| The question confronting most people who want | | | | criteria, you'll receive results based on the |
| to find a job is "what's a good paying job | | | | fastest growth in sheer number of jobs and |
| with growth potential?" | | | | you'll receive listings that may require no |
| | | | education beyond high school up to jobs |
| At one time, the Conestoga wagon building | | | | requiring a two year community college or |
| trade boomed as people joined the wagon | | | | vocational school training program or 4 year |
| trains heading west. | | | | bachelor's degree. |
| | | | |
| Today, the boom is long gone and those | | | | What do you see when you do the job |
| wanting to find a job with a future will most | | | | information search? |
| likely wish to stay away from such a field. | | | | |
| | | | You see the first 25 of (for Alabama) 513 |
| So how can you find a job that will | | | | fastest growing jobs as determined by the |
| reasonably be expected to thrive in the | | | | number of jobs that will be available between |
| future either in your home state or the state | | | | 2000 and 2010. |
| in which you choose to reside? | | | | |
| | | | As might be expected the job with the highest |
| One key is through using Labor Market | | | | growth prospects for Alabama is computer |
| Information to research potential jobs as you | | | | software engineering and applications. |
| create a long term plan to find the job you | | | | |
| feel is ideal for your skills and interests. | | | | By clicking on the job itself you find the |
| | | | "Occupation Report" for that state. |
| Your first step to find a job with potential | | | | |
| is to use the free service available at | | | | You'll learn a wealth of information about |
| "America's Career InfoNet" a website | | | | this particular job and be able to watch an |
| sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. | | | | online job video showing you just what a |
| | | | particular job involves. |
| To find a job with growth potential in your | | | | |
| state, visit this state by state database. | | | | Since you want to find a job with good income |
| (This opens in a new window so you will not | | | | potential, you'll see - on average - the kind |
| lose the instructions on how to find a job | | | | of money people in this job make in the |
| with potential on this page when you click | | | | particular state and nationwide based on |
| the link!) | | | | government labor market information. |
| | | | |
| After you've searched for a particular state | | | | Now let's try to find a job that's in the |
| - we'll use Alabama as an example - here's | | | | "Highest Paying" category but only requiring |
| what you'll find... | | | | a 2 year training program at the most. |
| | | | |
| 1) Basic demographic information under these | | | | What job's come up? Hint: They'll be listed |
| headings: | | | | by the highest pay expressed (when possible) |
| | | | as an HOURLY wage and then an ANNUAL WAGE for |
| (Again, these are for Alabama.) Demographic | | | | the job you find in Hourly/Annual format. |
| Information: | | | | |
| | | | For Alabama (the answer may vary for your |
| 2001 Population 4,468,900 | | | | state) the Top 10 are: |
| | | | |
| 2002 Labor Force 2,102,800 | | | | 1 Commercial Pilots N/A /$59,100 |
| | | | |
| 2002 Unemployment Rate 5.9% | | | | 2 Computer Specialists, All Other $24.52 |
| | | | $51,000 |
| 2002 Median Household Income $37,600 | | | | |
| | | | 3 Electrical and Electronics Repairers, |
| 2001 Per Capita Income $24,500 | | | | Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay $23.59 |
| | | | $49,100 |
| You'll be able to see how the state ranks | | | | |
| nationally and you'll be able to check | | | | 4 Radiation Therapists $22.67/$47,200 |
| unemployment rates by county just to know | | | | |
| what you're up against in your job search for | | | | 5 Electrical and Electronics Drafters $22.02 |
| a particular county! | | | | $45,800 |
| | | | |
| 2) The next step to find a job in a growing | | | | 6 Aerospace Engineering and Operations |
| occupation is to choose the kind of growth | | | | Technicians $21.98/$45,700 |
| occupation you have in mind. | | | | |
| | | | 7 Electrical and Electronic Engineering |
| Your options will be... | | | | Technicians $21.71/$45,200 |
| | | | |
| Fastest growing occupations | | | | 8 Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate |
| | | | $21.16/$44,000 |
| Occupations with the most openings | | | | |
| | | | 9 Ship Engineers $21.13/$44,000 |
| Occupations with the largest employment | | | | |
| | | | 10 Telecommunications Equipment Installers |
| Occupations with declining employment | | | | and Repairers, Except Line Installers $20.79 |
| | | | $43,200 |
| Highest paying occupations | | | | |
| | | | Again, you can click on the job titles you |
| At this point in your career search you'll | | | | find and go directly to an occupational |
| also be asked to choose the level of | | | | report. |
| education you're willing to achieve to | | | | |
| enhance your income. The options listed | | | | By using Labor Market Information, you can |
| are... Overall | | | | find a job with high growth potential, high |
| | | | wages, and usually a training requirement |
| Requiring only work experience or on-the-job | | | | that involves only 2 years of training or |
| training | | | | less beyond high school. |
| | | | |
| Requiring post-secondary training or an | | | | Remember, you do not necessarily need a |
| associate's degree | | | | traditional 4 year degree to find a job with |
| | | | high growth potential. You DO need specific |
| Requiring a bachelor's degree or higher | | | | skills however not more "underwater basket |
| | | | weaving courses" at college that are |
| Click the appropriate button to make your | | | | unrelated to a specific field. |
| selections and then you can hit "search" to | | | | |
| find a job with growth potential. | | | | 4 year degrees are nice and even graduate |
| | | | degrees are important to find a job in some |
| In this case we'll select "Fastest growth" | | | | fields. But increasingly, 2 year specialized |
| and "overall" educational requirements. | | | | programs are dominating the field as far as |
| | | | improving wages. |
| When you search to find a job with these | | | | |