Where the Hiring Is the Hottest
Here are some sweet spots in the job market
The job market hasn't been this good in four years, and new entrants into the labor force are finding employers finally ready, willing, and able to hire them. The country's unemployment rate was 4.8 percent in February. Businesses are hiring more workers, paying them more money, and letting them use technology to work from home, according to surveys. "Companies are now fat with cash, and they need to invest in workers to increase their productivity," says Richard Castellini, senior career adviser for CareerBuilder.com. Many employers are even looking to hire retired workers to compensate for lost experience as the baby boomers approach their own retirement.
But some fields are still faring better than others--providing that demographic, technological, and economic trends hold. Whether you are changing jobs or just venturing out into the working world, here are some of the brightest spots in a generally rosy job market.
FINANCE
Accountant
CAREER OUTLOOK: A rash of corporate scandals, enabled in part by accounting shenanigans, has led to new government regulations on corporate governance. The practical upshot is that companies now need more eyes watching the books. Couple those new demands with an aging workforce, and the future for young accountants looks bright. The government estimates that jobs for accountants will increase by between 18 and 26 percent through 2014.
PREREQUISITES: Most employers, and the federal government, require four years of college with a major or minor in accounting. Other positions require a master's degree in finance or an M.B.A. with a concentration in accounting. The vast majority of states require certified public accountants to be college graduates, but some substitute a number of years of public accounting experience for an advanced degree. Earning a certification from a state board of accountancy will considerably improve your employment prospects.
FOLLOW THE MONEY: The average accountant's salary is $50,800. Overall, one quarter of the country's accountants work in tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services firms. About 1 in 10 accountants is self-employed. Executive branch employees and Postal Service accountants earn an average $56,900 per year, while state government accountants pull in around $43,400.
TRANSPORTATION
Truck Driver
CAREER OUTLOOK: The fortunes of the trucking industry are directly tied to the health of the national economy. As the economy booms, so does the demand to move more goods. What's more, companies that focus on increased or more-efficient production will often outsource their transportation needs to trucking companies, which, in turn, will need drivers. The government pegs the expected job growth in the trucking and warehousing industry at around 14 percent from now through 2014. The job outlook is especially promising for truck drivers, diesel service technicians, and mechanics.
PREREQUISITES: Most jobs in trucking require a high school diploma, though workers hoping to move into management would do well to have a college sheepskin, too. Commercial driver's licenses are issued by individual states; companies might have additional training requirements. Earning a commercial license usually means attending a trucking school. The need for a clean driving record goes without saying.
FOLLOW THE MONEY: Most truckers earn an hourly rate, a rate per mile, or a percentage of their loads' revenue. Annual salaries can fluctuate greatly depending on the amount of time worked and the types of loads carried. Median salaries range from $13.76 per hour for light service trucking to $21.93 per hour for more specialized and long-distance haulers.
EDUCATION
Special-Education Teacher
CAREER OUTLOOK: Special-ed teachers have some of the toughest jobs in school, but they can also be the most rewarding. More and more children are being tested for special needs at earlier ages, sparking a growing demand for teachers trained to educate them. The Labor Department forecasts that special-education positions will be the fastest-growing jobs in education, increasing by between 18 and 26 percent through 2014.
PREREQUISITES: Every state has its own requirements for licensing special-education teachers. Normally, this means a bachelor's degree with a certain number of education credits and supervised classroom teaching experience. Most teachers must also pass a professional certification test.
FOLLOW THE MONEY: Average salaries for special-ed teachers vary by region, state, and school district but usually fall in the $35,000-to-$55,000 range. Most teachers belong to unions and can also earn money by coaching athletic programs or running extracurricular activities. Long summer vacations also allow for part-time jobs.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Hazardous Materials Removal Specialist
CAREER OUTLOOK: The job outlook for workers who remove hazardous materials is excellent. The desire for a cleaner environment is high, and projects like lead and asbestos abatement abound. The inherent danger of the job creates a high turnover rate, and local municipalities increasingly outsource such jobs to private companies. So, plenty of positions are expected to be available. The federal government foresees an increase of 27 percent or more in employment of hazardous materials removal workers through 2014.
PREREQUISITES: There are no formal education requirements beyond a high school diploma for landing a job as a hazardous waste removal worker, though certification ordinarily calls for a 32-to-40-hour course. Physical strength and manual dexterity are important assets. Employers generally provide on-the-job training. Larger projects, such as decommissioning and decontamination of nuclear sites, demand a more extensive certification regime, usually around three months' worth of classes.
FOLLOW THE MONEY: Hazardous materials removal workers earned an average of $16 per hour in May 2004, the most recent statistics available. Workers with more advanced training can earn upwards of $27.25 per hour.
Information Technology
Computer Software Engineer
CAREER OUTLOOK: Employment in software publishing has more than doubled in the past 15 years. Granted, it's not the scorching-hot job market created by the dot-com boom, but as the price of computer hardware falls and more-menial tasks are outsourced, the need for creative software designers is expected to grow. The ever evolving nature of the Internet and the host of applications that customers want to run on their personal computers mean that demand for software engineers will continue to grow, according to the Labor Department.
PREREQUISITES: A variety of degrees can be useful in software engineering, from associate to doctoral. Most engineers have at least a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field. Advancement is determined by on-the-job performance, especially by demonstrating creativity in adapting to new advances in technology. Engineers with strong leadership skills often move into management positions.
FOLLOW THE MONEY: Earnings vary greatly depending on geography, skills, degrees, and experience, but on average, a software engineer receives about $40 per hour. Yet the range is enormous. In May 2004, the bottom 10 percent of software engineers earned less than $50,270, while the top 10 percent pulled in at least $116,340.
SERVICE
Auto Mechanic
CAREER OUTLOOK: They used to be called mechanics, but these days they're most likely called automotive technicians. The name change stems from the fact that diagnosing and repairing a modern car's integrated electronic, operational, and computerized systems is far more complicated than twisting wrenches. The job outlook for such workers with the right training is expected to be very good, according to government prognosticators. U.S. demand for foreign oil may decrease, but the number of cars on the road won't decline anytime soon.
PREREQUISITES: One can still learn the basics of car repair through on-the-job training and informal apprenticeships, but the skill sets are becoming more complicated, and employers like to see some formal training at the high school, vocational-technical, or community college level. More-specialized training programs sponsored by car makers and their dealerships involve two-year associate degree programs at a postsecondary school.
FOLLOW THE MONEY: Mechanics working at your neighborhood gas station earn an average of $28,000 per year. Down the road at the car dealership, those mechanics pull in around $38K. More-experienced mechanics often receive a commission based on the amount of work-hours they spend fixing a particular car, so their salaries vary with the amount of work completed.
AGRICULTURE
Farm Manager
CAREER OUTLOOK: Agricultural employment will decline by some 5 percent in the coming years, by the government's estimates, as crop prices fall and farms are consolidated. Support positions for the industry, however, are expected to grow by 18.2 percent, with 19,000 new jobs created through 2014, as older workers retire and the decline in agriculture pushes some workers into different industries.
PREREQUISITES: Growing up on a farm and learning on the job are the easiest ways to develop farm-management skills. But since farm operations are becoming more scientific, a two- or four-year advanced degree from an agricultural college is becoming the norm. While a degree in agricultural science with a concentration in management is a good start, workers will often spend years training under a more experienced hand.
FOLLOW THE MONEY: Income from farming is highly dependent on fluctuations in weather, crop yields, and government subsidies. Income for full-time, salaried farm managers is more stable; average weekly earnings were $621 in 2004.
ZOOLOGY
Veterinary Technologist
CAREER OUTLOOK: People love their pets and consider them part of the family. As pet owners become more affluent, they demand better care for the animals, a trend projected to fuel at least 27 percent growth in employment for veterinary technologists through 2014. And it's stable work. Even in economic downturns, the Labor Department says, people are still willing to pay for pet care, and layoffs are unlikely.
PREREQUISITES: After earning a four-year degree, technologists must pass a state certification exam, ensuring that Fido will be in good hands while on the operating table. State tests differ but usually include written, oral, and practical components.
FOLLOW THE MONEY: Earnings of veterinary technologists vary depending on education and employer. Average hourly wages were $12 in May 2004, but the top 10 percent averaged $17.
This story appears in the March 20, 2006 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.