The Best Jobs For 2012
No one can tell you the future of the job market. But by looking at past trends and seeing how our economy grows or declines, we can get pretty dog gone close. Over the last few years there has been several sectors of the economy that keeps growing and adding jobs. And from the looks of things, this will continue to grow in 2012 and beyond. If you’re looking for some career advice on where to get training to take advantage of the growth in these job sectors, then keep reading, we may have some good news for you! Below are our best jobs for 2012 picks according to the data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and we’ll share some comments on what it takes to land one!
Dental Hygienist
The medical field is one area that continues to grow and grow. Partly due to our aging population and partly due to people who keep having babies! Dental hygienist are in high demand in many areas of the country. Entry into this field is not as hard as other in-demand jobs. In most cases, you can get into this field with an associates degree in Dental Hygiene. The average pay for a Dental Hygienist is around $65,000 to $70,000 per year depending on several things including your market area, demand and experience.
More experienced hygienist are doing more and more jobs that were once the area of dentist. These type of hygienist are in demand and it’s not uncommon for them to be able to set their own hours and even own work days. More and more of them are choosing to have 4 day work weeks and 6 hour days. But don’t expect these kind of perks right out of school!
Actuary
It’s funny. Many times when you mention an Actuary to someone they give you a blank look. They don’t seem to know what an Actuary is or what they do. So what does an Actuary do? An Actuary is a person who calculates the financial risk of an event using statistics, mathematics and financial theory. Corporations of all sizes hire people like this as risk analyst. Insurance companies use Actuaries to set rates and evaluate risk.
Oddly enough, the downturn in the economy along with the political climate has increased demand for Actuaries. Corporations don’t like uncertainty and they’re willing to pay good salaries for those with a good track record. The average salary of an Actuary is about $87,000 to $90,000 per year. Not to shabby if you can swing it.
Software Engineer
The tech bubble may have busted nearly a decade or more ago, but there is still a need for Techie nerds in this day and age. Perhaps even more so than in the past. It should go without saying, but Software Engineers develop software. More and more corporations are having custom made software designed for their specific and proprietary causes.
Software Engineers have been in demand for several years now and so far the need is out pacing qualified applicants to fill them. A good software programmer that hires on with a good company can expect to make in the $85,000 to $90,000 range. Of course, this depends on how experienced they are and the duties they’re expected to carry out. One that has experience leading teams and finishing project on time and under budget is obviously going to make more than someone who just graduated school!
Human Resources Manager
Yeah, this one always surprises us. But I guess it shouldn’t. With hiring at the huge low it is, companies are more interested in finding highly qualified employees to fill the few openings they do have. Add to this the fact that fewer people are going into this field and more are retiring from it and you get a sector of the industry that has a huge need for people who know how to find and hire professionals!
In fact, it’s been said that one of the best things a company can do to improve it’s bottom line is to find a great Human Resources manager! If you’re still not convinced that this field is in demand, consider that a good Human Resource manager can bring down around $100,00o per year! When it comes to finding good people, many companies will stop at nothing to bring in the best professional HR managers to hunt them down!
Financial Planner
Finally, with all the uncertainty with the economy as well as a very robust and aging baby boomer population, Financial Planners have been some of the top earners over the last few years. People from all walks of life are worried about their money and their future and they want to hire a professional who can look after it for them. This is also a field where demand is not keeping up with new applicants coming into the field. This is kinda puzzling considering that top Financial Planners can make over $100,000 per year.
So there you have it. If you’re wondering which fields to go into where you can make a good salary and have somewhat stable job security, these 5 should fit the bill. They’re the best jobs for 2012 and likely well beyond. Some require a four year degree while others like Dental Hygienist only require an associates degree. One thing is for sure, you won’t land any of these jobs if you don’t start working toward them! What are you waiting for?
