What the Job Entails
There’s no easy way to answer this question, as there are numerous jobs you could have on board. If you’re over 21, you have two main opportunities: working in the ship’s casino if there’s one, and working in the bar and lounge area. Both are ideal jobs because they usually involve tips –If you’re working over the summer to help with college expenses, these could be the best options because of the opportunities for extra income. If you’re younger than 21, you might end up working as a waiter or as part of the entertainment crew. Many cruise ships have rotating shifts. That means you could be on board for several months and then have a couple of months off. If you have other obligations, such as work or school, you’ll need to figure out if the cruise can hire you for just a short period of time and according to your schedule.

Requirements
The requirements for a cruise job depend on what position you’re applying for. In most cases, you’ll be asked to show experience in the type of job you’re hoping to do on board. There’s usually no time to train new employees, so when you’re hired to perform a job on a cruise, you’re expected to have the know-how to do what you’re asked after just a quick briefing. Being fluent in English is a must, but many cruises eagerly look for employees who speak a second language (in particular, the language of the cruise’s destination).

What It Pays
Cruise jobs pay anywhere from $1500 to several thousands per month. This might not seem like much, but keep in mind that while you’re on board, all your meals and accommodation will be covered. You will have little to no opportunities to spend your salary, so the money will go a long way once you’re back home. Some cruise jobs pay more than others. For example, a general job as a waiter or in the cleaning department will pay in the lower end of the range, while jobs that require a specific skill (such as entertainment jobs) will pay more.

What Else You Need to Know
Cruise ships often have very strict rules for employees, so make sure you’re ok with that before taking a job on board. Most cruises don’t allow employees to drink and they might require a specific “look” (short hair, no piercings, minimal makeup). There might be other compromises required, such as having to share accommodations (cabin space) with another crew member, which means sacrificing privacy. Still, if you’re happy with being away from home for months at a time, a cruise job could be an incredible opportunity to sail the world for free.

Bomb disposal officers and technicians work as specialists within Law enforcement. The job requires various personal and professional skills that not everyone possesses. You may find yourself working in high pressure situations that put you in grave personal danger so the ability to stay calm and keep your cool is vital. You should also be a great team player as the members of a bomb disposal unit rely on each other’s competencies in order to remain safe, good communication skills are essential too.

The job is also a lot more technical than knowing which wire to cut; as technology advances, bomb devices become increasingly more sophisticated. You will need to continually educate yourself with the latest techniques and constructions. Bomb disposal technicians rely on specialist equipment such as bomb suits, x-ray machines, camera equipped robots, sniffer dogs and breathing apparatus to get up close to a bomb but ultimately it’s your technical skills and your cool head that will diffuse the situation.

There is also a requirement to be involved in pre and post assessments. Bomb disposal teams are involved in developing bomb threat procedures to safely evacuate members of the public from buildings as well as carrying out aftermath examinations of bomb sites to determine their cause.

Each country has its own requirements to join the bomb squad. In the US, you can apply to the bomb squad after you’ve worked for five years as a police officer. If you are selected you will then complete a training course at the FBI Hazardous Devices School. There you will learn a variety of skills from advanced electronics to hazardous materials handling.

You can expect to be well remunerated for all that training and risk taking; experienced bomb disposal technicians can earn over $80,000 per year and have access to first class life and medical insurance. It’s certainly not a job for everyone but for those that can handle the pressure and have a burning desire to help people, it can also prove to be an extremely rewarding career.

Seismologists are also employed by private firms with many finding work within the petroleum and mining industries. They are often required to analyse the effect that man-made events, like controlled explosions, have on the earth. By observing how man-made seismic waves travel through the earth, seismologists can provide information as to the likely composition of the ground underneath. For a petroleum company, this analysis could help them discover new oil fields deep underground.
Another important application of seismology is that of monitoring underground nuclear testing sites. Nuclear explosions create huge seismic waves that can be detected from long distances; this information is useful to determine if countries are complying with test ban treaties and helps to maintain world peace.

Interests & Study
You should have a keen interest in science with a curiosity about the earth’s structure. You should also have excellent analytical skills with the ability to present your results clearly and systematically. Seismologists often work alone however you must also be able to work in a team when required.
Most seismologists often have a first degree in geology, geophysics, maths or earth sciences before specialising with a Masters or Doctoral in Seismology.

Working lifestyle
The working lifestyle will vary considerably depending on your employment. Seismologists involved in studying earthquakes will mainly be lab or office based working typical 9 till 5 office hours. Those that are involved in oil exploration by find themselves in far flung corners of the world or at sea, working 12 hour shifts. In the exploration role you also often work a shift pattern with four weeks on and four weeks off. However the pay is also significantly greater if you choose to work in oil exploration. An experienced seismologist working for an international oil firm could expect to earn as much as $130,000 per year.

Build a portfolio
Every budding film director should start to build a portfolio of their work as soon as they can. Your portfolio will showcase your talents and will demonstrate to any potential employer or film school that you have a genuine interest in the industry. Short films and documentaries are best with the focus on quality rather than quantity. You can also upload your videos to YouTube in a bid to promote your work. YouTube is actually an interesting alternative way into the industry with directors of popular videos becoming overnight celebrities.

Get your foot in the door
To get into the film industry you may have to take small jobs or ‘errand boy’ type work to gain some experience. Remember the first steps are all about making contacts with the right people who may later help you to progress within the industry. Quentin Tarantino famously began his career working at Video Archives, a video rental shop in Manhattan Beach. Hollywood producer, Roger Avery also worked there and together they later went on to produce Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction.

Enter contests
Every year there are lots of film contests to enter for up and coming directors, again treat this as an opportunity to build contacts. Through the competition you will meet like minded souls who are eager to progress within the industry. Should you be lucky enough, or talented enough to win a competition, you will get some public exposure which you can use to your advantage. Contact the judges of the competition and explain you would like to gain more experience within the industry, see if they can offer any work placements. At the end of the day, if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

The first steps for qualifying as a pilot can be taken in several ways, provided at least 5 good GCSE grades including English, maths and physics have been achieved and aptitude and medical tests are satisfactory. If you’re going it alone, a basic private pilot’s license (PPL) at a CAA registered aviation college or flying school is an expensive undertaking, with signing up with the military for flight training at age 18 for a 12-year stint an alternative for the cash-strapped.

If military life doesn’t appeal and you’re prepared to get into heavy debt, training at a flight school for your commercial pilot’s license (CPL) is the next step after your PPL Once that’s achieved, you can fly for a living and subsidise or save for your rotary wing training. A few commercial companies may offer sponsorship to those with serious aptitude; it pays to ask around.

If it’s helicopters alone you’re obsessed with, you can skip the above and go straight for a PPL(H) which will allow you to fly certain types of helicopters after completion of the course. Onwards and upwards involves a commercial helicopter pilots’ license, involving more theoretical examinations and even higher costs, but gives you the freedom to charge for your services or apply for a position with a commercial company. CPL(H) corporate sponsorship packages are available, but usually require basic PPL(H) qualifications.
Once you’re fully qualified, jobs range from the comparatively routine to the totally bizarre, suiting all temperaments. Corporate work includes everything from transporting VIPs to carrying supplies and workers to offshore oil rigs; local government work ranges from the Air Ambulance service to the essential Search and Rescue teams. Police helicopter pilots involved in law enforcement gather aerial intelligence and Fire Service pilots regularly fly emergency missions.

Glamourous jobs involving ferrying celebrities to and from events or taking upscale tourists on chartered trips around the Caribbean may be few and far between, but the job itself is exciting and challenging enough in its more everyday guises. You’ll need good teamwork skills, excellent stress management techniques, strong decision-making and quick-thinking abilities, effective communications skills, dedication and the ability to concentrate in an extremely noisy environment.

Competition in the sector is strong, especially for the higher-paying corporate positions offering salaries of up to $135,000 (£90,000) and more. Entry-level salaries for qualified pilots start at around $47,500 (£35,000) in local government, police and fire services as well as the military, although these sectors provide perks such as pensions and subsidised accommodation. Salaries for dangerous jobs in troubled overseas locations such as Afghanistan pay high rates with many extras.

Not every uncontrollable canine who arrives at your yard is a Yorkshire Terrier – you’ll find yourself confronted with the Schwarzeneggers of the German Shepherd world as well as Great Danes and Irish Wolfhounds who weigh more than you do! Plus, until you’ve built up your reputation, the pay is anything but high in the UK and only slightly better in the USA.

Nevertheless, if working with dogs is heads up by a long way over working with people, it’s one of the most rewarding jobs in the world, as misbehaving dogs often end up in shelters when their heartbroken owners can’t cope any more. Career advisors won’t be much help if you ask for advice on learning the basics, as there are no official qualifications. Online research into courses, self-help books and organisations promoting dog training can point you in the right direction.

The best way to start is by training yourself to train dogs, with available correspondence courses at least giving you an idea what to avoid as well as essential structures and plans. People skills as well as dog skills are essential, as you must teach your canine client’s people how to continue with the methods used after Fido gets home. Repeat visits to your training yard may be good for your finances, but they’re no good for the dog.

Once you’ve established yourself as a dog trainer with loads of relevant experience, the next step is to consider upgrading to a dog behaviourist, a profession recognised nowadays by most good veterinarians as a useful referrals base. Educational qualifications at degree level are often required for this, preferably in biological science or a related subject. Behaviourists will be confronted not just by badly-behaved dogs, but with referrals under the Dangerous Dogs Act and may be required to assess the dog and report on the likelihood of its rehabilitation.

Extensive practical experience with dogs is essential, with professional bodies in the field offering courses and formal specialist qualifications. Aggressive dog behaviour is an ongoing problem, mostly unresolved by basic training as it relates to the dog’s perceptions rather than the owner’s. Above all, when working with dogs at any level, a good sense of humour is your best friend. Psychometric testing of a difficult dog’s character and instincts is a new tool for behaviourists, adapted from similar tests used by corporate recruiters and based on dog drives falling into four categories – Prey, Pack, Defense – fight and Defence – flight. Combined with owner training, this method is getting results, especially in the US.

This is done by the insertion of fine needles into acupuncture points set along specific pathways designated by the practitioner as being blocked, with the original acupuncture points having been derived from astrological calculations. To Western ears, this sounds strange and possibly unbelievable, but acupuncture has been seen to have positive effects on many physical and psychological illnesses, and is even used successfully on animals, with dogs in particular experiencing good results.

Before treatment begins, the acupuncturist will have analysed detailed data about the patient’s diet, medical history, lifestyle and symptoms, whether the dis-ease is physical or emotional. Sessions usually need to be on a regular basis and may continue for long periods of time, ranging from four weeks to more than a year, with the timescale dependent on the severity of the symptoms and the patient’s reactions to the treatment. Acupuncturists may also offer other holistic alternative-style treatments such as acupressure, Japanese acupuncture or Reiki healing, Tui Na, moxibustion and auricual acupuncture.

Many common ailments have proved responsive to acupuncture, including allergies and respiratory disorders, gynaecological and gastrointestinal disorders, high blood pressure and eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. Recent studies suggest obesity may also be able to be controlled and reversed using the technique. Neurological and stress-related illnesses as well as pain relief and addictions to alcohol and drugs can also show good results following Qi manipulations.

Typically, the professional acupuncturist spends the first consultation taking the patient’s detailed history before diagnosing the imbalances and beginning treatment. Sessions usually last 45 minutes to an hour, with 10 to 20 sessions the average. At the present time, acupuncture as a holistic therapy is not recognised by government health departments, but is regulated by voluntary agreement.

No formal qualifications are required for training this interesting career, although a degree or higher national diploma in a medically-related subject will help. Personal qualities such as strong communications and interpersonal skills, a gentle, reassuring manner and the ability to manage stress as well as the financial requirements of operating a business are all important.

Training will involve courses and seminars provided by professional organisations such as the British Acupuncture Council or its equivalent in other countries. The specific techniques, advanced theory, other holistic therapies and Chinese herbal medicine can all be included, giving an overall background to the practice. Salaries will depend on the success of an individual practice, and can take several years to rise to acceptable levels, growing with the reputation of the practitioner. Charges for sessions average around £50 per session, with experienced and well-established acupuncturists treating up to 30 clients on a weekly basis.

Underwater Archaeologist
A wealth of human history lies submerged at the bottom of lakes, seas and oceans of the world. An underwater archaeologist spends all their time unearthing these lost treasures. You could be examining anything from shipwrecks to exploring lost, underwater cities. The work is scientific with equal amounts of time spent on dry land researching treasures and planning the next excavation. If you’re fascinated by history and enjoy diving then a career as an underwater archaeologist could be ideal for you.

Underwater welding
This is a highly specialised niche in the construction industry but also one that is very well paid. In certain situations, such as on an oil rig, it is often not possible to bring items onto dry land to get them welded. In these cases, experienced welders who have trained to work underwater with specialist equipment are drafted in to provide the necessary support. The work can be very challenging and the good pay is in compensation for inherent risk that comes with the job.

Dive instructor
If you like teaching and enjoy diving then why not consider a job as a diving instructor. The work can be demanding as you have to strike a balance between being a good host and having fun while ensuring the safety of your group. The hours can be a little unsociable too as you will generally be busiest at weekends and during annual holidays. Having said that, you will also have a great amount of freedom with the job and becoming a diving instructor could well be the first step on a long road towards owning your own diving school.

Underwater Photographer
Taking photographs underwater requires a different set of skills and equipment to that of photographers on dry land. It is a specialist job but also one that is in constant demand from magazines and art galleries. You could be shooting anything from coral reef and sharks to underwater models from fashion houses. The work is varied and you may well be asked to travel to far flung destinations around the world in order to get your shot. As well as photographers, underwater videographers make a good living doing essentially the same thing but with video.

Underwater Tour Guide
If you enjoy diving and consider yourself a good host then maybe you should try being an underwater tour guide. You could be guiding anyone from groups of experienced divers looking for the best diving spots to perhaps leading a tour of visitors wanting to swim with sharks. It can be a scary job at times and you have to accept responsibility for the safety of your group. However it’s also a fun job that lets you meet people from all around the world whilst living in an exotic location.

It may sound like glamorous work but don’t be fooled into thinking you’ll be the next Magnum PI, driving around Hawaii in your open top red Ferrari, the reality is, to be a successful private detective, you need to blend in by looking ordinary and driving an ordinary car. Big dark sunglasses and fancy Italian suits might look great but you’ll stick out like a sore thumb. In fact, most private detectives end up conducting a lot of their surveillance work from the back of a van with a camera or video recorder. You may be parked up outside the suspect’s house for hours in the cold waiting for a glimpse of evidence or wrongdoing. The hours are also unsociable with many detectives using the cover of darkness to move around more discretely or frequenting bars and restaurants of an evening to gather evidence.

Many women make successful private detectives generally because they attract less suspicion than their male counterparts. For example, a women hanging around outside a school or a park attracts very little attention. Also people are often less intimated by a female detective knocking on their door and asking questions.

Having said that, the profession is equally accessible to both sexes and most people start out in the industry working for an agency on a self employed basis. Hourly rates start at around $75 (£50) per hour plus expenses and go up dependent on the location and risk of each job. After a couple of years, many detectives set up their own agency and charge their own rates.

The money might sound tempting but it’s worth remembering that this can be a dangerous job. Most private detectives keep a very low profile and don’t publicly advertise their services. Private detectives unearth very sensitive information that could land them in a great deal of personal danger if their identity became known.

There is no formal requirement to pass qualifications to work in this industry however there are a number of courses available to train you in surveillance and how to give evidence in court. In the UK, the Association of British Investigators offers a number of practical courses – they estimate that 80% of those involved in the industry are ex-police officers or journalists. You will also need to hold a valid Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence which is required by anyone working in the security industry.

Aside from practical skills, private detectives need to have excellent people skills where they can gain trust and build rapport quickly. You should also have plenty of patience and be able to work in a methodical way to document the evidence.

So if you’re looking for an interesting career outside of the office environment and fancy yourself as the next great detective, perhaps you should consider becoming a private detective.

Prior to take off the pilots will be debriefed on weather conditions before pre-flight checks are completed and fuel requirements are calculated. Pilots will then often liaise with the cabin crew to ensure all the passengers are present and accounted for.

Entry requirements and training
Training to be a pilot is extremely costly therefore most cadets will enroll with the major airlines through their in-house training schemes. In recent years, there have been a number of cut backs in the number of training contracts available and competition for places has been fierce.
A degree is not essential however many people are now choosing one in order to stand out from the crowd. Candidates will need to show an aptitude for maths and physics and so qualifications related to these subjects would be useful.

Many pilots also enter the commercial air industry from a military background. The US Air Force and the UK Royal Air Force offer comprehensive training to those interested in a flying career.

Once training has been completed and exams passed a new recruit will gain their frozen ATPL, or Air Traffic Pilot’s Licence. The licence will become unfrozen once a set amount flying hours and experience has been completed. Additionally pilots will be re-examined every six months in order to maintain their APTL so a certain amount of self-discipline towards training is required by recruits.

In the UK, Buckinghamshire New University is offering a BA in air transport with commercial pilot training. This programme is unique in the UK Higher Education system, as it allows students to obtain a university degree and a frozen ATPL in three years of full-time study at a lower cost than would be incurred in obtaining both qualifications separately.

Once you start your job, you will also need to complete a type-rating course which will allow you to fly a certain type of aircraft. Each time you change employers and operate a different aircraft you will have complete a new type-rating course.

Salary
Airline pilots are well remunerated for their work and years of training. New recruits start on around $36,000 (£24,000) which rises quickly with experience. A pilot’s salary is often incremental with rises for every year of service. Captains with many years experience working for the major airlines can earn $180,000 (£120,000) a year. Plus there are other benefits often included in the package such as  a pension, medical insurance and discounted air travel.

Other interesting flying careers:
Become a Hot Air Balloon pilot