Top Jobs of 2008: The Top 8 Jobs of 2008

The Top 8 Jobs of 2008

Whether it’s fast growth, industry expansion or comfortable salaries, here are the eight best for jobs seekers in 2008. Some are age-old professions, while others are nascent, but they all have one thing in common: they’re here to stay, and they need you to apply.

Teacher

For workers who have graduate school degrees, the clear leader in job growth -- by a factor of 4 -- is the position of postsecondary teacher. In 2008, roughly 38,000 of these jobs will be created in colleges and universities nationwide. More broadly, education and library jobs will expand by 14 percent over the next 10 years, making them one of the fastest-growing occupational groups amongst the rubric of professional jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Computer Software Engineer

Computer and mathematical science jobs are projected to grow at nearly double the rate of other types of jobs. Even though their growth rate has decreased significantly since the days of the tech boom, good times may be on the horizon once again, according to Chris Higgins, the associate director of career management at the Wharton School. “Tech firms are picking up hiring again,” he notes, “in a way they haven’t in nearly a decade.” More good news: a lavish median income of $79,000 per year.

Social and Health Services

Social and health service jobs are projected to grow 20 percent next year, thanks to the burgeoning population of senior citizens. This year will be the first year that baby boomers can officially claim early retirement, and they’re expected to do so in droves. Many boomers will require medical and living assistance well into old age, making related careers in high demand for the foreseeable future.

Sustainability Expert

While they haven’t made the BLS reports to date, some career experts believe that so-called “green” jobs will proliferate in 2008, shaking up the list of the “fastest growing” jobs. “More and more companies are adding dedicated staff to focus their environmental efforts,” says Alison Doyle, a career counselor and About.com Guide to Job Searching. The number of green-centric job listings websites, many of which are new this year, is steadily growing: SustainableBusiness.com [1], EnvironmentalCareer.com [2] and Idealist.org [3] are just a few.

Peace Corps Worker

If you’re new to the workforce, you may be one of many looking for jobs outside the US. “Students in a variety of fields like business, communications and technology are inquiring about opportunities to work overseas,” says Nicole Schwab, a career counselor for undergraduates at the University of Virginia. Because foreign jobs are relatively rare, many students fulfill their wanderlust by "going overseas to work in education, often teaching English, or volunteer[ing] with the Peace Corps.” Schwab says. When they return, they not only have a life-changing experience to their name, they also have serious team-building and problem-solving cred on their resumes.

Nurse

Financially, the best bet for a new worker is becoming a registered nurse. With more than 50,000 new nursing jobs to be created this year alone, nurses will have their pick of jobs and salaries, the latter averaging about $57,000 per year. Like social and health services workers, nurses will benefit from the 70 million baby boomers in need of care over the ensuing decades.

Franchisee

The best way to find a good job might just be to create your own. “There are a lot of workers who don’t want to be employees anymore,” says Katy Piotrowski, a career counselor and author of The Career Coward's Guide to Changing Careers (2007). What are they doing instead? “I’m seeing a lot of people buying franchises, or setting up arrangements that involve multiple online businesses,” Piotrowski says. “Lots of folks are trying to escape the desk job format” after becoming wary of new positions that promise little job security. The freedom some workers find with self-employment often allows for more vacation time, less anxiety about the future, and more potential for profit -- even if it means assuming more risk.

Veterinarians

As our country’s population grows, so does its population of furry companions. One of the fastest growing jobs on the BLS list: veterinarian. With improvements in human medical science, the trickle-down effects brings a new generation of technology to animal care -- meaning more pets are living longer and getting treatment for their ailments. Of the twenty fastest growing jobs, only one, computer software engineer, has a higher median salary. The median paycheck for vets: nearly $72,000.

The Top 8 Jobs of 2008