Help! Where Will I Find My Next Job?

The US economy and the US worker are bothThe good news is that many of the occupations that
resilient. The economy will eventually bounce back andwill add the most new jobs are "people" related, e.g.
so will badly needed jobs. But what occupationalhealthcare, retail sales, customer service, office clerks,
sectors will return the strongest, adding the most newetc., which will be added in population centers and will
workers? Will workers have to be retrained for thesenot mandate the costly movement of people from
jobs and, if so, who will do the training? What additionalother parts of the country. The specialty fields may
education will be necessary to prepare those justvery well require some movement of people, but by
entering the workforce? What regions of the countrynature of the positions moving costs are more likely to
will be the recipient of the jobs and what migration ofbe borne by the hiring company. As noted, 12 of the
workers will be required so they are in the right placeoccupations with the fastest growth rates will require
at the right time?associate or higher degrees. So the large number of
Keep in mind that there are approximately 15 millioncurrently unemployed or underemployed workers may
people unemployed currently according to the Bureauwant to consider adding a degree or certification to
of Labor Statistics (BLS) or about 10% of the totaltheir portfolio and target one of these occupations of
labor force. It is important to note that this figure doesinterest. I agree this is much easier said than done. It's
not include the roughly 11 million people who have eithertough to fund more education when you have
expended all unemployment benefits or who havetemporarily lost your earning power - but nonetheless it
given up looking for jobs - many out of work formay be the most important thing you can do once you
years. So the "challenge" will be to match these 26begin a new or temporary job. There is also some
million (total) workers and the new labor pool entrantsgrant money available under the last "stimulus act" for
to these jobs, in the locations where the positions willseveral occupations and groups of people.
emerge.Net, net, the workers of the future are going to have
According to the BLS, there are 20 occupations thatto be generally more proactive than they have been in
will account for more than one-third of all new jobsthe past - and leave less to chance. For instance, you
between now and 2018. It is interesting to note thatwill not want to just say I think it would be great to be
one-half of the fastest growing occupations area biomedical engineer and then hope there are
related to healthcare - due in a large part to the agingpositions that become available. You must research a
of the baby-boomers. Some of the occupations, whichfield first, for future opportunities, and then work
will add the most new jobs in this period, are (intoward getting the requisite education completed. You
thousands): Registered nurses 581.5, Home healthshould, at the same time, target a specific organization,
aides 460.9, Customer service representatives 399.5,or two, and get your "foot-in-the-door" by taking a
Personal and home care aides 375.8, Retaillesser or temporary position to get to know them -
salespersons 374.7, Office clerks (general) 358.7,and so they can get to know you.
Accountants and auditors 279.4, Nursing aides,The same cardinal rule applies to all job searches -
orderlies, and attendants 276.0, Postsecondarynetwork with colleagues, former classmates, trade or
teachers 256.9, Construction laborers 255.9, andcivic association members, etc. - to find the
Elementary school teachers 244.2. The entire list canoccupations of interest in the region where you want
be found on the BLS Web site.to live and work. When someone, in the network you
The 20 occupations with the fastest rates of growthdevelop, knows an insider in an organization you have
(not the largest number of jobs added but highesttargeted, your resume can be presented to the hiring
growth rate) will require an associate degree or highermanager - and not just be tossed in the pile of the
for 12 of the occupations; whereas 6 are in thehundreds received.
on-the-job training category; 1 is in the work experienceFor the entrepreneur in each of us, many of the
in a related occupation; and 1 in the postsecondaryoccupations listed provide "new business" opportunities
vocational degree category. Eleven of thesefor small companies, sole-proprietorships, or contractual
occupations earn at least $10,000 more than theemployment. These include such booming occupations
National annual median wage, which was $32,390 asas Home health aides, Personal and home care aides,
of May 2008. Nine of the occupations earned at leastinformation technology, computer consulting, and
twice the National median in May 2008. These fastestnetwork administration occupations. The trend for large
growth occupations are Biomedical engineers, Networkcompanies to outsource services presents an
systems and data communications analysts, Homeopportunity to create a business around one of these
health aides, Personal and home care aides, Financialservices, where you happen to have expertise. Take
examiners, Medical scientists, Physician assistants, Skincharge of your career now by being proactive in
care specialists, Biochemists, and Biophysicists. Theplanning, researching, networking, and getting the
remainder of the list can be found on the BLS Webeducation you need - all necessary for securing jobs
site.going forward.