Seven Top Jobs and How to Land Them

Looking for a job? Whether you’re a college student planning to enter the workforce soon or you’re a casualty of cutbacks in your company, job openings are scarce and you’ll most likely be competing with dozens or hundreds of other applicants. But it is possible to find a job you love, even in this tough economy.

Making the Job Hunt Easier

If you want to catch a fish, you have to go where the fish are. The same is true of job-hunting. You can’t randomly pick a career and hope you’ll find an opening. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the following jobs are the fastest-growing careers out there which means qualified applicants will be in high demand. Even better, they’re expected to continue showing strong growth over the next ten years, and qualified workers aren’t as readily available as you might think:

• Accountant or Auditor
• Medical Assistant
• Social Worker
• Human Resources Specialist
• Health Services Manager
• Public Relations Specialist
• Paralegal

According to Wanted Analytics, social workers and accountants were in highest demand during the month of February, while paralegals had the least number of available openings.

How to Land a Great Job

The first step to landing the job of your choice is choosing a career option that is likely to have a higher number of positions to fill. After that, it’s your job to make yourself an attractive job candidate. Here are a few tips on how to fit the bill:

• Find out what training employers expect—It’s not always necessary or even desirable to pursue a four-year college degree in your field. It’s expensive, takes a large chunk of time, and may not increase your chances of getting hired all that much. Some companies will be looking for that college degree, while others look for technical school training, job experience, and skills. If you don’t have the degree but you do have the skills, it’s still worth trying to land the job based on merit.
• Beef up your LinkedIn profile—LinkedIn has become the go-to resource for professionals looking to hire. Flesh out your profile, join some groups, and actively participate in discussions to showcase your qualifications and knowledge of the field.
• Add job experience to your education—For many companies, a great education just isn’t enough. Businesses want experience as well. You can gain experience by applying for an internship or a workforce development program.

These seven careers aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. By making sure you have the right qualifications, you can increase your chances of landing the job you want.