People often assume that high-profile careers come with big paychecks. In reality, jobs with lots of visibility don’t always pay as much as you might think. “Glamour, for all it is worth, may not be worth very much financially,” says Lori Gersh Weiner, career expert and the author of “Good Manners Are Contagious.”

Here are some high-profile jobs that probably don’t pay as well as you think:

Local news anchors
Since they often become local “celebrities,” many people assume their favorite news anchors earn an enviable salary. That’s often not true, especially in small markets. Entry-level news anchors earn approximately $27,000 a year upon entering the profession, and can earn as little as $30,000 after 5 years of service. Of course, wages depend on the viewership and network range, but even midsize city “celebrities” often maintain multiple jobs to provide for themselves. In Cincinnati, for example, reporters typically earn only $40,000, while salaries for those in the big leagues can be as much as half a million.

Local and state politicians
Sure, New York City’s mayor officially makes $225,000 a year–although billionaire Mike Bloomberg declines to take all but one dollar of that–and Barack Obama has a $400,000 salary, but their small-town counterparts and state politicians usually make a fraction of that. In Mississippi, for example, state legislators make $10,000 a year (plus a per diem rate to cover expenses while they’re in session). The pay level is even lower in small towns, where the mayor and council members often make very little.

Stand-up comics
Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld make a fortune now, but that certainly wasn’t the case in their early days, when they were doing stand-up at small clubs. Many TV audiences’ perception of stand-up salaries is skewed by well-known comedians of late night television. However, people trying to get into the industry often have to settle initially for unpaid amateur nights and, once they have been accepted into the community, must compete with other comedians for event slots.

According to the Princeton Review, the average stand-up comic earns around $50 for two 20-minute sets at a comedy club. Many comedians start out by doing “open mike” nights, where they get no pay at all. Unfortunately, very few comedians actually maintain a consistent schedule.

Chefs
“Lots of people think chefs are multimillionaires,” says Eve Tahmincioglu, columnist for MSNBC’s Your Career. “But if they don’t have book deals and they’re not on TV, they’re pretty much living paycheck to paycheck. Cooks probably make about $13 an hour, and unless you’re an executive chef, you probably make under $50,000.”

Minor-league athletes
They may sign autographs and perhaps even have their own trading cards, but these athletes don’t earn big-league bucks. Minor-league baseball players, for example, have a $1,100-per-month maximum rate for their first contract season. Even a major-league athlete isn’t necessarily guaranteed a big payday–Canadian Football League players often have second jobs during the off season.

Furthermore, Olympic athletes get the glory, but unless they are lucky enough to star in commercials or have endorsement deals, they don’t bring home the bacon. In Canada, it’s estimated that 70 percent of amateur athletes live below the poverty line.

Authors
For every J.K. Rowling who hits it big, there are thousands of authors (and aspiring authors) toiling away for little or no money. “There are many would-be authors still writing their first book and thinking they will make millions for it,” says Weiner. “Think again. Writing a book, unless you are a big name in the business, doesn’t make the ‘pay grade.’”

Comic-book artists or video game animators
These jobs may have some nice perks–the opportunity to work on cool projects, the potential to develop a cult following, and even the occasional Comic-Con appearance–but the pay is usually not as high as people might think. According to Animation Arena, a video game artist with a few years experience will make around $41,500 on average. For animators and artists, the real money comes if they work on a project that attracts attention from Hollywood, a major game company, or a big publisher.

The bottom line
Becoming a small-town “star” can be very cool, but it doesn’t guarantee a big paycheck. So don’t assume that a local celebrity or a high-profile personality is making the big bucks. In reality, they may earn less than you.

• CD’s also known as certificates of deposit are currently offering rate as high as 4.62% If you place your money in a CD plan not to access it for a set amount of time and be aware that early withdrawals accrue penalties
• The Money Market aka MMDA is a close cousin of the checking account. Currently they average a return of 2.07% and you have access to your money;however there are a few conditions. Some  require a minimum opening balance and/or limit the number of transactions a month.
• The Savings  Bond, the old faithful of investing. Savings bonds are insured by the government and essentially for purchasing and forgetting about them. It takes a while for bonds to mature and early withdrawal penalties can be severe. Bonds currently offer a return of between  3.25% and 3.67%

These are just a few ideas to get you started and there many other options ways to save and make your money grow. So now that you information Visionaries be encouraged and be empowered.

• Public employees make an average of $13.38 an hour vs $7.98 in the private sector

• A full time government employee receives an average of $27,830 per year in benefits vs $16,598 in the private sector.

Those are just two key points to consider, but there many other benefits including flexible scheduling including but limited to working a four day week. President Obama has also enacted the Public Loan Forgiveness Program which allows debt to be forgiven for individuals who work in public service for at least 10yrs and make the required 120

1. Get to know who you are. This is the first and most crucial step in figuring out you career goals. What are your likes and dislikes? What are your values? What type of enviroments best suit you? Self analysis will make it easier to identify what careers interest you.

2.Do your research. Talk to people in the career fields that interest you. Find out the average salary. Know the working conditions for various jobs. Dig deeper there may a greater demand for certain careers in different parts of the country or even parts of the world. The occupational outlook handbook is a great resource for this type of information.

3.Do what you do best. Everyone has something that they do well. Every skill has its place and there is someone somewhere in need of your speciality. It would be to your advantage to work in fields that allow you to display your talents.

4. Sharpen your universal skills. Whether you are looking to be employed or aiming to be an employer, you will need top notch communication skills. Being able to write and speak well is key in business and will unlock doors that will remain permanently closed to those who do not posses these skills.

5.Seek Spiritual Guidance. For those of you who believe in a higher power seeking guidance from that power may be the best source of advice and will leading to a fulfilling and rewarding future. Be Encouraged Visionaries.

Visionaries if you are looking for a way to get involved this summer and enhance your resume I have the perfect program for you.

Institute on Philanthropy and Voluntary Service
June and July 2010
Georgetown University, Washington, DC

Sponsored by The Fund for American Studies in partnership with Georgetown University, the Institute is a summer academic internship program held in Washington, D.C. for undergraduate students interested in volunteerism and careers in the nonprofit sector.

The Institute combines substantive professional experience for 30 hours a week with a challenging academic experience. This fast-paced, eight-week residential program provides students from around the world with the opportunities to gain an edge in today’s competitive job market and graduate school admissions, and experience the excitement of Washington first-hand.

* Internships – Competitive placements with leading nonprofit organizations
* Classes – Up to 9 transferable credits in ethics and philanthropy from Georgetown University
* Housing – Roommate matching and furnished on-campus apartments in the heart of D.C.
* Service – A variety of hands-on community projects
* Guest Lectures – With Washington’s top nonprofit executives and scholars
* Leadership & Professional Development – Leadership, mentoring and career building activities
* Networking – With seasoned nonprofit professionals and top student leaders from around the world
* Scholarships – Over half of all students receive full or partial funding based on merit and financial need

The Institute will be held in June & July, 2010. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until March 5, 2010 . Students who complete their application by the early deadline of December 4, 2009 will receive a 5% tuition discount as well as priority scholarship consideration and internship placement.

For more information and to begin an online application, please visit the website www.DCinternships.org/IPVS .

In today’s economic climate many people are embarking on what seems to be an endless job search only to hear those discouraging words “We aren’t hiring at this time” Well be not dismayed because someone is hiring and that someone happens to be the largest employer in the United States: The Federal Government. The federal government employs nearly 2 million people.

In the next two years nearly 193,000 critical jobs will open and 60% of the federal workforce can retire in the next 10 yrs. So what does that mean for you? Now is the time to start preparing your federal resume and start applying for those federal positions, but why you ask. Visionaries aside from the awesome the job security that comes with working for the government there are several other benefits that include: student loan repayment (some agencies may pay as much as 10,000 per year) outstanding medical and retirement benefits, and the opportunity for pay advancement within the first few years of service. There is a position for every major in the Federal Government, but you have to do your research and present yourself in the most professional way. Below you will find a list of website that contain a wealth of information on Federal jobs and can help you navigate the extensive federal application process.

www.makingthedifference.org
www.usajobs.gov
www.studentjobs.gov