Best Careers for the Future
From LoveToKnow Jobs
In order to predict the best careers for the future, you have to know how to spot the major trends that are affecting the economy and the general employment picture. If you research the trends, you may be able to make a job change before your job becomes downsized, discontinued or moved out of the country. This can also help you be better prepared to select the best career for your future.
Careers to Avoid
Job needs have changed based on the new ways people work and play. Labor-intensive jobs, manufacturing and customer support functions remain necessary, but many of these jobs have been sent overseas. This trend to offshore staffing has caused the closing of job opportunities in a variety of entry and mid-management levels.
Technology and Automation
A great deal of career demand is being fueled by trends in technology and automation. Many jobs that used to be in great demand now have minimal employment possibilities, or have been discontinued. Examples of jobs that have become largely obsolete include:
- Typesetters
- Dictation secretaries
- Punch card operators
- Telex operators
- Telephone operators
- Fax machine operators
- Drafting technicians
Offshore Employment
Many knowledge-based and support jobs have been moved offshore to countries such as India, the Philippines and China where excellent, English-speaking employees can be found to work for significantly less than their counterparts in the United States. Positions that are being offshored at a high rate include:
- Programmers
- Technical support representatives
- Customer service representatives
Best Careers for the Future
As with any predictions, it is difficult to determine with certainty what the winning careers will be in the future. People entering the workforce, or those who are considering a job change within the workforce, can only look at the obvious changes in business and lifestyles as potential predictors of the future job opportunities.
Globalization and Environmentalism
Increasing globalization and environmentalism is leading to new job opportunities such as:
- Offshore managers
- System network engineers
- Immigration specialists
- Emergency planning managers
- Green-collar consultants
- Renewable energy consultants
Retailing Support
Increasing retail sales from television, direct mail and internet shopping will result in the need for jobs that are related to the movement of goods, such as:
- Delivery truck drivers such as UPS, FEDEX and the post office
- Pilots
- Flight attendants
- Truck mechanics
- Aircraft mechanics
Aging of America
The longer lifespan is causing a need for products and services for the older individual, leading to additional opportunities for:
- Home health care aides
- Physical therapists
- Nursing aides
- Doctors and dentists
- Pharmacists
- Registered nurses
- Wellness coaches
- Lab technicians
- Social workers
- Marketing managers
- Financial services representatives
Limited Free Time
Individuals are looking to service providers to perform many of the tasks that individuals used to do for themselves:
- Hair stylists
- Child care assistants
- Landscape architects
- Pest controllers
- Chefs
- Waiters and waitresses
- Plumbers and electricians
Part-Time Employment
Many people in the labor market have decided that part-time employment better fits their schedule and needs than full-time employment. Working mothers often opt for part-time positions so they can spend more time with their children while reducing child care expenses. Individuals who are getting close to retirement, or who have already retired, are often looking for part-time jobs that will keep them busy and supplement their income.
According to CNN, the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics has defined the part-time jobs that offer flexible schedules, pay well and are projected to grow in the number of job openings over the next ten years. The top ten part-time jobs are:
- Pharmacy technicians
- Tax preparers
- Dental assistants
- Personal and home-care aides
- Receptionists
- Clerical library assistants
- Demonstrators and product promoters
- Child-care workers
- Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors
- Physical therapist aides
Resources For More Information
There are many excellent resources available here at LoveToKnow Job & Careers as well as other websites that can provide specific information on job trends, job descriptions, salary information as well as educational, training and licensing requirements. For example:
Comments
Kenneth, thanks for you feedback. We definitely want to provide balanced information to our readers. If you'd like to post the URLs in another comment, I'll be happy to check them out and add them to the article as appropriate. ~ Mary White
-- Contributed by: Mary Gormandy WhiteI would like to point out that your research (or perhaps assumptions) regarding offshore employment are inaccurate. The trend for offshoring customer service and technical representative positions are being reversed, not to mention were never really significant at all accroding to a recent Gartenr Report. In addition, according to the US State Department, customer service positions here in the United States are in high demand and understaffed with a more that average projected growth (21%) over the next 10 years. What does this mean? Excellent opportunities over the next 10 years in customer service. You may also review this information by visiting the State Departments website. If the posting format would allow, I would have provided direct links to these reports.
-- Contributed by: Kenneth WillsThis page has been accessed 716 times. This page was last modified 01:45, 7 March 2008.
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