10 Top Jobs of 2008

What are the 10 top jobs of 2008? According to  the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs under the “service” and “professional” categories will have the fastest growth in terms of employment. This is  great news if you’re looking for a job in the service- or professional-oriented fields. Below are the 10 top jobs of 2008.

1. Network systems and data communications analysts. There were about 262,000 network systems and data communications analysts in 2006 and it is expected to reach 402,000 by 2016. The 53.4% growth rate makes this job the fastest growing job in the United States. This job requires a bachelor’s degree and salary range is $46,360 or more

2. Personal and home care aides. There were around 767,000 personal and home care aides in the country in 2006 and the figure is projected to reach 1,156,000 in the next 10 years. This is the second fastest growing job in the United States, with a growth rate of 50.6%. You have to undergo on-the-job training to be accepted in this job that offers a salary of less than $21,220.

3. Home health aides. The home health sector employed approximately 787,000 home health aides in 2006. The BLS expects this number to increase by 48.7% in the next 10 years (1,171,000 home health aides in 2016). This makes this job the third fastest growing job in the country. It offers a salary of not more than $21,220, similar to the amount personal and home care aides receive. This job also requires  on-the-job training.

4. Computer software engineers. Computer software engineering (applications) is the fourth fastest growing sector in the United States in terms of employment. Estimates show that there were about 507,000 computer software engineers in the country in 2006. The number is predicted to balloon to 733,000 in 2016. This means a percentage growth of 44.6%. Computer software engineers are paid $46,360 or more. You need to have a bachelor’s degree related to software engineering to get into the job.

5. Veterinary technicians and technologists. There were around 71,000 veterinary technicians and technologists in the United States 2006 and the figure is projected to reach 100,000 in the next 10 years. This is the fifth fastest growing job in the country, with a growth rate of 41%. You need to have an associate degree to be accepted in this job that offers a salary that ranges from $21,260 to $30,560.

6. Personal financial advisers. The personal finance consultancy industry employed approximately 176,000 personal financial advisers in 2006. The BLS expects this figure to increase by 41% in the next 10 years (or about 248,000 personal financial advisers in 2016). This job provides a salary of $46,360 or more. This job also requires a bachelor’s degree related to finance.

7. Makeup artists. There were about 2,000 makeup artists working in theatrical shows and other performances in the United States in 2006 and it is expected to reach 3,000 by 2016. The 39.8% growth rate makes this job the seventh fastest growing job in the country. This job, which pays between $30,630 and $46,300, requires at least postsecondary vocational award.

8. Medical assistants. Medical assistance is the eighth fastest growing sector in the United States in terms of employment. Estimates show that there were about 417,000 medical assistants in the country in 2006. The number is predicted to increase to 565,000 in 2016. This means a percentage growth of 35.4%. Computer software engineers are paid  $21,260 - $30,560. You need a moderate on-the-job training to get into the job.

9. Veterinarians. There were about 62,000 veterinarians in the country in 2006 and the number is projected to reach 84,000 in the next 10 years. This is the ninth fastest growing job in the United States, with a growth rate of 35%. You need to have a first professional degree to get into this job that offers a salary of $46,360 or more.

10. Behavioral disorder and substance abuse counselors. This sector employed approximately 83,000 counselors in 2006. The BLS expects this number to increase by 34.3% in the next 10 years (112,000 home health aides in 2016). This job rounds up the ten fastest growing jobs in the United States. It offers a salary of between $30,630 and $46,300 and requires applicants to have at least a bachelor’s degree.

10 Evolving Jobs

Job positions such as secretaries, operators, newspaper printers, steel manufacturers, etc.have been diminishing rapidly over the past decade. Many thanks to the ever-advancing computers, cell phones, voice recognition systems, and automated machines, numerous jobs that used to be considered integral  to the workforce are declining. Fortunately workers who hold such positions can shift their skills to similar jobs with more growth. This article identifies 10 evolving jobs, the decline rate of salary in each job (from 2006 to 2016), and their more dependable and secure alternatives.

Telephone operators. Nowadays, fewer and fewer people are using pay phones, collect calls, and directory assistance. Thanks to 411 call services and cell phones, the need for telephone operators has been reduced significantly. The salary is $$32,710, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Division of Occupational Employment Statistics. And it is predicted to  decline by 45% by 2016.  The alternatives: desk clerks at hotels, motels or resorts, and customer service representatives.

Photographic process workers. The emergence of digital photography has enabled people to download, view, edit, and print photos on their own PCs, reducing the need for photographic process workers. Salary is $26,710 and is predicted to decline by 45%. The alternatives: Use your  photo processing knowledge as a printing machine operator or as a photographer.

File and order clerks.  The need to hire file and order clerks is reduced as organizations now use automated systems in placing orders. Digital storage and electronic retrieval of files reduce the role of clerks. Salary for file clerks is $32,190 and $28,130 for order clerks. Decline rate is 41% and 24%, respectively. The alternatives: traffic, shipping, and receiving clerks.

Bindery workers. The number of binding shops are dwindling since binding are now automated. What’s more, printing companies are now binding products in-house. Salary is $27,370 and the decline rate is 22%. The alternatives: While positions in production are decreasing, printing machine operators are declining the least.

Telemarketers. Due to the “don’t call” registry, the demand for telemarketers is dwindling. Salary is  $16.16/hour with a decline rate of 21%. The alternatives: data communications analysts or retail sales.

Pharmacy aides. Pharmacy aides will be eventually replaced by pharmacy technicians who will perform the tasks aides usually do, such as operating cash registers, stocking shelves, and answering phones, stocking shelves and operating cash registers. Salary is $20,950 and the decline rate is 11%. The alternative: Undergo training to become a pharmacy technician.

Floral designers. Limited opportunities for career growth and low starting pay cause many people to leave the job. In addition, traditional flower designers get a strong competition from Internet florists. Salary in this job is $23,040 with a decline rate of 9%. The alternatives: landscape architects (who also create designs with flowers) or try to work in a greenhouse or nursery.

TV and radio announcers. The advancement of technology and such media sources as syndicated TV programming and satellite radio mean less demand for TV and radio announcers. Salary is $36,120 with a decline rate of 8%. The alternatives: reporter, news analyst, interpreter or translator, correspondent.

Samplers and weighers, sorters, testers, inspectors. These jobs are evolving rapidly because many companies are now using self-monitoring production machines that alert inspectors and testers to defects they would usually detect mechanically. The salary is $27,148, and it is predicted to decline by 7% by 2016. The alternatives: agricultural, transportation, and construction and building inspectors.

Information processing workers and data entry keyers. The ubiquity of PCs enables people to contract out or perform their own word processing, reducing the need to hire full-time staff. Technologies such as voice recognition systems and bar-code scanners lessen the demandfor data entry workers. Salary is $29,430 with a decline rate of 7%. The alternatives: interpreters, translateros, and dispatchers.

Temping Rules

After you submit your CV to potential employers, even though it’s masterfully crafted, you will never have a 100% hit ratio all the time. Sometimes, you’ll even be asked to just fill in a temporary job instead of a permanent one. However, there are some temp jobs that might have a possible permanent future in store for you and then there are those temp jobs that are exactly like that-just a transitory stage until you find an employer who will risk their neck to hire you.Humor aside, temping can be misunderstood by the ones who are doing it simply because the work is less formal but can be even much more demanding with regard to the different requirements that the employer asks of you. So, if you’re one of the people who might be going into temp work, then the following tips are your guide to give you as much of a hassle-free experience that you can possible get.

If you have already been listed in the books of an agency, you will most probably find that they will start calling you with various offers of work and when you do accept, you will find that there is a lot to remember. One of them is to arrive on time. Never be late whenever you find out that you will be working for an agency. Report on time and if necessary always be early to show how serious you are taking the job they have assigned to you.

One other thing is to dress appropriately. Some people think that just because it’s part-time work, it automatically means that you also tone down your formality. Follow the dress code of the organization whenever you’re working for them and you’re reporting to their office. You are also a representative of the company and it would bring great dishonor to the organization that you represent if you come not wearing your best.

Another thing that you can do is to take notes while you work. You might ask a few follow up questions from your employer when you first meet together and discuss your temping options with them. That way, you’ll be clear with your guidelines and also get in their point of view so that you won’t be asking them again and again. What’s important is that you are prepared and that you are able to conduct yourself in the same manner as if you were working a full-time job.

How to explain job hopping in your interview

Job hopping will incredibly rewarding in terms of experience could spell disaster for your long term career. A spate of short lived jobs could raise the suspicion of any recruiter wary of hiring anyone with a spotty job history. While job hopping has become fairly common today with the competitive job market, it doesn’t mean that a history of short term jobs are going to be appealing to all employers.

Before you go into the interview you should have a ready and acceptable answer for the job hopping in your resume. Plan what you’re going to say and how you’re going to make yourself invaluable to the company. Take the initiative and address the issue during the interview. You could then put the right spin on the situation. I wouldn’t say outright lie but you should present valid reasons for leaving the job. In the tight career market career moves are brought on by better offers or having the company closed. You don’t have to be ashamed of your job history but instead you should focus on the future and on not making the same mistakes as before.

You should also emphasize all the good you have done in your previous jobs. If you single handedly saved the company from bankruptcy the interview would be a good time to bring it up. Your accomplishments could swing the balance over to your side.

Play up on your skills and knowledge in relation to the position you are applying for. Give them a concise history of the industry and their company. Keep your prospective employers focused on your positive traits.

It would help if you also have letters of recommendation from your past employers. If you could provide proof that you weren’t completely useless at your last jobs, it would go a long way to erasing any doubts the recruiter may still have.

If you’ve done all of this and the recruiter is still wary of hiring you, don’t get defensive. As they say and as you can attest, there are other jobs in the sea. You may not be the right person for the job.

Dealing with Gaps in your work history

Sometimes circumstances totally out of your control force you out of your job for a length of time. Or you could have simply walked out of the office one day and decided to tour the world. For whatever reason gaps in your work history don’t bode well for your long term career. Employees are extremely fishy of finding a semblance of  a job hopper in potential employees or a even heaven forbid a stint in prison. The trick is to gain your employer’s trust and to adequately explain those employment gaps.

You can lessen the suspicion by using only years instead of months when you write your work history. This makes it easier for the employer to quickly grasp the length of time between your jobs. Another way would be to use a functional resume instead of a chronological one. A functional resume lists your experience in skills clusters. This type of resume would work well for those with very diverse experiences, those in a technical profession and those with a complex job. However the functional resume isn’t the answer to the huge gap in your resume. In fact most recruiters prefer the chronological resume over functional resumes. Continue reading Dealing with Gaps in your work history…

10 Strategies to Getting that Promotion You Want

#1 From the fat into the fire. Do you even know what you are getting yourself into? Do you just want that promotion just for the heck of it? Before you even think about going for that promotion, research on the position and the skills needed for it. You may want that VP position but you could be woefully inadequate for it. Getting a promotion means more responsibility and it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll get any added perks. If you feel that you are indeed qualified for the position and you are up to the challenges of added responsibilities then start your campaign.

#2 Be the Best that you can be. If you want that promotion then you have to prove to others that you actually do deserve that title. Perform your job to the best of your abilities and then some. If you make yourself invaluable to the smooth performance of your division then you increase your chances of your boss rewarding you with that promotion. And at the risk of being too much of a brown noser ask if you can do more tasks within the office. You’ll get your boss’ attention and additional experience with new challenges.

#3 Be positive. A defeatist attitude will get you nowhere in this campaign. Try not to think of being passed over for a more accomplished colleague. If you think your job is a mere stepping to better opportunities then this attitude won’t get you a promotion. On the other hand if you do think this way why would you even bother with a promotion. A promotion is for people who see their work as a position rather than just another job.

#4 Friends are important. The power of friendship is truly an important resource for anyone. You may not want to admit it but your promotion rests on knowing the right people. Broaden your knowledge of the different departments and the people who are in charge of them. Remember that getting the respect of your peers will help your boss see that you are a capable leader and much loved by those under you.

#5 Fight fair. Getting a promotion often means that you have to fight for it. There is no way to avoid civilized warfare against people you worked with. You all want the same position but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to back stab your co-workers to come out on top. You can be aggressive in your campaign but try not to be Attila the Hun. You may not win points for being everybody’s best friend but you can at least be well-respected.

#6 Review your past accomplishments. It’s not what your company has done for you but what you have done for the company that counts. When the time comes for your boss to deliberate on the person for the job, be sure that he or she knows the great deeds you have done. Develop your personal career portfolio to present to your boss. Make sure you add letters of commendation, samples of exceptional work and other certificates of achievement. Of course you should actually have done these things. Lying about past accomplishments can have dire consequences.

#7 Catch your boss in a good mood. Sometimes it’s not what you’ve done but when you did it that matters. It’s important to make sure that your boss is not stressed or too busy when you pitch yourself. You should try to catch him or her in a relaxed, social situation. Invite him or her for coffee and subtly pitch your willingness to accept a promotion.

#8 Expand your knowledge. Keep ahead of the competition by learning important skills. Join any seminars or classes that can add to your skill level and knowledge about your job. There are numerous courses and books available in your library or the internet for self-study. Or if your company offers to pay for classes take advantage of it.

#9 Express yourself. The promotion won’t fall in your lap like manna from heaven. You have to sell yourself, your skills, and your accomplishments to your boss. Often people are passed over because of the simple fact that their boss didn’t know they wanted the promotion. Come the job appraisal, be sure to say that you want a more challenging role in the company. State that your skills are underused in your current position. Highlight all your selling points and how you can do a smashing job with the position you are angling for.

#10 Where there’s a will. Your boss may reject your promotion but this is no reason to feel dejected. There may not be a budget for the position or you haven’t been in the company that long. For whatever reason think of this failure as an opportunity to work harder. Your efforts were not in vain and your superiors will remember them.

Bagging the Career of a Lifetime

To get the career you’ve been dreaming of— know your yourself, know your options, and finally make a good decision.

The above mentioned principles are the major components in finding the right track. People with no proper guidance actually realize only years after the career they have rigorously put efforts to is not the career they always wanted. And to find out about it later in life is discouraging since one would require to put greater effort for they are starting anew.

Career maybe defined as the general progression of your working or professional life wherein you are employed in a particular occupation for which, you are trained for. Sometimes people refer to the concept generally as a calling or vocation. Whatever calling or vocation you would like to pursue, it is intelligent for an individual to learn to bullet down what truly defines you once you place your finger to it.

For some people it takes little time for them to figure out their career. Amazingly, some find it difficult, thus careful self-exploration is essential to discover the career that best suits and coincides with their temperament, long term goals, and lifestyle expectations.

Getting There

What are the necessary steps to make sure you bag the career you longed for?

Planning your career provides you the assistance in determining your interests and strengths , both short and long term goals, the education and training needed, occupations that’ll match your interests and skills, corporate culture and values that will suit you, and lastly, your future lifestyle.

Knowing yourself is the first key, otherwise not knowing will steer your boat away from the career you were meant to achieve. You will undergo searching until when the time is up, you end up disappointed and frustrated. One’s pursuit for a successful career lies on one’s knowledge of oneself. Pastiche it may seem, but knowledge is power. Having knowledge about yourself will give you the advantage of choosing activities that would help you achieve your goals through the career path you have chosen. The power of knowing and the ability to be able to make use of this knowledge properly provides a leverage for yourself to take the significant steps to coming into peace with your career.

In establishing your goals for yourself, think of it as a three-step process. These steps should include self-reflection, self-assessment, and career orientation.

Goal Oriented

It appears trivial, but after the the gruesome work of finding about yourself, the next tread is to set those goals. Career goals help you centered on what you want to do for a living. The more specific it is, the more it will do good for you. A career goal can be as specific as a job you want to do.

Career goals serve as a guideline so as you can keep track and discover other career possibilities you would have thought impossible. More so, it becomes your own dictionary to assist you in defining what you want in life rather than drifting from one job to the other.

Once all your goals are set, you are ready for a career plan.

Opening the Doors

When you have finally assessed yourself, it is the ripe moment to choose your options. Sometimes, we become overwhelmed with the staggering number of options. However, you should never be blinded by these options otherwise you end up indecisive.

To get somewhere, learn to focus only on options that matter. To matter, means having the ability to distinguish which alternatives will help you in your pursuit of an established career. With the overflowing information disseminated, you can be fooled by doors that are seemingly attractive but would never encompass the goals you have set.

Be wary of deceitful options. If in case such circumstances arise, the solution is to review and evaluate what you have learned about yourself and the universe will work its magic. Narrowing your options after diligent research provides you a sneak peek of what might lies ahead of you.