In clear, easy-to-grasp language, the author covers many of the topics that you will need to know in order to win your dream job and be the first in line for a promotion.

Ferguson's Careers in Focus books are a valuable career exploration tool for libraries and career centers. Written in an easy-to-understand yet informative style, this series surveys a wide array of commonly held jobs and is arranged into volumes organized by specific industries and interests. Each of these informative books is loaded with up-to-date career information presented in a featured industry article and a selection of detailed professions articles. The information here has been researched, vetted, and analyzed by Ferguson's editors, drawing from government and industry sources, professional groups, news reports, career and job-search resources, and a variety of other sources. For readers making career choices, these books offer a wealth of helpful information and resources.

IT IS POSSIBLE THAT YOU ALREADY know that you want to make a career for yourself in the jewelry industry and may already have begun your life's work. In fact, some of the most famous jewelers working today began selling their work in high school. Unlike many other careers, being a jewelry designer and maker does not require a college education or any specialized degree, although there are industry certifications that can be very useful as you progress in your career, and the broad range of knowledge to be gained by attending college can be useful from both a creative and a business standpoint. Nevertheless, if the creative urge has hit you at an early age, and you discover that making beautiful things by hand is a source of satisfaction, becoming a jeweler could be the career for you. While you may be starting out on your own as a jewelry maker, it is important to understand that this is an industry with large-scale manufacturers, national wholesalers, and extensive retail chains, as well as individuals who handle their own sales in addition to being the creators of their work. As you continue to make and market your own jewelry, you may find it necessary to hold a regular job in the industry, even if it is simply your local jewelry retailer. You may need employment with an established jeweler or jewelry company just to support yourself. You may also want to do this for educational purposes in order to learn some specialized technique directly from a master craftsperson who works for a certain company. If you are making your own jewelry, whether exclusively or part time while working for another jeweler, you will want to market your work as effectively as possible. There are a great many outlets for the individual jeweler including crafts shops, flea markets and farmers markets, and Internet marketplaces. Crafts shops may be focused on artists who use materials from the local environment, such as a shop in a coastal town that features jewelry that is made with sea glass. Flea markets and farmers markets tend to be open on weekends, which is perfect if you are also holding down a job during regular business hours. Internet marketplaces are, of course, open 24/7 and you can upload images of your work and handle sales on your own schedule. Besides these outlets, there is nothing except a licensing fee that prevents you from setting up a pushcart with your work in any highly trafficked area such as a retail mall, or a downtown business neighborhood where lunchtime shoppers can take a few moments away from their other chores to browse through your collection. Being a designer and jewelry maker is not the only way to participate in the jewelry industry. Two important categories of jewelry industry professionals are gemologists and appraisers. Gemologists typically are called upon to certify the authenticity, quality, and characteristics of gemstones. Jewelry appraisers examine jewelry to determine the value of a particular item. Both of these professionals find work with jewelry companies or individual stores, appraisal firms, auction houses, pawnbrokers, and insurance companies. They may operate their own independent businesses as well. This new Careers Ebook contains a wealth of unbiased information about an occupational field, based on the latest national surveys. Careers Ebooks cover attractive and unattractive sides, opportunities, education necessary, personal qualifications required, earnings, descriptions of different job specialties, first person accounts by those in the field, and how to get started; including practical advice on what to do now. There are live links to schools and colleges, associations, periodicals and other sources of reliable information.

Jeweler's Resource is written as a unique & practical tool for the bench jeweler. It also serves as the most complete counter reference available to the retail jeweler. It has become a standard reference in the jewelry industry. This revised & expanded edition includes new sections on diamond grading standards, enhanced ring size information, additional metal weight charts & formulae & an expanded 550 entry glossary. The easy-to-follow text & illustrations allow for the explanation of many aspects of gems & jewelry. The author has included extensive listings of gems & gem properties, complete lists of birthstones & birthstone alternatives, diagrams of more than 40 gems cutting styles, metaphysical properties of gems, the composition & standards of all common jewelry metals & solders & numerous formulas & chemical preparations. Additional features are a complete listing of international ring sizes, mathematical formulas for jewelers, comprehensive measurement conversion tables & FTC standards for diamond, gold & silver marketing. This award winning author's 33 years as a jewelry maker & 25 years as a jewelry educator have combined to make the text both comprehensive & understandable. Contact: Jewelers Press, PO Box 103, Eastlake, CO 80614. Fax or Phone (303) 452-7764

Occupational Outlook Handbook has the most authoritative career data available, compiled by the U.D. government, and is fully updated every two years With record numbers of students graduating from college, there is a need for comprehensive, up-to-date career information “Related occupations” included in each listing introduces readers to other jobs of possible interest

Describes 250 occupations which cover approximately 107 million jobs.