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Five things you didn't know about being an FBI agent

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Jennifer Healy

I'm gosh-darn Royalty

"That looks fun, I think I'll do that."

That's what Director of Public Affairs, Special Agent Ross Rice of the FBI says he thought when he glanced down at a Tribune cover of agents arresting suspects in the Patty Hearst case in his third period study hall. And he hasn't looked back.

That's why Special Agent Rice is this week's "Camp Counselor" in RedEye's Job Fantasy Camp, where we find Chicagoans living their dream job, and set them up with readers looking to do the same.

The 30-year FBI veteran sat down with myself and our camper, practicing attorney Pamela Patinkin, 28, of the Gold Coast to give us an inside look at just what goes into becoming an agent. (It's more than just seeing a newspaper cover and thinking it's cool, he notes.)

Read on for five surprising things we learned from Special Agent Rice on becoming an FBI agent:

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So you wanna produce video games?

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Jennifer Healy

I'm gosh-darn Royalty

 

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Are you a gamer? Does spending your day helping to create and perfect video games sound like your ultimate fantasy? Do you know you could oversee the development of a game from start to finish?

Do you want to be a video game producer?

Then you want to be a part of RedEye's Job Fantasy Camp, where we match up ambitious readers like you with people doing their dream job. In week eight, we visit video game producer Chelsea Blasko of Robomodo, a local game design company that lists new game Tony Hawk: Ride to its credits.

Sound good? Then press pause on your X-box and apply!

E-mail me at redeyejobcamp@gmail.com, telling me why, in a paragraph or less, creating video games is your dream job by this Thursday, Sep. 2, at 3pm.

Please include your age, neighborhood, and if applicable, Twitter handle.

Hot Job: Personal Shopper

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Jennifer Healy

I'm gosh-darn Royalty

 

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Photo: Chicago Tribune

The Gig:

Talbots in Oak Brook is looking for a personal shopper to "provide expert fashion advice and give the highest level of customized service possible to individual customers," according to their online post.

In short, the personal shopper will aid the customer in putting together retail items to create outfits that flatter their body and their style. You're like a fashion concierge, giving your expert opinions and recommendations!

This is for you if:

You're fashion savvy, customer-oriented, and a people person. As a personal shopper, you not only have to be in the know on the latest trends, but also local services like tailors, caterers, events planners, health clubs--anything and everything your high-end client is looking for. Talbots is all about their personal shopper being able to create a rapport with customers beyond just finding them their size.

The company also asks for at least five years of experience in "high-end retail sales or as a fashion stylist, style advisor, personal shopper, apparel store manager, boutique manager, or concierge."

Perks:

Two words: Employee discount

What's the office like?
It's not an office at all, it's a store!

To Apply:
Go to their website and fill out their online application

Job Fantasy Camp: Three secrets to being a sports agent

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Jennifer Healy

I'm gosh-darn Royalty

Ever heard the saying "Behind every great athlete there's a great agent?" OK, so it's not actually a saying, but after meeting with sports agent Scott Rochelle of KSMG Sports Management, maybe it should be.

Scott, a licensed attorney and lover of sports was this week's "Camp Counselor" for RedEye's Job Fantasy Camp, where we find Chicagoans living their dream job and set them up with readers who want to follow suit.

Scott sat down with Camper Jordan Mayer, 30, of Vernon Hills and I to give us the ins and outs of sports agency.

Below, three secrets to making repping a pro-athlete your living:

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So you wanna be in the FBI?

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Jennifer Healy

I'm gosh-darn Royalty

 

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Is it your dream to crack-down on crime on a national level? Can you imagine yourself going undercover, keeping the most sensitive of information underwraps, and taking down the worst of offenders? Is your life's mission: "To protect and defend the United States against terrorist and foreign intelligence threats?"

Do you want to be an FBI agent?

Then you want to be part of week seven of RedEye's Job Fantasy Camp, where we hook up you, our ambitious reader, with people in Chicago living your dream gig:

To do so: E-mail me at RedEyejobcamp@gmail.com. Tell me why your dream job is to become a special agent in the FBI, in a paragraph or less, by 3pm, Friday, Aug. 27.

Also include your age, neighborhood, and Twitter handle if applicable.

*Please note, you must be available Tuesday, Aug. 31 to meet with our Special Agent!

Job Fantasy Camp: 3 Tips for working in a zoo

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Jennifer Healy

I'm gosh-darn Royalty

The zoo has always been a place for play, but what if it were also your job?

I visited the Lincoln Park Zoo as part of RedEye's Job Fantasy Camp, where we hook you, our ambitious reader, up with people doing your dream job. This week our camper was University of Illinois pre-vet student  Christina Mazulis, 21 of Lake Villa. Christina and I went behind the scenes of every corner of the zoo to find out just what it's like to work with wild animals and how you can do it too.

Below, three tips from an Animal Keeper, Curator, Animal Scientist, Zoo Educator, and a Public Relations director on how to make going to the zoo your job:


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So You Wanna Be a Sports Agent?

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Jennifer Healy

I'm gosh-darn Royalty

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Do you eat, sleep, and breathe sports? Do you have a knack for negotiations? Have you always dreamed of yelling "Show me the money!" for real

Do you want to be a sports agent?

Then you need to apply for this week's RedEye Fantasy Job Camp, where we find Chicagoans with THE coolest jobs and hook them up with go-getters like you. 

This week we're chatting with Scott Rochelle, licensed attorney, former athlete, and current sports agent with Kaufman Sports Management Group.

If your dream job is to represent professional athletes, then e-mail Redeyejobcamp@gmail.com explaining why, in a paragraph or less, by this Friday, August 20, at 1 p.m.

Please include your age, neighborhood, and Twitter handle if you have one.

Note: Our camper must be available this coming Monday, the 23rd around lunch time!

Job Fantasy Camp: Want to be an interior designer? 4 tips to success

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Jennifer Healy

I'm gosh-darn Royalty

Have you already mentally redesigned the room you're sitting in right now? 

If you're anything like interior designer Karl Sponholtz of Habitar Design, it's the first thing you do when you walk into a room. Karl was our "Camp Counselor" in this week's RedEye's Job Fantasy Camp, where we find people with the coolest jobs in Chicago and have them mentor an ambitious person like yourself for a day. Today's camper is aspiring interior designer Doug Parter, 25, of Uptown. 



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Hot Job: Technical Producer-YouTube/Google

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Jennifer Healy

I'm gosh-darn Royalty

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The Gig:


YouTube (a product of Google) is seeking for a technical producer to add to their Advertising Sales team. The role, according to their website, involves:

  • Managing campaigns for creative agencies, analytics, engineering consultants, and ad operations
  • Using social media and user-generated sites (i.e., Twitter and Facebook) to create new opportunities based on industry trends and client needs
  • Analyze what works, what doesn't and figure out why!

This is for you if:


You're uber web savvy, have a head for numbers, graphs, charts and everything analytical, and are always thinking of new and innovative ways to improve how things are done. Current Google employees call the ideal co-worker entrepreneurial, a go-getter and accessible. The site specifies at least 2 years of experience in interactive sales, brand program management, or consulting, with a 4-year degree.

Perks:

Chief Executive Officer says it best on Google's homepage:

"The goal is to strip away everything that gets in our employees' way. We provide a standard package of fringe benefits, but on top of that are first-class dining facilities, gyms, laundry rooms, massage rooms, haircuts, carwashes, dry cleaning, commuting buses - just about anything a hardworking employee might want. Let's face it: programmers want to program, they don't want to do their laundry. So we make it easy for them to do both."

Check out their "Top Ten" reasons to work at Google. This not your parents' HMO plan!


What's the office like?

Not like your average office, that's for sure. Bean bag chairs, air hockey tables and a massage therapist are not uncommon sites at this office. Check out their digs in RedEye's Office Cribs.


To Apply:
Visit their site and fill out an online app!

So You Wanna Work in a Zoo?

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Jennifer Healy

I'm gosh-darn Royalty

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Do you adore animals? Did you beg your parents for a pet monkey or chinchilla? Is your dream to walk with the animals, talk with the animals, grunt and squeak and squawk with the animals?

It's week five of RedEye's Job Fantasy Camp, where we find people with awesome jobs and match them up with dreamers like you that want to do that awesome job. For this installment, we're teaming up with the good people at the Lincoln Park Zoo. What's extra exciting about this week is that you don't get to try out just ONE job, but THREE different positions within the Zoo:

  
Mammal Curator: Dave Bernier
Learn what goes into caring for mammals from antelope to zebra.
 
Conservation & Science Department Endocrinologist: Dr. Rachel Santymire
Get in the lab to see the science behind the zoo.
 
Zoo Educator
Take what you learned in the lab into the field. Interact with visitors, answer questions and teach others about the animals the zoo cares for.

If this sounds like your dream gig, then finish feeding your pet ostrich and come apply!

E-mail me at RedEyejobcamp@gmail.com, by Friday, August 13th, 3:00 pm. Tell me why you want to be our Zoo Camper, in a paragraph or less. (No epic novels please!) Also include your age, neighborhood, and Twitter handle if you got one.

Note: The eligible camper must be available on Tuesday morning, August 17th to participate!

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