These are recessionary times and job seekers all around have had to face some challenges looking for work. Yet, just because US citizens are facing challenging economic times doesn’t mean everybody is out of work. Many occupations in industries such as healthcare, accounting, office administration and sales are expected to see some significant employment growth between 2010 and 2020.
Here’s a look at some careers in demand for the 2010-2020 period, compiled with the help of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
1. Registered Nurses
A popular occupation in the healthcare industry, this is one career that is very high in demand in the US. Primarily, an aging population that demands greater healthcare services and the ability to treat various previously less-known health problems through technology have both helped escalate the demand for registered nurses. 711,900 jobs in this occupation are expected to be added between 2010 and 2020. You can go for a Bachelor’s or Associate’s Degree in Nursing from an accredited online school to get into this top choice profession amongst careers in demand.
2. Retail Salespersons
As the population grows, so does the demand for consumer goods. And this means that more salespersons will be needed at stores to help customers out and boost sales. This is especially true for warehouse clubs and supercenters. 706,800 additional salespersons are expected to be hired between 2010 and 2020. Typically, on-the-job-training is provided to people in this occupation.
3. Home Health and Personal Care Aides
A similar reason explains the greater demand for professionals in this field as for registered nurses – an aging population that will need greater health care services. The elderly prefer to be taken care of in homes instead of hospitals because of the latter being more expensive, and also because they feel more comfortable in their own homes. That’s why;706,300 jobs are expected to be added for home health aides between 2010 and 2020, and 607,000 for personal care sides for the same time period. Formal training for these occupations can be obtained from community colleges and vocational schools.
4. General Office Clerks
With an expected growth of 489,500 jobs in this occupation for 2010-2020, employment is expected to increase significantly because offices and organizations increasingly need the services of administrative staff who can handle more than one task rather than a single, specialized task. However, because technology plays a key role in improving efficiency for this job role, people who adapt to new technology will be at an advantage in the job market. In addition, a college degree, perhaps acquired via a distance education program, can be helpful for further advancement to a supervisory role in the occupation from the family of careers in demand.
5. Customer Service Representatives
With 338,400 jobs to be added between 2010 and 2020, this is another career in demand. Because companies have a greater focus towards providing quality customer service in order to differentiate themselves from competitors, and because customers today increasingly demand products that require customer support, employment for customer service representatives is expected to stay up. Because of a requirement for a more skilled workforce, many employers prefer to hire people with an associate’s or bachelor’s degrees.
6. Accountants and Auditors
With a median salary in 2010 of $61,690 for accountants and auditors, this occupation is also a financially rewarding one amongst careers in demand. The recent financial crisis has meant that organizations are placing a strong emphasis on financial documentation according to new standards and regulations. That’s why the BLS estimates 190,700 more jobs will be added in this occupational category, which requires a minimal bachelor’s degree for most entry-level positions.
These are the America’s Top Professions that have a great projected employment growth. If you wish to get into any of these, you can start by getting the minimum entry-level education required and by networking with other people in that field.