While pursuing a career, think about other alternatives instead.
It's been said that if you're not growing,
you're dying. Well, that seems true when it comes to careers, too.
Unfortunately, in today's fast-paced, technology-driven world, sometimes it's
hard to predict which jobs will be winners and which will be losers. But
understanding the likely trajectory of your chosen field will be crucial to
your professional success.
"People need to ensure that they're in
an industry, or working to enter one, that has long-term potential and
security," says Debra Wheatman, a certified professional career coach and
president of Careers Done Write. She says that if you're not careful, you could
find yourself putting your best earning years into a dead-end job.
Dying Career : Desktop Publisher
Desktop publishing was revolutionary during
the printed media era, helping organizations avoid the cost and complications
of using large printing presses to print everything from advertisements to
magazines. Today, desktop publishers still design layouts with computer
software for newspapers, books, and other printed media, says the U.S.
Department of Labor, but the printing party has come to an end.
Projected Decline: According
to the Department of Labor, desktop publisher jobs are expected to decline by
15 percent from 2010 to 2020. That's a total of 3,300 lost jobs, which is
sizable considering the profession had only 22,600 jobs in 2010.
Why It's Dying: The
Department says that advances in user-friendly desktop publishing software will
allow other workers, such as graphic designers and copyeditors, to perform the
tasks desktop publishers do now. Automation will also lead to job loss.
Finally, the Department says, opportunities in desktop publishing will be
stronger "for those with a degree in graphic design or a related
field."
Which begs the question: Why not consider...
Alternative Career: Graphic
Designer
Not only does the career of graphic designer
have a better outlook for job growth, according to the Department, it also
gives you the opportunity to be more creative. That's because graphic designers
use computer software, and sometimes even draw by hand, to create visual
concepts for logos, websites, or product illustrations.
Projected Growth: The
Department projects graphic designer jobs to grow by 13 percent from 2010 to
2020, which translates to 37,300 possible new jobs.
Why It's Growing: The
Department says that due to the increased use of the Internet, graphic
designers will be needed to create layouts and images for such things as
websites, electronic publications, portable devices, and video entertainment
media.
"Companies need artists to create
packaging, branding, marketing/PR materials, trade show/billboard signage,
online and print advertising, gaming development artists, and many are anxious
to [hire graphic designers]" says Cheryl Chapman, a professor of digital
graphic art with Coastline Community College in Southern California.
Education Options: Typically,
a bachelor's degree in graphic design or a related field is a must for graphic
designers, says the Department. "However, those with a bachelor's degree
in another field may pursue technical training in graphic design to meet
most hiring qualifications," says the Department.
Dying Career: Reporter
They say a species must adapt or die, and with the trend of the Internet replacing print journalism (you are reading this on the computer, after all), media folks who don't adjust might not survive too much longer. In short, many reporters could be going the way of their typewriters soon.
Projected Decline: Reporter
and correspondent positions are expected to decline by 8 percent from 51,900
jobs in 2010 to 48,000 in 2020, for a total of nearly 4,000 jobs lost, says the
U.S. Department of Labor
Why It's Dying: The
Department of Labor says that because of the trend of consolidation of media
companies and the decline in readership of newspapers, reporters will find
there are fewer available jobs.
So, if you have a hankering for writing, you
might look into...
Alternative Career: Public Relations Specialist
In the new world of Facebook, Twitter, and
all things Web, the public image of a company has never been more important,
and so the role of public relations specialist is a vital one. These are the
people who evaluate advertising programs, write press releases, and communicate
with the media and public to promote a company's public image, according to
U.S. Department of Labor.
Projected Growth: The
Department projects openings for PR specialists to grow by 23 percent from 2010
to 2020, which equals 58,200 new jobs.
Why It's Growing: Thanks to
the fact that both good and bad news spreads quickly in the Internet age, the
Department says that companies need PR specialists to respond to these news
developments. "With the popularity of social media marketers, specializing
in that will be absolutely critical in the future. These people will be sought
after by most companies," says Susan Heathfield, a management consultant
and writer of About.com's Guide to Human Resources.
Education Options: The
Department says public relations specialists normally need a bachelor's degree,
with employers usually wanting applicants to have studied public relations,
communications, journalism, English, or business.
Dying Career #3: Semiconductor Processor
You'd think if any job was safe in this
computer-filled world it would be the people who manufacture electronic
semiconductors, aka microchips and integrated circuits. But alas, looking at
projections by the U.S. Department of Labor, it appears these workers are
destined to be processed out.
Projected Decline: The
Department of Labor expects this job to decline rapidly by 18 percent, going
from 21,100 jobs in 2010 to just 17,300 in 2020, a total loss of 3,800 jobs.
Why It's Dying: Here's a
bitter irony for those in the semiconductor processing biz: Despite the fact
that semiconductors are in strong demand, increased automation in the plants
that make semiconductors means fewer of these workers will be hired, says the
Department. In addition, many microchip manufacturers will close plants in the
U.S. and move production overseas to less-costly countries, says the
Department.
So if you're a techie, you might want to
think about...
Alternative Career: Database Administrator
With the recent kerfuffle about China
allegedly hacking private companies' databases to perform corporate espionage,
it shouldn't come as a surprise that database administrators will be much
needed in years to come. Why? Database administrators use computer software to
help companies store and organize data, as well as keep that data safe from
unauthorized users, says the U.S. Department of Labor.
Projected Growth: Job
opportunities for database administrators will grow by 31 percent, from 2010 to
2020, says the Department of Labor. That's a total of almost 34,000 new jobs.
Why It's Growing: There is
rapid growth in the amount of data being collected by companies, and therefore
a greater need for database administrators to keep it organized for analysis,
says the Department.
Heathfield says that this "big
data" collection promises to be a huge job creator, with companies needing
people to organize and analyze the data they have been collecting from
consumers for the past decade or more. "Companies are now discovering that
they're not using that data and want to start utilizing it," she says.
Education Options: Database
administrators have a bachelor's degree in a computer- or information- related
subject, says the Department.
Dying Career : Auto Insurance Appraiser
You know those nice men and women who tell
you just how much damage your car sustained in your recent fender bender? Well,
according to the U.S. Department of Labor, there will be far fewer of them in
the near future.
Projected Decline: The
Department of Labor says this occupation will contract by 8 percent between
2010 to 2020. And although that only amounts to 800 jobs lost overall, it will
have a significant impact on the field when you consider that just 10,600
appraisers were employed in 2010.
Why It's Dying: Believe it
or not, the decline in insurance appraisers of auto damage is good news. Why?
Because, says the Department, the loss of employment is due to our cars getting
safer. That, they say, will lead to fewer accidents and this will mean less
need for insurance adjusters.
So these workers might want to try...
Alternative Career: Cost Estimator
If you've got a bit of the appraiser in you,
cost estimator might be a better gig. These are the folks who collect and
analyze data to estimate the time, labor, resources, and, of course, money it
will take to produce a certain product or service, says the U.S. Department of
Labor. It's an important position for any business.
Projected Growth: Job
opportunities for cost estimators will grow by a surprising 36 percent from
2010 to 2020, says the Department of Labor. What does that look like in jobs
figures? Try 67,500.
Why It's Growing: The
Department says that this profession will grow as companies continue to look
for more cost-effective services and products. The greatest growth, says the
Department, will come in the construction industry, especially in national
infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, and airports.
Education Options: More and
more employers of cost estimators prefer their candidates to have a bachelor's
degree, says the Department, and though field of study may vary by industry, a
background in mathematics is important. Some employers could prefer
candidates with business-related majors in areas such as accounting, economics,
business, finance, and others.
Construction cost estimators, on the other
hand, probably need a bachelor's in building science or construction
management, says the Department. Likewise, cost estimators working in manufacturing
usually are required to earn a bachelor's in engineering, math, statistics, or
the physical sciences.
Dying Career : Insurance Underwriters
If you've ever applied for auto, health, or any other kind of insurance, it's likely that your fate - whether you got the insurance and how much you paid for it - was in the hands of an insurance underwriter. Now, it seems, many underwriter jobs are in need of a little insurance themselves. Why?
Projected Decline:
Opportunities in this field will increase, but at a mere six percent between
2010 to 2020. That's slower than the average rate of 14 percent for all
occupations, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, which doesn't bode well
for the future.
Why It's Dying: The reason
for the snail-paced growth will probably come as little surprise to most. The
Department of Labor says that new forms of underwriting software will allow
companies to process insurance applications more efficiently than ever and this
will result in fewer underwriters needed.
Let's hope these professionals have
unemployment insurance, or a backup plan like...
Alternative Career: Accountant or Auditor
If you like working with spreadsheets,
examining financial records, analyzing financial operations, and helping
companies to run more efficiently to create bigger profits, the job of
accountant or auditor could add up for your future.
Projected Growth: Accounting
and auditing positions are expected to grow by 16 percent from 2010 to 2020,
says the U.S. Department of Labor. Talk about growth: The Department of Labor
expects 190,700 new jobs in the field by 2020.
Why It's Growing: Unless
you've been vacationing on the moon for the past five years, you've heard about
the financial crises and scandals - all of which has resulted in companies
placing a bigger emphasis on accounting practices to adhere to stricter laws
and regulations, says the Department. "Every business has to keep track of
money, pay taxes, and balance the books, so accountants will always have
jobs," says Heathfield.
Education Options: The
Department says, "Most accountants and auditors need at least a bachelor's
degree in accounting or a related field."
Terence Loose Writen
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