If I were starting out again and I wanted to choose my career by the numbers, I’d consider computers, and I’d head south.
The Daytona Beach area, 24 percent of companies plan to hire (compared to 13 percent nation-wide), according to a recent Manpower survey. Austin Texas and other areas of Florida and Texas are also looking good.
What types of jobs to consider? Computer work, health care work, and even a job in the gambling industry could be on the table. The Department of Labor and Statistics has released its 2016 projections for job growth in industries, and some of the numbers are enough to warm this career coach’s heart
Although there are lists compiled for this year, we need years usually to train for a career. That’s why I like to look at the Department of Labor projections for two years out.
All these numbers require a dose of reality. The numbers can be, well, weird, as The Atlantic does a good job pointing out.
While I don’t think we should just abandon our interests and talents to follow whatever economic trends crop up, I do think we need a dose of realism to go with it. A job search without knowledge of these trends can quickly lead a job seeker to blame himself when the search drags on. If you know the reality in your area, you can avoid blaming yourself and redouble your efforts, or you can even consider keeping your human resources career afloat by targeting a computer services company on the rise.
To talk more about your career challenges, you can reach me at meredithtseu@gmail.com.
