Many Now Turning to Internet to Meet Career Resolutions
The arrival of the New Year brings one thought to the minds of average Americans – resolutions. For those seeking to improve their lives in some way over the next 365 days, many have career goals at the top of their list.
(PRWEB) January 21, 2005
The arrival of the New Year brings one thought to the minds of average Americans – resolutions. For those seeking to improve their lives in some way over the next 365 days, many have career goals at the top of their list.
As the world becomes more “tech savvy”, increasing numbers of adults are looking to the internet for quick ways to meet career resolutions, including switching career paths to the more in-demand occupations, career advancement and meeting personal quality of life needs.
According to the United States Distance Learning Association, 90 percent of four-year public schools and more than half of four-year private schools offer some form of online education.
Below are stories of two individuals who have met career goals in hot medical fields by taking online classes. According to the current edition of the Occupational Outlook Handbook Medical Transcription is among the ten fastest growing occupations in the U. S.
Lynn Niven
After getting a divorce last year, Lynn Niven reassessed her career goals. As a single mom with a four year old son named Riley, Lynn made a decision to switch career paths in order to spend more time with her son before he starts to school.
“These are formative years for Riley,” said Niven. “And, it was important to me that this time not slip away because I’m working 9 to 5 every day.”
So, Niven did some online research and found an online medical transcription course offered through North Carolina State University. It is a non-credit certification course offered by Gatlin Education Service, the worldÂ’s largest provider of online career training courses. The course is self paced and easy to complete within approximately 90 days.
“I knew that the medical professions are almost always in demand and this one you can do from home. So, I went for it,” Niven said.
She completed the course in May of 2004, and soon after obtained a job with Continuum Technologies as an independent contractor in July. She has asked to be part-time for now, until Riley begins school, and she tries to do most of her work at night and on the weekends.
“I schedule my work time so that I can spend maximum time with Riley, and I’m loving it. I can do my work after he goes to bed” says Niven. “I’m paid by the line, so my pay has increased as my speed and accuracy has increased. When I go full-time, I expect to be making as much or more than I previously did as a teacher.”
Paige Burton
When Paige Burton realized that her daughter was the first child dropped off at the day care center every morning, and the last to be picked up in the evening, she decided to examine her priorities and make significant changes.
A corporate trainer with a bachelorÂ’s degree in marketing, Burton chose to leave her 50-hour work weeks behind and focus on the family she worked so hard to create.
“I had to go through a lot to get pregnant,” she said. “I didn’t want to miss out on the important times with my child, and I didn’t want her to spend most of his time in daycare.”
Two and a half years (and another child) later, Burton got the urge to hit the workforce again—but in a different situation.
She signed up for the Medical Transcription certificate course at Tri County Community college. The self-paced environment was a shock for Burton, who was accustomed to the rigid schedule of university courses and the fast-paced corporate world.
“I had a hard time at first,” she said. “It was hard to get used to a self-paced situation. But my instructor, Pat Ireland, was great. I called her on the phone and e-mailed her and she walked me through the steps.”
After completing the course, she interviewed for a job at Anderson Area Medical CenterÂ’s Radiology department through a connection with another employee.
“Normally, they won’t hire you without any experience,” Burton explained. “But I got hired because I had taken the course. I haven’t spoken to a person in this field who will hire someone without a course in medical terminology (included in the Medical Transcription program).”
Burton credits her Gatlin course with the ability to now balance her life in a way that suits her priorities.
“I love this job,” she said. “It is interesting to me and I do feel that it is something that will give me the best of both worlds, the ability to have something of my own outside of the house and the flexibility to still be a wife and mother. I look forward to a long career.”
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