The action on the field, the TV ads, and the halftime show may be getting the attention, but all of those events that make the Super Bowl such a big night require professionals to pull them off.

Here’s a look at seven career paths that help make the Super Bowl such a huge event.

1. Advertising: During the Super Bowl and the morning after, fans and viewers will be talking about the best TV ads and complaining about the bad ones. When the ads are memorable (remember the Betty White and Snickers ad from 2010 that contributed to the 90 year old’s surge in popularity?), it means ad directors and account managers have done their jobs well by bringing attention to their clients.

2. Catering: I’m still setting my Super Bowl Sunday menu, and in the midst of planning, I was blissfully dreaming of using a caterer for game-worthy grub. It’s not going to happen, but plenty of parties are employing caterers to concoct football-inspired appetizers and desserts for the big game.

3. Sports management: Earning your bachelor’s degree in sports management can lead to a variety of career options, such as helping organize big events like the Super Bowl or the Olympics, the World Cup. You can also work for everyone from professional teams to nonprofits. Some graduates work with professional athletes who are involved in charitable efforts or with teams’ fundraising efforts. Others are involved with ticket sales, plan stadium events and promotions, work with the media, recruit players and coaches, and make sure teams comply with league rules.

4. Athletic training: The professionals running out onto the field when a player is hurt can include athletic trainers, who often hold a master’s or doctoral degree. Athletic trainers provide treatment to players before, during, and after the games to help prevent and treat injuries. Other professionals, such as massage therapists, also are used by players.

5. Event planning: Celebrity-studded events are part of Super Bowl week, with some throwing their own bashes and others attending events hosted by magazines and companies. It takes a hoard of event planners to make the events happen – and to create the “it” bash.

6. Video production: Professionals with training in video production are crucial, not just for the Super Bowl (imagine being responsible for hitting the delay button if Madonna’s halftime show gets too risqué?), but for other TV events like Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl or “The Voice,” which appears after the Super Bowl.

7. Journalism: Swarms of media – reporters and editors for websites, TV and radio stations, newspapers, magazines, and wire services – are part of the Super Bowl crowd, covering the teams and madness for their readers. More than 5,000 members of the media received credentials to attend this year’s Media Day, with access to the players, and that’s before the actual reporting on the game.

That’s only a few of Super Bowl-related professions – let us know what others you see when watching the big game!

-Lori Johnston

Investing money and time in a college education, especially as an adult learner, needs to come with a payoff. There’s obviously the personal satisfaction of finally having that hard-earned college degree. And yes, you want to choose a career you love. That career, though, can be even more valuable when it is in a field with available jobs that pay well. That’s why researching wages and unemployment rates can be critical you’re considering career choices and college degrees.

Median earnings among recent college graduates vary from $30,000 in the arts, psychology, and social work to $55,000 among engineering majors, according to a January 2012 report by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce.

Unemployment has started to come down but rates remain high, at 8.9 percent for recent graduates with bachelor’s degrees. But you’re still better off with a college degree than with a high school diploma, where unemployment is at a “catastrophic” 22.9 percent, according to the report “Hard Times: College Majors, Unemployment and Earnings: Not All College Degrees Are Created Equal.” Here’s another telling fact from the report:

“More than 60 percent of these recent college graduates who are working have landed in the healthcare, professional contracting businesses, or education sectors.”

So what majors have the highest and lowest unemployment rates among recent grads? The study says …

Highest

Architecture: 13.9 percent

Arts: 11.1 percent

Humanities and liberal arts: 9.4 percent

Social science: 8.9 percent

Computers and mathematics: 8.2 percent

Law and public policy: 8.1 percent

Lowest

Healthcare and education: 5.4 percent each

Agricultural and natural resources: 7 percent

Psychology and social work: 7.3 percent

Communications and journalism: 7.3 percent

Business: 7.4

Engineering: 7.5

Life and physical sciences: 7.7 percent

How do these stats impact your thoughts about career fields and degrees? Let us know in the comments section below.

Pinterest isn’t just an awesome social media place for craft ideas, fashion, makeup and hair tips, recipes, birthday party themes, and home design ideas (they’re fueling my dream of having a custom master bedroom closet). If you’re on Pinterest, and if you can tear yourself away from repining those things to your boards, you’ll notice that one of the categories on Pinterest is education.

A lot of the items posted on the education boards are related to children, but some are more adult-friendly and could encourage you to go back to college or pursue a new degree.

Also, if you’re a “pinaholic,” think about how much time you spend browsing other boards, such as photography, hair and beauty, fitness, science and nature, technology, and history. Your passion for one of those subjects may be clear, and it could lead you to start researching career paths in those areas that have captured your interest for a long time.

Here are some of the latest things we’ve seen pinned that can inform you about potential new careers or degrees or inspire you as an adult learner. Our links take you to the actual webpage, so that those who don’t have Pinterest accounts can see them, too.

The Bachelor’s Job Market
A social media professor (sounds like a cool job) at Syracuse University posted this insightful infographic, created by Rasmussen College, that shows the need for more bachelor’s degree holders and reasons why people don’t pursue their degree.

I’m So Much More Than Just a Teacher poster
If you’re considering going into education, whether to work as a teacher’s assistant at your child’s school or to teach in another grade level, this poster’s message may be the push that you need to head into that direction.

Albert Einstein Quotes
The inspirational sayings on Pinterest range from sassy to sappy, but if you sort through, you can find some that may be worth putting your computer, phone, or near study central for you. The ones by Albert Einstein often pop up, joining others by authors, book characters, and even created by Pinterest members themselves.

Oh, and don’t forget to check us out on Pinterest. Our Boards are a mixture of smart (College-related Infographics and A+ College Stuff) and fun (Because Bacon Makes You Smarter).

Are you on Pinterest? Tell us what you’ve learned so far. Happy pinning!

-Lori Johnston

The holiday frenzy may be over, but the new year often rings in an organizing frenzy that can eat up free time. Organizing strategies and tips that are meant for your pantry, closets, laundry room, storage spaces, and other areas also can be perfect when searching for a new career.

Here are three ways you can organize your search for a new profession (and after you’re done, go ahead, use them in your home, too).

1. Do it in intervals.
Plunging into a search for a new career can be overwhelming – just like trying to organize a year’s worth of photos, children’s art projects, or receipts for your taxes. Make time to research career options and the type of education programs you’ll want to pursue by returning to school, but don’t expect to do it all in one day. Spending a couple of hours at a time can keep you energized throughout the process.

2. Get help.
Bounce ideas of someone you trust and who will support you in your career endeavors. Whether it’s a spouse, parent, best friend, or colleague, having someone to help you during the process can motivate you, especially if you ever want to give up your search.

3. Tackle one area at a time.
In your home, you don’t want to jump from one area, like the kitchen, to the bedroom closet to the garage or the kids’ playroom, until you’re done with the other one. That just leads to chaos. To avoid a chaotic career search, start off by focusing on your passions and the types of occupations that fit with those passions (you can also take career assessments to help you with this part of the process), then go onto researching salary and job potential, then degree programs. As you tackle these decisions, set up a system by creating folders on your computer, smartphone, tablet, or in your paper files, to make sure that you lose any valuable research.

Taking these steps can help you keep focused on your career search and finding the profession of your dreams.

-Lori Johnston

I’m sitting in the movie theater, watching “The Muppets” with my 5-year-old son, and I realize that amid the references to past decades, musical numbers, and appearance of favorites like Animal and Beaker, a comeback story like this can apply to going back to college, too.

Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

Before you say “mahna mahna,” check out these four ways “The Muppets” might inspire you to get on the path to a new career.

1. It’s not too late to do it.

Fozzie Bear’s eyebrows are graying, and a robot from the ’80s drives them around the country. It may seem like The Muppets are past their prime (it is, after all, their first new movie in 12 years), but they don’t let changes in technology or pop culture get them down in their quest to save their old theater. If you’re concerned you’re too out of date to go back to school, it doesn’t have to be that way.

2. Don’t let no stop you.

From TV executives to baddie Tex Richman, who plans to buy the theater and tear it down, there’s plenty of reasons for the Kermit and the Muppets to give up. It’s the same for you – people may make comments that could put holes in your college or career dreams, but don’t let them affect your decision.

3. Have your support team.

New Muppet Walter and humans Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) are huge fans on the Muppets, convincing them to get together again. The Muppets also enlisted the help of old and new friends, with Neil Patrick Harris, Selena Gomez, Whoopie Goldberg, and other celebrities supporting the furry cast during the telethon. Find your own support team who can encourage you along the way as you head back to school to learn more about your field or a new career.

4. If a Muppet can do it, so can you…

Miss Piggy as a high-profile fashion editor; Gonzo as the owner of a successful plumbing company … OK, if a Muppet can have a new or second career, what’s stopping you?

-Lori Johnston

For all of our holiday traditions, it takes hard work to make them happen year after year. We’re not just talking about baking those special cookies, reading holiday books with kids, finding the perfect gift for someone, or taking a little one to meet Santa.

Throughout the holidays, you’ll be coming into contact with people in careers that are super busy this time of year. But some of these fields need workers, and if you’re considering a career change, see how holiday activities and traditions might lead you to one of these five professions.

Event planner
From the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to seasonal tree lightings and parades in other metro areas and small towns, event planners are needed to coordinate all the details and volunteers. Programs such as hospitality management give folks the education to work as an event planner, which also are in demand for company parties and social events tied to the holidays.

Advertising manager
If your child keeps telling you about the toy they’ve seen on TV and just have to have, you have experienced the power of advertising. Toy makers ramp up the marketing this time of year, so that their products become the must-have item, and professionals with advertising expertise and training from advertising programs help generate buzz for companies.

Financial adviser
Before the year comes to an end, many folks touch base with their financial advisor or planner to make contributions to 401(k) and other steps that can help lower their taxes. The know-how you get from a financial planning school prepares you to help individuals and families seeking to save as the year comes to an end.

Nonprofit director
If you’re volunteering with a charitable group or donating money, cans, clothes, toys, or other items to those in need during the holidays, the spirit of giving could take you into a new career. The nonprofit industry is seeking people who are passionate about a cause, who can use their knowledge of business, marketing, finance, technology, and other areas to help a nonprofit group reach more people, all throughout the year.

Photographer
Family and pet photos are the focal point of all of those holiday cards, and it’s wonderful to see kids grow up and people share photos during the holidays.

Phil Bekker, a faculty member in the photographic imaging department at The Art Institute of Atlanta, says there can be enormous satisfaction in being involved in a creative field like photography. To be successful, though, a key skill that a photographer needs is people skills, which will endear them to potential clients. He adds that a personal style sets a photographer apart from others and makes them more in demand that other photographers.

For many holiday cards, those amazing portrait shots require a photographer with the training to get the right shot, and that includes one with all family members smiling!

-Lori Johnston

Take a look at the college degree held by Ginni Rometty, who will take over as IBM’s first-ever female CEO and president on Jan. 2, 2012, and you’ll see someone who committed in college to a career in technology. She earned her bachelor’s of science degree with high honors in computer science and electrical engineering from Northwestern University.

Technology is a job sector where more women are needed, and Rometty’s promotion reflects that companies are seeking female leaders with technical experience.

If you’re interested in working in the technology industry, don’t be intimidated by pursuing fields such as computer science while browsing college websites and course catalogs. While the technology field needs people in all types of roles, from human resources to public relations, leaders like Rometty reveal that focusing on science and technology from the onset can be rewarding.

But females are discouraged from technical education pursuits, Caroline Simard, vice president of research at the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology, recently told the New York Times. She said:

“Research shows that the majority of people have an implicit bias that associates science and technology with gender, so from a very young age, girls are not encouraged to pursue these careers. Women like Ginni Rometty are a powerful antidote against the stereotype.”

While IBM is a top global company, there are small- and mid-sized technology firms in your own town that need leaders, and by focusing on a technical education in computer science, software engineering, or other tech fields, you could position yourself to take on a leadership role and further help break the glass ceiling.

-Lori Johnston

If you haven’t visited our sister site MyEducation.com in a while, you’re in for a treat… courtesy of a zombie! Watch the commercial below, and you’ll see Zoey the Zombie using education to fight her way out of a dead-end job and come alive. (Give her some “like” love on Facebook while you’re at it!) And now, you can do the same thing.

In MyEducation’s “Come Alive” contest, which runs from September 26 through January 15, you can create and upload your own video showing how education can help you come alive. We’re looking for creative, original, well-publicized videos to compete for the $2,500 grand prize. Yes, when it comes to going back to school to make your dreams come true, we admit to being a little “batty!”

Not feeling the vibe yet? Don’t be a deadbeat. Check out five reasons why you should enter the “Come Alive” contest today:

>> It will get you thinking – and that’s a good thing.
The great philosopher Socrates once said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Of course, it can be so much easier to keep your head down and just go with the status quo. Why analyze your life when it takes so much energy just to live it? But if you never stop and think about what you want out of your career and your life, you’ll wake up one day wondering where the years went and what your purpose was. In short, you’ll be like one of those zombies in the commercial, taking up space in the workplace but not really contributing anything of value or experiencing joy in what you do.

>> It will make you take action.
Thinking doesn’t have to be a Debbie-Downer activity, though – especially if you commit to improving your situation. If you’ve realized that your career is not living up to your dreams and expectations, do something about it. Start by entering the contest and making a video that highlights what you want out of life. Then, use that creative energy as a springboard to get back to school, whether for a professional certificate, bachelor’s degree completion, or your very first steps toward an associate degree.

>> You can win money for school.
This is an obvious perk, but it bears mentioning. Not only can creating your “Come Alive” video help you jump-start your back-to-school endeavor, it can also give you some cash to make your education dreams a reality. Grants, loans, scholarships, tax credits, and tuition assistance are available to adult students, but your financial situation will be that much brighter with some prize money in hand – $2,500, to be precise. You can also win a $100 American Express gift card by competing in fun bi-monthly challenges.

>> You can get digital.
If you haven’t been back to school in a while, entering the “Come Alive” video contest can actually help you hone the skills you need to succeed in today’s classroom. Creating and uploading videos and driving traffic to your video channel can help you get with the digital age and become fluent in the social media and technologies that have become a critical component of 21^st century education. If you’re technologically challenged, enlist a friend to help you get up to speed.

>> It will be fun!
If nothing else, making a video for the contest will be fun – and if you’re stuck in a dead-end job, you could probably use some more fun in your life. But don’t make it into one more item for your to-do list. We want to inspire you to consider what you’re really passionate about, and to go after it. Have fun creating your video, and see where it takes you. Who knows? It could end up being a catalyst for you to switch gears, go back to school, and get started in a vibrant, new, fulfilling career.

-Robyn Tellefsen

Site Offers its First Discount on College Tuition

Groupon keeps reminding me about two purchases I’ve made – two-for-one movie tickets from Fandango and a half-off deal for a photo album that I haven’t gotten around to creating. It’s also helped me take part in unique events, such as a barbecue lunch with the Neelys from Food Network and a symphony performance under the stars.

The other day, a Groupon deal showed me that the trendy site has the potential to remind some folks of their dream to finish their degree or go back to school to pursue a new career or get advanced education.

Groupon was offering more than 50 percent off a $2,232 graduate-level introductory teaching course at National Louis University in Chicago (the Groupon price was $950).

Surprise – a school actually lowered a price for students! In these days of bargain hunting and discount seeking, it seems that a college education is one of the few places where individuals seem resigned to pay higher and higher prices. I’ve seen friends invest in starting a master’s degree, only to find they can’t afford to continue the program or can’t juggle it with jobs and family (and refunds aren’t available for those courses).

The idea of purchasing something like education on Groupon may be a bit “out there,” and maybe the school only did it for publicity, but it is refreshing to see a school willing and able to lower its price on a course.

It got a lot of attention because it’s the first time the “deal is on” coupon site has offered a deal on tuition that counts for academic credit. The school says 18 individuals purchased the Groupon.

Dr. Nivine Megahed, president of National Louis University, said in a press release: “This deal will give participating students a chance to take one course and see if they are ready to make the time and financial commitment to follow through with the entire graduate program.”

Students need an undergraduate degree to be involved in the 10-week course, which counts toward three credit hours, of a 36-hour master’s degree from the school.

University officials told the AP that many of its students – the average age is 34 – are part of Groupon’s target demographics. So adult learners could be seeing more of this, via Groupon, or from other coupon sites. It could be a bonus for students already in pursuit of a certain degree, or it could be just the thing, even if you don’t get that deal, to make you reconsider college.

What do you think? Would you ever buy a Groupon for school?

-Lori Johnston

As we move into the second half of summer (say it ain’t so!), thoughts naturally shift to the start of a new school year. Driving by my kids’ school the other day, I started making mental lists of school supplies and reminding myself to keep an eye out for back-to-school sales so I don’t spend a fortune on notebooks and folders and glue sticks the day before classes begin.

While we’re thinking about a new school year for the kids, it’s natural to put ourselves in their shoes and ask, “Would I be ready to go back to school?” Consider these factors as you contemplate your own return to the hallowed halls of academia.

Assess your motivation.
Maybe you’ve been downsized, like Tom Hanks’ character in the recent movie “Larry Crowne.” He uses the layoff as an opportunity to go to college and improve his situation. Maybe you just want a better (or different) job than the one you’ve got. Or perhaps you’re fascinated by a certain subject, like solar energy, and you want to “soak up” everything you can about it. No matter what’s driving you, a clear-cut goal can keep you going on the days when you don’t feel up to studying.

Learn from the past.
If you’ve tried to go back to school in the past and the memory is unpleasant, take some time to consider the reasons why. Were you working full time and feeling too stressed to study in the off-hours? Were you taking too many credits, or courses that just felt too difficult? Pinpoint the problem so you don’t repeat the same mistakes. If taking two classes at once was too much, try one this time. If the school didn’t offer the academic support you needed, try a different school, or consider online courses. The idea is to learn from the past, but don’t get stuck there. Learn from the experience, and move forward.

Consider the timing.
We’ve heard stories about people studying when they’re in labor or going back to school at 92, which proves that one can go back to school at any time. Maybe those extremes don’t suit your fancy, but pay attention to other changes in your circumstances. If you’re a mom, for instance, and your kids are finally old enough to go to school full time, this could be a new window of opportunity to dust off your education dreams. You’re going to fill those extra hours with something – why not fill them with something that will help you achieve your personal and professional goals? Be open to the opportunities that a new season can bring.

The decision to go back to school can be a lot like the decision to have kids – there’s a lot of talking, thinking, dreaming, and planning involved, but if you wait for the “perfect” time, you’ll never do it. There might never be a “perfect” time to go back to school. So maybe the better question is this: Is now a “good-enough” time?

–Robyn Tellefsen