I'm pleased to be participating in Job Action Day for the second consecutive year. Through Job Action Day, you can find a spate of career advice designed to help you jump start your job search or stimulate your own career management--regardless of your current employment status. 
This year, the theme for Job Action day is "environmental jobs" and my friends at the Career Collective and I are painting the web green with information on trends in " sustainable jobs." We've been challenged to present strategies providing workers and job seekers with information, ideas and concrete steps to secure their futures in a changed economy.
I spent eight years working inside the Ivory Tower. My friends kid me that sometimes I have the tendency to "go academic in my blog." Today, I'm showcasing my inner geek and enjoyment of raw data. Where's the best place to find a secure future?
Make sure you know where to go: Study the trends and demand for workers at both the senior and entry-level!
Here's a chart I put together comparing the "war for talent" in the c-suite (where executive recruiters receive their business) and starting salaries.
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Top Industry Growth by Search Firm (ExecuNet) |
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Five Highest Starting Salaries by Major (NACE) |
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Healthcare Clean/Green Technology Pharmaceutical/Medical/Biotech Energy/Utilities Business Services
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Chemical Engineering $64,902 Computer Engineering $61,738 Computer Science $61, 407 Electrical Engineering $60,125 Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering $58,358
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Think this is a new trend that came in with the Obama administration? Not a chance...Take a look at the numbers for the last four years here.
My recommendation for Job Action Day? Before you start a job search, talk to at least three people who work in your intended field or job search function of interest. Find out:
- The skills you need
- The projected hiring outlook
- How can you strengthen your skills to meet the needs of your intended field and job function?
Then, position yourself for the market to show that you can meet these needs!
That's my tip for Job Action Day, I'm off to read the others from my friends at the Career Collective. Check it out:
Meg Montford: Job Action Day: Finding Your “MOJO” After Layoff http://coachmeg.typepad.com/career_chaos/2009/10/job-action-day-finding-your-mojo-after-layoff.html
Debra Wheatman: Plan B from outer space; or what do you have in case your first plan doesn’t work out? http://resumesdonewrite.blogspot.com/2009/10/plan-b-from-outer-space-or-what-do-you.html
Heather Mundell: Green Jobs – What They Are and How to Find Them, http://dbcs.typepad.com/lifeatwork/2009/10/green-jobs-what-they-are-and-how-to-find-them.html
Erin Kennedy: Cutting Edge Job Search Blueprint http://exclusive-executive-resumes.com/resumes/job-search-blueprint/
Grace Kutney: Securing Your Career While Navigating the Winds of Change http://sweetcareers.blogspot.com/2009/10/securing-your-career-while-navigating.html
Hannah Morgan: Career Sherpa– Why Our Job Search Advice is the Same but Different http://hannahmorgan.typepad.com/hannah_morgan/2009/10/why-our-job-search-advice-is-the-same-but-different.html
Gayle Howard: The Enlightened Jobseeker http://www.theexecutivebrand.com/?p=500
Laurie Berenson: Making lemonade out of lemons: Turn unemployment into entrepreneurship http://blog.sterlingcareerconcepts.com/2009/10/30/making-lemonade-out-of-lemons-turn-unemployment-into-entrepreneurship.aspx
Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter: You Can Thrive In, Not Just Survive, an Economic Slogging http://careertrend.wordpress.com/2009/10/30/you-can-thrive-not-just-survive-an-economic-slogging/
Rosalind Joffe: Preparedness: It’s Not Just for Boyscouts http://workingwithchronicillness.com/2009/10/preparedness-its-not-just-for-boy-scouts/
Rosa E. Vargas: Are You Evolving Into The In-Demand Professional of Tomorrow? http://resume-writing.typepad.com/resume_writing_and_job_se/2009/10/furture-careers.html
Dawn Bugni: Your network IS your net worth http://thewritesolution.wordpress.com/2009/10/30/your-network-is-your-net-worth/
Miriam Salpeter: Optimize your job hunt for today’s economy http://www.keppiecareers.com/2009/10/30/optimize-your-job-hunt-for-todays-ecomony/
GL Hoffman: The Life of An Entrepreneur: Is It for You? http://blogs.jobdig.com/wwds/2009/10/30/the-life-of-an-entrepreneur-is-it-for-you/
Katharine Hansen: Job Action Day 09: His Resume Savvy Helped New Career Rise from Layoff Ashes http://www.resumesandcoverletters.com/tips_blog/job_action_day_09_his_resume_s.html
Martin Buckland: Job Search–The Key to Securing Your Future Career. http://aneliteresume.com/job-search/the-key-to-securing-your-future-career/
Barbara Safani: Where the Jobs Are: 2009 and Beyond. http://www.careersolvers.com/blog/
Heather R. Huhman, Take Action: 10 Steps for Landing an Entry-Level Job, http://www.heatherhuhman.com/2009/10/take-action/