Articles

Helping Out on Different Scales: NGOs vs. Nonprofits

August 11, 2020 

Across the globe, millions of organizations are making the world a better place. They work in major cities and remote areas — in some of the wealthiest nations on Earth, as well as some of the poorest. These organizations assist individuals, small businesses, communities, and governments. They work in medicine, education, public health, human rights, foreign policy, environmental protection, and more. Nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) play an influential role in both local and global affairs. They range from massive, multinational organizations with thousands of employees and many more volunteers to grassroots movements in a single neighborhood. Though NGOs and […]

Research Analyst vs. Data Scientist: Comparing Two Analytical Careers

August 11, 2020 

Information is used to make high-level decisions in industries that rely on large amounts of data, such as finance, healthcare, and education. Companies in these industries need highly skilled data professionals who understand not just how to work with and analyze the information but also how to program storage software and hardware systems that are cost-effective and efficient for the storage, transfer, and protection of important data. Those with advanced data degrees often pursue careers as research analysts and data scientists. These professionals can play a crucial role in a company’s future, using their in-depth knowledge of programming languages, hardware, […]

The Business of Sports: Sports Management vs. Sports Marketing

August 11, 2020 

The United States sports industry has gained $13 billion in value between 2014 and 2019, and there’s no reason to think that’s going to change anytime soon. The “Big Four” sports leagues –– the National Football League (NFL), the National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), and the National Hockey League (NHL) –– are the dominant forces in the marketplace, each bringing in billions of dollars every season. Increasingly, collegiate athletics and smaller leagues, such as Major League Soccer (MLS), the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), and the Arena Football League (AFL), have found their space in the market. […]

Careers in Corporate Connection: Strategic Communication vs. Public Relations

August 11, 2020 

The written and spoken word has become more important than ever. The ability to communicate thoughts, ideas, and messages through various media outlets has become key to doing business in the 21st century. In the United States’ consumer-driven economy, the way businesses, organizations, institutions, and public figures communicate their images to the public has a massive impact on their success. A creative advertising campaign can propel a new product to the top of the market, a strong PR campaign can win a bid to host the Olympics for a major city, and a bold marketing effort can bring extra acclaim […]

UX Designer vs. Graphic Designer: Breaking Down the Difference

August 11, 2020 

Both user experience (UX) designers and graphic designers work with the primary elements of visual design to bring the digital world to life. However, it is important to note the differences between the two roles when considering a career as a UX designer versus a graphic designer. The former creates an experience for the audience through design, while the latter communicates a message through design. UX Designer Overview The primary goal of a UX designer is to shape the experience an audience feels when interacting with a piece of software, a website, an application, or other product. UX designers must […]

UX vs. UI Designers: Creating the Future of Digital Products

August 11, 2020 

When a new app hits the market and goes viral, it’s not by accident. Application designers need more than a good idea to ensure a product gets noticed; they need a highly functional product that inspires users to tell their friends about it. A great look, feel, and experience provides the spark that can take an app from a few dozen downloads to thousands or millions. Many different elements of the user experience could interfere with the success of an app, from unclear buttons or text to a slow interface or confusing layout. UI Designer Overview UI designers are specialty […]

The Path to Becoming a Web Developer vs. Front-End Developer

August 11, 2020 

You’re reading this article on a webpage that was designed to host images, video, and text. It’s connected to others in a network of webpages that form a web domain, more commonly known as a website. While you may find the website easy to navigate and understand, it’s built on a complex framework of coding in multiple programming languages — the result of hours upon hours of hard work by computer science professionals who know how to turn code into valuable content. These developers build websites from the ground up or on existing code, adding personal touches to increase speed, […]

Exploring Services: Human Services vs. Social Services

August 11, 2020 

Human services is a diverse, far-reaching field driven by a singular goal: to help meet people’s basic needs. Social services is a subset of human services, and its primary mission is to create a more equitable society by enhancing the well-being of individuals in need. Social services workers often target the underrepresented, disadvantaged, and underserved — such as homeless and poverty-stricken populations. Both human and social services professionals ultimately aim to help people. Entering the human services and social services fields requires a distinct desire to serve and a profound empathy for other human beings. This article will examine the […]

Careers in Data: Data Analyst, Scientist, vs Engineer Professions

August 11, 2020 

The amount of data we produce daily grows each year. According to Forbes, in 2018, we generated 2.5 quintillion bytes of data every day, through millions upon millions of social media posts, news stories, financial transactions, and more. As corporations become more entrenched in data, they increasingly rely on data professionals to help them analyze it so they can use it to make crucial decisions. There are several key types of professionals who do this work. Data analysts, data engineers, and data scientists make a major impact in various industries. They all love numbers, analytics, and problem-solving but apply their […]

Computer Systems Analyst vs. Business Analyst: Looking at Two Distinct Careers

August 11, 2020 

Leaders who make decisions based on facts run the business world. Consider this scenario: A CEO at a multinational tech corporation decides his business needs to launch a new product to stay ahead of the market. That CEO turns to his production team, which decides what type of product to pursue. That team then enlists designers and programmers to determine what the product will look like and how it will function. At every level, business professionals make decisions that impact their organization’s success. In the digital era, business executives, directors, and managers, as well as their employees, benefit from data […]