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There is lots to think about when considering your options beyond Year 11 - but this means lots of opportunities! Use this website to explore some of the potential pathways you could follow after your GCSE's are complete.

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Careerpilot : Get information : Further education at 16+ : What is Further Education (FE)?

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Within the world of Science, Tech, Engineering and Maths, you can find some truly incredible (and super important) careers! This playlist of videos highlights some of the coolest jobs that are available in the world of STEM, from building robots to deep sea diving - take a look!

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His Invention Brings Life-Saving Heart Care to Rural Africa | Best Job Ever

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A career is not just about what you do for a job, or how much you get paid. A career is a lifelong pathway of experiences, passions and interests which is constantly evolving! Have a read of this link to get a sense of just how significant your career can be.

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myfuture - Australia's National Career Information Service | myfuture

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Shape your future with myfuture - sign up or log in to Australia's National Career Information Service.

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Being able to speak multiple languages is an incredible skill - it is even more incredible to use it for a living! Have a read about what it is like to work as a translator. Where might your foreign languages take you?

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The Phrase Blog - Software Localization Experts

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The craft of translation can be a tricky road to travel, to say the least. Any freelancer or business owner in the translation industry combines a variety of functions throughout the day - from a project manager, customer service agent, administrator, and accountant to business developer, online marketer, and sales representative.

On the other hand, a translator practices a craft that entails the finesse of a sculptor, the sensitivity of a musician, the aptitude of an analyst, and the unrivaled comprehension of a linguist, slash cultural ambassador, slash poet.

I started with translations when I was 15 years old. Lucky circumstances allowed me to experience a craft at an unlikely time for many. And it got me hooked onto my vocation - if you want to call it like that. In what follows, I would like to offer you my own perspective on what it means to deal with this - sometimes unfathomable - craft day in and day out.

When I hit the road as a freelance translator, the portions of time set aside for specific tasks were quite different. I spent about 40% of my time on the lookout and acquisition of new clients and onboarding existing ones - all over again. I did sign up with a couple of agencies but did not go on a super-hunt to find intermediary partnerships. I rather wanted more direct clients to have a wider choice of projects I would handle eventually.

My client portfolio was growing steadily and my experience went from intermediate to highly specialized in a speedy fashion. I worked in various industries throughout my years at college and later on so I had a good grip on a couple of subjects. And another plus, or in this case, my secret weapon was the fact that I could offer translations for four language pairs. I did not hit the jackpot, but it is fair to say that it made things a lot easier for me.

Now, I want to keep this retrospect short but felt it needed to be here - to help you understand where I am coming from today.

Oh, Sweet Mornings, Afternoons, Evenings... What?

My mornings start out with a routine-check of emails and updates on any current assignments. Depending on what I find in my inbox in the morning, I will structure my day. This time is kept short to about 20 minutes, and another 10 minutes to answer any urgent requests or follow-up questions before some research time and final concentration on the projects at hand.

It usually happens around 10 am, and I like to ease into the workday. (For those fans of memes connected to translators, I have to say, it would be great to finally give some value to the intrinsic creativity and genius inherent to the act of translation rather than the lack of structure, or the ever-presence of being late for the deadline or working through the night all the time, or working all the time.)

Any freelancer or entrepreneur, who has managed to grow a business to a decent size and retained customers over many years, might agree that you need to know how much time it will take you to get stuff done. And you need to learn when to say "no". Especially when it comes to clients with unreasonable expectations or volumes in numbers no human being could comfortably handle in about 24 hours.

Translators Never Get Sick, Right?

When I started out, I would monitor quite closely how much time I spend on research, further education, testing and getting to know new tools and software, the translations itself, proofreading, and communicating with the client or project manager. After a year, I did a recap to understand how I could structure my day the best way possible without losing flexibility - and my sanity.

Luckily, I had been a project manager and assistant to management, as well as an international event-coordinator in my previous life, so I did understand the workings and responsibilities of my clients, their product or translation managers, their outsourcing managers, or accountants. This extra bit of insight did a great job optimizing my own workflow and my communication. And as a translator, communication is key.

After having done emails, I will spend about 30 minutes researching trends in the translation industry, technological developments, daily news, and other subjects connected to my activity in the translation industry. It helps me stay on track and distract my brain for a bit before I switch to a full-concentration mode.

I mostly spend no more than 20-25 hours per week translating. Fellow translators can understand how intense the task really is, and that 5 hours of translation per day are a good average. Of course, not every day is full of 5 hours of translation because you might not have enough projects to handle. However, I would determine it as my average (taking some leisure time and vacation time into account but excluding sick-days because as you may know, translators never get sick).

Relax, It Is All About the Flow

On a side note, the workflow I am describing is something I explain to my clients during onboarding. This way, they can understand that I am not checking my emails constantly because it will interrupt my flow and concentration, and that phone calls are meant for emergencies and briefings only.

This is a point that can be quite challenging since project and product managers adhere to different timetables, mostly feel a lot more pressure to perform, and might not be patient enough to comprehend that two hours of silence do not mean you are not doing your job. Quite to the contrary, it usually means the translator values uninterrupted work time, for the most part, to deliver high-quality results on time.

Trust and a Proven Workflow Are Crucial for Collaboration

Having said that, I have my fair share of stories about anxiety burst-outs accompanied by 15 emails within half a day but find it very important to help my clients understand my side and build a relationship based on trust rather than mistrust - for obvious reasons. And when you want to take your product global, trust and a proven workflow are worth gold for strong collaboration between a translator and a project manager. One cannot do without the other. So value that.

After doing some research, I start translating. I usually do so for a good three to four hours with short intervals to stretch my legs and give my eyes a rest from screen time. I am lucky, living by the sea, so I mostly spend those tiny breaks watching the ocean and just breathing in. Lunch comes afterwards.

If you stayed with me until here, then we arrived at about 1.30/2.30 pm. Best time to take a longer break and regain some energy for the second half of the day. (I live in Southern Europe, so lunches are late.) And after lunch comes coffee. Yes, I love it!

If all went as expected, I will finish my workday within short. In order to get into concentration mode again, I will spend about 30 minutes updating my accounting, maybe write an invoice or a thank you note to my clients. I will also do some research on potential new clients - but not too much. Around 4 pm I will get into an hour of proofreading or some more translation if necessary.

I have to mention, though, I have the luxury of structuring my time because I know my workflow, capacity, and work speed very well. Of course, this did not happen overnight. I had to put in thousands of hours and millions of translated words in order to arrive at this point. However, it does bring me confidence - and that confidence transpires in everything I do. So most of my dealings are easy and nice. And I have my peace at night.

I finish my workdays at 5 pm most of the time, sometimes earlier, but rarely later. Before I do, I will give my inbox another look and send out completed assignments if I did not upload them through a TMS or work on them online. I will update project managers or clients on the current state of the project where necessary and then call it a day. Of course, there are other days. And of course, there are emergencies. And of course, there are delays that I have no control over. Nonetheless, sticking to my general flow helps with that as well. Sleep. Translate. Relax. Repeat.

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A Day in the Life of a Translator - The Phrase Blog - Software Localization Experts

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The craft of translation can be a tricky road to travel, to say the least. Any freelancer or business owner in the translation industry combines a variety of functions throughout the day - from a project manager, customer service agent, administrator, and accountant to business developer, online marketer, and sales representative.

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Apprenticeships are an incredible way to kick start your career! University may not be for everyone, but this doesn't mean you cannot learn more about a skill or passion that interests you. Apprenticeships can lead to amazing careers in a wide range of fields - take a look at this excellent resource to find out more.

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You can find apprenticeships at a range of levels to suit your needs. This includes degree apprenticeships, that combine uni study and working at the same time. Find out if an apprenticeship might be right for you.

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Interested in an apprenticeship? Find out what you need to know, from entry requirements to salary and get inspiration from other apprentices. From UCAS.

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There is so much more to Art and Design than just painting or drawing - take a look for yourself!

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Art careers come in all shapes and sizes. There are art industry jobs creating original works, selling and promoting them, and displaying them to the public in museums and galleries. There are jobs teaching others about art and jobs helping people to express themselves through art.

There are also lots of art related jobs outside the world of art. Artistic vision and design skills are needed in areas such as architecture, fashion, media, film and theatre. Here we're concentrating on visual art and design careers, but take a look at the rest of the arts and creative careers section if you're interested in other areas such as writing, acting or music.

Jobs directly to do with art

Fine artist

Fine artists create original works of art. This can be in any medium, such as paint, wood, metal or textiles. What distinguishes the work of fine artists from most other careers on this list is that its purpose is purely to be a work of art, rather than to add visual appeal to something with a functional purpose (such as making a building, clothing item or webpage look good). Fine artists make money by selling their work, and many have another job too to give them a regular, reliable income. You don't have to have qualifications in art to be an artist, but a degree in art is a typical starting point.

Read our artist job description to find out more.

Art gallery curator

Art gallery curators are in charge of the artworks that a gallery owns or has on loan. Large galleries often divide their collections up into groups, each with its own curator. Curators are involved in buying or borrowing artworks, deciding how to display them, writing explanatory materials for visitors, giving talks to students and the public, keeping records of the works, working with conservators to ensure that artworks stay in good condition, overseeing junior staff and potentially carrying out relevant academic research. You'll usually need a relevant degree, such as art or art history.

Read our curator job description to find out more.

Art therapist

Art therapists work with people who are facing problems such as mental health, addiction, behaviour or communication issues, or who are recovering from illness or brain injury. Therapists encourage them to use art as a way to explore and understand their feelings, and find a way to move forwards with their lives. It's about using an activity that people may find easier than talking about their experiences, rather than training them as artists. Art therapists work in places such as schools, hospitals, prisons and rehab units, and may develop specialisms such as working with children or people with autism. To train as an art therapist you'll usually need a degree in art and design, or to start out in a career such as psychology, nursing or social work.

Read our art therapist job description to find out more.

Art teacher

You can teach art at secondary school or a further education college. Alternatively, if you become a primary school teacher you can teach art some of the time, but you'll need to teach other subjects too. A typical entry route is to do an art degree followed by a teaching qualification. Alternatively, you could become a primary school teacher by taking a degree in education - there are some courses that will let you specialise in art teaching.

Use the TARGETcareers teaching section to find out more about careers in teaching and how to get into them.

Art lecturer, design lecturer or art history lecturer at a university

University lecturers plan and deliver degree courses to students. They also carry out their own research or practical projects, which could be anything from studying the work of a particular artist to looking at ways that art can help improve social or health issues. For practical art and design courses, lecturers have often already worked in the industry and may continue to produce their own work while they teach. Alternatively you could lecture in art history, teaching students about important art movements of the past. Again, studying art, design or art history at university is a typical first step.

Read more about careers as a lecturer on our graduate careers site TARGETjobs.

Art technician/demonstrator at a university

Art technicians, aka art demonstrators, also work in colleges or universities and help teach students. Their work is very practical - they set up the technical equipment needed in an art studio and then help students to use it, for example guiding them through InDesign, using a 3D printer, screenprinting or traditional photographic processing in a darkroom. You'll typically need a relevant qualification - often a degree, but you may be accepted with a lower level qualification if you have lots of experience.

Art valuer/auctioneer

Art valuers assess how much an artwork or antique is worth and therefore how much it should be sold or insured for. They can work for auction houses, insurance companies or art dealers, and can specialise in areas such as paintings, jewellery or furniture. The job is often combined with that of auctioneer, in which case you'll run auctions too. A relevant degree such as art history is a typical first step, though you may be able to get a job as an assistant or porter at an auction house without one and work your way up.

Read our auctioneer job description to find out more.

Illustrator

Illustrators use their painting or drawing skills to create images for products such as books, greetings cards, clothing, posters and animations. They can work with traditional materials to create physical images, or use relevant software packages. Specialist areas include scientific and medical illustration, for example for use in textbooks. Most illustrators are self-employed but there are some permanent jobs available. Your skill as an illustrator is more important than your qualifications, but you'll probably find that a relevant course will increase your skills. Degrees or HNDs in subjects such as art or illustration are relevant, and there are specialist postgraduate courses if you wish.

Learn about design degrees, including illustration, then read our illustrator job description to find out more.

Conservator

Conservators take care of works of art, historical objects or historical properties. They ensure that these are kept in appropriate conditions to prevent deterioration, and help restore them to their original condition if they do deteriorate. Typically conservators work on a series of short-term contracts for different employers. To become a conservator you can do a degree in conservation as an undergraduate or a postgraduate. Some postgraduate courses only accept a limited range of undergraduate degree subjects; these vary but can include chemistry, physics, art, art history and archaeology.

Arts admin and fundraising

A range of people working in different jobs are needed to keep large art galleries and museums running smoothly - for example fundraisers, marketing and PR staff, managers, admin assistants and education team members to work with school students or the public. In a smaller venue, there might be just one or two staff members responsible for everything from managing the budget to dealing with enquiries from visitors. Some entry-level jobs don't require a degree - office admin experience and volunteering in a museum or gallery will help. For others a degree is required or helpful - subjects related to art or business are relevant but not always essential. Alternatively, you could start a career in business outside the art world and then apply once you have experience.

Read our arts administrator job description to find out more.

Artistic jobs in other industries

Architecture careers

Architects design buildings while landscape architects design outdoor environments, such as parks or urban spaces. Follow the links to read more about them about how to start your career.

Art and design jobs in fashion

Fashion designers can design clothes or work in specialisms such as jewellery, shoe design, bags or accessories. Textile designers design fabrics, while fashion stylists use their knowledge of emerging trends to dress models for fashion shoots or help individuals to update their wardrobes. There are some apprenticeships available, though university is the typical path, particularly for would-be designers. Find out more about fashion degrees and the careers they can lead to and how to succeed at fashion degree interviews.

Jobs to do with art in media, film and theatre

There are lots of jobs in the media, film and theatre that will put your design skills or eye for beauty to good use. You could work in publishing or advertising as a web designer, graphic designer or photographer. Art-related jobs in TV, film or theatre include set designer, costume designer, make-up artist, lighting technician and lighting designer/director. In TV and film there are also roles such as camera operator, cinematographer and film/video editor.

Find out about design degrees, including what they involve, how to get onto them and the types of careers they can lead to.

Learn about art and visual careers in film, including art department roles, costume, cinematography, camera work, lighting and visual effects

Explore theatre set design careers and how to get into them

Use our article on technical theatre careers to find out about working as a theatre lighting designer or lighting technician and how to become one

Read up on media career options, whether a media career would suit you and the best degree subjects for careers in media production, design and photography.

Use our graduate careers site TARGETjobs to read in more detail about careers as a set designer for theatre, TV and film, camera operator, graphic designer, web designer, or photographer.

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Artistic jobs list - get inspired about art careers | TARGETcareers

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There are lots of jobs in art and design, from illustrator or gallery curator to art therapist or set designer. Use our list of art careers to read about the different options and find out how to get into them.

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There is an amazing range of careers to explore within the world of sport, both on and off the pitch! Where could you be adding your expertise?

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If you want a career in sports, you have two main options:

choose a career that's only available in the sports industry (eg athlete or sports coach)

choose a career that's available in a range of different industries, including sport (eg social media executive or accountant).

Below we've outlined some popular jobs within sport and how to get into them. If you're interested in studying sport, also see our guide to studying sport and exercise science at university and our profile of former level 3 BTEC sport and exercise science student Nia.

Athlete

As well as competing and travelling to competitions, athletes spend a lot of time in training. Some have an employment contract with a sporting organisation and receive a regular wage; others earn money 'as and when', for example through prize money or sponsorship deals. Many have another job as well, whether in sport or doing something completely different.

To get into most sports as a career, you realistically need to be already competing and winning at a high level while you're still at school. There aren't any qualifications required to be a athlete. However, it's a good idea to fit some in alongside training as almost all athletes need a second career when they retire from sport. You might choose qualifications that will help you into one of the other careers on this list, such as coaching, or study something else that interests you.

Some universities are very geared up towards helping students of all subjects train and compete in sport to a high level so you could, say, study history or engineering while making the most of these opportunities. Our top unis for your lifestyle outline good universities for training and competing in a number of popular sports.

Sports coach/sports instructor

As a sports coach or instructor you'll train people up in a particular sport, and/or lead group fitness sessions. You might work with children or adults of any level, and might be employed by a sports club, charity, community group, gym, sports governing body or school. A lot of positions are part-time, so you might need to coach for more than one employer or have a different job too.

To become a sports coach or instructor you'll need a good level of ability in that sport and often a coaching qualification from the relevant sports governing body. These tend to involve a few days of face-to-face learning and sometimes some work to complete at home as well. For some jobs you'll also need to have competed in that sport to a specified level yourself (eg at county level or regional level). For jobs working with children, previous experience working with children is often sought.

Sports development officer

Sports development officers help run initiatives aimed at encouraging people to get involved in sport. Sometimes these are aimed at everyone in a local community; other times they are aimed at a particular group, such as older people. Tasks can involve finding and applying for sources of funding, keeping track of budgets, managing sports coaches and volunteers, and planning, organising and promoting the initiatives, for example through social media. Sometimes the jobs are combined with a sports coaching role, meaning that you'll lead some of the activities yourself.

You might be employed by a local authority, a sports governing body, a charity or a community association, for example. It's likely that there will be some evening and weekend work involved, as this is when sports events and activities are most likely to be held.

Entry requirements vary. For all jobs you're likely to require relevant experience (for example through work experience placements and/or volunteering). In terms of qualifications, some employers value a sports-related degree; others prefer a sports coaching qualification.

You can find out more about this role and how to get in by reading the sports development officer job description on our graduate careers site TARGETjobs.

PE teacher

PE teachers plan and deliver lessons, assess students and arrange matches with other schools/colleges.

To become a PE teacher you need a degree and to obtain qualified teacher status (QTS). You can either take an undergraduate (first) degree in physical education that includes gaining QTS, or take a degree in a related subject and then gain QTS afterwards - the most common way to do this is to take a one-year postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) before applying for jobs.

You can find out more about becoming a teacher in our teaching careers section.

Sports lawyer

Sports lawyers advise their clients on the legal aspects of sport, and may also represent them in court. Their work can cover commercial agreements (for example regarding sponsorship and advertising), broadcasting rights for sporting events, employment contracts, transfers, injuries, sports regulation and disciplinary matters.

Lawyers are divided into barristers (who frequently speak in court, and provide advice to solicitors on specialist areas) and solicitors (who provide lots of advice directly to clients). On our graduate careers site you can read about working in sports law both as a barrister and as a solicitor.

By far the most common route to becoming a solicitor or barrister is by taking a degree (either in law or in something else) followed by further education and training. You can find out more about becoming a lawyer in our law careers sector.

Sports physiotherapist

Sports physiotherapists work with athletes (professional and amateur) to help them overcome and prevent injuries. For example, they may assess an injury, develop a treatment plan and deliver it, such as by manual therapy (manipulating body parts), massage, hydrotherapy or setting exercises. Some sports physiotherapists are employed by sports clubs - if you work with professional athletes you're likely to attend training sessions and competitions/matches around the country or internationally. You could also work for a private physiotherapy clinic, or set up your own.

To become a sports physiotherapist you'll need a degree in physiotherapy. You could do this either as an undergraduate (first) degree, or as a masters (a higher level degree) after studying a related subject first. Find out more in our article on how to become a physiotherapist and what they do.

Sports therapy

Sports therapy is similar to sports physiotherapy - you'll treat and prevent injuries using the types of techniques outlined above. However, your training will focus specifically on skills you'll need to work with athletes, whereas physiotherapists are trained to deal with a much wider range of medical issues. A common route in would be to take a degree in sports therapy accredited by the Society of Sports Therapists. The sports therapy job description on our graduate careers site TARGETjobs has more information.

Leisure centre/gym manager

If you have strong organisational and people skills you could make a great manager for a leisure centre or gym. Typical duties include recruiting and managing staff, ensuring they are properly trained up and have up-to-date qualifications, making sure that the centre is well maintained (for example that it is clean and tidy and that gym equipment is in working order), overseeing the budget, promoting the centre and increasing its income, ensuring that health and safety policies are followed, organising staff rotas and assisting customers.

Depending on the size of the business and the level of the role, your job might be quite practical and hands-on, keeping everything running on a day-to-day basis, or more office-based with a focus on growing the business. Employers include local authorities, private sector gym chains, hotels, universities and some schools (particularly independent schools).

To get into this career you'll usually need experience at a lower level in a leisure centre or gym, for example as a leisure centre assistant or fitness instructor. Once you've gained experience and trust, your next step could be to step into a supervisor role, taking responsibility for the centre and for staff during specific shifts. Employers often also ask for relevant qualifications - this varies from job to job, but you might, for example, be asked for a level 3 fitness instructor qualification or a lifeguarding qualification such as 'trainer assessor' from the Royal Life Saving Society.

You can read more about careers as a leisure centre/gym manager on our graduate careers site TARGETjobs.

Sports journalist

If you're a strong writer or confident speaker you could consider a career as a sports journalist. You could work for newspapers, websites, TV stations, radio stations or a combination of these. Taking a journalism qualification is helpful, either instead of going to university, at undergraduate (first) degree level or after studying a different subject at university. Read up on how to get into a career in journalism and explore the rest of our media careers section to find out more.

Sports photographer

Similarly, media outlets need strong sports images to accompany their stories. You could work for a publication (print and/or web), as a freelancer, for a news agency or for an organisation that runs sporting events (such as UCI, organisers of the Tour de France, or the International Olympic Committee). Read our article on jobs in the media to find out more about photography careers. Taking a photography degree is a common route in, though not 100% essential.

Sports marketing, PR, communications and social media

These roles involve promoting sport and sports organisations through a variety of media. There's quite a lot of overlap between them - some jobs will in practice cover several of these areas - and also with sports journalism. You might work for an individual organisation or for an agency that is paid by a number of different organisations to promote them. Tasks could include producing content such as articles or videos, running social media channels, writing press releases, contacting media organisations to organise or try to gain coverage, planning and organising campaigns, overseeing budgets and tracking results.

There isn't one specific route into these careers. Some employers like a degree; others don't mind. You could try to get directly into these careers at a sporting organisation, for example by gaining lots of voluntary experience, or get a similar job outside of sport and then transfer across once you've built up skills and knowledge. Alternatively, you could start your career in sports journalism. Whichever path you choose you'll need strong writing skills and good knowledge of the sport you want to cover.

You can find out more elsewhere on TARGETcareers about careers as a copywriter or content writer, careers in marketing and careers in PR.

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If you want a career in sports, you have two main options: choose a career that's only available in the sports industry (eg athlete or sports coach) choose a career that's available in a range of different industries, including sport (eg social media executive or accountant).

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There are thousands of options if you are thinking about studying beyond school - UCAS is a great place to start if you are unsure.

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Find all the options open to you after GCSE's or Nationals. Career ideas, apprenticeships/traineeships, a levels or planning ahead for uni. Find out what you can do here.

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Here are just 10 of the many interesting and sometimes unexpected careers that can be accessed following a degree in Law.

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Studying Law can feel like quite a commitment.

If you choose English Literature, Mathematics, History or Politics - all popular alternatives for prospective Law students - there isn't an implied career path at the end of it. In studying those subjects, you know that diverse opportunities are open to you, and that you have three or more years to figure out what you might like to do next.

Many people assume that Law isn't like this. They think that there are two career paths open to Law students - solicitor and barrister - and if at the age of 21 when you graduate you aren't as keen on those as you were aged 17 when you applied, well, tough. But that's mistaken. Law is as versatile a degree option as any of the other subjects listed above, and every year, only a fifth of Law graduates go straight into training to be solicitors or barristers. This number is a little misleading, as a full third go on to further study, and may also end up as legal professionals. All the same, that leaves a lot of Law graduates who go on to do something completely different.
We've written before about the careers you can do with almost any degree , and a Law degree is no exception - in fact, the skills of Law graduates, such as being able to digest complex information quickly and to think analytically, are particularly prized by employers. In this article, however, we're going to look at some non-Law careers to which Law graduates are particularly suited. Careers such as:

1. The Civil Service

One of the most obvious destinations for Law graduates is the Civil Service. In the UK, there's even the highly competitive Civil Service fast track scheme available to parachute you to the top. The Civil Service are the behind-the-scenes part of the government, and a career in the Civil Service could have you working in the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, the Identity and Passport Service, the Ministry of Defence's Science and Technology Laboratory or any one of countless other departments. If you join the fast track, they circulate you around several different departments to the right fit for you.

There are nearly half a million people employed in one capacity or another by the Civil Service, and it feels like a simplification to describe it as a single career path; it's actually dozens of different career paths and roles that happen to share the same application procedure.
What they also often share is that they are good places for a Law graduate to work. Law graduates already have an understanding of how an idea in the mind of a politician translates into something that affects the day-to-day lives of ordinary people, and it's the Civil Service who are responsible for that translation.

2. Politics

If the behind-the-scenes bit of government doesn't sound great to you, perhaps the front-of-house roles appeal more. Lots of Law graduates go into politics , whether that's as elected officials or in the array of roles supporting politicians, such as election agents. They are the people responsible for ensuring a political campaign doesn't break the law, and it's obvious why a Law graduate might be particularly well-suited to the role.

Many Law students are disappointed when they learn how little of being a barrister consists of inspiring courtroom speeches that demolish the arguments of the other side. But this is a sizeable portion of what being a politician involves; the process of getting elected requires a lot of shaking hands and kissing babies, but also of showing up to hustings and debates, giving talks and facing potentially tricky interviews with press and public alike. If you love the idea of thinking on your feet in a courtroom, perhaps thinking on your feet on a soapbox when faced with an unexpected heckle will do the trick as well.

3. Activism

If the Civil Service is the most strait-laced side of civil society, than becoming an activist is probably at the opposite end of the scale. Political activists campaign for change via whatever means they think will best promote their cause. For one unusual example, in April activists for the environmental organisation Greenpeace made headlines by climbing to the top of London monuments - including the 52m Nelson's column - and fitting the statues with gas masks to highlight the dangers of air pollution. As a Law graduate, you'll have a good understanding of how the law comes to be as it is - and therefore, how best to apply pressure to ensure that it's changed.

There are countless causes to which activists choose to dedicate themselves, though you'll probably need to be employed by a large group like Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth or Amnesty International if you want to make a living from it (and even then, you'll want to be motivated by passion rather than money - you're unlikely to be paid very much). Many people who are activists for a living started out as volunteers, so if there's a cause you feel strongly about and that you might want to work for in future, it's best to get involved while you're still a student.

4. Lobbying

The final item on this list connected to government, lobbying is like activism but with much better dinners and a sizeable paycheck to make up for the fact that you probably won't feel passionate about anything that you're lobbying for. You could be a lobbysist on behalf of all kinds of interests, whether that's on behalf of farmers, automobile companies or dishwasher manufacturers. Charities and trade unions are also involved in lobbying, although their activities tend to meet with public approval more than those of corporate lobbyists. There are about 15,000 people employed in lobbying of one form or another.
Lobbying is multi-faceted - it's not just about sweet-talking politicians, but also about influencing the media and getting support for your cause in other areas, such as online. As with the other roles related to government mentioned above, you'll need to know your way around how laws come to be passed, so that you can understand how best to influence politicians to shape them the way you would prefer.

5. Recruitment

The world of recruitment is a more popular destination for Law graduates than you might think, whether that's in working for a recruitment agency generally, or doing something more specialised like headhunting. It's the art of matching people to jobs, and jobs to people, and it takes both organisation and finely-honed people skills. Recruitment agents typically work on commission, so this is a good option if you want to know that you'll be directly rewarded for the hard work you put in.

If you started studying Law because you wanted to change people's lives, a good recruitment agent can do much the same thing - after all, for most people how much they enjoy their job makes a huge amount of difference to their general happiness in life. So if you've brought out someone's hidden strengths to get them the job that's right for them, you can be very pleased with the positive impact you've had. And if you chose Law initially because you thought there'd be a high salary at the end of it, recruitment is pretty good for that too.

6. HR and labour relations

You can put those hours spent studying employment law to good use if you decide to work in human resources (HR) or the related field of labour relations, which is about managing the relationship a company has with trade unions. In HR, you'll be sorting out employment contracts, helping employees be happy in their jobs, and, if comes to it, handling any disputes. In labour relations, you'll similarly be trying to prevent any disputes before they start, and should they arise, you'll be involved in their mediation and resolution.
Both roles are a balancing act where you have to weigh up the needs of employees against the needs of the employer, and do your best to ensure that all sides are satisfied. As with many of the other roles on this list, people skills, communication skills and organisation are paramount - which are hopefully all things you will have mastered over the course of your degree.

7. Entrepreneurship

Sometimes it may feel that the study of Law is primarily the study of things that businesses got wrong, from dubious interpretations of EU ruling on competition to snails winding up in bottles of ginger beer. While that's not quite the case, as a Law graduate you'll have a better idea than most of the pitfalls that business owners face, which can help a great deal if you decide to set up your own business on graduation.
Becoming a solicitor or barrister also means accounting for your use of your time down to the tiniest fragments to make up your total billable hours. If this starts to feel stifling by the time you've reached the end of your degree, becoming an entrepreneur is the complete opposite; if you're self-employed, the way you spend your time will be entirely up to you, although the work ethic you learned as an undergraduate will still be needed.

8. Law enforcement

If Law school has only made you feel more passionate about seeing the law upheld, perhaps a move into law enforcement could be a good next step. Lawyers are a crucial part of the criminal justice system, but just as important are all the people involved before the case ever reaches a courtroom. Though a degree isn't currently required in order to join the police, an increasing number of police officers are Law graduates.
If the idea of becoming a uniformed police officer doesn't appeal to you, there are other careers in law enforcement that you might wish to consider. There are roles such as that of prosecution file preparation officer - where legal training would undoubtedly be invaluable - or if you do qualify as a lawyer but choose a non-traditional legal career, you could become a police lawyer, which offers exposure to a more diverse range of cases than in most jobs in Law.

9. Legacy administration

Almost anywhere that carries out fundraising for donations also receives gifts in the Wills of supporters who've passed away. This is the case for a diverse range of causes, whether it's a traditional charity, a university, a museum, a political party or just about anything else that people might feel strongly enough to support financially even after they've passed away. Charities that support animal welfare or medical research tend to benefit the most from legacies, but they're far from being the only beneficiaries.
But the process of receiving the money from gifts in Wills isn't straightforward; larger organisations employ people solely tasked with legacy administration. They mostly liaise with solicitors and executors, but sometimes there's more work to do because a legacy is contentious - perhaps because someone else feels that they should have got the money instead. In these circumstances, your legal training is invaluable to defend your organisation's claim to the money and ensure it goes where it was intended.

10. Journalist

Being a Law student requires a lot of research, reading material that can sometimes be quite dry, and condensing it into a more easily understood and hopefully more engaging form. This process, of research and translation into a more interesting piece of writing, is similar enough to the work of a journalist that this is a popular career move for many Law students. If you can write well and cope with deadline pressures and potentially irregular hours, this may prove a good fit for you.
Some journalists start with their local paper and work their way up; others join a national paper's graduate scheme, which is a quicker way to reach the top but involves a lot of pressure. Either way, not only will a Law degree provide you with good transferable skills, but legal knowledge is useful across a lot of reporting.

It's clear that a Law degree is not restrictive in the least; in fact, it's more versatile than many other humanities degrees. So if you're interested in Law but not sure you want to be a lawyer, you can be confident that there is a whole range of exciting jobs available to you.

Image credits: signing contract; doorway; big ben; downing street; greenpeace; restaurant meal; handshake; coffee cup; making notes; police officers; flowers in churchyard; newspaper office;

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10 Interesting Careers You Can Access with a Law Degree

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Studying Law can feel like quite a commitment. You should also read... 9 Famous and Influential People Who Have Degrees in Law Life as a Law Student: 7 Things You Really Have to Know If you choose English Literature, Mathematics, History or Politics - all popular alternatives for prospective Law students - there isn't an...

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Ever wondered what it takes to be a professional athlete? It can be demanding and tiring, and requires sacrifice - but is ultimately incredibly thrilling! Check out this story.

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Overall, an athlete's day may seem to be very simple and strictly tied to routines and schedules, but when looking at a normal day in more detail, the mind is processing surprisingly many factors in order to optimize performance.

My normal day goes pretty much like this: wake up at 7:30, have breakfast (whole grain porridge, jam, bread with ham, cheese and tomatoes). After morning routines, the first training session starts at 9:00. Depending on the day, I will do a high-intensity workout, long aerobic workout or strength training for 2 hours, having sports drinks at regular intervals. The training session is followed by a recovery drink, shower, maintenance of sports equipment and lunch. Then I have about an hour to take care of general duties before taking a nap. At 15:00, I will eat a small snack (yoghurt, muesli and bread) before starting my next workout. After hundreds of drops of sweat during the workout, I will repeat the same routines as after my first workout. After dinner my leisure time starts, which I normally spend with my family. In the evening I will do a little stretching and have a night meal before going to bed at 23:00. The same routines are repeated 7 days a week.

On a mental side, the above-described day goes pretty much like this: After awakening I will do a short analysis of my health status - any sore throat or runny nose...Nope, not today - I have managed to stay healthy and am a bit closer to my peak performance. After getting up and walking around, I will sense my muscles - the body seems to be well recovered and there's no muscle soreness after yesterday's strength training! I open my laptop, connect the Firstbeat BODYGUARD to the computer and load my overnight recovery data to Firstbeat SPORTS software to see what level my recovery is at. The analysis shows 84% of my maximum recovery. It tells me that I can follow my training plan normally, without a need to take it easier. If the recovery is less than 60% of my maximum recovery, I will take a day off or at least skip the high-intensity workout.

After the morning analysis, I will eat breakfast and start the training session. My back feels a little sore, which is reflected in my skiing technique as well. The movement pattern for my leg muscles is not fully normal, weakening the force production - I might not hit the record today! I need to have a massage to get my muscles working better. The rest of the body works normally and I reach the goals set for the workout. Once again, I was better than the racing partners, which increases my self-confidence. I'm on the right track in preparation to the World Championships held in Val Di Fiemme, Italy in 5 months.

Handling all the details gets more and more important once the new season gets closer. By putting on a dry shirt after the workout I minimized the risk of catching a cold. After the training I ate my lunch with good appetite and the daily nap was real power sleep.

In the evening, it's time to do easy recovery training. My body feels more tired than it should and the worries are sneaking to my mind - Have I trained too much and what if this fatigue has accumulated from the hard training in the long term, without sufficient recovery? While running, I can feel the old RSI in my foot, which can in the worst case prevent all training in the autumn. Should I rest more to get my foot sorted out - or perhaps change running workouts to roller ski and cycling workouts? On the other hand, after the massage the foot might be ok for a while, but I still can't stop thinking "what if..." It's clear that if I don't run in the autumn, it will show in my race performance in the steep uphill sections. Normally the feeling gets better during recovery training, but not today. I'm worried that this really is fatigue, or perhaps I'm having the first signs of infection? I just need to calm down, tomorrow morning I will know more, after measuring my overnight recovery. Despite all the uncertainty, I'm once again a day closer to my peak performance. I hope my kid will sleep well tonight, so that I can have a good relaxing sleep. Just in case, I will take an extra portion of Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Zinc to boost my immunity. I still have a couple of days left in this harder training block before my next resting day - which I normally have once per week. During the rest day, I try to do all the "unfinished duties" that I was not able to do while training. I try not to stress too much, as I'm supposed to enhance my recovery physically and mentally during the days off. The best way to relax is to spend quality time with my family.

An athlete's life is continuous observation and analysis of feelings, state of recovery, muscles and other performance-related factors. Critical training decisions and modifications to the training plan are often required and they are made based on observations and objective measures of bodily functions. It might be hard to understand but I love it! It is enjoyable self-realization while being on the edge - something that everyone should experience in their life!

Want to know how balancing physical activity and recovery will improve your well-being?

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A day in the life of an athlete: Training and mind processing - Firstbeat

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Overall, an athlete's day may seem to be very simple and strictly tied to routines and schedules, but when looking at a normal day in more detail, the mind is processing surprisingly many factors in order to optimize performance.

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The range of apprenticeships available, across the world, is amazing! This website helps focus your search via your passions and interests, and can help you find the perfect opportunity.

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Amazing Apprenticeships | Explore Vocational Education & Apprenticeship Opportunities

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Amazing Apprenticeships is a leading organisation in the education sector.

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Sometimes you just want to know "where is the best place to go?" Universities are hugely exciting institutions which have a massive amount to offer. Wide ranges of courses, societies and clubs, sports and not to mention new cities to explore! Here is the 2022 league table to get an idea of where is good at what..

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New for 2024! Our league tables rank the best universities in the UK, overall and in 74 subject areas

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If you have a knack for the written word, and have considered a career in journalism, here are some tips for getting started!

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Sometimes it takes a quiz to help you organise your thoughts and realise what you're really looking for! This is a great resource for getting to the heart of what interests and motivates you.

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Not sure what job you should do? Take our career quiz to find out your strengths, and what jobs you might enjoy. Take the Career Quiz here.

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Google Classroom is our hub for all things careers at BH - please check it regularly for any updates, events or opportunities regarding our careers programme!

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Starting your own business is a dauting prospect - but it doesn't have to be if you are organised, well-informed and passionate about something! Here are some helpful tips about what it takes to start and run a successful business.

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Starting a business entails understanding and dealing with many issues-legal, financing, sales and marketing, intellectual property protection, liability protection, human resources, and more. But interest in entrepreneurship is at an all-time high. And there have been spectacular success stories of early stage startups growing to be multi-billion-dollar companies, such as Uber, Facebook, WhatsApp, Airbnb, and many others.

In this article, I give an overview of 35 key steps for entrepreneurs who are starting a business, with links to additional articles addressing some of the topics in more depth.

1. Understand the Commitment and Challenges Involved in Starting a Business

Starting a business is a huge commitment. Entrepreneurs often fail to appreciate the significant amount of time, resources, and energy needed to start and grow a business.

Here are some of the biggest challenges to starting and growing a business:

Coming up with a great and unique product or service

Having a strong plan and vision for the business

Having sufficient capital and cash flow

Finding great employees

Firing bad employees quickly in a way that doesn't result in legal liability

Working more than you expected

Not getting discouraged by rejections from customers

Managing your time efficiently

Maintaining a reasonable work/life balance

Knowing when to pivot your strategy

Maintaining the stamina to keep going even when it's tough

2. Protect Your Personal Assets by Forming the Business as a Corporation or LLC

Never start a business as a "sole proprietorship," which can result in your personal assets being at risk for the debts and liabilities of the business. You will almost always want to start the business as an S corporation (giving you favorable flow through tax treatment), a C corporation (which is what most venture capital investors expect to see), or a limited liability company (LLC). None of those are particularly expensive or difficult to set up. My personal preference is to start the business as an S corporation, which can then easily be converted to a C corporation as you bring in investors and issue multiple classes of stock.

Many business owners, however, are under the mistaken impression that they are completely protected from personal liability by filing a Certificate of Incorporation for a corporation. This is not true. The mere process of incorporating does not completely protect the business owners. To lessen the likelihood of such personal or shareholder liability, you should make sure to adhere to certain procedures:

Always use the corporate name. The name of the corporation should be used in full, including "Inc." or "Corp." on all contracts, invoices, or documents used by the corporation. This clearly indicates the existence of the corporation as a separate entity.

Always use proper signature. This means that you will sign on behalf of the corporation, using the name of the corporation and your title. You should typically use the following format when signing contracts on behalf of the corporation:

CORPORATION NAME

By: ___________________________________

Your name - authorized signing officer and corporate title

Follow all corporate formalities. This includes following bylaws, issuing stock properly, holding meetings of the Board of Directors, recording the meeting minutes, and following other corporate formalities.

Make sure to keep funds separate. Corporate funds and the funds of individual shareholders should not be in the same accounts or combined for any reason.

Make sure to keep taxation separate. The company taxes should be paid entirely from corporate accounts and separate tax returns filed for the corporation.

All transactions made by the corporation should be clearly separate from any individual transactions. Essentially, by never blurring the line between individual shareholders, owners or the Board of Directors, and the company (which stands as a separate entity), you run less risk of any personal liabilities for the debts of the business.

See An Overview for Incorporating a Businessand 10 Key Issues in Setting up an LLC.

3. Come Up With a Great Name for Your Business

Selecting the right name for your startup can have a significant impact on your business success. The wrong name could result in insurmountable legal and business hurdles. Here are some basic tips on how to name your startup:

Avoid hard-to-spell names.

Don't pick a name that could be limiting as your business grows.

Conduct a thorough Internet search on a proposed name.

Get a ".com" domain name (as opposed to ".net" or another variant).

Conduct a thorough trademark search.

Make sure you and your employees will be happy saying the name.

Come up with five names you like and test market the name with prospective employees, partners, investors, and potential customers.

For more advice, see 12 Tips for Naming Your Startup Business.

4. Focus on Building a Great Product-But Don't Take Forever to Launch

When starting out, your product or service has to be at least good if not great. It must be differentiated in some meaningful and important way from the offerings of your competition‎. Everything else follows from this key principle. Don't drag your feet on getting your product out to market, since early customer feedback is one of the best ways to help improve your product. Of course, you want a "minimum viable product" (MVP) to begin with, but even that product should be good and differentiated from the competition. Having a "beta" test product works for many startups as they work the bugs out from user reactions. As Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook has said, "Done is better than perfect."
Other Articles From AllBusiness.com:
5. Build a Great Website for Your Company

You should devote time and effort to building a great website for your business. Prospective investors, customers, and partners are going to check out your site, and you want to impress them with a professional product. Here are some tips for building a great company website:

Check out competitor sites.

Start by sketching out a template for your site.

Come up with five or six sites you can share with your web site developer to convey what you like.

Be sure the site is search engine optimized (and thus more likely to show up early on Google search results).

Produce high-quality original content.

Make sure your site is optimized for mobile devices.

Make sure the site loads quickly.

Keep it clean and simple; visual clutter will drive visitors away.

Make sure you have a Terms of Use Agreement and Privacy Policy (and comply with the European GDPR rules).

Make the navigation bars prominent.

Obtain and use a memorable ".com" domain name.

Make the site visually interesting.

Make sure it's easy for site visitors to contact you or buy your product.

6. Perfect Your Elevator Pitch

An "elevator" pitch is intended to be a concise, compelling introduction to your business. You should be able to slightly modify your elevator pitch depending on whether you are pitching to prospective investors, customers, employees, or partners. Here are a few tips for developing and delivering a great elevator pitch:

7. Make the Deal Clear With Co-Founders

If you start your company with co-founders, you should agree early on about the details of your business relationship. Not doing so can potentially cause significant legal problems down the road (a good example of this is the infamous Zuckerberg/Winklevoss Facebook litigation). In a way, think of the founder agreement as a form of "pre-nuptial agreement." Here are the key deal terms your written founder agreement needs to address:

How is the equity split among the founders?

Is the percentage of ownership subject to vesting based on continued participation in the business?

What are the roles and responsibilities of the founders?

If one founder leaves, does the company or the other founder have the right to buy back that founder's shares? At what price?

How much time commitment to the business is expected of each founder?

What salaries (if any) are the founders entitled to? How can that be changed?

How are key decisions and day-to-day decisions of the business to be made? (by majority vote, unanimous vote, or are certain decisions solely in the hands of the CEO?)

Under what circumstances can a founder be removed as an employee of the business? (usually, this would be a Board decision)

What assets or cash does each founder contribute or invest into the business?

How will a sale of the business be decided?

What happens if one founder isn't living up to expectations under the founder agreement? How will it be resolved?

What is the overall goal and vision for the business?

If one founder wants to leave the business, does the company have the right to buy back his or her shares? At what price?

8. Obtain a Tax ID

In most instances, you will need to get a tax ID from the IRS for your company. This is also known as an "Employer Identification Number" (EIN), and it's similar to a Social Security number, but for businesses. Banks will ask for your EIN when you open a company bank account. You can get an EIN online through the IRS website.

In some states, a state tax ID may be necessary as well (for example, California, New York, and Texas require a state ID, which can be obtained online).

9. Set Up a Good Accounting and Bookkeeping System

You will need to set up a bookkeeping/accounting system to keep track of your finances-income, expenses, capital expenditures, EBITDA, profit and loss, etc. This is important in order to understand your business's cash flow situation and also for tax-filing purposes.

There are a number of online software solutions that can be helpful in this regard, such as QuickBooks, Zoho, FreshBooks, and Xero.

10. Perform a Comprehensive Reference Check Before You Hire an Employee

Many employers conduct a limited and incomplete reference check when interviewing job candidates, which can result in hiring people who are unable to perform their required duties or who don't work well with others. A comprehensive reference check includes:

Verification of job titles and dates of employment

Verification of educational degrees and dates of attendance at schools

Verification of starting and ending salary

Verification of prior job role and responsibilities

Inquiry as to why the applicant left the prior employer

Conversations with prior supervisors as to the applicant's strengths and weaknesses

Inquiry as to the applicant's ability to get along well with other employees and customers

Inquiry as to the applicant's ability to take on the new role

Inquiry as to punctuality or absenteeism issues

Reference checks with other people not listed by the applicant as a reference

The purpose of these checks is to make sure that the applicant will fit into the company's culture and to ensure that they have been truthful and accurate in their resume and employment application. However, the process is carefully regulated by the federal government (through the Fair Credit Reporting Act) and the laws of many states; failure to follow the highly technical process can lead to class action lawsuits. Consider consulting legal counsel and, for general information, see the EEOC's Background Checks: What Employers Need to Know.

It is also useful to require all prospective employees to complete an employment application.

11. Use a Good Form of Employee Offer Letter or Employment Agreement

Oral agreements often lead to misunderstandings. If you plan to hire a prospective employee, use a carefully drafted offer letter, which the employee should be encouraged to review carefully before signing. For senior executives, a more detailed employment agreement often makes sense. A good offer letter or employment agreement will address the following key items:

The job title and role of the employee

Whether the job is full time or part time

When the job will commence

The salary, benefits, and any potential bonuses

Whether the position is "at will" employment, meaning either party is free to terminate the relationship at any time without penalty (although employers may not terminate employees for legally prohibited reasons, such as for age discrimination or retaliation from sexual harassment allegations, etc.)

Confirmation that the "at will" agreement may not be changed unless signed by an authorized officer of the company

Confirmation that the employee will need to sign a separate Confidentiality and Invention Assignment Agreement (described below)

If the company chooses, a statement that any disputes between the parties will be resolved solely and exclusively by confidential binding arbitration (also discussed below)

Any stock options to be granted to the employee and the terms of any vesting (details usually laid out in a separate Stock Option Agreement)

The supervisor to whom the employee will report

Protective language stating that the offer letter constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the parties with respect to the employment relationship, and that there are no other agreements or benefits expected (unless additional provisions are laid out in a handbook, which should be referenced if applicable)

Companies should ensure that the employee and the company sign the letter, the Confidentiality and Invention Assignment Agreement, any Stock Option Agreement, and any first-day paperwork (such as the IRS W-4 Form for withholding and the I-9 form mandated by law).

For a good sample employee offer letter, see 13 Key Employment Issues for Startup and Emerging Companies.

12. Make Sure All Employees Sign a Confidentiality and Invention Assignment Agreement

Companies pay employees to come up with ideas, work product, and inventions that may be useful to the business. Employees have access to a good deal of their company's confidential information, which can be very valuable, especially in technology companies.

One basic way to protect proprietary company information is through the use of a Confidentiality and Invention Assignment Agreement. This type of agreement deals with confidentiality issues, but can also ensure that the ideas, work product, and inventions the employee creates that are related to company business belong to the company-not the employee.

A good Employee Confidentiality and Invention Assignment Agreement will cover the following key points:

Venture capitalists and other investors in startups expect to see that all employees of the company have signed these kinds of agreements. In an M&A transaction in which the company is sold, the buyer's due diligence team will also be looking for these agreements signed by all employees.

A sample form of Employee Confidentiality and Invention Assignment Agreement can be found at the Forms & Agreements section of AllBusiness.com.

Similarly, it will be appropriate that all consultants of the company also sign a Confidentiality and Invention Assignment Agreement. See Key Issues with Confidentiality and Invention Assignment Agreements with Consultants.

13. Consider the Steps You Should Take to Protect Your Intellectual Property

It is important to protect your company's intellectual property (IP). Ever wary of minimizing burn rate, startups may be tempted to defer investment in intellectual property protection. To those who have not tried to protect intellectual property, it feels complex and expensive. Too often, startups end up forfeiting intellectual property rights by neglecting to protect their ideas and inventions.

Some simple and cost-effective techniques can minimize the anxiety, yet help protect core assets.

Companies sometimes think that patent protection is the only way to protect themselves. Technology startups frequently ignore the value of non-patent intellectual property. While patents can be incredibly valuable, it does not necessarily ensure that a company's product is a good product or that it will sell well. Trade secrets, cybersecurity policies, trademarks, and copyrights can all be forms of IP that can be protected.

Here is a summary of the types of intellectual property protections available:

Patents. Patents are the best protection you can get for a new product. A patent gives its inventor the right to prevent others from making, using, or selling the patented subject matter described in the patent's claims. The key issues in determining whether you can get a patent are: (1) Only the concrete embodiment of an idea, formula, or product is patentable; (2) the invention must be new or novel; (3) the invention must not have been patented or described in a printed publication previously; and (4) the invention must have some useful purpose. In the United States you obtain a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, but this process can take several years and be complicated. You typically need a patent lawyer to draw up the patent application for you. The downside of patents is that they can be expensive to obtain and take several years,

Copyrights. Copyrights cover original works of authorship, such as art, advertising copy, books, articles, music, movies, software, etc. A copyright gives the owner the exclusive right to make copies of the work and to prepare derivative works (such as sequels or revisions) based on the work.

Trademarks. A trademark right protects the symbolic value of a word, name, symbol, or device that the trademark owner uses to identify or distinguish its goods from those of others. Some well-known trademarks include the Coca-Cola trademark, American Express trademark, and IBM trademark. You obtain rights to a trademark by actually using the mark in commerce. You don't need to register the mark to get rights to it, but federal registration does offer some advantages. You register a mark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Service Marks. Service marks resemble trademarks and are used to identify services.

Trade Secrets. Trade secrets can be a great asset for startups. They are cost effective and last for as long as the trade secret maintains its confidential status and derives value through its secrecy. A trade secret right allows the owner of the right to take action against anyone who breaches an agreement or confidential relationship, or who steals or uses other improper means to obtain secret information. Trade secrets can range from computer programs to customer lists to the formula for Coca-Cola.

Confidentiality Agreements. These are also referred to as Non-Disclosure Agreements or NDAs. The purpose of the agreement is to allow the holder of confidential information (such as a product or business idea) to share it with a third party. But then the third party is obligated to keep the information confidential and not use it whatsoever, unless allowed by the owner of the information. There are usually standard exceptions to the confidentiality obligations (such as if the information is already in the public domain). See The Key Elements of Non-Disclosure Agreements.

Confidentiality Agreement for Employees and Consultants. Every employee and consultant should be required to sign such an agreement, as discussed above.

Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. If you are a company that conducts its business on the internet, it is important to have a terms of service agreement that limits what users can or cannot do on your website and with the information on your site. Closely related is your Privacy Policy, which sets forth what privacy protections are available to your users. The new European GDPR rules may also need to be addressed.

14. Become a Strong Salesperson

If the business is to become successful, you must become a great salesperson. You are going to have to learn how to "sell" your business-not only to customers but also to prospective investors and even to potential employees.

It's important to be positive, trustworthy, and to learn how to listen. You must practice your sales pitch, get feedback from a variety of people, and then refine your pitch. Even if you are not naturally an extrovert, you need to show confidence, follow up, and ask for the sale.

15. Understand Financial Statements and Budgets

It's important to keep on top of your expenses and learn how to thoroughly understand financial statements and budgeting. Many startups fail because the entrepreneur isn't able to adjust their spending to avoid running out of cash. Establishing a detailed, month-by-month budget is crucial, and this budget must be reviewed regularly.

Understanding your financial statements will also help you answer questions from prospective investors. Here are some financial statement questions you can expect to get from investors:

What are the company's three-year projections?

What are the key assumptions underlying your projections?

How much equity and debt has the company raised, and what is the capitalization structure?

What future equity or debt financing will be necessary?

How much of a stock option pool is being set aside for employees?

When will the company get to profitability?

How much "burn" (losses) will occur until the company gets to profitability?

What are your unit economics?

What are the factors that limit faster growth?

What are the key metrics that the management team focuses on?

16. Market Your Business Like Crazy

To succeed in business, you need to continually be attracting, building, and even educating your target market. Make sure your marketing strategy includes the following:

Learn the fundamentals of SEO (search engine optimization) so that people searching for your products and services online might find you near the top of search results.

Use social media to promote your business (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.).

Engage in content marketing by writing guest articles for relevant websites.

Issue press releases for any significant events.

Network continually.

17. Use Consultants and Freelancers to Supplement Your Team

At the early stages of your startup, you will likely want to have a small employee team to minimize expenses. A good way to fill in for specialized expertise is to use freelancers or consultants. That way, you avoid taking on employee costs and benefits payments. And there are a variety of sites that can help you access freelancers, such as Freelancer.com, Guru.com, and Upwork.com.

18. Have a Great Investor Pitch Deck

Startups frequently prepare a "pitch deck" to present their company to prospective angel or venture capital investors. The pitch deck typically consists of 15-20 slides in a PowerPoint presentation and is intended to showcase the company's products, technology, and team to the investors.

Raising capital from investors is difficult and time consuming. Therefore, it's crucial that a startup absolutely nails its investor pitch deck and articulates a compelling and interesting story.

Too many startups make a number of avoidable mistakes when creating their investor pitch decks. Here is a list of general do's and don'ts to keep in mind:
Pitch Deck Do's Pitch Deck Don'ts
For additional advice and a sample pitch deck, see How to Create a Great Investor Pitch Deck for Startups Seeking Financing.

19. Drive Traffic to Your Website

While entire books have been written on this topic, the key ways to drive traffic to your website are as follows:

Pay Google, Bing, Yahoo, or other search engines to send you traffic (such as through the Google Adwords program).

Build a great site with lots of high-quality, original content that is search engine optimized.

Have a smart social media plan to drive traffic from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other free social media sites.

Get links to your site from high-quality sites.

20. Make Sure Someone Hasn't Already Invented Your Great New Idea

Here are the key things to do if you have a great new invention idea:

Do a Google search on the keywords associated with your invention.

Do a search online of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office at uspto.gov.

If nothing comes up and you want to get a patent for your idea, hire a patent lawyer.

But keep refining the concept of the invention, as version 1 of your idea probably can be improved and enhanced through version 2 and version 3.

21. Don't Go Overboard on a Business Plan

It's useful to come up with a business plan to think through what you want to do for the development of the product or service, marketing, financial projections, and more. And you should then get input from trusted business and finance advisors. But don't go overboard with a 50-page business plan. In reality, many startups have to deviate from their plan as the business develops.

22. Secure Capital to Finance Your Business

Here is a summary of the most effective sources of business capital:

Personal funds

Credit cards

Friends and family

Angel investors (see Angel Investing: 20 Things Entrepreneurs Should Know)

Crowdsourcing sites such as Indiegogo.com and Kickstarter.com

Bank loans/SBA financings/online lenders

Venture capitalists

Equipment loan financing

One of the biggest mistakes made by startups is not raising sufficient capital.

23. Determine Which Permits, Licenses, or Registrations You Will Need for Your Business

Depending on the nature of the business, you may need the following permits, licenses, or regulations:

24. Set Up Appropriate Books and Records for Your Business

You will need to keep multiple books and records for your business, including:

25. Properly Insure Your Startup

If you are going to go through the time and effort to start a business, you need to protect it by purchasing appropriate insurance coverage.

Your first order of business should be to determine your specific insurance needs based on the nature of your business. Ask yourself what risks must be covered and how much coverage will be sufficient. Then find and evaluate insurance providers or insurance brokers to determine which companies handle the types of coverage that suits your needs.

While shopping for insurance, you will want answers to these types of key questions:

What are the deductibles?

Are the coverage limits high enough?

What items or occurrences are excluded from coverage?

Are there any gaps in the coverage?

Here is a list of the types of insurance that may be appropriate for your business:

General liability insurance

Product liability insurance

Professional liability insurance

Property insurance

Worker's compensation insurance

D&O (directors & officers) insurance

Health insurance for employees

Business interruption insurance

Commercial auto insurance

Data breach/cybersecurity insurance

Key man life insurance

26. Determine How to Divide Equity Among the Startup's Co-Founders

There is no one right answer to the question of how equity should be divided among a company's co-founders. But everyone involved should discuss this issue and come to an agreement up front to avoid misunderstandings later on. If you are the original founder and brains behind the idea, a good argument can be made for more than 50% ownership. The split should take into account the following:

The relative value of the contributions of the co-founders

Vesting dependent upon continued participation in the business (you don't want to give away 25% of the company to someone who leaves after a few months)

The amount of time to be committed to the business

The cash compensation to be paid as an employee

Whether the co-founders will be contributing cash as an investment in the business

Whether one person wants to maintain control over decision-making

27. Understand These Key Points About Seeking Venture Capital Financing

Startups seeking financing often turn to venture capital (VC) firms, which can provide capital; strategic assistance; introductions to potential customers, partners, and employees; and much more.

Venture capital financings are not easy to obtain or close. Entrepreneurs will be better prepared to obtain VC financing if they understand the process, the anticipated deal terms, and the potential issues that will arise.

To understand the process of obtaining VC financing, it is important to know that venture capitalists typically focus their investment efforts using one or more of the following criteria:

Specific industry sectors (software, digital media, semiconductor, mobile, SaaS, biotech, mobile devices, etc.)

Stage of company (early-stage seed or Series A rounds, or later-stage rounds with companies that have achieved meaningful revenues and traction)

Company location (e.g., San Francisco/Silicon Valley, New York, etc.)

Before approaching a venture capitalist, try to learn whether his or her focus aligns with your company and its stage of development.

The second key point to understand is that VCs get inundated with investment opportunities, many through unsolicited emails-almost all of those unsolicited emails are ignored. The best way to get the attention of a VC is to have a warm introduction through a trusted colleague, entrepreneur, or lawyer friendly to the VC.

A startup must have a good "elevator pitch" (as discussed in point #6) and a strong investor pitch deck (as discussed in point #18) to attract the interest of a VC.

Startups should also understand that the venture process can be very time consuming-just getting a meeting with a principal of a VC firm can take weeks; followed up with more meetings and conversations; followed by a presentation to all of the partners of the venture capital fund; followed by the issuance and negotiation of a term sheet, with continued due diligence; and finally the drafting and negotiation by lawyers on both sides of numerous legal documents to evidence the investment.

VCs usually want to see that your business has made some progress and gotten some traction in the market; they will typically not fund a very early stage company or just an idea. For that, you are better off seeking angel investors.

Most venture capitalists won't agree to sign an NDA, so don't bother asking.

For a comprehensive article on the venture capital financing process, see A Guide to Venture Capital Financings for Startups.

28. Pay Attention to Your Business Contracts

Business contracts are legally binding written agreements between two or more parties. They are an important part of business and such agreements need to be created and/or negotiated carefully.

While smaller businesses will often conduct business based on informal handshake agreements or unspoken understandings, the more that is at stake, the more essential it is to have a signed contract. A contract serves as the rules that must be followed by both parties. It presents each party with the opportunity to:

Describe all obligations they are expected to fulfill.

Describe all obligations they expect the other party (or parties) to fulfill.

Limit any liabilities.

Set parameters, such as a time frame, in which the terms of the contract will be met.

Set terms of a sale, lease, or rental.

Establish payment terms.

Clearly establish all of the risks and responsibilities of the parties.

A contract is, in essence, a written meeting of the minds. While it is typically drawn up by one party and favors the needs and requirements of that party, protecting them from most (if not all) liabilities, it should initially be thought of as a work in progress that changes and grows as each party contributes prior to signing, after which it becomes an official document. "Consideration," whether it is monetary or a promise to do work or provide a service by a specified date, is at the root of a contract.

The term "standard contract" is more myth than reality, and too often people simply sign on the dotted line without reading or negotiating the terms of a contract. A startup has to make sure it is comfortable with all of the terms of the contract, and depending on the deal dynamics, almost any term is negotiable.

Consideration, compensation, ownership rights, liability, and risk are all areas that need to be worded carefully. You should seek out help from a qualified attorney who is experienced in contracts to make sure you have covered each of these areas in a clear manner.

The contract itself should stipulate how it shall be enforced and what actions can be taken if one party fails to meet their obligations. It is often to the benefit of smaller businesses to have a confidential binding arbitration clause to resolve any disputes.

The key contracts that a startup should have as its own form of "standard contract" (drafted in the startup's favor) include:

Sales or service agreement

License agreement

Offer letter to employees

Consulting agreement with any independent contractors (you want to make sure that you will own the intellectual property rights for anything they develop for your business)

Confidentiality and Invention Assignment Agreement for employees and independent contractors

Non-disclosure agreement

See 10 Key Contracts for Small and Growing Businesses.

29. If You Plan to Lease Office Space for Your Business, Focus on These Key Issues

Leasing office space is one of the largest expenses a startup can incur. Negotiating the best lease possible can save your company enough cash to hire a few more employees or launch a new marketing campaign.

Keep in mind that your ability to negotiate an office lease is dependent on how much leverage you have. Do your homework. Are other companies vying for the same space? Has the space been vacant for a long time? Factors such as these may mean the difference between you calling the shots, or a landlord insisting on onerous terms throughout the lease process.

Because no lease is standard, here are some suggestions to help you become a little more lease-savvy and negotiate a favorable office lease for your startup:

Length of lease term. Landlords are typically willing to make concessions for longer-term leases. However, your company's needs may change and you could find yourself locked into a lease for an office space that is too small, too big, or with rent that is above-market if demand for space subsequently declines. Try to negotiate a shorter-term lease with renewal options-a two-year lease with a two-year renewal option, for instance, rather than a four-year lease.

Tenant improvements. Your new space may need some improvements or alterations (a new paint job, new carpeting, a reconfiguration of the space). Which party will pay for these improvements depends on how tight the commercial office space market is in your city. Most form leases stipulate that the tenant can't make any alterations or improvements without the landlord's consent. Ask for a clause that says you can make alterations or improvements with the landlord's consent, and that the consent won't be unreasonably withheld, delayed, or conditioned. Often, you are able to negotiate a "tenant improvement allowance," which is an agreed-upon sum of money that the landlord will provide for the improvements and alterations you would like to make.

Rent and rent escalations. Some landlords will give free rent for the first month or two of a lease. Fixed rent over longer-term leases is relatively rare. Sometimes landlords insist on annual increases based on the percentage increases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). If your landlord insists on rent escalations, try to arrange for a CPI rent increase that does not kick in for at least the first two years of the term. Then, try to get a cap on the amount of each year's increase. If you have to live with a rent escalation clause, try to negotiate a predetermined fixed increase; for example, a rent of $5,000 a month the first year that would only increase to $5,200 a month the second year and $5,400 a month the third year.

Repairs, improvements, and replacements. Be aware of a clause that says that at the end of the lease you must restore the premises to their original condition. Try to negotiate a clause that states the following: "The premises will be returned to the Landlord at the end of the tenancy in the same condition as at the beginning of the tenancy, excluding (1) ordinary wear and tear, (2) damage by fire and unavoidable casualty not the fault of the Tenant, and (3) alterations previously approved by the Landlord."

Assignment and subletting. Startup companies should negotiate enough flexibility in the assignment and subletting clause to allow for mergers, reorganizations, and share ownership changes. Watch out for a clause that says a change in more than 50% of the company's stock ownership will be deemed an assignment that is prohibited without the landlord's prior approval. As your company grows and new people invest in it, this clause can be inadvertently triggered.

Try to avoid one-sided lease provisions. Landlords use form lease agreements that can be very one-sided. Be on the lookout and negotiate on these types of provisions that are heavily landlord-favorable:

The landlord is given the right to pass on to the tenant, without limit, increased operating costs such as property taxes, building repairs, or insurance premiums.

The landlord tries to lease the premises "as is" or tries to disclaim responsibility for compliance with environmental laws (e.g., asbestos issues) or the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The landlord tries to require the tenant pay any tax increases resulting from a sale of the property.

The landlord tries to reserve the right to terminate the lease at the landlord's convenience.

The landlord tries to prohibit the possibility of subletting or assignment.

The landlord insists on personal guarantee of the key shareholders of the company.

Consider using a tenant broker. A good tenant broker can be invaluable and will represent your company's best interests. He or she will educate you on the current market; locate spaces that meet your stated parameters; arrange tours and accompany you to view these available spaces; and then prepare offer letters and negotiate with landlords for all spaces that work best for your company.

See How to Negotiate the Best Office Lease for Your Startup.

30. Thoroughly Research Your Competition

Make sure you are thoroughly researching competitive products or services, and keep on top of new developments and announcements from your competitors. One way to do this is to set up a Google alert to notify you when any new information about those companies shows up online.

Expect that prospective investors in your company will ask questions about your competitors. Any entrepreneurs who say that "we don't have competitors" will have credibility problems. So anticipate these questions from investors:

Who are the company's principal competitors?

What traction have those competitors obtained?

What gives your company the competitive advantage?

Compared to these other companies, how do you compete with respect to price, features, and performance?

What are the barriers to entry in your market?

31. If You Are Seeking Angel Investing Financing, Know These Important Points

In reviewing a prospective investment, angel investors especially care about:

The quality, passion, commitment, and experience of the founders

The market opportunity being addressed and the potential for the company to grow to become very big

A clearly thought out business plan and early evidence of early business traction

Interesting intellectual property or technology

A reasonable valuation for the company

The likelihood of the company being able to raise additional financing in the future if progress is made

Angel investors will want to initially see the following from a startup:

A clearly articulated elevator pitch for the business

An executive summary or investor pitch deck

A prototype or working model of the company's product or service

Early adopters, customers, or partners

There are a variety of ways to find angel investors, including:

The best way to find an angel investor is through a warm introduction from a colleague or friend of an angel. Using LinkedIn to ascertain mutual connections can be helpful.

See Angel Investing: 20 Things Entrepreneurs Should Know.

32. Consider Adopting a Stock Option Plan to Attract and Motivate Employees

Stock Option Plans are an extremely popular method of attracting, motivating, and retaining the best employees, especially when the company is unable to pay high salaries. A Stock Option Plan gives the company the flexibility to award stock options to employees, officers, directors, advisors, and consultants, allowing these people to buy stock in the company when they exercise the option.

Stock Option Plans permit employees to share in the company's success without requiring a startup business to spend precious cash. In fact, Stock Option Plans can actually contribute capital to a company as employees pay the exercise price for their options.

The primary disadvantage of Stock Option Plans for the company is the possible dilution of other shareholders' equity when employees exercise their stock options. For employees, the main disadvantage of stock options in a private company-compared to cash bonuses or greater compensation-is the lack of liquidity. Until the company creates a public market for its stock or is acquired, the options will not be the equivalent of cash benefits. And, if the company does not grow bigger and its stock does not become more valuable, the options may ultimately prove worthless.

Thousands of people have become millionaires through their stock options (Facebook being one famous example), making this form of benefit very appealing to prospective employees. The spectacular success of some Silicon Valley companies and the resulting economic riches of those employees who held stock options have made Stock Option Plans a powerful motivational tool for employees to work toward the company's long-term success.

Here's a general explanation of how stock options are granted and exercised:

For a comprehensive article on this topic, see How Employee Stock Options Work in Startup Companies.

33. Focus on Offering Exceptional Customer Service

Companies such as Zappos and Virgin America became hugely successful because they focused on providing excellent customer service and support. You want your early customers to give referrals and sing your praises to their friends and colleagues. Thank your customers personally by email. Go the extra mile to show your appreciation.

34. Hire an Experienced Startup Attorney

You need a savvy business lawyer for your company, one who has regularly formed and advised many other entrepreneurs and who specializes in startups. An experienced startup lawyer can help you:

In a misguided effort to save on expenses, startup businesses often hire inexperienced legal counsel. Rather than spending the money necessary to hire competent legal counsel, founders will often hire lawyers who are friends, relatives, or others who offer large fee discounts. In doing so, the founders deny themselves the advice of experienced legal counsel who could potentially help them avoid many serious legal problems.

Get recommendations for lawyers from other entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. Make sure you have a good rapport with the attorney. Meet with several potential attorneys before you make a final decision (those first meetings should be free). And check out 10 Big Legal Mistakes Made by Startups.

35. Get Comfortable With Public Speaking

The ability to communicate effectively can be critical to landing customers, inspiring employees, and pitching to investors to raise capital. Most people are not very good at public speaking and many are even afraid of it. You must strive to overcome this fear. Consider working with a public speaking or business coach to improve your public speaking skills. Some of the most recognized entrepreneurs, such as Apple founder Steve Jobs, were known for being great public speakers.
Related Articles on AllBusiness: Copyright © by Richard D. Harroch. All Rights Reserved. is a Managing Director and Global Head of M&A at VantagePoint Capital Partners, a large venture capital fund in the San Francisco area. His focus is on Internet, digital media, and software companies, and he was the founder of several Internet companies. His articles have appeared online in Forbes, Fortune, MSN, Yahoo, FoxBusiness, and AllBusiness.com. Richard is the author of several books on startups and, co-author of Poker for Dummies and Mergers and Acquisitions of Privately Held Companies (Bloomberg), and a Wall Street Journal-bestselling book on small business. He was also a corporate and M&A partner at the law firm of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, with experience in startups, mergers and acquisitions, and venture capital. He has been involved in over 200 M&A transactions and 250 startup financings. He can be reached through LinkedIn. This article was originally published on AllBusiness.com. Read all of Richard Harroch's articles.

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Wondering how to become an author? Well that answer will depend on the type of author you want to be.

Maybe you've always been a writer at heart, and are ready to share your story with the world and earn the title of "author."

Or maybe you're passionate about a certain topic, and are ready to help others by sharing your expertise.

Regardless of your reason - the issue still stands: you want to know how to become an author of a book, and a bestselling one at that.

how to become an author

To become an author, the short answer is: You write a book.
Sounds simple, right?

But writers are rarely simple. So, let's go for the more complex question:

How do you become an author of a book that actually gets read?

You want to author a book that's phenomenal, polished, and packed with content that readers will truly connect with. So how do you do that?

In this guide, we'll focus on how to become an author of a book by following the essentials.

Here are the steps on how to become an author:

1. Educate yourself to become an author

2. Build the skills needed to become a bestselling author

3. Master the fundamentals of book writing

4. Create a positive author mindset

5. Write your first book to become an author

6. Publish your book to become a published author

7. Market your book to become a bestselling author

Before we dive in to the steps on how to become an author of a book, it's important we answer some frequently-asked-questions to help lay the groundwork for author success.

What does it mean to become an author?

Becoming an author means that you ideated, created, and produced a written work, most commonly a book, novel, short story, poem, or other literary work of prose.

Traditionally, an author meant someone that has written a book, and this connotation still stands today, but it has expanded with societal changes. The term author can actually pertain to journalists, essayists, and those in the digital space such as bloggers or article writers.

Writer vs Author

What's the difference between a writer and author, you ask? Great question.

While writer and author is used interchangeably, there is definitely a difference between the two. An author is a writer, but a writer isn't always going to be an author.

What is a writer?

A writer is someone who writes, or expresses ideas or concepts through the written word. There are many people who write for a variety of reasons - whether it's part of their occupation, or for creative expression.

Types of writers that aren't necessarily authors:

Can anyone be a writer?

It depends on the type of writer, but yes, technically anyone can be a writer as long as they know how to write. However, specialized writers, such as technical writers and copywriters often require advanced experience and/or degrees in order to be qualified for a writing position.

What is an author?

An author is someone who has written, and often published, a completed literary work. Authors can write books, novels, short stories, poems, literary prose, and even screenplays.

Can anyone be an author?

While everyone can be considered a writer if they write, not everyone can be considered an author. Typically, an author is someone who publishes their completed literary work (usually a book).

The path to be an author lies in publishing a book or literary work.

How hard is it to become an author?

While the path to become an author is easier with today's technology and the rise of self-publishing, becoming an author takes determination, hard work, and usually a specific set of skills (which we'll cover more on later).

For some, opportunity comes easier than it does for others. Some people become an author and find quick success, whereas others struggle for years to complete their book and publish it.

It also depends on the book publishing method, which we'll explain more on in the publishing section of this article. For example, traditional publishing deals are hard to come by, and is a lengthy process. On the other hand, self-publishing makes becoming an author more accessible.

How do authors get paid?

Authors can be paid in a variety of ways, but most commonly authors are paid through book advancements and royalty fees.
Read More: Author Salary Report
How much do authors get paid?

How much an author gets paid depends on a number of criteria, and there isn't a standard amount of authors. Payments can depend on the number of books published, the publishing method, the book genre and topic, and the success of the book.

The Steps to Become a Bestselling Author

Now that you have a deeper understanding of the common questions around being an author and what that entails, it's time to dive in to the exact process.

Let's start!

#1 - Invest in education to become an author

To become an author, there is no formal educational requirement, but at minimum, a high school degree is recommended. Becoming an author mainly requires that you have a strong set of skills, like the ability to read and write well.
Having a degree isn't required, but it can help.
There is a wide range of educational levels for authors, from those with a basic high school education to those who have completed doctorate programs. Pursuing a higher formal education degree can certainly help you become an author, but it's not a requirement.

Whether you get a degree or not, you must be an exceptional writer and avid reader to improve the chances of becoming an author of a book that actually gets read.

Our society values higher education. When you're exploring new careers, the first question is usually: what kind of education is needed for this job?

So, it isn't any wonder that people researching how to become an author immediately ask what type of education or credentials are needed to write a book.

A caveat to this: If you're looking to publish a book on a specific topic, you must be an expert in that field or industry. A college degree helps build your credibility significantly.

Common degrees to consider for aspiring book writers are:

1. English. Anyone with a college degree in English has spent the majority of their college career taking classes on writing development and reading literature for deep analysis. Those with an English degree usually have a strong command of writing, and study the works of famous authors.

2. Literature. Similar to a degree in English, a degree in Literature follows the same course syllabus in the sense that it is heavily focused on reading, analyzing, and writing on literary works.

3. Creative Writing. Writers with a degree in Creative Writing have undergone extensive academic courses surrounding creative writing fundamentals and storytelling. Creative Writing students are expected to write rigorously to improve their craft.

4. History. Because history goes hand-in-hand with many literary subjects, those with a degree in History will have a well-rounded skillset to apply as an author.

5. Journalism. Writers with a journalism background are likely educated on news-style writing, features, interview processes, and more. Those with a journalism degree often have experience as newspaper columnists or feature writers, which can translate well into an author career.

6. Psychology. Those that study psychology have an in-depth understanding of human behavior and interaction, which makes for great writing, especially in fiction.

7. Communications. People with a communications degree often have experience in news-writing, marketing, public relations, and more, which are all fields that rely heavily on great writing skills.

8. Theater/Cinema. Those with a theater background make great authors and writers due to their creativity, understanding of character dynamics, and screenwriting skill.

9. Liberal Arts. Any degree in liberal arts is likely to be focused on heavy research and writing - no matter the field. Therefore, a liberal arts degree can set you up well as an author.

10. A degree in any subject you want to write about! If you have a particular industry or niche that you want to focus on in your writing, pursue a degree in that! For example, if I could re-do college all over again, I would pursue a minor degree in Women's Studies, because I love to write about topics concerning that.

Alternatives to College Degrees

There are also non-degree online education options for aspiring authors to consider. These are a great choice if you want to learn how to write a book or publish a book on your own. Programs like these are focused on achieving a specific goal, and can be completed at a quicker pace.

If you get a traditional college degree, you likely will NOT learn how to write and publish a book. So, if you know for sure that you want to become a published author, you'll save time and money by investing in a course or program that's specific to publishing.

For example, there are many online education programs specifically for aspiring authors, including self publishing courses.

Be sure to thoroughly do your research to make sure the program is a good fit for your needs, and check out resources like this Self-Publishing School review.

Some online education options for those who want to become an author are:

1. Self-Publishing Courses. Start here if you want to join an education program that provides a complete roadmap to becoming a bestselling author.

2. Coursera. Consider a program where you can select specific topics to learn about.

3. Udemy. You can find cost-effective micro-courses based on specific topics around writing and publishing.

4. MasterClass. There are limited courses for aspiring authors on this platform, however if you're particularly interested in learning how to improve your writing from bestselling, world-renowned authors like Margaret Atwood, check this out.

5. CreativeLive. Another option for creative courses specific to certain topics around developing certain creative skills.

#2 - Learn the skills to become a successful author

While there aren't any formal education requirements to be an author of a book, there are certainly some important skills that many successful writers have in common.

Consider these skills like prerequisites - you should aim to improve these skills if you truly want to learn how to become a writer.

In a society of high competition, possessing many of these skills will set you apart and increase your chances of gaining a solid readership.

The top skills needed to become an author are:

#1 - Exceptional writing development skills

Being an excellent writer that can communicate effectively through words is the premise of learning how to become an author successfully. We'll cover more on the fundamentals of writing that you should master in the next section.

#2 - Creative storytelling that engages

It's an art in itself! Whether you're writing nonfiction or fiction, no matter what genre your book falls in, you need to be able to craft an engaging story that pulls readers in.

#3 - The ability to research well

Ask any successful author, and they will tell you that a major factor in successfully writing a book is to conduct thorough research. You need to know your content in and out - whether you're writing historical fiction, a children's picture book, or a self-help book. Since you're reading this article and researching how to become an author, there's a good chance you're already research-savvy!

#4 - The tendency to naturally observe people and places

In order to create life-size characters, make your story come alive, and describe people and events vividly, you need to possess the power of observation. If you're not one to naturally sit back and watch from the sidelines, try improving your observation skills.

#5 - Vulnerability and grit

Authors put everything they possess into their writing. It takes vulnerability to put your words out there, and resilience to keep at it when the going gets tough. To become an author, you'll need to overcome some serious mental blocks, and be courageous even when you're overworked or fearing judgment.

#3 - Master the fundamentals of book writing

Having an excellent command of writing skills builds a solid foundation on which to begin your author journey.

Many people can write, but not many people can write well. And if you can't write well, that's okay!

The good news is that there are a number of ways to improve your writing.

Writing isn't necessarily a talent, it's a craft. It can be cultivated. It can be strengthened. And with a growth mindset, you can improve your writing skills by mastering the fundamentals.

Some basic examples of the fundamentals of writing are being able to express ideas clearly and in an organized fashion, using powerful word choice, developing a clear point of view, and using proper grammar and punctuation.

However, there are a lot more fundamental writing techniques to learn and implement in your own writing.

Here are three main steps on how to master the fundamentals of writing:

1. Learn the writing fundamentals. First, learn all there is to know! You can learn basic writing fundamentals by taking writing development courses, and reading books on writing.

2. Study the fundamentals. Be an avid, deep reader. Don't just read to understand the story. Read to analyze how the author told that story. Study the author's style, specifically in genres you want to write in. By doing this, you'll start to identify characteristics of remarkable writing.

3. Practice, practice, practice. Put what you've learned into practice. Try mirroring an author's style that you admire. Start writing often, and making it part of your everyday life. Write in a journal, complete writing prompts, write letters to friends, and write short stories. You can even explore with literary devices, poetry or other writing forms!

4. Explore different genres. Part of finding your author's voice and developing yourself as a writer means experimenting with other genres that you may not have written on before. Use creative writing prompts to help you practice your writing fundamentals.

5. Show, don't tell in writing. This is the number one rule to writing, and it's important for you to master. Practice showing and not telling in your own writing, and understand when to use it and when to not.

While you shouldn't cut corners on your writing development, it's important to not get stuck in this phase.

At the end of the day, you can read and take all the courses in the world, but the most growth and development you will experience is when you're actually writing.

#4 - Create a positive author mindset

Many writers experience feelings of insecurity. Ernest Hemingway supposedly said, "There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed."

If writers are figuratively transforming the essence of their being into words on paper for others to read, then it's no wonder the best writers suffer from their own insecurities and fear of judgment!

Feeling inadequate is expected, and totally normal. But the ability to pursue your goals to become an author despite your fear is what will set you apart from all the other aspiring book writers out there.

Steps to build a positive author mindset:

1. Overcome imposter syndrome and self-doubt as a writer. Give yourself permission to be an author. Don't shy away from calling yourself a writer - start owning it.

2. Accept that you're a work in progress. Don't strive for perfection in writing. Maintain a growth mindset, and understand that there is always room for improvement. You are constantly learning, and improving, and there isn't anything wrong with that. If you wait on perfection, it'll never get done.

3. Set a writing habit. Making writing part of your daily lifestyle is super important. If you tend to wait for inspiration as a writer, you'll be left high and dry more often than not. We'll cover more on how to set a writing habit in the next section.

4. Focus, focus, focus. We've all been there. You sit down at the table to write, and find that an hour as passed and you've only churned out a few sentences. Find a focus technique that works for you and stick to it.

5. Think courageously. Try not to get too bogged down in the negative "what-ifs." What if no one likes my book? What if my writing sucks? What if this book is an entire flop? It's okay to fear failure, but learn to shake it off and be courageous instead. For every negative thought you have, try to think of two positive thoughts!

6. Define your own success. Success means something different for every author. Some writers want to share their words with the world, while others simply want to build an author's salary to support their writing. Whatever your reason is, get clarity around your definition of success.

#5 - Write your first book to learn how to become an author

To become an author, you have to become a book writer first. Which means you actually have to sit down, be brave, and write that book.

The world is full of great writers with stories to share. The trouble for many is - they never get around to actually finishing a book.

It also depends on what type of book you want to write. If you want to write a nonfiction book, the process is different than learning how to write a novel. The same is true if you're learning how to write a memoir, or if you want to write a children's book.

This is where it can really get tough. But with grit, determination, and a clear game plan, you can do it. We're cheering for you!

Here are the steps to write a book and become an author:

#1 - Get clear on your foundation.

Because writing a book can be an uphill battle, you want to make sure your foundation is rock solid. This means getting clear on why you want to become the author of this book. Once you're super clear on your foundation, you'll be able to write your book with intention.
Foundational questions you'll want to ask yourself are:

When do you want to have this book done by?

How will you position the book?

Who are you writing this book for (your target reader)?

What is your book's topic or genre?

Why are you writing this book? Here are some reasons authors write a book:

#2 - Brainstorm with a mind map.

Letting your ideas flow freely with a mind map is an effective way to get those creative juices flowing. With so many ideas to explore for your book's topic, mind map exercises will help you "brain dump" all your thoughts.

Follow these steps to create a mind map for your book:

1. Set a timer for 10-15 minutes to start.

2. Always be writing - don't worry about grammar or spelling, just write out your thoughts without reservations!

3. Start with a central idea, topic or concept.

4. Add connecting branches of key ideas that relate to that central idea.

5. Jot down any words that tie ideas together.

6. Use colored highlighters or sticky notes to organize similar concepts or ideas.

#3 - Create an outline.

Using your mind map, start creating a basic outline for your book. Don't get hung up on the details. Think of it in terms of a beginning, middle, and an end. A simple outline will help you get the ball rolling as you start writing your draft. As you dive deeper into the writing, your outline can get more detailed, and be revised as needed.

#4 - Set a writing schedule.

Commit to your writing goals each and every day if you want to become an author. Set a specific plan for yourself, and set small milestones or goals, whether it's by word count or time spent writing. You can have all the ideas in the world, but if you aren't setting time aside each day to actually write, then the chances of your book being completed will be low.
Determine how many words and pages you need to achieve with the Word & Page Count Calculator.
Tips for setting a writing schedule:

Set up a distraction-free writing space

Plan for short brain breaks to avoid burnout

Set a daily word count goal

Do NOT edit as you write

Have a buddy keep you accountable

Use book writing software to help you meet your daily goals

Set a deadline to complete your book by

#5 - Write your rough draft.

Sounds simple, but it's definitely easier said than done. You can do it! The only way to write a book, is to actually sit down and do it. You become a book writer by writing a completed book. Use your outline for guidance, and remember - don't edit while you write!
Tips for self-editing your book:
#6 - Self-edit your book.

Once your rough draft is completed, it's important that you focus on self-editing your book. Although your book will go through a professional editing phase during the publishing process, if you self-edit thoroughly, your editor will be able to focus on other edits that you weren't able to catch.

Do a verbal read through to find areas of improvement in your sentence structure and storyline.

Work chapter by chapter to increase productivity and focus.

Don't get stuck in the editing phase.

Remember that any points of uncertainty will be cleared up in the professional editing phase.

#6 - Publish your book to become an author

Through blood, sweat, and tears, you've committed to writing your book, and have officially become a writer.

Now, it's time to take the next step and learn how to become a published author. Don't get too comfortable yet - there's still some major work to be done!

You have to get that book published, and there's a few different ways to do this.

Here's how to become an author of a published book:

#1 - Decide how to publish.

Modern book writers are faced with a major decision on how to publish a book. There are two ways to publish: traditionally publish or self-publish.

You'll have to weigh the pros and cons of each, including the cost to publish, and determine which route is more advantageous for you.

If you traditionally publish your book, this means that an actual publishing company will publish your book for you. However, landing a book contract with a traditional publisher is extremely competitive, and the chances are slim for most authors.

So what is self-publishing, you ask? If you self-publish your book, this means that you will be in charge of the publishing process yourself. There are many benefits in going this route, but you'll need to make sure you are self-publishing the right way to ensure book quality and success.

#2 - Follow the steps to traditionally publish a book:

1. Pitch your book draft to literary agents.

2. If your manuscript is accepted by an agent, your book will be pitched to publishers.

3. If a publisher accepts your work, you will be offered a book contract.

4. The publisher will have your book edited, formatted, and designed.

5. You earn royalties based on the number of books that are sold.

If you still need help deciding how to publish, compare your earning potential with our Book Royalties Calculator. This step is crucial because if you don't market your book, how are you going to reach potential readers?
#3 - Follow the steps to self-publish a book:

1. Hire a professional editor and formatter (if needed) for your book.

2. Hire a professional book cover designer to create an engaging book cover.

3. Choose which self-publishing platforms to sell your book on.

4. Upload the book to the self-publishing platform.

#7 - Market your book to become a bestselling author

Whether you traditionally publish or self-publish, you need to launch and market your book.

You dedicated time, effort, and - at times - your sanity, to get your book out. Now it's time to let the world know about it.

You'll need a strategic book launch and marketing plan in place, which should include a number of techniques to gain readership and sell your book.

Use the Book Profit Calculator to set realistic goals for your earnings.

Here are some book marketing strategies to consider:

1. Build a launch team before your official book release

2. Social media marketing, such as on Pinterest and Instagram

3. Effective book pricing that appeals to prospective readers

4. Build an author website to create your own author platform

5. Use book advertising on various book promo sites like BookBub

6. Get book reviews to increase visibility, reach, and credibility

To dive deep into your book marketing, plan ahead, set a budget, do research, and reach out to your network!

#8 - Write another book!

Your first book is a learning experience, and once your first book is published, you'll realize how many ideas you have for more books.

And that is where the real success comes in. In today's digital author landscape, it's important to keep writing books in order to build an author career.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that one book will find instant success. While that does happen for some writers, it is the exception and NOT the rule.

So keep going! Write your next book. The more books you write, the smoother your process will become.

Are you ready to become an author?

Great books make the world go 'round, which is why we're all about helping writers become authors.

As you research how to become an author, one thing becomes clear: it's a process that takes time, dedication, and some serious effort.

But nothing worth having comes easy.

Books are life changing, not just for the book writer, but for the book readers all across the world that will learn from your story.

Becoming an author can be one of the most rewarding, and fulfilling accomplishments of your life. You deserve to celebrate it!

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How to Become an Author: Guide to Becoming a Bestselling Author in 2020

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Wondering how to become an author? Well that answer will depend on the type of author you want to be. Maybe you've always been a writer at heart, and are ready to share your story with the world and earn the title of "author."

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A brilliant place to start if you are looking to be inspired. BBC Young Reporter is a great initiative which gets young people involved with journalism, often tackling important and highly interesting content.

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Rolls Royce are a company at the forefront of providing quality experiences for students who wish to learn and work at the same time. If you are interested in the world of engineering and motoring, this could be a brilliant opportunity.

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As well as a competitive salary, our apprenticeships offer the chance to study for fully sponsored qualifications. So whether you join us straight from school, college or the world of work, there's no need to rack up any student debt.

Many of our current leaders started their career with Rolls-Royce on one of our apprenticeship programmes. Whatever your route in, and whatever your background, you'll be seen as a potential future leader too.

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As well as a competitive salary, our apprenticeships offer the chance to study for fully sponsored qualifications. So whether you join us straight from school, college or the world of work, there's no need to rack up any student debt. Many of our current leaders started their career with Rolls-Royce on one of our apprenticeship programmes.

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Ever wondered where Maths can actually take you? Here are just some of the future career possibilities.

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Whether you call it ' math ' or 'maths', or prefer the traditional 'mathematics', if you study numbers at university, your career opportunities are not only numerous, they're also fairly lucrative.

Thanks to the growing importance placed on technology, big data and economic efficiency by all kinds of organizations, expert number crunchers are increasingly in demand. In fact, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 2018 and 2028, the job market for mathematicians is expected to grow by a whopping 30 percent, with a predicted median salary of US$88,190.

Those who study math are keen problem solvers, eager to make sense of even the most advanced equations. Academic research is a common career path, but so are careers in business, economics and banking. This wide range of opportunities comes from the universal need for graduates with strong analytical and problem-solving skills - which math graduates should have by the bucketload.

What can you do with a math degree?

So, what can you do with a math degree? Mathematical experts are in demand across all kinds of industries the world over. Study math and you'll have access to career opportunities in sectors you may never have even considered, including specialized fields such as in law or medicine. However, a large number of math careers are based within business or science and technology-related sectors, with math graduates occupying roles such as accountant, actuary, statistician, technician, economist or market researcher.

Read on for a few potential answers to the question " what can you do with a mathematics degree? " - including information on what to expect and the skills you'll need.

Careers in accountancy and finance

A career in accountancy offers a range of options for math graduates across many different industries. Accountancy jobs include roles such as auditor, tax accountant, forensic accountant, management accountant and corporate advisor. To become a chartered accountant, in addition to an undergraduate degree in mathematics or a related area, you'll also need to gain further professional qualifications. Often, however, if you start at a company as a trainee in this field, your employer will help you gain both the experience and the professional certification needed to develop in your role.

Careers in banking

Opportunities in banking range from the world of retail banking to corporate investment banking. Both arenas deal with financial assessment - public and private - with opportunities to specialize in areas such as mergers and acquisitions, bonds and shares, privatization, lending and IPOs (initial public offerings). Duties can include market research, creating new business opportunities, and developing financial models and solutions to present to clients. Math careers in banking can be lucrative, but again, professional qualifications in finance will be needed for some roles.

Actuarial careers

Actuaries evaluate financial risk in order to manage and advise clients. Combining risk analysis skills with in-depth knowledge of economics and business, actuaries ensure sound investments are made and commercial/business goals fulfilled. Most new actuaries start out working within pensions and insurance, a relatively low-risk area, while in the future you may get to work in banking, healthcare or investment. Actuarial roles can be client-facing, as with consultancies and pensions/insurance companies, and all actuaries will require the skill of communicating complex data and analyses to non-specialists.

Statistician careers

Statisticians are specialists in statistics -the collation, analysis, interpretation and presentation of statistics and quantitative data. Statisticians' skills are required in numerous industries, ranging from healthcare to government and from finance to sport. You'll be tasked with managing, collecting and arranging data by means of surveys, experiments and contextual analysis. You may then be called upon to create reports and advise clients/colleagues on possible strategies, for example in order to make good financial decisions to further business goals. As a statistician, you'll have expert analytical skills as well as solid communication and IT skills.

Careers in academia and research

Careers in academia and research are very popular among mathematics students. This route may appeal to those who want the challenge of driving forward the next series of discoveries, theories and applications of the field - as well as the prestige of following some of history's greatest mathematical minds.

Academic and research-based careers in math can be incredibly wide-ranging, and will depend on what area you wish to specialize in. Many are based within university departments, although long-term academics are also often involved in publishing, contributing to journals and specialist periodicals, or helping to produce complete publications (while on sabbatical or alongside other commitments).

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Other common math careers include; intelligence analysis, operational research, statistical research, logistics, financial analysis, market research (for business), management consultancy, IT (systems analysis, development or research), software engineering, computer programming, the public sector (advisory capacity as a scientist or statistician), scientific research and development (e.g. biotechnology, meteorology or oceanography).

Less typical math careers

Engineering

While the most common way to enter the field of engineering is with an engineering degree, a math degree can also get you there, in some specialized roles. Math graduates are often good at helping to solve real-world, physical problems, and can be found working in mechanical, structural, aeronautical and many other realms of engineering. That said, engineering careers often require specialized knowledge not covered during a math degree. Engineering internships and work experience can help if you want to improve your employability straight out of university.

Meteorology

Meteorology is more than just presenting the weather. The role involves studying weather conditions using data collected from weather stations, radar, remote sensors and satellite images across the globe, in order to interpret causes and to produce forecasts. You'll need excellent IT skills, as well as strong skills in analyzing and interpreting complex mathematical data.

Teaching

In addition to academic roles with a research focus, many rewarding math careers can be found in teaching. Numeracy is always a high priority within primary and secondary education systems, making highly numerate graduates with an interest in teaching highly sought-after. In order to teach in most countries, you'll require a formal teaching qualification. This can usually be gained in little over a year, and is often highly subsidized by the government, with grants often available to cover fees. To teach at university level, a postgraduate degree is often required, in a relevant specialism. If you choose this path, you may also get the chance to pursue your own academic research.

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"What Can You Do With a Math Degree?" is part of our "What Can You Do With..." series. We have also covered art, biology, business, communications, computer science, English, engineering, fashion, history, geography, law, marketing, performing arts, philosophy, politics, psychology, sociology, chemistry, economics and physics.
This article was written in February 2015 and updated in November 2019.
Want more content like this? Register for free site membership to get regular updates and your own personal content feed.

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What Can You Do With a Mathematics Degree?

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Whether you call it ' math ' or 'maths', or prefer the traditional 'mathematics', if you study numbers at university, your career opportunities are not only numerous, they're also fairly lucrative. Thanks to the growing importance placed on technology, big data and economic efficiency by all kinds of organizations, expert number crunchers are increasingly in demand.

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Our first Spotlight edition focuses on careers in the theatre industry! Head to our Google Classroom for more information.

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There are many different types of jobs in theatre and knowing where to start in your theatre career search can be difficult. Whether you want to be an actor, work within backstage & technical theatre or in one of the many supporting roles our list is a great starting point to learn what role in theatre would best suit you.

This complete list of careers in theatre is based on large-scale theatres in the UK. For smaller theatres or productions some roles in this list will not be applicable or the roles may be merged together.

Creative team:
Find job descriptions and more theatre careers advice here
Production team:
Find theatre jobs with The Stage Jobs here
Customer service roles:
Search opportunities here
Administration team:
Find theatre vacancies with The Stage Jobs here
Photo: Sim Canetty Clarke

Published: 04 March 2019

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Complete List of Jobs in the Theatre Industry | Information, Advice & Facts

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There are many different types of jobs in theatre and knowing where to start in your theatre career search can be difficult. Whether you want to be an actor, work within backstage & technical theatre or in one of the many supporting roles our list is a great starting point to learn what role in theatre would best suit you.

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Our second Spotlight edition centres around becoming a professional chef, and what it is like to work in the industry. Intense but highly rewarding!
Head to Google Classroom for the full edition.

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Here at Le Cordon Bleu, we work with and have taught some of the world's best chefs. From Michelin-starred head chefs to renowned master pâtissiers, we know what it takes to become a chef, because we have seen it first-hand countless times.

In this article, we will explain what is involved in becoming a chef, answering common questions such as "what kind of experience do you need to become a chef?" and "what skills are required to be a chef?"

So what are the qualities of a successful chef? First and foremost, every successful chef must have a genuine love for food. Have you spent your whole life experimenting with flavour, texture and mouthfeel? Did you grow up learning family recipes to eventually reformulate them into something truly special?

Of course, every chef must also have a strong work ethic. With high-pressure situations and long hours some days, total commitment and dedication is very important part of the job. Are you ready to take on busy shifts, multitask and be a team leader?

As a chef, you must, of course, be naturally creative. You will also need a keen eye for attention to detail, from perfecting your timings to beautiful, precise presentation.

You must also be a strong team player, able to collaborate effectively and respectfully with the entire team, from fellow chefs to kitchen porters, waiting staff and managers. If you aspire to become a head chef, you will also need to be a good leader. Due to the fast-paced environment of the kitchen, the ability to make crucial decisions quickly is also key.

First and foremost a passion for food is required. It is important that everyone who enter this field possess a love for food and cooking. However, in order to become a professional chef, you will need a professional qualification. Luckily, Le Cordon Bleu have produced some of the best chefs in the world, so we know a thing or two about training skilled culinary professionals. We offer a wide range of programmes in the culinary arts, from the Grand Diplôme® to the Diplôme de Pâtisserie, the Diplôme de Boulangerie and more.

Not only are our programmes accredited under an "Investing in Quality" licence from national awarding organisation NCFE, they are also internationally-recognised as some of the most highly reputed culinary qualifications in the world. With Michelin-starred tutors, state-of-the-art facilities and unrivalled industry contacts, we're the best place for you to undertake your culinary training.

While having professional work experience is certainly an advantage, it's not a prerequisite. Many students begin their training at Le Cordon Bleu with no experience in a professional kitchen.

At Le Cordon Bleu, we'll equip you with the skills you need before giving students the option of completing work experience in some of London's top hotel and restaurant kitchens. Work experience develops your cooking skills further and your ability to work in the high-pressure environment of a professional kitchen, and provides fantastic networking opportunities that could lead to employment further down the line.

Working as a chef, you will often have to work your way up the ranks among a team. There are, in fact, various different chef roles in the kitchens of today, so it is worth thinking about which you aspire to fulfil.

Commis Chef

The first role you are likely to take on is that of Commis Chef. This is a junior chef in training who is still learning from their other team members. Commis Chef reports to Chef de Partie.

Chef de Partie

A Chef de Partie is responsible for covering a specific area of the kitchen, whether it be working with fish, grills or vegetables. In larger kitchens, this may comprise a team with junior and senior chefs.

Sous Chef

A Sous Chef is 'second in command', being actively involved in the running of the kitchen, often filling in for the Head Chef.

Head Chef

The Head Chef runs the kitchen, managing the entire kitchen team, working with suppliers and managers and, often, creating menus.

Executive Chef

Finally, there is the Executive Chef. The Executive Chef is the kitchen's most senior position and the title holder usually oversees multiple departments and outlets. Executive Chefs are responsible for staff recruitment and development, as well as all costings and kitchen finances. They're also responsible for ongoing menu ideation, development and the culinary innovation.

There are many reasons why becoming a chef is a good career choice. First of all, you will be able to work in a job that feeds your passion every day. This is a highly creative field, where you will be actively rewarded for 'thinking outside the box' and creating new dishes.
However, there are also more practical benefits to working as a chef, from the ability to travel extensively for work, to the option of becoming a business owner, and the space for flexible working hours, which can accommodate your lifestyle and personal commitments.

One thing that will either attract or repel those thinking of becoming a chef is that chefs are generally "on" when everyone else is "off". As a chef, you will typically work long hours, with 50-70 hour weeks being standard. Nowadays, most chefs will work a 5-day week, however, some kitchens may require longer working hours, which means chefs can also work 4-days and 3-days off.

A chef's typical day starts with a quick briefing with the Head/Sous Chef and the surrounding team. At this meeting, tasks will be assigned to each chef and team member. This often includes a quick review of the previous day where areas of improvement are identified. Your role could also involve ordering ingredients, formulating menus, cleaning up and talking to colleagues and customers.

As you would expect, the busiest periods as a chef are during lunch, dinner hours and at weekends, which means you will have to make your social life work around your job. However, working as a chef is a highly sociable occupation in and of itself, and the flexible working hours make this lifestyle highly desirable for many.

As we have suggested, working as a chef is a varied and dynamic role with various responsibilities. Just a few of these involve:

Preparing menus

Taking stock

Working with top quality ingredients

Plate presentation

Experimenting and developing new ideas and introducing new dishes

Prepping seasonal menus and dishes

Recruiting, training and developing chefs

Developing new restaurant concepts

Working close with the service team and the sommeliers on the food and wine pairing and other matters

Participating different conferences and food-related events

Depending on your role, you may also be expected to manage a team of junior chefs, waiters and kitchen porters. As Head Chef and official "face" of the restaurant you may also be involved in various marketing activities.

As with any career, salaries are dependent on experience, qualifications, location and the reputation of the establishment. However, as a ballpark figure, a Commis Chef at a good restaurant can expect to start on 20 - 22K, while Executive Chefs can earn up to 80K depending on the business.

To summarise, here are the steps you need to take to become a chef.

1. Obtain a relevant school qualification, e.g GSCE or A Level certification.

2. Join a professional culinary school.

3. Pass your culinary school exams and earn a professional qualification.

4. Obtain work experience in a professional kitchen.

5. Find a full-time job in a top restaurant.

So, is a chef career right for you? There are plenty of elements to weigh up:

Do you have the personal and professional traits necessary for the job?

Does it fit in with your desired lifestyle?

Are you motivated to put in the hard work?

And, most importantly, are you excited by the idea of working with food in a reputed establishment?

if the answer to these questions is 'yes', then working as a chef may be your true calling. To find out more about how we can help you get there, contact us today on +44 (0)20 7400 3900.

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How to Start a Chef Career | Le Cordon Bleu London

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Here at Le Cordon Bleu, we work with and have taught some of the world's best chefs. From Michelin-starred head chefs to renowned master pâtissiers, we know what it takes to become a chef, because we have seen it first-hand countless times.

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Take a look at the fascinating hidden world of the UK's anti-terror defence organisation - MI5.

Behind the scenes there is a wide-ranging network of incredibly skilled professionals who work undercover to keep our country safe from foreign and domestic terror. These include computer programmers, translators, code crackers, hackers, civil servants, surveillance operatives and more!

The homepage provides fascinating insight into what it takes, how to become involved and where the MI5 may take you.

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Keep an eye out for lots of resources and information coming your way this week, all about apprenticeships and what a brilliant way they can be to kickstart your career in a field that you love.
Work, earn, learn - at the same time!

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This is a brilliant resource which offers information and guidance on a whole range of careers. Please take time to use this site and have a look at some of the diverse and interesting pathways they discuss!

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22 March 2022

Student Resource: Spring into Success Careers Roadmap

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Looking to get your dream job? Check out our blog. It's packed with expert career and revision tips, insider advice on top industries and much more.

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This Spotlight focuses on the new and growing trend of 'influencers'. This is now a well-established and far-reaching phenomenon which hundreds, if not thousands, of young people around the world now call their career. However, with the appearance of glamour, money and fame comes a range of dangers and pitfalls.

The global reach of social media is at an all-time high, and this reach has now been utilised by a number of young people who have spotted an opportunity to make money, whilst boosting their own profile. Influencers are individuals who use a growing follower base to promote products, companies, events and other commodities to accumulate wealth, along with a growing number of social media followers and online exposure. This can lead to some of the most successful influencers earning millions of pounds via platforms like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

There are a number of successful stories of influencers who have changed their lives by taking a risk and investing their time in this growing industry. Equally, there are stories of those who have fallen victim to its wide range of dangers and risks. The impact of influencer culture can affect the mental health of its beneficiaries and followers, generate negative perceptions in the media, and ultimately lead to some outcomes which have left people worse off than before.

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What is an Influencer? - Social Media Influencers Defined [Updated 2022]

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What is an Influencer? An influencer is an individual who has the power to affect purchase decisions of others because of his/her authority, knowledge, position or relationship with his/her audience.. Micro influencers are normal everyday people who have become known for their knowledge about some s…

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It is certainly not an easy time to be a politician (if there ever is an easy time!). In spite of world conflicts, global pandemics, energy crises and a rapidly changing political landscape, politicians are constantly under the public eye, and every move is scrutinised. Being a politician means that your job will inevitably divide opinion and strike up debates, but ultimately can lead to meaningful action for the benefit of your community or country.

As with many careers, politics is one that comes with many sacrifices. However, it can also offer great reward and fulfilment for those who excel. Have a look at the resources below to get more of a taste of what a career in politics can look like, and why it does not just mean becoming an MP or Prime Minister! Alex McDermott (featured below) also proves that politics is certainly not limited to the elder statesmen and stateswoman of the world, and is quickly becoming a young person's game!

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Alex McDermott MYP: Votes at 16 UKYP House of Commons Debate Speech

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This edition centres on the incredible work that midwives do, and what their job entails. It is one of the most rewarding jobs there is - but this of course comes with difficult times, linked to stress and trauma. However, the amazing stories that midwives have to tell, along with the profound impact they have on the lives of young mothers and their babies makes them true game-changers and really inspirational people.

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Considering a career in midwifery? Find out how to get there, and what to expect along the way

What does a midwife do?

Being a midwife is more than just delivering babies. A midwife is usually the first and main contact for the woman during her pregnancy, throughout labour and the early postnatal period. She is responsible for providing care and supporting women to make informed choices about their care.

The role of the midwife is diverse. Midwives carry out clinical examinations, provide health and parent education and support women and their families throughout the childbearing process to help them adjust to their parental role. The midwife also works in partnership with other health and social care services to meet individual women's needs; for example, young adults, women who are socially excluded, disabled and from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

Midwives are responsible for their own individual practice and have a statutory responsibility to keep up to date with current knowledge. The title 'midwife' and the function of a midwife is protected in law. For more information visit NHS Health Careers.

Midwives often describe their job as 'privileged'

The best way to get a sense of what it's like to be a midwife is to listen to midwives talking about their career and why they chose to work in this field.

Former Director for England RCM Jacque Gerrard talks about what's it like to be a midwife:

Catherine Cummings, Head of Midwifery explains why she chose midwifery as a career:

To hear from other midwives, visit the NHS Careers website.

For more details on pay, conditions, eligibility requirements and gaining work experience, refer to the information below.

How midwives work

Midwives work in all health care settings; for example, in the maternity unit of a large general hospital, in smaller stand-alone maternity units, in private maternity hospitals, in group practices, at birth centres, with general practitioners and in the community.

The majority of midwives practice within the NHS, working with other midwives or as part of a small team, with other health care professionals such as obstetricians, neonatologists, anaesthetists, general practitioners, health visitors and support staff. There are also a small group of midwives who practice within social enterprise schemes.

Once registered, midwives can use their qualification to work in other health care settings such as special baby care units (SCBU) / neonatal intensive care units (NICU). Some midwives become specialists in areas such as diabetes or public health and perinatal mental health. There are also opportunities to work in research and or education.

Midwives can be found practising in many areas and frequently go on to develop their professional expertise and education to higher levels.

Midwives provide woman-centred integrated care, which requires them to work shifts over 7 days of the week including day and night duty. Many midwives have on-call rotas and work both within a hospital or community setting such as birth centres, midwifery led units and a woman's home.

Pay and Conditions

The majority of midwives' pay and working conditions are determined by the NHS pay system called Agenda for Change (AfC). A newly qualified midwife's salary starts at £28,050 per year excluding payment for living supplements, unsocial hours and on call rota (AfC 2018/19).

Frequently asked questions about becoming a midwife

You can become a midwife by undertaking a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) approved degree course and university leading to a midwifery qualification with NMC registration. The EU (European Union) requires that the degree is no less than three years, which is equivalent to 156 weeks full time in education and practice.

Another route into midwifery is through a programme called the Pre-registration Midwifery Short Programme. This is at a minimum of a bachelor's degree. This is for registered nurses on the adult part of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register who wish to undertake an additional programme of education and gain a second professional registration. The course comprises a minimum of 80 weeks full-time education and practice.

A list of universities that provide the pre-registration degree in midwifery and the pre-registration short programme can be found on the NMC website.

The minimum requirement for degree courses is two A levels but each university will have its own specific criteria, so it is best to check with the individual institution.

Application to the long course (at least three years full time) degree route is through the University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). If you are applying to do the shortened programme you can currently apply directly to the university. Whichever route you take, you will gain a degree and once you're registered with the NMC, you'll be able to practise as a midwife.

Entry is very competitive, and many students have qualifications and experience higher than the minimum requirements.

There is no "short cut" into midwifery, even if you have a degree you will still be required to complete either a three-year programme or for registered nurses (adult) an 80-week programme.

Further information can be found at www.nhscareers.nhs.uk.

Places on NMC approved degree programmes in midwifery at universities are currently purchased by the NHS. The number of places is decided by the NHS and based on perceived future workforce needs. The RCM is campaigning to increase the number of midwives in the NHS.

Currently all student midwives must be supervised by a qualified midwife, mentor, during their clinical experience which is at least half their training programme. If you have too many student midwives in a maternity unit they would not be able to get sufficient experience or support.

Although there is a national shortage of midwives, the competition for course places is really tough. It is not unusual for there to be 1,000 applicants for 30 places. The better qualifications and experience that you have, the better your chance of securing a place.

You will need to look at the university that you wish to apply to. It is advisable to attend any open evening/open day events they have for midwifery, as this is a great opportunity to gain information about the course and its specific requirements. It will also give you the opportunity to meet current students and discover what the course is really like. You may also get to speak with the midwifery lecturers to find out if you like the way the course is structured, where your clinical placements are likely to be and how much support you can expect when in placement.

Obtaining some work experience in a maternity unit or in a health or social care setting may also be helpful, as is having a conversation with a midwife. It can give you a better view of what the midwife's role is, and can help you to develop an understanding of the wider health issues. It may also cement or make you reassess your plans to become a midwife. Some people seek employment as a support worker, and this can be helpful in giving you an opportunity to work alongside midwives, women and babies, and this gives a picture of what it might be like to be a midwife.

When you have received all the application documentation, it is important that you make every effort to complete the form correctly, neatly, legibly and truthfully. Make a copy and complete a draft first. It is a good idea to then get this looked at by someone else for spelling mistakes and errors and then, when you are happy with it, complete the final form. It is a very good idea to keep a copy of this, as during your interview you are likely to be asked questions about your past experiences and any statements you have made on your application.

You will need to prepare a very strong personal statement to highlight the personal qualities and skills that would make you a good midwife. You will not be expected to be an expert on what a midwife does, but they will expect you to have done some preparation. Consider what skills and qualities a midwife needs and then identify what skills and experience you have that will be of relevance.

Applications for degree programmes should be submitted to the UCAS in the autumn of the year before the course starts.

If you are invited for an interview, you should make some time to prepare for it. You should be given some information about what it will entail. Interviews vary, but often involve some general discussions, group work and role play. Some universities ask you to complete a timed written essay on a topic which you should have been given information about prior to the interview. You may also be asked to complete a short maths test to demonstrate an understanding of basic maths.

As well as the above, there will be a one-to-one interview, usually with at least two interviewers who are likely to be a university lecturer and a practising midwife.

To give yourself your best chance during this interview, you should prepare in advance so that you are well informed about recent news related to midwifery, infant and other health care-related issues. This might mean watching the news and reading the papers for a few months beforehand and looking on the internet for useful websites. There are websites for women who are pregnant or who have recently had babies; these websites might give you an insight into what motherhood is like if you have not experienced this for yourself, and if you have, what it can be like for others.

All of this preparation will ensure you have a good understanding of the role of the midwife and what support they can offer new parents. Then, if you are asked what a midwife does, you will be less likely to respond "delivers babies" but will instead be able to demonstrate that you have a sound understanding of what the role actually involves.

The courses are demanding as you will be undertaking academic study whilst also working clinical shifts. You therefore need to be able to demonstrate that you have an understanding of the rigours and demands of the course, that you are able to organise your time effectively and that you have as much support as possible from your partner, family and friends.

You will need to demonstrate an understanding of what constitutes care and support in a formal, statutory environment, such as the NHS, as well as those formed from community initiatives. It is important that you are aware that the role and responsibilities of qualified nurses are different from those of qualified midwives. This is quite a complicated issue which revolves around what the midwife is legally able to undertake on their own responsibility ('professional autonomy'), without needing medical direction or consent.

As mentioned earlier, the competition for every midwifery student place is immense. It is important to maintain perspective and treat the entire application process as a positive learning experience. Try to get some feedback from the university if you can and then address their comments and apply again. Persistence is key.

As you might imagine, many people are applying to get some work experience prior to applying for a midwifery place. The best way forward is to contact the Head of Midwifery Services at your local maternity unit, and request a placement or shadowing opportunity, providing details of name, address, age and school. We recommend that you make it very clear that you are interested in pursuing a career in midwifery, and what point you are at in terms of that journey. This puts you at an advantage over someone who makes a request because they are generally interested in working in a hospital or with babies.

Placements will vary in length - you may be offered a day or a couple of days, or a week of experience, perhaps even more. It depends very much on the volume of other people, and whether there is a midwife that you can shadow and observe. Another choice would be to find a placement that would illustrate your skills in communication/working with people etc., then you can show how you would apply those skills to maternity care. Things like volunteer work can be really useful, especially as it helps to build confidence in talking to people.

In England, unless self funding, all new student midwives are required to take out maintenance and tuition loans.

For information about funding, please visit these resources:

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What does a midwife do? Being a midwife is more than just delivering babies. A midwife is usually the first and main contact for the woman during her pregnancy, throughout labour and the early postnatal period. She is responsible for providing care and supporting women to make informed choices about their care.

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Spotlight is back this year, and shedding light on a wide range of careers and pathways that might help inform some of your ambitions for the future. If not, hopefully each edition will provide some interesting information for you to dig into.

This week's edition focuses on the world of game design - an industry which continues to grow exponentially. Video games are more popular than every, and technology continues to expand the boundaries of what is possible. Modern games are incredibly realistic and immersive, and behind each game is an incredible team of professionals who range from programming and coding, to story building and visual art.

Game design can be studied in a range of academic institutions, but can also be experienced via apprenticeships. It is perfectly suited to people who are creative and have a love of gaming, but also offers great earning potential for those who are more technologically inclined, and want to focus more on the coding side of things.

One of the leading companies in game design, Creative Assembly, is actually based in Horsham! We will be looking to collaborate with them in the near future so look out for some exciting events!

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What is game design?

From Mario Kart to Minecraft, FIFA to Final Fantasy, video games have played a huge role in many of our lives. Christmas mornings were spent unwrapping, loading up, and getting to know the next best game that year. Coming on leaps and bounds in the past decade, video games have gone from a niche hobby to a multi-billion pound industry of simulation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Far more than a pastime, video games have become a social way of life for people of all ages.

But at their heart, they're fun. Being able to design, write, engineer, and market video games is a skill that very few have, despite the size of the industry. As a graduate of games design, you'll be uniquely equipped to combine your technical and creative skills to play a part in the happiness of millions of people around the world.

Games design entry requirements

There are no specific course entry requirements for this niche degree. While many universities would like to see maths and computing on your list of qualifications, to help with the coding and programming element of a games design course, they're not essential. Other subjects like physics, IT, media studies, and design technology will be useful.

More important is your character, so pay close attention to your personal statement. You should demonstrate both the technical (analytics, data handling, and programming) and creative (curiosity, artistic direction, and innovation) qualities that make up a successful games designer. Remember to tailor your application to the specialism of games design that you want to develop.

A levels - Entry requirements range from CCD to BBB, with the universities and colleges most commonly asking for BBC.

Scottish Highers - Entry requirements for Highers (the most common qualification) range from BBBB to AABBB, with universities or colleges most frequently requiring ABBBB. Occasionally, universities ask for Advanced Highers to supplement Highers. If Advanced Highers are requested, universities or colleges typically ask for CCC.

Vocational courses - Other Level 3/Level 6 qualifications (e.g. Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma, or an SCQF Level 6) may be accepted as an alternative to A levels/Highers by some providers. It's essential that you check alternative entry requirements with universities or colleges.

I'd like to become a games designer, but my maths isn't great...

Don't worry, that's what calculators are for. Maths isn't a big part of the job for many games designers, particularly if you're in the creative department dealing with illustration and animation.

Why study game design at university?

The video game sector is booming, and showing no signs of slowing down. Digital purchases of games have recently overtaken film and music combined, and video game tournaments are now offering multi-million-pound prize pools for their winners. With a degree in games design, you're giving yourself an entry point into one of the hottest industries on the planet. And even if you change your mind during your degree, your design, programming, coding, and engineering skills are going to be sought after in all parts of the technology and computing sector.

Your unique combination of technical and creative skills will set you up with great employability prospects in lucrative industries, ranging from software development to data science. But if you pursue a career in one of the 2,000 UK-based game design studios, as most graduates do, you'll have the opportunity to work on digital media that is playing a greater part in society by the day. Whether it's a classic beat 'em up for the arcade, or a bespoke simulation to help fighter pilots in the military, you won't be leaving work bored.

Some modules you may study are:

Character animation techniques

A.I. scripting for games

Algorithms and data structures

Computer games marketing

Indie game development

Experimental gameplay

Games engine creation

Theory of games design

Should I be searching for a course with a placement year?

This is all down to personal preference, but spending a year working in the video game industry would only increase your chances of getting a job. At the cost of delaying your graduation by a year, you can potentially spend one of your years working with a games design studio, giving you that invaluable 'stand-out' experience.

What can you do with a game design degree?

A games design degree will be most useful when applying for these jobs after university:

But don't underestimate its use in other sectors too:

What's it like to study game design?

You'll spend an average of 15 hours per week in the classroom with your tutor, but expect to spend much more than this in the studio working on your ideas. This is in keeping with the jobs you'll find yourself in, which will involve lots of collaborative work as you strive to produce the best possible experience for the player.

Game design is a very vocational course, meaning it's more focussed on real-world skills and less on academic theory and learning. Everything you're taught will be useful in your future job, so from the start you'll be encouraged to think like a games designer or developer. You'll be given the skills and freedom to develop your own ideas, and part of the curriculum will be to design and prototype your own games. You'll have to pitch them and develop your skills in digital asset creation, wire-framing, and 3D modelling.

But like all degrees, you'll start with the basics. The core theories, concepts and methods of game design will help you decide where your passion and specialist skills might lie. Computer science will be at the heart of everything, and the knowledge you collect throughout your course would prove useful in many other sectors including media, technology, marketing, and entertainment.

Game design undergraduates can expect the following tasks during their studies:

writing reports and essays

attending lectures and seminars

hearing from industry speakers

creative workshops

technical labs

placements and industry experience

project and group work

Are you considering an accelerated degree? Click here to read more about the possibility of completing your undergraduate course in two years rather than three.

Study for a degree in IT and digital while earning at the same time. Listen to our brand new podcast on degree apprenticeships from our expert panel, hosted by Radio 1's Katie Thistleton.

Apprenticeships

If you want to combine work and study while earning a salary, you could consider an apprenticeship. Which apprenticeships are available, and how you apply, depends on where you live.

Find out more about apprenticeships across the UK.

There are nearly 20 apprenticeships in the digital sector available in England, with more in development.

Each apprenticeship sets out occupational standards for specific job roles, designed by employers. The standards outline the skills, knowledge, and behaviours required to demonstrate that an apprentice is fully competent in the job role.

Higher apprenticeships (Level 4)

Degree apprenticeships (Levels 5 - 7)

Discover more about apprenticeships in game design

Our guide has all the info you need to know about doing an apprenticeship in this industry. Find out what it's really like from current apprentices and decide if it's the right route for you.
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Thinking about studying games design? Find out why you should study it, entry requirements, and what jobs you can do with a games design degree.