Career Information

The “Career Information” section contains the coverage of more than 700 careers in different fields. The first section of each career information article, “Overview,” contains a full definition of the career and any alternate job titles that may be associated with the career. The “History” section describes the history of the particular career as it relates to the overall development of its industry or field. The next section, “The Job,” describes the primary and secondary duties of the career. The “Requirements” section discusses high school and postsecondary education and training requirements, any certification or licensing necessary, and any other personal requirements for success in the career.

“Exploring” offers suggestions on how to gain some experience in or knowledge of the particular career before making a firm educational and financial commitment. The focus is on what can be done while still in high school (or in the early years of college) to gain a better understanding of the career. The “Employers” section gives an overview of typical places of employment for the career. “Starting Out” discusses the best ways of landing that first job, be it through the college placement office, newspaper ads, or personal contact. “Advancement” describes what kind of career path to expect from the career and how to get there. The “Earnings” section lists salary ranges and describes the typical fringe benefits. The “Work Environment” section describes the typical surroundings and conditions of employment—whether indoors or outdoors, noisy or quiet, social or independent, and so on. Also discussed are typical hours worked, any seasonal fluctuations, and the stresses and strains of the career.

The “Outlook” section summarizes the job in terms of the general economy and industry projections. For the most part, Outlook information is obtained from the U.S. Department of Labor and is supplemented by information taken from professional associations. “For More Information” is the final section of each career information article and is a listing of organizations that can provide career information on training, education, internships, scholarships, and job placement.

Medical Librarian Career

Medical librarians, also called medical information specialists, help doctors, patients, and other medical personnel find health information and select materials best suited to their needs. These specialized librarians work in hospitals, medical schools, corporations, and university medical centers. Medical Librarian Career History Over the years the duties of librarians have evolved along with the development […]

Medical Record Technician Career

In any hospital, clinic, or other health care facility, permanent records are created and maintained for all the patients treated by the staff. Each patient’s medical record describes in detail his or her condition over time. Entries include illness and injuries, operations, treatments, outpatient visits, and the progress of hospital stays. Medical record technicians compile, […]

Medical Secretary Career

Medical secretaries perform administrative and clerical work in medical offices, hospitals, or private physicians’ offices. They answer phone calls, order supplies, handle correspondence, bill patients, complete insurance forms, and transcribe dictation. Medical secretaries also handle bookkeeping, greet patients, schedule appointments, arrange hospital admissions, and schedule surgeries. There are approximately 373,000 medical secretaries employed throughout the […]

Medical Technologist Career

Medical technologists, also called clinical laboratory technologists, are health professionals whose jobs include many health care roles. They perform laboratory tests essential to the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. They work under the direction of laboratory managers and pathologists. Approximately 302,000 medical technologists and technicians are employed in the United States. Medical Technologist Career […]

Medical Transcriptionist Career

Doctors and other health care professionals often make tape recordings documenting what happened during their patients’ appointments or surgical procedures. Medical transcriptionists listen to these tapes and transcribe, or type, reports of what the doctor said. The reports are then included in patients’ charts. Medical transcriptionists work in a variety of health care settings, including […]

Merchandise Displayer Career

Merchandise displayers, sometimes known as visual merchandisers, design and install displays of clothing, accessories, furniture, and other products to attract customers. They set up these displays in windows and showcases and on the sales floors of retail stores. Display workers who specialize in dressing mannequins are known as model dressers. Those who specialize in installing […]

Merchant Mariner Career

The merchant marine is that part of the maritime trade industry concerned with transporting cargo (and sometimes passengers) from place to place via water routes; it is also known as the commercial shipping industry. Merchant mariners operate ships and other water vessels on domestic and international waters. Workers on these ships are divided into three […]

Metallurgical Engineer Career

Metallurgical engineers develop new types of metal alloys and adapt existing materials to new uses. They manipulate the atomic and molecular structure of materials in controlled manufacturing environments, selecting materials with desirable mechanical, electrical, magnetic, chemical, and heat-transfer properties that meet specific performance requirements. Metallurgical engineers are sometimes also referred to as metallurgists. Metallurgical engineers […]

Metallurgical Technician Career

Metallurgy involves processing and converting metals into usable forms. Metallurgical technicians work in support of metallurgical engineers, metallurgists, or materials scientists. These jobs involve the production, quality control, and experimental study of metals. Metallurgical technicians may conduct tests on the properties of metals, develop and modify test procedures and equipment, analyze data, and prepare reports. […]

Meteorologist Career

Meteorologists, or atmospheric scientists, study weather conditions and forecast weather changes. By analyzing weather maps covering large geographic areas and related charts, like upper-air maps and soundings, they can predict the movement of fronts, precipitation, and pressure areas. They forecast such data as temperature, winds, precipitation, cloud cover, and flying conditions. To predict future weather […]