| The question confronting most people who want to | | | | beyond high school up to jobs requiring a two year |
| find a job is "what's a good paying job with growth | | | | community college or vocational school training |
| potential?"At one time, the Conestoga wagon building | | | | program or 4 year bachelor's degree.What do you |
| trade boomed as people joined the wagon trains | | | | see when you do the job information search?You see |
| heading west.Today, the boom is long gone and those | | | | the first 25 of (for Alabama) 513 fastest growing jobs |
| wanting to find a job with a future will most likely wish | | | | as determined by the number of jobs that will be |
| to stay away from such a field.So how can you find a | | | | available between 2000 and 2010.As might be |
| job that will reasonably be expected to thrive in the | | | | expected the job with the highest growth prospects |
| future either in your home state or the state in which | | | | for Alabama is computer software engineering and |
| you choose to reside?One key is through using Labor | | | | applications.By clicking on the job itself you find the |
| Market Information to research potential jobs as you | | | | "Occupation Report" for that state.You'll learn a wealth |
| create a long term plan to find the job you feel is ideal | | | | of information about this particular job and be able to |
| for your skills and interests.Your first step to find a job | | | | watch an online job video showing you just what a |
| with potential is to use the free service available at | | | | particular job involves.Since you want to find a job with |
| "America's Career InfoNet" a website sponsored by | | | | good income potential, you'll see - on average - the |
| the U.S. Department of Labor.To find a job with | | | | kind of money people in this job make in the particular |
| growth potential in your state, visit this state by state | | | | state and nationwide based on government labor |
| database. (This opens in a new window so you will not | | | | market information.Now let's try to find a job that's in |
| lose the instructions on how to find a job with potential | | | | the "Highest Paying" category but only requiring a 2 |
| on this page when you click the link!)After you've | | | | year training program at the most.What job's come |
| searched for a particular state - we'll use Alabama as | | | | up? Hint: They'll be listed by the highest pay expressed |
| an example - here's what you'll find...1) Basic | | | | (when possible) as an HOURLY wage and then an |
| demographic information under these headings:(Again, | | | | ANNUAL WAGE for the job you find in Hourly/Annual |
| these are for Alabama.) Demographic Information:2001 | | | | format.For Alabama (the answer may vary for your |
| Population 4,468,9002002 Labor Force 2,102,8002002 | | | | state) the Top 10 are:1 Commercial Pilots N/A |
| Unemployment Rate 5.9%2002 Median Household | | | | $59,1002 Computer Specialists, All Other $24.52 |
| Income $37,6002001 Per Capita Income $24,500You'll | | | | $51,0003 Electrical and Electronics Repairers, |
| be able to see how the state ranks nationally and you'll | | | | Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay $23.59/$49,1004 |
| be able to check unemployment rates by county just | | | | Radiation Therapists $22.67/$47,2005 Electrical and |
| to know what you're up against in your job search for | | | | Electronics Drafters $22.02/$45,8006 Aerospace |
| a particular county!2) The next step to find a job in a | | | | Engineering and Operations Technicians $21.98 |
| growing occupation is to choose the kind of growth | | | | $45,7007 Electrical and Electronic Engineering |
| occupation you have in mind.Your options will | | | | Technicians $21.71/$45,2008 Appraisers and |
| be...Fastest growing occupationsOccupations with the | | | | Assessors of Real Estate $21.16/$44,0009 Ship |
| most openingsOccupations with the largest | | | | Engineers $21.13/$44,00010 Telecommunications |
| employmentOccupations with declining | | | | Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line |
| employmentHighest paying occupationsAt this point in | | | | Installers $20.79/$43,200Again, you can click on the job |
| your career search you'll also be asked to choose the | | | | titles you find and go directly to an occupational |
| level of education you're willing to achieve to enhance | | | | report.By using Labor Market Information, you can find |
| your income. The options listed are... OverallRequiring | | | | a job with high growth potential, high wages, and |
| only work experience or on-the-job trainingRequiring | | | | usually a training requirement that involves only 2 years |
| post-secondary training or an associate's | | | | of training or less beyond high school.Remember, you |
| degreeRequiring a bachelor's degree or higherClick the | | | | do not necessarily need a traditional 4 year degree to |
| appropriate button to make your selections and then | | | | find a job with high growth potential. You DO need |
| you can hit "search" to find a job with growth | | | | specific skills however not more "underwater basket |
| potential.In this case we'll select "Fastest growth" and | | | | weaving courses" at college that are unrelated to a |
| "overall" educational requirements.When you search to | | | | specific field.4 year degrees are nice and even |
| find a job with these criteria, you'll receive results | | | | graduate degrees are important to find a job in some |
| based on the fastest growth in sheer number of jobs | | | | fields. But increasingly, 2 year specialized programs are |
| and you'll receive listings that may require no education | | | | dominating the field as far as improving wages. |