Career Advice

As the economy struggles with the impact of mortgage defaults, staff cuts in financial services companies, and the possibility of a recession, are there still areas of job growth, employment and opportunity? Just like experts in the extreme sport of whitewater kayaking, when we know more about the employment rapids ahead, we can identify actions that can help us ride out the rough water successfully.

"For every sector that we know is hurting - homebuilding, auto making, certain portions of the banking industry - there are other sectors that are experiencing unappreciated strength - electronics, aviation manufacturing, agriculture, information technology, [and] business services like law and accounting," according to Knight Kiplinger, editor-in-chief of Kiplinger Personal Finance magazine. The healthcare industry and homeland security remain strong. Educators will be in demand as a significant number of teachers begin to retire.

Employers are planning slow but steady hiring. In CareerBuilder.com's 2008 job forecast, a third of the employers surveyed plan to increase the number of full-time employees. Their results point to steady job creation in the professional and business services and the information technology sectors. Employers indicated that they will be hiring more frequently at the professional and technical levels than administrative and clerical levels.

Top 50 In-Demand Occupations
Career Voyages, a website reflecting collaboration between the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Education, provides excellent information on high growth, in-demand occupations along with the skills and educational requirements to attain these jobs. According to the website, fields like healthcare, information technology, and advanced manufacturing have jobs and solid career paths that are often left unfilled due to a lack of qualified applicants.

Their staff has identified the top 50 in-demand occupations. The selection criteria included projected need for employees and a median hourly wage of $20.00 or more (which translates into an annual full-time salary of $40,000 or more).

Occupations requiring a Bachelor's degree or higher on the top 50 list include;
1. Dentists, General
2. Physicians and Surgeons
3. Pharmacists
4. Physical Therapists
5. Civil Engineers
6. Financial Analysts
7. Engineering Managers
8. Computer Software Engineers, Applications
9. Computer Software Engineers, Systems Software
10. Electrical Engineers

In-demand occupations requiring some college (often an Associate's degree) include:
1. Computer Support Specialists
2. Cost Estimators
3. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
4. Construction Managers
5. Dental Hygienists
6. First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Police and Detectives
7. Respiratory Therapists
8. Food Service Managers
9. Radiologic Technicians and Technologists
10. Fire Fighters
11. Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technicians

Even though these occupations are in-demand, entry into these fields is still challenging. There is a lot of competition for many of the educational paths leading to these careers, from healthcare jobs to fire fighters. It is still important for individuals to make sure that they are choosing career goals that are a good fit with their aptitudes, interests, values and personalities, and that they are preparing themselves to be the best possible candidates for hiring managers.
The "Top 50" web page is a rich resource for career exploration for all age groups. It provides an easy way to click through to job descriptions, state reports on wages and employment outlook, and videos giving overviews of the occupations. To view the entire list, go to Career Voyages.

© Copyright 2008, The Ball Foundation/Career Vision. Article used with permission. Career Vision is a career assessment and consulting organization dedicated to helping people attain success and satisfaction in their work lives. For more information go to http://www.careervision.org/consulting/taking_next_step.htm.

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Today's 20 Fastest Growing Occupations
The economy is recovering but it is slow. If you're in need of a new job, it's too slow. You can't wait several years until things are back to their pre-recession levels. Fortunately, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has identified 20 jobs that are growing at a rapid rate between now and 2018. These occupations are in high demand now and will continue on this trajectory for the next decade.

Which 30 Jobs Will Add the Most Workers in the Next Decade?
Total employment is expected to increase by 15.3 million jobs during the 2008-18 decade, according to the most recent employment projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Job openings from replacement needs (when workers retire or otherwise leave their jobs) are projected to be more than double the number of openings due to economic growth.

Interested in getting in on the new job action? Here are the 30 jobs that will add the most workers in 2008-2018, according to the BLS.

6 Strong Jobs Despite the Downturn
In today's economy, it may seem like every industry is shedding jobs. But there are bright spots in the current recession. In fact, some areas, like accounting and information technology (IT), actually become more important to firms when the economy slows.

The Top 10 Positions in 2010
Here are 10 positions, segmented by industry, with the best prospects for 2010.

7 Emerging Jobs
In today's uncertain job market, even the jobs once marked as "recession-proof" are not as safe as we thought. So where should you focus your job search?

Several trends -- existing and emerging -- continue to drive job growth and creation throughout the United States. Developments in technology, health care, environmentalism and globalization, as well as current trends in the economy are clearing the path for several cutting-edge careers to surface.

If you're in the market for a new job, here are seven emerging careers that are making a mark and poised for growth in the coming years.

Saying No to Your Boss
The reality is, we can't say to yes to everything, so it's essential to position yourself in the best way possible if and when you have to say no at work. The trick, experts say, is not really what you say, but how you say it.

7 Stable Jobs
The idea of a stable job in this economy might sound impossible to you, but it's not. Looking at the Bureau of Labor Statistics' employment trends, certain industries are showing job growth or remaining flat, even during these tough times.

Top 10 Cities for New Grads
As Class of 2009 feels pinch, job searches expand

10 Recession-Proof Jobs
While there doesn't seem to be much certainty about the economy, there is one fact that remains true no matter what: Certain industries are recession-resistant.

What Your Favorite Sport Says About Your Career
With March Madness chaos in full swing, it's hard not to think about sports in general, let alone the sporadic daydreams about where life would be if we could have made it in the pros. But just because you didn't make it in the professional athlete arena doesn't mean you're destined to life in corporate America. In fact, there are plenty of sports careers not involving physical participation that might be better suited to your interests.

Hot Jobs in a Cooling Economy
As the economy struggles with the impact of mortgage defaults, staff cuts in financial services companies, and the possibility of a recession, are there still areas of job growth, employment and opportunity?

Seven Famous Career Switchers
So great is the number of celebrities who try to make the transition between movies and music or modeling and acting that the trend has become somewhat of a Hollywood cliche...

Is Your Dream Job Really Out There?
Having a dream job doesn't necessarily mean not working hard. But it may not be as elusive as you think.

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