美國最新潮職業：博客作者也能賺大錢170萬人營利
華爾街日報 2009-04-29
當今美國，靠寫博客為生的人幾乎跟律師一樣多。通過將自己的觀點貼在網上來獲得主要收入的美國人已經多過電腦程序員或是消防隊員了。
收費博客作者幾乎符合“微趨勢”的所有定義：過去幾年中，他們的人數迅猛增長；寫博客已經成了一種重大的社會文化運動，人們對之熱情高漲；而靠寫博客賺錢的人占美國成年人口的比例已接近1%。
我們所能找到的最好的研究顯示，美國博客作者總人數超過2,000萬，其中170萬人從中營利，而45.2萬人以博客寫作為主要收入來源。將近200萬人通過設置關鍵詞、發貼或是點擊量得到報酬－－無論是他們自己網站的點擊量還是去點擊別人的網站。也就是說，像鮑勃-迪倫(Bob Dylan)在歌曲《卡特颶風》(Hurricane Carter)裡唱的那樣，將近50萬人都可以說，這是我的工作，我幹這個就是為了掙錢。
這種情況可能讓我們成了全世界最吵鬧、最固執己見的國家。信息時代催生了許多新職業，但博客寫作很可能會是對我們的文化影響最深遠的。如果說新聞記者是第四等級（新聞界的別稱），那博客作者正成為第五等級。
博客最開始只是一個討論革新政見和新技術的論壇，現在內容已經廣泛涉及育兒、醫療衛生、藝術、時尚、牙科……幾乎囊括你能想到的所有生活領域。寫博客最初只是一項自願自發的業餘愛好和宣洩渠道，現在卻成了一個重大的商機，對於新興網站、依賴博客作者觀點的公司以及從事這個新興行業的人而言莫不如此。
從人口統計學的角度看，博客作者的受教育程度極高：四分之三的人為大學畢業。絕大多數為白人男性，收入高於平均水平。三分之一的年輕人說自己寫博客，但成功地以此謀生的博客作者僅佔2%。每月唯一訪問者達到10萬左右才能實現年收入7.5萬美元。一篇好的博客文章報酬可能在75美元至200美元之間，有的博客作者還充當“代言博客”－－廣告商付費讓他們為產品撰寫博客文章。由於這樣的工作完全不需要上下班通勤，因此寫博客沒準是世上最環保的工作了－－同時也可能帶來豐厚的收入。頂級博客站點的收益相當高。在某種程度上，博客網站Huffington Post 的價值無疑超過《華盛頓郵報》(Washington Post)。
這份工作的門檻極低。大多數靠博客掙錢的寫手付費80美元開個博客，從事博客寫作的時間大約在35個月左右，可賺回幾百美元。但有一小群博客作者是真正專門從事博客寫作的，他們在公司供職，擔任薪資豐厚的博客顧問，或是為訪問量很大的網站寫東西。
在公司任職的專職博客作者通常年收入4.5萬-9萬美元。有1%的人年收入在20萬美元以上。這些人的寫作時間也很長，達到每週50-60小時。
寫博客的人越來越多，而同時新聞記者的人數卻顯著下滑。僅華盛頓一地，大報社駐華盛頓的僱員人數現在就比幾年前減少了79%。與此同時，華盛頓也輕鬆地成為了美國最受博客作者關注的城市，如果說不上世界範圍的話。
幾乎沒有博客是通過訂閱營利的；其經濟發展模式是依靠在線廣告。如果讀者點擊網站上的廣告，博客作者就能掙錢。一些網站甚至還以點擊量作為向作者付費的標準，這樣一個體系當然會促使人們追求轟動效應，或是盡一切努力引起讀者關注。
很難想到還有什麼工作會如此迅速地發展，並在沒有任何考試、學位，或是任何監管的前提下成為一支重大的社會力量。現在出現了一大堆有關博客寫作的課程，也許要不了多久就會有哥倫比亞博客學院(Columbia School of Bloggerism)了。現在很多人都對使用Twitter和Facebook上網寫東西以及交友很感興趣，但這些平台無法提供博客寫作這樣的職業機會。自從eBay創立以來，還從沒有這麼多人都可以坐在電腦屏幕前賺錢，甚至是以此謀生。
現在，有數百萬人工投入在了寫作和記錄觀點上，在這樣的情況下，我們得考慮成為世界博客之都是否有助於美國在全球經濟中的競爭。或許所有這些自我批評會讓我們走上正確的道路，幫助我們選擇正確的產品，從而推動我們前進。或許它會帶來寫作藝術和寫作課程的複興。抑或為危機中失業的專業人士充當安全網。但正在逐漸取代整個新聞記者隊伍的近50萬博客作者，他們沒有勞動者保護，沒有強制的道德規範，水平也有限，而且絕大多數都沒有接受過正式的訓練，這些人能撐多久？要知道，就連所謂的“狂野西部”最終也會褪色成“西部”而已。
2010年12月7日 星期二
The 50 Best Careers of 2011
It pays to be smart when choosing your career, particularly now that the job market is (slowly) improving. With the recession officially over, anyone who's out of work or eager to change jobs is on the lookout for opportunities. But where, exactly, are the jobs? Which occupations offer decent salaries, quality of life--and are likely to stick around for the next decade?
Our list of 50 Best Careers answers those questions. We've highlighted dozens of high-opportunity professions--careers you may want to consider as you decide where to look for your next paycheck. Based on job-growth projections, salary data, and other factors like job satisfaction, these occupations span a variety of industries, so you can find the right position for you no matter what your interests.
What's new on the list this year? Several of our picks reflect the recent uptick in the economy, while others are long-time contenders that finally muscled their way onto the roster. With an aging baby boomer generation, healthcare continues to make a strong showing. All of the healthcare jobs on last year's list have made the cut again this year, plus two new positions: massage therapist and athletic trainer. While the field of athletic training doesn't offer the sheer number of positions as nursing or dental hygiene, it outranks nearly all other healthcare occupations for expected job growth.
[See Tips for Landing Jobs on Our List.]
Technology positions also account for a good chunk of our top-choice careers. Computer support specialist joins the ranks this year with upward trending employment numbers. Education administrator, which ranked particularly high for job satisfaction, made it onto our lineup of social service jobs. In the business category, we added sales manager, an occupation that's making a comeback along with the economy.
On our creative and service jobs list, heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration technician is new this year, largely because of its high expected job growth. Interpreter/translator, an occupation that's increasingly in demand as a result of globalization, also made the cut.
To come up with this year's list, U.S. News considered job-growth projections from the Labor Department, estimates for 2008 to 2018, the most recent data available. We narrowed it down to occupations that are expected to add jobs at an above-average rate over the next decade, as well as those that provide an above-average median income. Sales manager makes the highest median annual salary on our list, nearly $97,000. Computer software engineer, physician assistant, meteorologist and education administrator all bring in median average salaries in the mid-$80,000 range.
We also considered, where possible, data on job satisfaction, turnover, and impending retirements, which crank up openings in jobs that may have only slightly above-average employment growth. We talked with labor and industry experts as well, gathering anecdotal evidence about employment prospects and job satisfaction. We excluded careers that lack a statistically significant number of positions and therefore provide opportunity for only a small number of workers. When necessary, we favored jobs that would help diversify our list in terms of category and educational requirements, since not everyone wants to work in healthcare or go to school for six years.
[See 10 Smart Ways to Use Social Media in Your Job Search.]
Most of the jobs that were cut from the list this year showed a higher-than-average unemployment rate or shrinking employment numbers during the last few quarters. From the creative and service jobs category, funeral director, plumber, security system installer, and landscape architect got the boot. In business, we cut market research analyst, loan officer, and cost estimator.
Of course, no one job is best for everyone, and everyone has their own ideas about what makes a job great. "You have to like what you're doing or you're not going to be successful at it," says Emily Bennington, who helps college graduates transition into careers through her company, Professional Studio 365. At the same time, "if you're not getting paid to do it, you're not going to love it for very long."
Qualities that make a job desirable also change with the times and circumstances. Tom Smith, director of the General Social Survey, conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, expects his next set of job-satisfaction data to show that workers value stability more than they did before the recession. "Occupations that have greater job stability perhaps have improved in the public's evaluation," he says.
[For more career advice, visit U.S. News Careers, or find us on Facebook or Twitter.]
Even as hiring picks up, the odds can seem daunting to job seekers. In a struggling economy with a 9.6 percent unemployment rate, competition is stiff even for some jobs that made our list. For every job opening in September, there were about five unemployed people, according to the Labor Department. While that's an improvement from 6.2 people for every job opening in November 2009, the most recent peak, "it's still a very tough job market," says Steve Hipple, an economist at the Labor Department. During the three years before the recession, the rate averaged 1.7 unemployed people for every job opening.
Others like John Challenger, CEO of outplacement company Challenger, Gray & Christmas, are more optimistic. "The whole environment has changed," says Challenger, who talks daily with companies that are hiring, as well as job seekers. "(It's) certainly not gang-busters by any means ... but it feels like springtime compared to last year's winter in the job market."
Whether you're out of work or your job has simply fallen out of favor, you'll likely find an occupation on our list that suits you. For each profession, we've offered a summary of what you can expect on the job, as well as advice from hiring managers and people who work in that industry about how to land one.
Here's our list of the 50 Best Careers of 2011--click each job to learn more:
Business Jobs:
--Accountant
--Actuary
--Financial adviser
--Financial analyst
--Logistician
--Meeting planner
--Public relations specialist
--Sales manager
--Training specialist
Creative and Service Jobs:
--Commercial pilot
--Curator
--Film and video editor
--Gaming manager
--Heating, air conditioning and refrigeration technician
--Interpreter/Translator
--Multimedia artist
--Technical writer
Healthcare Jobs:
--Athletic trainer
--Dental hygienist
--Lab technician
--Massage therapist
--Occupational therapist
--Optometrist
--Physician assistant
--Physical therapist
--Physical therapist assistant
--Radiologic technologist
--Registered nurse
--School psychologist
--Veterinarian
Social Service Jobs:
--Clergy
--Court reporter
--Education administrator
--Emergency management specialist
--Firefighter
--Marriage and family therapist
--Mediator
--Medical and public health social worker
--Special-education teacher
--Urban planner
Technology Jobs:
--Biomedical engineer
--Civil engineer
--Computer software engineer
--Computer support specialist
--Computer systems analyst
--Environmental engineering technician
--Environmental science technician
--Hydrologist
--Meteorologist
--Network architect
Our list of 50 Best Careers answers those questions. We've highlighted dozens of high-opportunity professions--careers you may want to consider as you decide where to look for your next paycheck. Based on job-growth projections, salary data, and other factors like job satisfaction, these occupations span a variety of industries, so you can find the right position for you no matter what your interests.
What's new on the list this year? Several of our picks reflect the recent uptick in the economy, while others are long-time contenders that finally muscled their way onto the roster. With an aging baby boomer generation, healthcare continues to make a strong showing. All of the healthcare jobs on last year's list have made the cut again this year, plus two new positions: massage therapist and athletic trainer. While the field of athletic training doesn't offer the sheer number of positions as nursing or dental hygiene, it outranks nearly all other healthcare occupations for expected job growth.
[See Tips for Landing Jobs on Our List.]
Technology positions also account for a good chunk of our top-choice careers. Computer support specialist joins the ranks this year with upward trending employment numbers. Education administrator, which ranked particularly high for job satisfaction, made it onto our lineup of social service jobs. In the business category, we added sales manager, an occupation that's making a comeback along with the economy.
On our creative and service jobs list, heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration technician is new this year, largely because of its high expected job growth. Interpreter/translator, an occupation that's increasingly in demand as a result of globalization, also made the cut.
To come up with this year's list, U.S. News considered job-growth projections from the Labor Department, estimates for 2008 to 2018, the most recent data available. We narrowed it down to occupations that are expected to add jobs at an above-average rate over the next decade, as well as those that provide an above-average median income. Sales manager makes the highest median annual salary on our list, nearly $97,000. Computer software engineer, physician assistant, meteorologist and education administrator all bring in median average salaries in the mid-$80,000 range.
We also considered, where possible, data on job satisfaction, turnover, and impending retirements, which crank up openings in jobs that may have only slightly above-average employment growth. We talked with labor and industry experts as well, gathering anecdotal evidence about employment prospects and job satisfaction. We excluded careers that lack a statistically significant number of positions and therefore provide opportunity for only a small number of workers. When necessary, we favored jobs that would help diversify our list in terms of category and educational requirements, since not everyone wants to work in healthcare or go to school for six years.
[See 10 Smart Ways to Use Social Media in Your Job Search.]
Most of the jobs that were cut from the list this year showed a higher-than-average unemployment rate or shrinking employment numbers during the last few quarters. From the creative and service jobs category, funeral director, plumber, security system installer, and landscape architect got the boot. In business, we cut market research analyst, loan officer, and cost estimator.
Of course, no one job is best for everyone, and everyone has their own ideas about what makes a job great. "You have to like what you're doing or you're not going to be successful at it," says Emily Bennington, who helps college graduates transition into careers through her company, Professional Studio 365. At the same time, "if you're not getting paid to do it, you're not going to love it for very long."
Qualities that make a job desirable also change with the times and circumstances. Tom Smith, director of the General Social Survey, conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, expects his next set of job-satisfaction data to show that workers value stability more than they did before the recession. "Occupations that have greater job stability perhaps have improved in the public's evaluation," he says.
[For more career advice, visit U.S. News Careers, or find us on Facebook or Twitter.]
Even as hiring picks up, the odds can seem daunting to job seekers. In a struggling economy with a 9.6 percent unemployment rate, competition is stiff even for some jobs that made our list. For every job opening in September, there were about five unemployed people, according to the Labor Department. While that's an improvement from 6.2 people for every job opening in November 2009, the most recent peak, "it's still a very tough job market," says Steve Hipple, an economist at the Labor Department. During the three years before the recession, the rate averaged 1.7 unemployed people for every job opening.
Others like John Challenger, CEO of outplacement company Challenger, Gray & Christmas, are more optimistic. "The whole environment has changed," says Challenger, who talks daily with companies that are hiring, as well as job seekers. "(It's) certainly not gang-busters by any means ... but it feels like springtime compared to last year's winter in the job market."
Whether you're out of work or your job has simply fallen out of favor, you'll likely find an occupation on our list that suits you. For each profession, we've offered a summary of what you can expect on the job, as well as advice from hiring managers and people who work in that industry about how to land one.
Here's our list of the 50 Best Careers of 2011--click each job to learn more:
Business Jobs:
--Accountant
--Actuary
--Financial adviser
--Financial analyst
--Logistician
--Meeting planner
--Public relations specialist
--Sales manager
--Training specialist
Creative and Service Jobs:
--Commercial pilot
--Curator
--Film and video editor
--Gaming manager
--Heating, air conditioning and refrigeration technician
--Interpreter/Translator
--Multimedia artist
--Technical writer
Healthcare Jobs:
--Athletic trainer
--Dental hygienist
--Lab technician
--Massage therapist
--Occupational therapist
--Optometrist
--Physician assistant
--Physical therapist
--Physical therapist assistant
--Radiologic technologist
--Registered nurse
--School psychologist
--Veterinarian
Social Service Jobs:
--Clergy
--Court reporter
--Education administrator
--Emergency management specialist
--Firefighter
--Marriage and family therapist
--Mediator
--Medical and public health social worker
--Special-education teacher
--Urban planner
Technology Jobs:
--Biomedical engineer
--Civil engineer
--Computer software engineer
--Computer support specialist
--Computer systems analyst
--Environmental engineering technician
--Environmental science technician
--Hydrologist
--Meteorologist
--Network architect
2010年12月5日 星期日
WST2/8又多了一個新會員！
WST2/8又多了一個新會員！歡迎 Lien Hsing 加入。這個會員非常的熱心，希望大家繼續努力，在團隊裡一起邁向成功。
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