I wouldn't say that I'm a vegetarian, but I understand why people choose that lifestyle out of respect for sentient life.
Are there personal benefits why a person would become a vegetarian?
Because it is the absence of eating meat and so the abstentation of by products from slaughter, there are a few animal based problems you'd avoid. 
How can one become a better vegetarian?
Better vegetarian is tough to answer, but there are steps up from vegetarianism.  There's veganism, and they exclude all animal by products in addition to every vegetarian.  So no eggs or dairy.
Wow that seems difficult. What else can you tell me?
some (crazy) vegans even avoid animal product like beeswax and silk clothing.
It seems like a lot of work to constantly look at labels to see what is in a product.
I think it's basically knowing what types of foods are ok, as to the specific products.  Almost all packaged and processed foods often contain unfamiliar animal ingredients.