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The 7 Fastest-Growing, Highest-Paying Jobs

February 10, 2017 by recruitdc Leave a Comment

By Gloria Martinez

If you have an English degree, you might remember the warnings of, “You’ll never make a living with that!” (Nicer commenters might have suggested you look into teaching.) Who would have guessed that the demand for content writers with search engine optimization savviness in the digital era would put writers in such high demand—and enable them to command such high salaries?

However, that’s just one option for a fast-growing, high-paying job. You’re no longer necessarily locked into career paths based on your degree, and there’s a lot of overlap. For example, “martech,” the blending of marketing and technology, is a relatively new job title that requires skill sets in very different realms.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) compiles data to showcase the fastest-growing jobs in the U.S. For women looking for a job change, it’s a great resource—and perhaps inspiration for not just a change in company, but role.

Fastest-Growing Jobs

●       Wind-turbine service technician: By far the fastest growing job through 2024 at a rate of 108% faster than average, it’s clear that the demand for alternative, clean energy is intense. The average salary is $51,050, and usual entry requirements are on-the-job training (no degree required). Some technicians attend technical/vocational training schools.

●       Occupational therapy assistants: Coming in at number two, these professionals earn an average of $57,870 per year, and the job growth is 43% faster than average. An associate’s degree is usually required as a starting point, followed by technical training programs averaging two years of additional study.  In addition to knowledge in health and sciences, the best assistants also have compassion, are physically fit, and are communicative.

●       Physical therapist assistants: Earning $55,170 per year, PT assistants often have a background in physical fitness and are perhaps personal trainers (though it’s certainly not a requirement). With a job growth 41% faster than average, and all states requiring at least an associate’s degree, it’s a popular yet fast-track career. You’ll also need an additional two years of training and physical strength to carry out job responsibilities.

●       Home health aides: This career is growing 38% faster than average, and offers an average salary of $21,920. However, no formal education is necessary, and on the job training is very fast-paced. Some home health aides are drawn to the career out of empathy as well as the option to customize hours and work in a person’s home rather than a facility.

Other fast-growing job roles include commercial truck drivers, nurse practitioners, physical therapists, statisticians and ambulance drivers. Healthcare has always been an industry steeped in high demand and job security.

High-Paying Jobs

Prefer to focus on a job change for higher pay? U.S. News reported in early 2017 on the current highest-paying jobs that don’t require a degree. (The highest-paying jobs that do require a degree usually entail advanced degrees leading to a career as an anesthesiologist, surgeon, or other tract that requires extensive time and funding to achieve). For those looking for a fast change in 2017, here are the highlights from the report:

●       Radiation therapist: With an average salary of nearly $85,000 and no college degree required, this is by far one of the most lucrative of careers that allows for a fast transition.

●       Nuclear medicine technologist: Such a lofty title might sound like you need an M.D., and the average salary of $74,990 is nothing to scoff at, but no degree at all is needed. What does the job entail? Injecting minute amounts of radioactive chemicals into patients to help doctors diagnose conditions.

●       Dental hygienist: You can earn an average of $72,720 per year while helping patients improve oral hygiene. A certification is often required.

Again, the majority of jobs are in the healthcare field. If you really want to go for the gold, 2017 could also be the year you apply to medical school—anesthesiologists are the highest-paid professionals according to Business Insider, with an average annual salary of $246,320.

 

Gloria runs WomenLed.org, which aims to celebrate women’s achievements in the workplace. She believes that while women have made many advancements toward “shattering the glass ceiling,” there is still much to be done. It is her aim to help increase the number of women-led businesses by educating others about the topic.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: healthcare, Job Seeker, jobs

A Glut Of Recruiters Jobs In The DC Area?

February 24, 2016 by recruitdc Leave a Comment

By Tracy Tran

This past January, I was laid off at my company and I immediately updated my resume and applied to numerous companies and staffing agencies (Spoiler Alert: I start my new job with the HR Source this week). I did get interviews, including several from staffing firms. Without asking, all the staffing firms told me there were tons of recruiting openings (mostly contract) that companies are looking. I asked them why there’s a demand of recruiters. None of the recruiters, from staffing firms, had an answer why there is high demand. So, the next best thing is I asked the recruitDC community about this and there were a few theories:

Theory #1: Not a lot of recruiters in the DC area

It is not the right answer, but it is not entirely far-fetched, either. In Northern Virginia, you have a wide array of government contractors; in Maryland, you have mostly biotech companies; and in D.C., you have everything you can imagine, but only a few slots to fill. However recently, the area has been diversifying (in different industries and sectors) to attract people from across the United States to come to D.C.

Theory #2: Executives don’t think recruiters are necessary, are the first to get laid off, and hire contract recruiters.

On one hand, I do think executives might have a point since some companies are automating their recruiting process and making most recruiters lazy instead of being proactive, which gives recruiting a bad name.

On the other hand, if you have a good recruiting department, why would you eliminate it? Good recruiters do the ground work of sourcing, contacting, and networking with potential candidates and forward the best candidates available to the hiring manager. Good recruiters do not rely too much on machines; they mostly rely on the art of recruiting.

Theory #3: Headcounts are growing for D.C. area companies.

This is the most likely theory as the D.C. area job growth outpaced the national job growth last year. You would think federal funding was a factor of the job growth in D.C.

Not true.

D.C. area companies have found new sources of revenue and with cheaper gas prices and other alternatives to take advantage; companies can expand and be aggressive in their hiring, which is great for recruiters here.

If you’re looking for recruiting opportunities in D.C. area, it is a great time to find one. Even if the company does not have any recruiting openings, they might create one, and luckily, that’s what happened to me.

Groups like We Recruit DC on Facebook have been filled with opportunities as of late, and it bodes well for recruiters.

What are you seeing in the DC area? 

Tracy is a Sourcer and Social Media Specialist for The HR SOURCE in Maryland.  He has been in recruiting for over twelve years sourcing, networking, interviewing, negotiating, and advising hiring managers on who to look for. His experience stretches sectors from nonprofits, consulting firm, government contracting, tech, media, and others from a variety of positions from executives, directors, interns, senior-level, mid-level, and entry-level positions. He has also dealt with job boards currently with NatsJobs, which is a unique and interactive job board during Washington Nationals games. Connect with Tracy on LinkedIn or Twitter.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: DC, Job Search, Job Seeker, recruiting, We Recruit DC

Reinventing Michael Banks: A Lesson in Empathy – recruitDC Guest Post

December 10, 2013 by recruitdc 2 Comments

By Bob Wheeler

Many veterans on the job hunt get frustrated because they feel like potential employers don’t understand or appreciate their experiences.  While this is often true, we have to remember that empathy goes both ways. Service members also need to find ways to understand the unique constraints that recruiters, hiring mangers, and supervisors find themselves in when dealing with veterans in the workforce.  Bridging the culture gap takes more than just finding newer and (often times louder) ways to tell our side of the story, the empathy that we need comes from understanding where the other side is coming from.

Imagine if a civilian technical representative was assigned to your active duty military team. The person has obvious qualifications on how to run the machinery in your shop, in fact they may know more about it than anyone else. What they lack would be the ability to apply that concept within the norms of your military organization.  How would you feel about this situation?  Would you expect that individual to adapt to the norms of the group, or would you expect the group to adapt the norms of the individual? I think we can agree that if the individual refused to adapt to the group, the group would continue to exist, even without the member.

So it is with veteran hiring. If both sides work to understand each others situation then individual and organizational success is much more likely. In the end, veterans must be prepared to reach out first, and reach out the farthest.  If we do, the hands we find on the other side will be in the best position to offer a strong grip and be the most equipped to help us over the wall that divides our military life from a potential civilian career.

Recently an organization known as WILL Interactive  in collaboration with The Coming Home Project produced a really great interactive video program entitled “Reinventing Michael Banks”.  The best part of this interactive video is that it allows people to take on the various roles of veteran job seeker, recruiter, hiring manager, and supervisor.  Playing the scenarios from different personalities not only allows the participant to make choices about what to do next, but more importantly it  allows the player to hear some of the “thoughts” that go through the heads of each person.

Human interactions are much deeper than the verbal or non-verbal signals we send out.  The more empathy we can have about why a person says or does things, the better we can become at tailoring our messages and actions to best fit for the situation. One of my favorite quotes of all times is from Mark Hortsman, who says “Communication is what the listener does.” In this regard, empathy is a force multiplier.  The object is to deliver the message in all of its intended meaning. The more we know about the receiver, the better our chances of success.

I encourage everyone associated with veteran hiring to spend some time on this simulator. If you only have time to go through it once- please play it from a perspective other than your own.  If you have time to go through all four scenarios, I suggest you play from your current perspective last.  You already know what it’s like to be you……this is about finding out what it’s like to be somebody else.

Click here to go to the Reinventing Michael Banks website and participate in scenario. http://www.reinventingmichaelbanks.com/

Bob Wheeler is currently on active duty where he recruits physicians for the US Navy.  He will be retiring from the service in June of 2014 and has been blogging about his transition process at http://veterantransitiondiary.wordpress.com/. You can find Bob on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @sailordoc.

This was republished with permission from the author. You can find the original post here

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Hiring, Human Resources, Job Seeker, Military Transition, Veterans

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