你的工作梦想值得实现吗？
在你有一份安稳工作的时候，你可能会幻想着可以开一家你梦寐以求的宠物日托中心，或者为了成为糕点师傅而辞掉工作去参加培训。
But before you give up your steady paycheck -- or sink your unemployment checks into training or startup costs -- you need to know what you're getting into.
但是在你放弃目前稳定的收入----或将你的失业金用来培训或创业前，你最好先想清楚你要从事的工作是什么。
"The biggest mistake a person can make is to jump into a new field because it 'sounds cool,'" said Alexandra Levit, author of How'd You Score That Gig? A Guide to the Coolest Jobs (and How to Get Them). "You have to do your homework."
“一个人所犯的最大的错误，就是仅仅一份工作听起来很酷，就跳到一个全新的工作领域去。Alexandra Levit在书中说：“你需要做好功课。”
Researching salary, job requirements, and employment outlook through sites like the Occupational Outlook Handbook and Path101 is just the tip of the iceberg, Levit said. Testing the waters to see if you even like wrangling dogs or baking cakes five days a week is also essential.
Levit说：“通过一些求职网站调查一份职业的薪水，职业要求以及职业前景只能算冰山一角。试试水同样重要，你是否可以一周5天都可以忍受吵个不停的小狗，或每天都有做蛋糕的兴趣。”
To try before you buy, "Look for a part-time internship or volunteer position in your new field, or sign up for an adult education class or workshop," Levit suggested. Other homework:
Levit建议：买之前试一试：你想辞职开始一份新工作之前，先在相关领域找份兼职工作或者是志愿者的工作，或者参加成人教育。其他需要提前做好的功课还有：
Networking online and off to find people with your dream career who will give you the inside scoop over a cup of coffee (your treat!) or let you shadow them for a day.
邀请一个从事你梦寐以求的工作的人（网上的或生活中的）喝杯咖啡，让他们告诉你一些关于这份工作的内幕。或者请他们让你代替工作一天。
While we can't help you with the field testing, we can jumpstart your research. Herewith, a sneak peek at some salaries, job outlooks, and insider details of seven of the most coveted careers.
虽然我们不能帮助你做实地测试，但是我们可以帮你调查。在此，我们向您揭秘密七个最梦寐以求的工作的薪水，前景以及一些工作中的细节问题。
1. Web entrepreneur.
网络创办人。
The beauty of starting a Web business is that you can do it on a shoestring. Just ask Michelle Madhok of New York, who founded the online shopping empire SheFinds.com in 2004. "I only paid $500 for the first website," Madhok said. "All in all, I probably spent about $20,000 on lawyers, insurance, trademarks, and government documents." And while Madhok isn't earning as much as she did in her last day job, the rewards of being her own boss are "more fulfilling than any corporate paycheck could ever be."
创办网络的好处在于你可以白手起家。你可以去问问纽约的Michelle Madhok，他在2004年创建了网络商店帝国SheFinds.com。他说：“我只支付了500美元的网站费用，总的说来，我在律师，保险，商标以及政府文件方面花了20，000美元。”虽然她所挣的钱并没有她上份工作的多，但是再多的薪水也是没办法和自我创业带来的满足相比的。
Web project manager, median annual salary: $63,182.
网络项目经理的平均年薪是：$63,182.
2. Winemaker.
酿酒师。
Cash-strapped consumers may be eating in more, but that hasn't stopped them from enjoying a glass of wine with dinner. A recent study by wine marketing firm VinterActive reported that U.S. wineries expect consumer sales to increase by 5 to 10 percent in 2009. For aspiring vintners, a love of the vine and taking some classes in the trade are a must. Most pay their dues by harvesting grapes at a winery or working in a wine-country tasting room before being charged with making more technical decisions that affect the flavor and quality of the wine.
拮据的消费者可能会更多的吃东西，但是这并不会阻碍他们在吃饭的时候喝上一杯小酒。最近，葡萄酒营销公司VinterActive的一份研究调查报道显示，2009年美国的红酒销售量预计增长5到10个百分点。有抱负的葡萄酒商，必须热爱葡萄树，以及精通大部分的葡萄酒品种。大部分酿酒师都是先在葡萄酒酿酒厂工作，或在乡村品酒室工作，一步一步的了解葡萄酒，然后才能成为合格的酿酒师， 做出影响葡萄酒风格以及质量的重大技术决定。
Winemaker, median annual salary: $57,723.
酿酒师的平均年收入：$57,723
3. Doggie daycare owner.
宠物日托所老板。
With pets living in 63 percent of all U.S. households, according to a Lifetime Networks survey, and many pet owners continuing to spend on their four-legged friends despite the recession, there's ample opportunity in pet care. But running a doggie daycare center is more than rubbing bellies, handing out treats, and wrangling the pack. "As much as you are working with animals for a living, you are also working with their owners," says Erika Teschke, owner of Erika's Pet Service, a pet sitting and dog walking company in Seattle. In other words, people skills are a must.
一份网络的终身调查报告显示，全美有63%的家庭都养有宠物。尽管经济不景气，但是很多宠物主还是愿意为宠物花钱，所以说在宠物照顾方面有着巨大的商机。照看宠物不仅仅是帮它揉揉肚子，或梳妆打扮而已。“如果你是依靠照顾宠物维生的话，你同时也是和他们的主人打交道。”西雅图一家宠物公司的老板Erika Teschke说。换句话说，与人打交道的技巧是必需的。
Dog sitter, median annual salary: $44,181.
宠物照看员平均年薪：$44,181
4. Voiceover artist.
配音艺术家。
As with acting, the competition for the voiceover work you hear in commercials, radio, TV, film, video games, and corporate videos can be daunting. Honing your craft with a vocal coach or in an acting or voiceover training workshop is a must. So is creating a professional demo recording -- which will run you anywhere from several hundred to a several thousand dollars. While many voiceover artists boost their rate by joining the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists or the Screen Actors Guild, union membership is not necessary to work in the field.
商业广告，广播，电视，电影，视频游戏和企业宣传片中的配音艺术家同样需要演技，而这份工作中巨大的竞争可能会让你望而生畏。向一位声乐教练或参加培训班学习配音技巧及演技是每个配音艺术家的必经步骤。如此打造的专业配音技巧可以让你不管到哪里都可以挣到几百甚至上千美元。虽然，有的配音艺术家为了提高知名度而加入了美国广播电视艺人联合会或演员工会，但是联合会会员却不需要做配音员的工作。
出色的配音艺术家人均年收入：$45,317
Voice-over talent, median annual salary: $45,317.
5. Forensic scientist.
刑事鉴识科专家。
Forensic scientists often work in crime scene labs, analyzing DNA, fingerprints, weapons, and other evidence, and sometimes testifying in court. At minimum, a two-year science degree is required, though a four-year degree will get you farther. According to the BLS, job growth in the field is on the rise. But don't be fooled into thinking forensic science looks anything like it does on CSI. Forensic scientists do far more paperwork than their TV counterparts, and they don't interrogate suspects or have holographic computer programs to do all their work for them.
刑事鉴识科专家经常在犯罪现场实验室工作，分析DNA，手印，武器以及其他犯罪证据，有时候他们也需要出庭作证。两年的科学家学位是最基本的，而四年的学位可以让你获得更好的发展。根据BLS调查显示，该行业的职业需求量正在上升。但是如果你认为刑事鉴识科专家的工作就是做情景剧CSI里播放的那些事情，那就很愚蠢了。比起电视里的角色，刑事鉴识科专家需要做更多的文件工作，并且他们不能审问嫌疑犯，或者使用全息电脑程序去完成所有的工作。
Forensic scientist, median annual salary: $55,037.
刑事鉴识科专家的平均年收入：$55,037.
6. Pastry chef.
糕点厨师。
As with alcohol, sweets remain in high demand during recessions, according to the New York Times article, "When Economy Sours, Tootsie Rolls Soothe Souls." If you're hoping to cash in on the country's collective sweet tooth by becoming a pastry chef, getting a solid education at a baking school or pastry chef college can help give you a competitive edge. Restaurants, bakeries, and hotels all hire pastry chefs, and some go into business for themselves. But the job isn't all frosted-pink roses: Pastry chefs are on their feet much of the workday. And depending where they work, their day may begin at 3 or 4 in the morning.
纽约时报上的一篇"When Economy Sours, Tootsie Rolls Soothe Souls."的文章显示，在经济不景气时期，甜点的销量如同酒一样，都是居高不下的。如果你期望成为一名糕点厨师，将全国甜食爱好者的钱纳入私囊，那么，在一家烘焙学校或甜点厨师学院获得坚实的教育能增大你求职的竞争力。餐馆，面包店以及旅馆都需要雇佣糕点厨师，还有一些人是自主创业。但是这份工作也不尽是无限风光，糕点厨师每天大部分时间都要站着。并且根据他们工作地点的不同，有的可能凌晨3、4点钟就要开始工作。
Pastry chef, median annual salary: $41,288.
糕点厨师的平均年薪：$41,288
7. Travel writer.
旅行作家。
Recent media cutbacks have made travel writing gigs much harder to find. But for those willing to hustle, "Freelance opportunities seem to be on the rise, as staffs dwindle," says freelance travel writer and instructor Amanda Castleman. "Many folks are creating their own platforms: blogs, e-zines, and online destination guides." That's not to say it's an easy life. "My typical itinerary for a 'leisure adventure' story may include 30 minutes of downtime from 6:30 am to midnight," says freelance travel writer Crai Bower. "We are also alone for a huge amount of our time so, six-course meal or not, it gets old. All this said, would I do anything else? No bloody way!"
如今媒体的剪辑技术让旅行作家更难发挥其摄影水平。但是对于那些愿意冒险的人来说“因为人数的减少，自由作家的工作机会似乎增大了。” Amanda Castleman是一位自由旅行作家，也是一位讲师，他说：“很多人开创了自己的舞台，写博客，发表电子杂志以及在线的目的地指南等。”这并不是说旅游作家是门轻松的活。旅行作家Crai Bower 说：“一般情况下，如果我要写一篇冒险休闲的文章，我需要从凌晨6：30到午夜去旅行取材，并且大部分时间里我们都是独自一人，六顿饭合为一顿吃，或者干脆不吃，这让我们老得更快。我说的这些都表明，我还会做其他事情吗？没有非常之道。”
Writer, median annual salary: $48,888.
作家的平均年薪：$48,888.
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