: Julie
Job Title: Ambulatory Patient Care Coordinator
Where: University Medical Center of Southern Nevada Las Vegas, NV
Years of Experience: 26
Other Relevant Work Experience: Assistant Director of Nursing, Nursing Supervisor, Charge and Staff Nurse. ER, urgent care, oncology, medical, surgical, GYN, many others. ACLS, BCLS, PALS
Education: Adelphi University, BSN, 1983; ACLS, BCLS, PALS, ATLS trained, battlefield nursing, FEMA certificates of training, many others.
Salary: See PayScale’s Research Center for median salaries in ambulatory care. 

Ambulatory Patient Care Coordinator Salary

With 26 years of nursing and medical experience to back her up, Julie decided to take the next step in her career. As ambulatory patient care coordinator, Julie has put her extensive knowledge to use, educating other nurses, improving hospital policies, conducting peer reviews and managing numerous other tasks. In this Salary Story, she explains how she reaches ambulatory department goals, improves the system, and thrives in a challenging position.

PayScale: What is the job description of an ambulatory patient care coordinator?

Julie: I coordinate nursing education, nurse and physician peer reviews, quality improvement studies, statistics, patient complaints and praises, emergency management, infection control for the division, inspections, the hospital intranet and anything else that comes up. This is for 22 clinics that include urgent, primary, pediatric, adult, AIDS/HIV, women’s centers, and outpatient clinics.

PayScale: How did you begin your career as an ambulatory patient care coordinator?

Julie: Actually somebody was let go from the position and the director asked me to step in until someone was permanently hired. I ended up liking the job, applied and got it. This job is big on problem-solving and there is a lot of in-depth computer work. I love computers and have always been the first person to jump in to solve a computer problem that arises. To me, it's like a game to beat the problem. It is also a very autonomous position, which allows me to be creative. I have made many changes, and they all seem to be appreciated.

PayScale: What do you love about your job as an ambulatory patient care coordinator?

Julie: I love the genuine, caring people I work closely with. We have had many tragedies in our personal lives over the past year, like deaths of spouses or parents as well as surgeries and major illnesses. This is between the main four or five people I work with. All of us have been there for each other in any way we were needed. This is why I became a nurse, to help people, and all of these people feel the same way. We are there personally and professionally in any way to help each other get through. This is what makes it worth staying at a job.

PayScale: What are the biggest challenges you face as an ambulatory patient care coordinator?

Julie: I am the program coordinator of 22 clinics that are all in different locations, including the main hospital.This makes communication a real challenge, especially with the main hospital. I have been working to find a connection between our clinics and the hospital because we are very often forgotten, or left out, causing us to not be on the same page in very important ways. We have a hospital intranet with an e-mail system, but communication problems continue and are the greatest cause of frustration for me.

PayScale: What advice can you offer to someone in your field?

Julie: You need a lot of experience as a medical professional in many different areas to do this job. You have to not be afraid of computers, making decisions, or working independently. You should be comfortable with communicating with physicians, administrators, etc. People look to you for answers, so you need to be confident enough to supply the correct information, or to figure out where to find it. This can be a very satisfying job because I have been able to take my 26 years of nursing and the huge range of experiences I have had and apply all of it in a constructive way. This job is for someone who has been around the "block" or "nurses station" a few times. It's not for a rookie.

PayScale: Could you tell us about some interesting moments that you’ve experienced during your career as an ambulatory patient care coordinator?

Julie: I have finally been able to influence the administration, physicians and many other hospital areas that I never thought would listen. You could go in so many directions with this job and make it as interesting as you like.

I have gotten into emergency management because of my military experience and worked with the county in case of a widespread pandemic or other event. All agencies met and had a drill, including the fire and police departments, all of the hospitals in the area, and the nearby military base. It was an excellent experience.

How does your salary compare? The PayScale Salary Calculator is a quick and easy way to compare positions. But when you want powerful salary data and comparisons customized for your exact position, be sure to build a complete profile by taking PayScale's full Salary Survey. 

• Nursing Salaries by Job Title
• Salaries for Ambulatory Care Nurses
• Questions about Salary? - Ask Dr. Salary

Rehabilitative Engineering: Assistive Devices to Make Life Simpler

Name: Tom Rybak
Job Title: Rehabilitation Engineer
Where: Richmond, VA
Employer: Dept. of Rehabilitative Services, Commonwealth of Virginia
Years of Experience: 15
Education: BFA-Painting, Washington University, St. Louis, MO; MFA-Painting, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Relevant Experience: Exhibits Fabricator, Science Museum of VA; Cabinetmaker, various shops
Annual Salary: Find average salaries with PayScale's Research Center.

 

Becoming a Rehabilitation Engineer

If you want to combine compassion with science to help people with disabilities, consider a career in rehabilitative engineering. This versatile career uses both sides of your brain: the creative and mathematical.

Tom Rybak's art school background and knowledge of mechanical engineering helped him choose this unique career path.  In this Salary Story, Tom Rybak discusses the challenges he faced in becoming a rehabilitation engineer, and what he loves most about his job. Tom’s inspiring career helps make life simpler for people with disabilities by providing them with devices that give them greater independence and quality of life.

Job Description of a Rehabilitation Engineer

I build custom assistive devices to make life simpler for people with disabilities. The assistive devices help them perform employment related tasks as well as other individual daily living tasks, which in turn gives them greater independence.

When I build assistive devices, I start by researching existing products to see if something is available off-the-shelf. Often there is something that is partly useful, but it might need modification to work for a specific individual because of the nature of their disability or the types of duties required for their job. Sometimes we have to make a device from scratch. My modifications include things like modifying switches, putting buttons on electronic devices for easier access, and building stands to hold items where they can be reached by someone in a wheelchair, or from their bed because they have a limited range of motion. I also do things like adjust or fabricate computer workstations for better ergonomics, and add steps to tractors for farmers with arthritis in their legs.

Sometimes I make recommendations for home and work site architectural models so that they meet ADA requirements. For this I work with contractors who perform work by obtaining bids. I provide oversight and final inspection of their work. Sometimes I also conduct workshops and training sessions to share my experiences with those in and outside of our agency.

PayScale: What experience preceded you in becoming a rehabilitation engineer?
Tom: I went to art school since I wanted to be an artist and planned to teach at a college level. When I got out of school I needed a job but could not find any teaching positions. I worked as a cabinetmaker and carpenter for several years so I could pay my bills. Then a friend told me about an open position in a fabrication shop at the Science Museum that required less than two years of building interactive exhibits, and worked with a combination of materials such as wood, metal, plastic and electro-mechanical components. So I applied and got the job.

Once I got the job, I realized that I could never go back to working in a production line cabinet shop since I loved the variety and creativity needed to solve the problems of each exhibit. Then I found an opening at DRS for a newly created fabricator position and got it. After five years, my supervisor left for a better position and I was able to get my current position, where I have been ever since.

PayScale: What do you love about your job as a rehabilitation engineer?
Tom: I love this job because every day is different. I get to use all of my creative skills to develop solutions that directly help people either keep or get a job and become taxpaying citizens. I have built up our fabrication shop from a couple of toolboxes and power hand tools to a well rounded workshop capable of working with all types of materials: wood, metal, plastic, fabric, and electronics. Nearly every day is different since each person's ability, need, and job is different. I thrive on the challenge of finding the right solution. I like that I get to work with a wide range of clients, family members, and co-workers. Often I work with a team of OT/PT, computer systems specialists, vocational rehabilitation counselors, and contractors to help remove barriers from employment.

PayScale: What are the biggest challenges for those interested in becoming a rehabilitation engineer?
Tom: It takes a long time to build up the skills needed to do this job right. You have to be open minded, flexible, and willing to take chances that will likely flop and leave you back at square one. You need to learn a lot about how things work, know how to build with many materials, research existing products, and reach out to others to obtain needed info on how to solve issues. You need to find solutions quickly to save job opportunities for clients, which is often the most difficult part of this job. You also need to learn basic medical info related to disabilities. If the condition is progressive you must consider how that will play into possible solutions in overcoming barriers.

PayScale: What advice can you offer regarding the qualifications to be a rehabilitation engineer?
Tom: It is a very difficult field since there are so few positions like this. Someone with an engineering background might have some advantages but few engineers are taught to be flexible and creative. Some biomedical engineer programs include rehab engineering, but my experience with several student interns from biomedical engineering is that their ability to perform the basics of my job were very poor. Only one out of five was really helpful to me. The others were more of a burden and got in my way.

Anyone wanting to go into this field should get experience with housing construction, cabinetry, welding, sewing, electronics, ADA guidelines, and be willing to get dirty on occasion. Additional experience working with disabilities and wheelchair repair would also be very useful. Basic medical, psychology, and any creative field experiences are also good.

PayScale: Could you name a few interesting moments in your career as a rehabilitation engineer?
Tom: Every day is different and often crazy. Nothing surprises me anymore.

• Find out more about Rehabilitation Engineering
• See hourly rates for Jobs Related to Rehabilitation
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Nanny Jobs: How Much Money Does a Nanny Make?

Name: Mary Anne Taylor
Job Title: Professional Nanny
Where: Seattle, WA
Employer: Self-Employed
Years of Experience: 5
Education: Bachelor’s in Child Psychology from the University of Washington
Relevant Experience: Part-time babysitting jobs all through high school and college. I helped take care of my little brother growing up. Received a bachelor’s degree in Child Psychology and now am taking classes to get my teaching certificate.
Annual Salary: How much money does a nanny make? Use PayScale's Research Center to find out.

Becoming a Child Care Provider

What training is needed to be a nanny? How much money does a nanny make? Exactly what is the job description of a nanny? If you’re thinking of becoming a child care provider, these are all questions you are probably asking yourself. In this Salary Story, professional Nanny Mary Anne Taylor answers these questions and explains why her answers tend to vary depending on who she is working for. Overall, becoming a child care provider can lead to a challenging, versatile career that also helps prepare you to raise your own children.

Becoming an Architect - Average Architect's Salary

Name: Jen Uh
Job Title: Residential Architect and Project Manager
Where:Bellevue, WA
Years of Experience: 6
Education: Bachelor of Arts, Architectural Studies (UW); Master of Architecture (UW)
Salary: Use PayScale’s research center to find the average salary for an architect.

Becoming an Architect - Average Architect's Salary

What skills do architects need? According to Jen Uh, a residential architect and project manager, having a love of both math and art is key for a career in architecture. In this Salary Story, Jen talks about how she fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming an architect. Even though the education required to become an architect is lengthy, the work is rewarding and the progress is tangible. Just imagine the satisfaction of standing inside of a house you designed, knowing how much planning and work went into the process.

Careers in Science and Public Health: Health Care Management Salary

Name: Lina Pacelli
Job Title: Coordinator, Health Sciences
Where: Bridgeport, Connecticut
Employer: University of Bridgeport
Years of Experience: 13
Education: Quinnipiac University, double bachelor, BS in Business, BA in History.  MBA with a concentration in Health Care Management, and an additional Graduate Health Care Compliance Certificate.
Annual Salary: Use PayScale's Research Center to find Health Care Management Salaries, and compare Salaries in the Health Care Industry. 

Coordinator of Health Sciences for the University of Bridgeport Lina Pacelli loves her job. In this Salary Story, Lina discusses the educational path she took to become a Health Sciences Coordinator, and the rewards and challenges of careers in science and public health. For those who are also looking for health care management, and health science job opportunities, Lina recommends working at a University, and also in a role that will allow you to get away from your desk for part of the day.

Career of Love as a Professional Parent

Name: Alice Miller
Job Title: Professional Parent
Where: Boomer, NC
Employer: Confidential
Years of Experience: 3
Relevant Experience: Clinical Medical Assistant
Education: Medial Assistant Training - Delaware Technical Wilkes County Community College - H R
Annual Salary: See PayScale’s Reseach Center for Similar Job Titles Salaries in the U.S .

Career of Love as a Professional Parent

Being a parent is sometimes a thank-less job.  It should be a profession.  But the official job title of Professional Parent focuses on children with a medical condition. These caring people come in as an “additional” parent and meets the special needs of their clients.  Alice Miller is one of those caring Professional Parents who can give you a deeper insight into this unique career.

As a professional parent, Alice does a lot for her client – from attending his medical appointments to making sure he keeps his room clean – and maintains detailed regular reports about them and her client’s behavior.  In her own words, she is a “cook, nurse, housekeeper, laundress, counselor, chauffeur, pharmacist and best friend.” But if you read her interview, you will see that she has a heart of gold. Alice loves her client and her career. She truly is a second mom to her patients. Love is essential in this career.

Start a Wedding Planner Business

Name: Paula Barham
Job Title: Wedding Inc. Founder and Director
Where: Sydney, Australia
Employer: Self-employed
Years of Experience: 14 years
Relevant Experience: I previously worked for a business planning different types of events.
Education: Sydney institute
Annual Salary: Research Wedding Planner Salaries using PayScale's research center.

What are the duties of a wedding planner?  There’s more to it than finding the right caterer, the perfect dress, and most importantly finding the client.  Paula Barham covers the positives of being a wedding consultant as well as the challenging aspects of the job. Being able to work with people on a regular basis is key. Even though a wedding planner course is helpful, you are always learning something new about the job or about yourself.

Expert Searchologist - Salary for a Seattle SEO Specialist

Name: Jon Lanman
Job Title: Expert Searchologist / SEO Specialist
Where: Seattle, WA
Employer: Self-Employed
Years of Experience: 3 years in Marketing
Other Relevant Experience: Marketing Assistant, Event Marketing, Publicity Intern
Education: B.A. in Communications
Annual Salary: Use PayScale’s Research Center to find SEO Specialist Salaries.

In this Salary Story we take a look at the day-to-day duties of a Seattle SEO Specialist. Self-proclaimed Searchologist, Jon Lanman shares his passion for SEO, and gives advice on how to begin a career in SEO.

Retail Jobs That Involve Travel: Airport Retail Store Manager

Name: Shriram Sanjeevi
Job Title: Airport Retail Store Manager
Where: Bangalore, India
Employer: BIAL: Bangalore International Airport Limited - the first private to public partnership model to build and operate a commercial floor plan of retail stores in an Indian airport.
Years of Experience: 3
Education: Executive Education from Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, 2007; Level 1 Certificate Program in German Language, 2006; Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from Institute for Technology & Management, Chennai, India, 2001; Post Graduate Diploma in International Business from Pondicherry University, India, 2000; Bachelor of Commerce from RKM Vivekananda College, Chennai, India, 1999; Gill Adarsh Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Chennai, India, 1996.
Annual Salary: Use PayScale’s research center to find Retail Store Manager Salaries.

Managing retail stores in an airport requires one to think outside the box. With shopping being a secondary priority to most travelers, having a good airport management simulation, or strategy, is key in convincing consumers to spend money when they travel. In this Salary Story, Airport Retail Store Manager Shriram Sanjeevi talks about his experiences in designing the floor plans of retail businesses in the Bangalore airport, as well as how he convinces the consumers to shop as they pass through the airport.

Careers in Law: Government Contracts Paralegal

Name: Anonymous
Job Title: Government Contracts Paralegal
Where: Washington, DC
Employer: United States Congress
Years of Experience: 5 
Education:Certificate, Paralegal Studies, U of MD University College (UMUC); Bachelor of Arts Legal Studies, UMUC; Master's Certificate in Government Contracting, George Washington University/ESI
Annual Salary:Use PayScale’s Research Center to find Paralegal Salaries, including the Median Paralegal Salary by Years of Experience.

Careers in Law: Government Contracts Paralegal

Cosmetic Salesperson - Job Description & Salary

Name: Julie Olen

Job Title: Salesperson for Retail Cosmetics

Where: West Hollywood, CA

Employer: Janet Sartin

Years of Experience: 25

Education: Berklee School of Music, Boston MA, two-year course. Sawyer College of Business, diploma in Instrumental Performance. University of Vermont, diploma in Photography. Trinity College of Vermont, graduated from Women's Small Business Program.

Annual Salary: Use PayScale’s Research Center to find the median starting salary for sales associates.

What is a Cosmetic Salesperson's Job Description?

Whether you're a hairstylist, clothing designer or cosmetic sales rep, working in the world of beauty and fashion is all about helping people to look and feel good. For those who work at department stores, helping customers first-hand can be fun, but also challenging - and working at the cosmetics counter can be an especially demanding job. With many people passing through, a cosmetic salesperson manages a high volume of clients.  Plus, a cosmetics line regularly introduces new products and discontinues others, and competition is just a few feet away.

Job for Math Majors - Quantitative Research Coordinator

Name: Amber Dean
Job Title: Quantitative Research Coordinator & Business Owner
Where: Macon, GA – United States
Employer: Private Club Associates Continuum
Years of Experience: 25 years
Relevant Experience: 2
Education: Took some classes at Griffin Technical College; computer programming courses for 1 year at Macon State College; degree in art, took statistic courses and research methodology at Mercer University; degree in math, took statistics and math courses. 
Annual Salary: Use PayScale’s Research Center to find median marketing research analyst salaries.

What can you do with a math or statistics degree? As it turns out, there are jobs for math or statistics majors in many fields. For math lovers like Amber Dean, a quantitative research coordinator, it's possible to find great satisfaction in a job that uses math on a regular basis. In this Salary Story, Amber describes the many advantages to a job in quantitative research. 

By using math and statistics, Amber is able to learn consumers’ preferences and purchasing habits. A major part of the job involves using research and analysis to examine the most important information gathered from focus groups. If you love analyzing statistics as well as working with people, this can be both a fun and rewarding challenge. Overall, working as a quantitative research coordinator involves a mixture of marketing research and math analysis. Keep reading to find out if this job is right for you.

Owner Operators Salaries – Children Playground Franchise

Name: John Anderson
Job Title: President - Owner Operator
Where: Tulsa, OK – United States
Employer: BounceU - Children's Playground Franchise
Years of Experience: 25 years
Relevant Experience: 15 years as a mortgage broker
Education: BS Business Administration
Annual Salary: See PayScale’s Research Center for the median Owner Operator Salaries for small businesses in the U.S.

Looking for a new career where you could be the president of your own company? Ever thought of running your own franchise? For John Anderson, leaving the mortgage industry and owning a children's playground franchise was a wonderful change of pace. In this Salary Story, John shares the trials and tribulations of owning a children's playground franchise in Oklahoma.

How to Become an Author - Ghostwriter Salaries

Name: Rick Lanning
Job Title: Ghostwriter and Photographer
Where: Missouri – United States
Employer: Self-employed. I just finished writing a book for a retired investment banker who lives in the Caribbean. He was born in London and managed an investment fund of over $22 billion daily trading in currencies.
Years of Experience: 25 years
Relevant Experience: I had my own radio show and have written for some 50 magazines since 1970.
Education: High school graduate, two years of college and a graduate of a creative writing school in Hollywood, CA.
Annual Salary: See PayScale’s Reseach Center for the median Author Salary in the U.S.

Looking for a career that offers challenge, excitement, and creativity? How about a career that includes traveling to exotic locations and bumping elbows with the rich and famous? This may sound too good to be true, but, if you have a knack for the written word, can build rapport with diverse people, and love to tell a great story, you might be the perfect candidate for a career as a ghostwriter.

For Ghostwriter Rick Lanning, a typical work day could include meeting Willy Nelson or jetting off to the Caribbean to work with his next big client. In this Salary Story, Rick reflects on the interesting people, places, and stories he has encountered during his 25 years as a ghostwriter.

Human Resources Wage Scale

Name: Carrie Broadhead
Job Title: Human Resources Generalist and Employee Relations
Where: Sidney/Victoria, BC - Canada
Employer: Viking Air Limited
Years of Experience: Over 3 years
Other Relevant Experience: University Career Center (Center for Life Calling and Career Development), recruitment company background, and university level courses relating to HR.
Education: BA in Psychology with numerous business courses related to HR and extra courses as I have grown within my job.
Annual Salary: Use PayScale’s Research Center to find Salaries for Human Resources Managers, and Human Resource Generalist Salaries by Experience.

According to PayScale’s recent College Salary Report, human resources careers are some of the most popular and highest paying Jobs for Psychology Majors. But aside from earning a positive Human Resources Wage Scale, human resources professionals play an integral role in creating healthy balance within the workplace.

In this Salary Story we meet Carrie Broadhead, a human resources generalist who has completed a BA in Psychology, plus various coursework in business. Carrie’s responsibilities are broad and continue to expand as her employer, Viking Air Limited, expands it's workforce. As any human resources generalist knows, no corporate success is sustainable without positive employee relations, and at Viking Air Limited, Carrie's primary responsibility is managing positive employee relations on a daily basis.

Non-Profit Careers - Social Worker

Name: Josh Cutler
Job Title: Branch Director/Social Worker
Where: Bellevue, Washington
Employer: Alpha Supported Living Services (Non-profit Organization)
Years of Experience: 4.5
Other Relevant Experience: Direct Support Staff, Program Coordinator, Business Manager, etc.
Education: B.A. in Human Services
Annual Salary: Use PayScale’s Research Center to find Non-Profit Director Salaries and the Salary of an Assisted Living Director.

There are two factors that guide most career decisions: salary and personal satisfaction. At the end of the day, you have to bring home a paycheck big enough to pay the bills and put food on the table. But most people also want a work environment that satisfies them on a personal level. For some people, that kind of job satisfaction comes from collaborating with like-minded coworkers, or creating a quality product.

For Josh Cutler, a non-profit director at Alpha Supported Living Services in Seattle, job satisfaction means going home knowing his work has helped improve someone else's quality of life. Starting out within an entry-level caregiver job and working his way up the non-profit career ladder, Josh also provides a perfect example of the non-profit career opportunities available to those with a strong work ethic and a passion for social work.

Spanish Speaking Jobs: Hispanic Marketing Manager

Name: Melissa Kopecko Meyer
Job Title: Hispanic Advertising Manager; Hispanic Marketing Manager; Bilingual Marketing Manager; Bilingual Advertising Manager
Where: Seattle, WA - USA
Employer: WaMu (Washington Mutual) & JPMorgan Chase
Years of Experience: 5
Other Relevant Experience: Six Sigma Green Belt training and an internship at the Spanish Council for Demographic Research in Madrid, Spain
Education: University of Phoenix MBA - Global Management, Summa Cum Laude; University of Wisconsin Madison - Bachelor of Science Spanish/Sociology/Business, Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa; Universidad Complutense de Madrid - Various coursework completed all in Spanish, also worked at the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas in Madrid
Annual Salary: Median Marketing Manager Salaries range from $40,000 to $76,000. Use PayScale’s Research Center to compare Marketing Manager Salaries by City.

Whether you’re planning to work abroad or keeping your career stateside, there are countless career opportunities for bilingual job candidates. With the rising development of a world economy, bilingual fluency opens the door to greater career possibilities within various industries. And, as the Spanish-speaking population in the U.S. continues to grow, there is an increasing demand for employees who are bilingual.

In this Salary Story, Melissa Kopecko Meyer describes her career path as a Hispanic marketing manager. When asked how she got started as a bilingual marketing manager, Melissa says she simply followed her strengths and interests. If you’ve ever asked, “What job can I get with a Spanish degree?” here’s just one example of the many Spanish-speaking jobs awaiting you, along with some sound advice from a career insider.