Source: CareerProNews

Just as miners of the past struck out in search of valuable ore, a new brand of miners is digging and searching today. But this time around, the pack mule is a laptop computer and the pickaxe is a computer mouse. The new prospectors are data miners.

The purpose of data mining is to search for and find valuable information in a mountain of computer data. That data may be in a company’s computer system or its website. Companies then use the information found by the data miners for things like following trends or making strategies.

Michael Berry is the founder and principal manager of a data mining company. He says that he was in the right place at the right time to be involved in data mining, almost from the very start.

“We certainly didn’t invent any of the ideas, but in the ’90s they were just starting to get used a lot. And my partner that I started the company with and I had written a book on data mining techniques which was — at that time — one of the few out,” Berry says. “So we started getting a lot of inquiries.”

Those inquiries led to requests for consulting services. “And after enough people started asking, we decided that maybe the answer ought to be yes,” he says.

Berry says data mining can be broken down into two basic categories. “In one, you don’t have a specific goal, but you’re interested in finding patterns that may exist in the data. And in another, you have a goal in mind — like something you’d like to try to explain.”

One way a company can use the patterns that show up in the data is by getting to know its customers or clients better.

“Anyone who buys books from Amazon.com more than once recognizes that. The second time you come back, you’re offered some things that are similar to what you bought the first time,” says Berry. “Behind those so-called ‘recommendation engines’ or ‘personalization engines’ is data mining. So the Web is a consumer of data mining.”

Another way companies can benefit from data miners is by studying the trends of certain types of people — like people who may be a credit risk. “We have examples of people who have always paid their bills, and examples of people who have failed to pay their bills,” says Berry.

“There are techniques for trying to discriminate between the two. Trying to say, ‘What is it about the ones that didn’t pay that is different from the ones that did pay?’ This will…help you come up with a scoring system. When someone applies for credit…you see them as more or less risky because of how similar — or dissimilar — they are to the people who have not paid in the past.”

Daniel Silver is also a pioneer in the field of data mining. He runs a company that offers consultation and education in data mining. Silver says it’s interesting to see how far data mining has come in such a short time.

Banks and phone companies started the ball rolling, Silver says. Then smaller companies picked up on what the larger firms were doing, especially in regards to data mining done on the Internet.

Data mining is still relatively new in North America. Both Silver and Berry say it’s hard to know how many people are actually employed in the field at this time.

“It’s going to be really hard to come up with that number, because very few people are called that, even though that may be a large part of their job,” Berry says.

“They might be called database marketing analysts, credit risk analysts or direct-mail marketing managers. And yet a lot of what all of these people do is examine data and try to come up with models that will help them do those jobs better.”

Silver and Berry agree that job opportunities in the field of data mining will continue to rise as more companies look for ways to get a competitive edge.

Silver says that teaching others about data mining can be even more lucrative and popular than doing it. He teaches courses at both the university and the business levels.

Looking down the road a few years, Berry sees more and more companies hiring data mining services. He also expects businesses to give data miners a more prominent position in the company.

“[They will] be better integrated with other activities inside the company, not an isolated analytical exercise in the corner,” he says. “[They will] become part of the normal way of doing everyday business.”

Silver says that colleges and universities have also recognized the trend and have reacted. For example, schools such as Berkeley and the University of California at Los Angeles are now offering programs in computational finance.

Berry says that high school students can do a few things today to prepare for careers as data miners. One of the most important steps they can take is to get good grades in math.

“They should continue to take their math courses, because math is at the heart of it,” he says.

“And if they have a chance, [they should take] probability and statistics. That’s the part of math that’s used a lot in this kind of work. Computer science is also going to be valuable. All of this kind of work ends up being done on computers.”

Net Sites

The Data Mine
This site offers a wide variety of data mining information
http://www.the-data-mine.com/

Data Miners
One of the first businesses in the U.S. to take advantage of the demand for data miners
http://www.data-miners.com/

Elementary Concepts in Statistics
You’ll need to know this stuff to do data mining
http://www.statsoft.com/textbook/esc.html

Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining
Tips and tools used in data mining
http://www.kdd.org/

Source: CareerProNews

“Children’s literature has always been popular, but in the United States we have the most prolific children’s book industry in the world,” says Charles Temple, author of four children’s books.

“Nearly 5,000 new titles are published every year, and 50,000 children’s books are in print,” he says.

“Six years ago, families surpassed schools and libraries as purchasers of children’s books — and that was before the Harry Potter phenomenon really caught hold.”

Why the Growth?

The success of Harry Potter “forces people to take children’s literature more seriously, now that they can see the potential in the concrete terms of sales figures,” says Cora Lee. She works with a children’s book center.

“I like to think of Harry Potter as a good starting point for ‘new’ readers. There’s no limit to what a reader can find, once hooked on finding a good story.”

Another reason children’s books have become increasingly popular is that parents — perhaps more than any generation before — understand the vital role reading plays in their child’s development, says Dave Cutler. He is a freelance illustrator and author who recently published his first children’s book.

“Educators rightly encourage parents to read to their children from very early childhood,” says Temple, who is also an education professor.

“Reading to children helps them learn language, and also gives them a leg up on learning to read later on. Reading aloud to children is consistently shown to give a significant boost to their language, their general knowledge and their predisposition to read themselves. You just can’t overemphasize its importance.”

Getting Into the Market

“There are still plenty of publishers who accept unsolicited manuscripts, but this number gets a little smaller all the time,” says Alice Pope. She is the editor of Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market. “And publishers get more and more manuscripts in their slush piles all the time.”

So what are publishers looking for?

“They are looking for quality writing — for stories with compelling characters, for stories full of humor and adventure as well,” says Stephen Mooser. He is president of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. He is also the author of more than 60 children’s books.

“Children’s books need to draw kids in right away,” says children’s writer Kathryn Lay. “For the younger children, it’s the excitement of illustration and text that rolls off the tongue, begging to be read again and again. For older kids, it’s a great story and characters and dialog, just as with adults.”

One children’s authors organization says only one or two first-time authors are published each year.

“I think publishing is a very difficult field and it’s hard to figure out what anyone is looking for at any given time,” says Tom Mason. He has co-written about 20 children’s books and more than 130 episodes for children’s television.

“If a publisher says they’re looking for books about ‘cheese,’ by the time you write one, they’ll be looking for books about ‘not cheese.’ By the time a book is written, edited and published, a period of least a year or two has passed and that makes it difficult to predict trends in popular cultures or audience tastes. Everything just changes rapidly.”

Mason suggests studying the types of books each publisher releases. But don’t forget why you got into the field.

“You should write what you want, what interests you — write the kind of book you’d like to read,” Mason says. “Worry about the market later.”

Insider Advice

Write. That’s the best advice successful writers consistently give to aspiring authors.

“Quit talking about it and start writing,” Mason says. “We run into lots of people who talk about how they want to write but then they don’t sit down in front of the computer and do the heavy lifting. We write every day.”

Read in the genre you hope to write in. “Become familiar with what’s out there and what particular publishing houses are doing,” says Noreen Violetta. She works with the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

“Don’t forget the many kid’s magazines out there either. They are a good place to begin to submit manuscripts or illustration samples to.”

And learn to accept rejection – you’ll run into it a lot. “Sadly, rejection is part of the job,” says Dan Danko. He is Mason’s co-author.

“Whether you’re writing for books, TV or movies, you’ll encounter more people who say ‘no’ more often than ‘yes,’” he says.

“For this reason, it’s important to know why you want to be a writer. If it’s to get rich and have your name on the big screen, go to law school. You’ll be happier in the end. But if it’s to fulfill a desire to create and do what you love, then always hold on to that, no matter what anyone may tell you.”

Net Sites

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
A professional organization for children’s writers
http://www.scbwi.org

Writer’s Digest
Research the various markets
http://www.writersdigest.com

Children’s Literature Web Guide
Offers a wealth of resources
http://www.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/

The Institute of Children’s Literature
Read the latest writer’s news
http://www.institutechildrenslit.com

Source: Changing Course/ by Valerie Young

Part 1 of a 2 Part Series

In his hour-long interview with Charlie Rose, Bill Gates said something that made me grab for my pen. He said, “This is the best time ever to be someone who is curious.” How true. There are so many fascinating ways to make a living without a job. To see them, though, requires a certain amount of curiosity.

Like Barbara Winter, I’m constantly “interrogating” people about their work. When I spent the night in the hospital last year, I asked a (very taken aback) physician, “Why did you decide to become a hospitalist?”

Then last month I spoke at a gathering of women optometrists meeting at a hotel in Atlanta. While I was testing out the microphone system, the hotel was setting up for a chocolate fondue and martini reception. When I saw a nice young man from a local company wheeling in vats of liquid chocolate, I pounced. I’m sure the hotel staff thought I was a bit odd, but I was curious to learn how someone would dive into chocolate – as a business, that is.

I’m not the only one who is curious. I recently held an “Opportunity Detective” contest where aspiring entrepreneurs competed for a spot in my Outside the Job Box Career Expert course. Contestants were asked to submit 10 unique small business ideas. Here are just a few of the many fascinating ideas I received. Sprinkled among the business ideas are some lessons from me on how you, too, can break outside of the job box!

For Creative Entrepreneurs, Problem = Opportunity

When you view the world from the eyes of an entrepreneur, you understand that some opportunities come disguised as problems – and all the more so in these challenging economic times. For example, there’s a company in California that (and don’t ask me how) somehow sprays green coloring onto brown lawns so homes that are For Sale or bank-owned look lived in.

Not long ago, a cooking show featuring recipes from the Great Depression would have gone largely unnoticed. But today, 91 year old Clara Cannuciari’s Great Depression Cooking segments have been picked up by all the major news outlets. The videos, shot in her kitchen by her grandson, were such a hit on YouTube that he’s packaged up the DVD to sell. They’re also monetizing the site with Google ads, but I could easily see getting big time corporate sponsors like Ronzoni or Idaho potatoes. If you could use a smile check out Clara’s site or track her down on YouTube.

Try the problem = opportunity technique yourself. Think of something challenging or stressful, then find a way to address it. Take for example, weddings. You already know about professional wedding planners. But perhaps the only thing more stressful than planning a wedding is cancelling one. It was Opportunity Detective contestant Erika Harris who turned me on to an actual business someone started as a professional event canceller. What is especially noteworthy about this business is that, like many enterprises (mine included), it started with a personal crisis.

In 2008, Lindsay Riggin went through the painful process of cancelling her own wedding. Obviously it was tough. But it also made her realize that she may be able to put her social work degree to work by helping others in the same position.

Today, this Chicago-based entrepreneur helps her clients by doing everything from notifying guests, calling vendors, re-negotiating contracts, and answering etiquette questions. Obviously, handling all these details takes someone who likes organizing things and has good people skills. But Lindsay also puts her counseling background to good use by offering therapeutic support and advice to individuals or couples.

Like the organizing/detail part, but don’t have a counseling degree? Here’s a work-around: Partner with a therapist in your area to deal with the emotional fall out and you handle the practical side of things!

Finally, sometimes other people see our gifts before we do. When a friend saw John having lots of fun with women at a conference, he encouraged John to create a training guide on “Dating For Over 40 for Men.” John’s friend even offered to market it for him!

This business may turn out to be a great funnel for John’s other idea. He even has a name for it: “No More Nervousness – Complete Confidence for The Best Man – Prewritten Toasts and Speeches for Everyone Who Has to Talk at a Wedding or Reception.” (Personally I think John could start a little side business helping people come up with catchy book and product titles… he’s obviously got a knack for it!)

There are lots of benefits to surrounding yourself with other entrepreneurs. For instance, John has another friend who is a Wedding DJ, and this is one of many add-on services John and he are considering. If you don’t know other entrepreneurs, then make it your plan to seek them out.

And in these challenging economic times, it is all the more important to look beyond – or at least in addition to – the traditional job path.

“Growing” Teen Entrepreneurs

A lot of people share my passion for reaching out and helping teens start a business. When I was at Yanik Silver’s Underground Online Marketing seminar in Washington, DC last month, the entire first row was reserved for young entrepreneurs. One came as far away as the UK – by himself!

Supervising and advising all of those teens at the event was a dynamic woman named Shonika Proctor. According to her business card, Shonika is the “speaker, author, consultant, and doer” at RenegadeCEOs.com. (That’s her to the right of me in the photo.) Her organization focuses exclusively on training, coaching and promoting entrepreneurial teens across socioeconomic backgrounds and across the globe. Virtual coaching (via phone & Skype) is available for those outside of the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

I just revisited RenegadeCEOs.com and learned that MTV is seeking contestants for a Teen CEO Reality Television Show. Obviously you would have to be a REALLY cool parent to put your family out there on national TV, but if you’re a bit of ham, it’s a great way to get exposure for your teen’s entrepreneurial dream. Unfortunately, the deadline is April 10th so go to www.RenegadeCEOs.com ASAP for details and to learn about this and the other cool things they’re doing to support teen entrepreneurs.

Teens and children were another popular theme amongst Opportunity Detective contestants. For example, David’s dream is to help fathers and children spend more time together by teaching families how to start businesses together. “I want to take teenagers and get them involved in entrepreneurship [as a way to give] the vast majority who will not go to college a different option than ‘just a j-o-b.’”

Here are examples of seven cool full-time businesses David says were all started by teens:

“Popsy Cakes” — Cupcakes on a stick! The brainchild of an 18-year-old girl enrolled in an entrepreneur program

Creating videos and music for special occasions and events

Eco Dog Treats – vegetarian dog treats

E&E Basket Company – gift baskets for all occasions

Tutoring and strategy business for college students

Online SAT preparation

Selling imported Peruvian jewelry

Walter from Canada shared this enterprising example of an even younger entrepreneur. “Grade eight Ottawa student Charlie Sobcov invented a painted, plastic window decal to save migratory birds from ‘skyscraper slaughter.’ Birds can see the ‘stop signs,’ but the paint color makes the removable decals invisible to humans. Although he’s still only testing the decals, he already has orders coming in.”

Remember how I said problems are an entrepreneur’s best friend? Walter shared another neat example of the problem-opportunity approach in action. After waiting 15 minutes in the icy cold for his bus, only to discover that he had missed it, 16 year-old student entrepreneur Eric Forkosh decided, “There has to be a better way…” So Walter reports, Erik created a hand-held Bus Alert that uses radio signals to alert him when the school bus is coming. How many kids, and parents, would love that!

Home-based businesses are very popular with the home schooling community. Another Opportunity Detective contestant named Olivia tells of homeschooled teen in her area who turned her love of plants and animals into a nature class for homeschoolers. “She teaches plant identification, how to track animals, animal and reptile habitats, etc., taking students on them on nature walks and has the class outdoors,” says Olivia. How cool is that!

Olivia has been teaching her own children to think outside the job box for a while now. Her 11-year-old even has a cake decorating business! Helping children is her passion. “I’m always looking for what their talent is and guiding them that way. After studying home-based businesses for 3 years (I’m a scanner), I’ve decided I want to help women find their uniqueness and how to profit from it. I was shocked when I found your website. It’s what my heart is! Teaching women to spot their children’s gifts and to help them think ‘outside of the box’ instead of just going down the same beaten path as everyone else is another area I want to help with.” Adding, “They’re our future!”

I couldn’t agree more! What I love about Olivia is she “gets” that there really is a way to take the thing she loves to do and share that with others who want to do the same thing. Don’t you wish you had a mother like Olivia? I’m also a huge fan of combining multiple interests into one or more income streams. For an interesting approach, one reader is taking that combines teen entrepreneurs and the green theme, go to the In the Garden section below.

The Opportunity Detective contest yielded dozens of other fascinating small business ideas. Proof that a curious mind is key to thinking outside the job box! What can you be curious about today? Practice flexing your Opportunity Detective muscles by making it your mission to chat it up with at least one business owner you come in contact with today. It could be the person who owns the corner store or the dry cleaners… or perhaps your chiropractor, yoga instructor, the trainer at your gym, the neighbor down the street. Entrepreneurs, like ideas, are everywhere. You just need to look.

P.S. I was supposed to pick just one winner of the Opportunity Detective contest. Note to self: Never run a contest where I have to choose! I ended up choosing 4 lucky winners. They are Erika, John, Jerry and Raghu. Their curious and creative minds have earned them a complimentary spot in the Outside the Job Box Career Expert Course. I feel fortunate that they will be joining this growing community of well over 125 Outside of the Job Box Career Experts!

Too many people waste time daydreaming about being rescued by “Mr. Job,” the career equivalent of waiting for Mr. or Ms. Right. This kind of passive approach is sure to disappoint. Face it: The only person who’s going to liberate you from job jail is you! If you want to be your own boss then take a proactive lesson from Jonathan Winters who said, “I couldn’t wait for success,” he reportedly said, “so I went ahead without it.”

P.P.S. To learn more about this career training and business launch program – and some free marketing tips anyone starting out in business can use – check out the Featured Resource below.

Add Your Two Cents

Want to comment on this article? Click here to hop over to the Changing Course Blog!

About the Author

“Turning Interests Into Income” expert, Valerie Young, abandoned her corporate cubicle to become the Dreamer in Residence at ChangingCourse.com offering resources to help you discover your life mission and live it. Her career change tips have been cited in Kiplinger’s, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today Weekend, Woman’s Day, and elsewhere and on-line at MSN, CareerBuilder, and iVillage.com. An expert on the Impostor Syndrome, Valerie has spoken on the topic of How to Feel as Bright and Capable as Everyone Seems to Think You Are to such diverse organizations as Daimler Chrysler, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Harvard, and American Women in Radio and Television.

According to the Payscale.com article, 10 Highly Profitable 2-Year Degree Jobs, by Michelle Goodman, the following careers can be most easily entered by clients seeking career change with only a 2-year degree:

1. Physical Therapist Assistant – average $46,111.

2. Web Designer – average $48,785.

3. Electrical or Electronic Engineering Technician – average $47,163.

4. Registered Nurse – average $55,276.

5. Computer Support Specialist – average $46,111.

6. Executive or Administrative Assistant – average $37,669.

7. Dental Hygienist – average $57,148.

8. Surveying or Mapping Technician – average $42,104.

9. Veterinary Technician – average $33,363.

10. Camera Operator – average $42,558.

Source: CareerProNews
Eating healthy is becoming more important to North American families. But for working professionals, especially parents, time for grocery shopping is shrinking. That spells opportunity for companies that deliver organic food to people’s homes.

While many regular grocery delivery businesses have had varied success, organic delivery services have grown rapidly across North America.

“People looking for specialty items not readily available elsewhere use our services,” says Ian Diamond, owner of an organic food delivery service in South Salem, New York. “A large portion of my clientele consists of families with young children.

“Two different aspects of our service attract customers: the actual delivery service for people who don’t have time to shop and the high-quality products we offer.”

According to the Organic Trade Association, organic farming is happening in about 100 countries around the world.

“Sales of organic foods and beverages have grown 20 percent to 24 percent each year over the past decade. We’re not seeing a decrease and we expect to see that growth continue,” says Barbara Haumann, senior writer for the Organic Trade Association.

“All kinds of people chose organic products, but they all have respect for the Earth, soil and fresh vegetables.”

Haumann also says that organic consumers tend to be educated with good incomes. While healthy food appeals to them, many organic consumers are too busy for extensive grocery shopping.

Consumers of organic products may be motivated by concern for children, recovery from illness or other health issues. Environmental health is also a deciding factor for many consumers who don’t agree with the use of pesticides or many synthetic food additives.

Diamond says organic produce needs special attention that many health food stores or supermarkets may not provide. “We handle produce better than many stores. Our produce comes in and goes out quickly, so there are quality benefits.”

Knowledge about specific organic products is very important for business owners, says Diamond. “What sets my company apart from my competition is my knowledge of how to handle, buy, store and present organic food. People who are successful with organic food really know what they’re doing.”

Offering a wide range of products may also contribute to success, says Diamond. Many businesses will only deliver produce, while others include meats, cheeses, breads and more.

Diamond says specialty items are a hot area. “There are still many specific gourmet foods not available in organic form,” he says.

Lisa McIntosh is the co-owner of an organic food delivery service. She sees a local market for local produce.

“I think we will always be able to provide better quality produce sourced closer to home, because larger retailers tend to buy centrally and in large volumes. This excludes the smaller farmers, and it is these smaller farmers who supply us at the local level.”

McIntosh came from a background in community economic development. She used to work with a nonprofit organization that supported food security and sustainable agriculture. Although she says she learned a lot through the day-to-day operation of her business, McIntosh also prepared herself by taking some business training.

“I took an entrepreneurship course to help with the development of an extensive business plan. My partner had previous experience as co-owner of a small business. Both of us had volunteered on organic farms and been previous customers of a similar service.”

Any food science, nutrition or related studies, says McIntosh, would help someone starting an organic delivery service. “I think it would be useful to have business management education or experience, produce handling experience, food-related education, delivery logistics, or even experience working at a fruit stand.”

In the United States, sellers of organic food can use products certified as organic by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Regulations set by the USDA prohibit the use of irradiation, sewage sludge or genetically modified organisms in organic production. Organic meat and poultry must be fed 100 percent organic feed and antibiotics are not allowed.

Net Sites

Organic Trade Association
Learn about the industry
http://www.ota.com/index.html

National Organic Program
Information from the USDA
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/indexIE.htm

Organic Consumers Association
Promotes organic farming
http://www.organicconsumers.org/

Did you make the call Wednesday titled: Recession-Busting Job Search Techniques That WORK?

Well, if you couldn’t make it, or you called in and the line was busy (sorry, we filled up fast!) here is a link to the audio recording of the call.

You can listen here now:
http://www.maryelizabethbradford.com/teleseminar050609.php

I really opened up about detailed strategies and resources that you can use in your job search right now.

Plus, I extended a VERY special invitation that will enable you to get job search coaching and support directly from me…I think you will be really pleased and excited to hear about it!

Here is that link:
http://www.maryelizabethbradford.com/teleseminar050609.php

*Many of you emailed me to ask for the resource links I mentioned on the call, so I had my team post them for you on the same page as the audio. Enjoy!

-Mary Elizabeth

Date: Wednesday, May 6th 4pm CST

With Mary Elizabeth Bradford, The Career Artisan Internationally Certified Advanced Resume Writer & Internationally Certified Master Career Director

Space is filling up fast but you can still register for free here now:

http://www.maryelizabethbradford.com/teleseminar050609.php

Know someone who would benefit from this information? Please, pay it forward and pass this information on!

Learn step-by-step techniques for identifying and connecting with companies who want to hire you – yes, even in a recession! (I am also going to be offering you an incredibly special gift).

No matter what level you are at in your career, or if you are in a passive or active job search, you are going to love this information!

On this 60-minute call, you’ll discover:

The two barriers most job seekers hit that cause instant disappointment and anxiety – and how to avoid them.

My top 3 job search strategy recommendations that are proven to work to get you quality interviews and offers.

My two best job search time saving strategies that immediately fr^ee up your time preserve your energy and enthusiasm for your job search!

My top recommendation to help you identify industries that are hiring!

Register for free here now:

http://www.maryelizabethbradford.com/teleseminar050609.php

I hope to “see” you on the call.

***You may wish to call in 5 minutes early to make sure you get a spot on the call! If for some reason you receive a busy signal (indicating the call is full when you dial in) or you can’t make the call, an audio recording will be sent to you within 24 hours of the call as long as you are on the list – so you can still benefit from this valuable information!***
Inspiring your success,

Mary Elizabeth