The genetic code
While it’s true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, there are a few traits or characteristics that will give you an advantage if you want to become the next top model.

Firstly, height is very important. Most female models will need to be at least 5′ 8” tall while their male counterparts will need to be at least 6′ tall, this is especially true if you want to make it as a catwalk model. In addition to height, most agencies will look for naturally skinny people with slender bone structures. Again, every agency is different and there has definitely been an effort to recruit more plus-size models however the reality is there are fewer opportunities for models in this category.
Finally, you simply need to have the right look to get regular bookings, often the top models have something unique that sets them apart from the crowd. This is a quality that no amount of dieting or gym work can improve, having said that, having facial and body features that are in a natural proportion is a good starting point. Unfortunately in this fickle trade, if you have a crooked nose or sticky out ears your unlikely to find work.

Training
While everybody assumes that most models are simply picked out from the crowd by a talent scout and can model from day one, the reality is that many hopefuls undergo training to learn the trade. Professional modelling academies can teach the basics of posture, how to walk on a catwalk and how the industry operates. This is often vital as most jobs will require models with some experience and have little time to coach new recruits.

A good portfolio
Most agencies will expect you to bring a portfolio of your work to any audition or casting, this is your chance to really shine by showing off how well you perform in front of the camera. If you can, ideally your portfolio should be made using professional photographs plus examples of your past shoots. If you can’t afford to hire a professional photographer then you should at least include a couple of head shots as well as a couple of full length body shots. Photographs from your last holiday with you mates in the background are not ideal, keep it professional and stylish.

Finding work
Many agencies hold ‘open calls’ throughout the year, this is your chance to meet with the booking agents and have your portfolio professionally reviewed. Open calls are open to everyone, even those with no modelling experience. Try not to take criticism too much to heart as every agency prefers a slightly different look so it’s worth attending a few different castings. Another option is to contact modelling agencies directly, many will ask you to email some of your photos before inviting you in for an interview. Again, be prepared for rejection, modelling is a fiercely competitive industry and every agency receives hundreds of applications every year.

Naval Aviators
Whether you’re on a peace keeping mission to drop relief supplies to refugees or you’re pursuing an enemy submarine deep within a hostile warzone, Naval aviators perform a vital role for the modern Navy. By using cutting edge aircraft and technology, they can perform aerial manoeuvres to quickly move in and out of areas that would otherwise be inaccessible. It’s a physically and mentally challenging role that requires many years of training to become qualified. Training within the Navy is first class and many pilots make a move to flying commercial planes and helicopters once their service ends.

Submarine Captain
Could you lead a team of experienced officers aboard a nuclear submarine into enemy territory and keep your cool? It carries a great deal of responsibility, discipline and training with only a select few making the grade. Aside from being the Captain, there are also numerous highly qualified officers who are responsible for everything from logistics to advanced weapons systems. In fact, being an officer in charge of your own department is the natural step on the road to commanding your own vessel. Candidates should possess excellent leadership skills with good academic abilities in maths and science.

Nurse
If you are thinking of becoming a nurse then applying to work for the Navy could be a good option. If accepted, you will receive a scholarship to cover the cost of your training meaning you could effectively graduate debt-free. Added to that, the prospect of guaranteed employment with good benefits and the opportunity to travel, suddenly the offer becomes even more tempting. Nursing is an extremely challenging, yet rewarding profession. You should be a good people person and have a desire to work in a caring profession. Following on from the Navy, it’s also a profession that easily transitions into civilian life making it a great career with future prospects.

Navy Diver
The role of a Naval diver is extremely varied, you could find yourself involved in anything from repairing ships, salvage operations, completing search and rescue missions for missing people or even examining unexploded WWII bombs. There is no requirement for a college degree to become a naval diver however the role is extremely physically and mentally challenging. The selection process is renowned for being physically tough with only the best candidates making the grade. Training is first class with opportunities to specialise in warfare techniques. A career in diving offers a unique working environment, for those who enjoy working outdoors, or more specifically underwater – the opportunity to earn money for doing something you enjoy is unrivalled.

The job itself is relatively easy and well paid once you get set in your routine. Most teachers only work around 20 hours a week which leaves plenty of time for socialising or earning some extra money through private tuition. The pay varies depending on where in the world you’re working but will always be well paid compared to local salaries.

Often English teachers fall into one of two categories; young backpackers and long term expats. The younger teachers often see teaching overseas as a short term way to earn some cash while travelling the world. For them it’s generally an opportunity to take a break in life before returning home to start college or begin a career. The long term expats tend to be older and quite often have settled abroad or married locally. They will often remain at the same school for a number of years.

Where to work
There are numerous teaching opportunities around the world and each location has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, Thailand offers great opportunities for the intrepid traveller with its beautiful beaches in the south, breathtaking mountains in the north, rich culture and great food. However, the average salary for a teacher is a lot lower than many of its Asian counterparts so if your goal is to save some money while you’re away you should perhaps look elsewhere.

Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Singapore all offer entry-level teacher salaries of between US$2000 and $3000 per month. However you should bear in mind that the cost of living is higher in these countries so your money will also disappear quicker. Accommodation is an important consideration and some schools will even offer free, or subsidised, accommodation in order to entice foreign language teachers. There will also be the opportunity to offer private tuition outside of your teaching schedule where you can charge anything from $30 to $60 an hour for private lessons.

The Middle East wins hands down in the competition for the highest paid salary. With its tax-free salary, generous benefits, excellent health care and free luxury accommodation – it’s certainly a tempting option for any English teacher who wants to save money. Most teachers earn around US$4,500 a month and will even get free return flights home each year over the 12 week summer vacation. However, living in the Middle East is certainly not for everyone and you would have to become accustomed to the stricter laws as part of the Muslim faith. You should also have a couple of years teaching experience and some recruiters will also require that candidates are educated to degree level. For those with the right skills, working in the Middle East offers a fantastic opportunity to save money.

The next step
In order to land your first teaching position you should obtain a basic teaching qualification such as a TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language) from an accredited language school. These are our top picks:

i-to-i TEFL (click here to visit) – A long established and well respected language school. The offer free TEFL taster courses, classroom based tuition as well as online courses. They also have a good network of recruiters that can help place you in your first job.

Cactus TEFL – Offers a variety of courses with both online and classroom based instruction.

Soft skills
A speech therapist works in conjunction with a team doctors, psychologists and nurses to provide rehabilitative care to patients. You should be a good team player and enjoy the challenge of working with people in a caring environment. A patient’s progress can be slow at times; empathy, determination, tact and a sense of humour are all vital qualities if you are going to succeed. Most patients will need to feel comfortable with you before any treatment can begin, you should be a people person and have the ability to quickly build a good rapport with your patients.

Training
Most people train to be a speech and language therapist by studying a certified course at college or university. In the UK, students study speech and language therapy for three or four years before becoming eligible to apply for registration with the Health Professions Council. In the US, candidates study speech-language pathology at a university which is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA). You will then be required to complete some clinical experience and pass national examinations before gaining certification with the Council For Clinical Certification (CFCC) of ASHA.

Salary and outlook
Speech and language therapists are in strong demand, many countries have a shortage of trained professionals and as such, wages are above average. Fresh graduates can expect to start on around £22,000 ($34,000) which rises quickly with experience. Senior therapists who take on a more managerial role can earn in excess of £60,000 ($90,000). But this job is not just about earning a salary; your training, hard work and perseverance help to make a difference to another person’s life. There is a great deal of job satisfaction in this career and that’s a quality that not all occupations offer. So if you’re looking for an interesting occupation in a caring profession with great job prospects, why not consider training to be a language and speech therapist.

What the Job Entails
Unless you have a specific job in the camp (nurse, therapist), you’re likely to fall into the “counselor” category. This is a very ample definition that covers everybody, from cabin leaders to instructors. Camp counselors work six days a week. Although the actual job (where you teach a class, for example) can be just five or six hours a day, you will be in charge of the kids all day long, so there aren’t truly any hours off during a regular work day. Besides teaching classes, you will also have additional chores. For example, riding staff might be required to work at the stables, cleaning or caring for the horses.

Requirements
General summer camps don’t require any special skills. In fact, many hire high-school or college kids to serve as camp counselors. If you’re going for a senior position, such as team leader, then you will need to demonstrate the ability to work on your own, as well as responsibility and good communication skills. Some camps have an age minimum for camp staff (usually 20 or 21).

There are also plenty of specialty summer camps, where having a particular skill will help you secure a job more easily, as well as earn you more money. For example, many summer camps focus on wilderness adventure, horseback riding or water sports (kayaking, swimming). If you have experience working as a lifeguard, were a boy scout leader or are a riding instructor, landing a job in a summer camp will be easier and more lucrative.

Most summer camps require First aid & CPR training. Some will require you to show you can swim, while others might require lifeguard training/experience or certification. Some jobs require a current driver’s license. It’s becoming more and more common for camps to conduct a background check or drug testing on potential employees, so don’t be surprised if that’s a requirement.

What It Pays
Many summer camp jobs are internships. This means they don’t pay anything, but offer other benefits. Many universities offer internship credit through summer camps. For example, people studying to be teachers or hoping to work in the tourism or recreation industry might be able to obtain college credits by working at a summer camp. Some camps pay salaries, but the amount varies widely depending on your position at the camp. For example, Cedar Lodge camp in Michigan pays anywhere from $1800 to $2600 for program staff, while Camp Winnebago in Maine offer $250 a week for their counselor staff positions.

What Else You Need to Know
While there’s a relaxed atmosphere at camps, that doesn’t mean you’re not expected to follow certain rules. If you smoke, you might be asked to do it away from the camp or not at all. The best way to land a summer camp job is to start your search as early as possible. If you’re hoping to start in May, for example, it’s best to start looking in February. Certain locations are especially sought-after and jobs fill out quickly.

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.