by Dawn Papandrea
Suffering from heat exhaustion? You know, that feeling you
get when summer rolls around and you sit stagnant,
unprotected from the rays of downsizing and corporate
mergers?
Lucky for you, says Joyce L. Gioia CSP, CMC, president of
The Herman Group, a thinktank of workforce futurists based
in Greensboro, N.C., "we've gone from a buyer's market for
labor to a seller's market in many fields."
In other words, there's no excuse not to protect yourself
from career burnout by applying top-quality knowledge (think
a professional SPF 50!) to these sizzling industries in need
of new hires.
Forensics
If you turn on the TV, you can probably find a show that
deals with some aspect of forensics or crime scene dynamics,
from "CSI" to "Forensic Files." In real life, the world of
forensics is just as hot, with the demand for professionals
who can perform DNA analysis, ballistics testing, blood
splatter examination, and chemical experiments at an
all-time high.
Even traditional career paths like nursing are seeking
forensics specialists. Forensic nurses, who must earn an
associate degree in nursing before obtaining their forensics
certificate, can work in hospitals, medical examiners' (ME)
offices, disaster preparedness, even law offices. Their
specialty is helping set up forensically accurate exhibits
for court cases.
Three years ago, Diane Kelley, R.N., began Kaplan
University's online certificate in forensic nursing while
juggling a night job and kids. When she graduated a year
later, school officials suggested she consider a six-week
internship offered with the ME's office. Upon completion,
she managed to convince the office that her skills could
help them out.
"This is the first time nurses have been involved in the
chief medical examiner's office, so it's been a real
breakthrough for us," Diane says. Equally groundbreaking are
the dTech Schooles she's called upon to perform, including cemetery
views where she must check on bodies before they are
cremated to ensure there are no irregularities that could
suggest foul play.
Health Care Management
Doctors and nurses may be on the frontlines, but behind the
scenes at many medical facilities are healthcare managers
who assure smooth operations of the business kind.
Approximately 100,000 people are employed in health
management positions, according to the American College of
Healthcare Executives (ACHE). With healthcare services on
the rise 30 percent from 1996-2006 - accounting for 3.1
million new jobs - healthcare management is seeing one of
the largest increases of any industry.
"Given the way healthcare is growing, mergers and rollups
notwithstanding, there's an increasing demand for good
healthcare administrators," says Joyce, who's also author of
the business bestseller 'Impending Crisis, Too Many Jobs,
Too Few People' (OakHill Press, 2002). Particularly hot, she
says, is the continuum of care for the elderly (that's the
broad spectrum of care that starts with totally independent
assistant living to highly supervised 24-hour care).
Because of the nature of the field, advanced study like a
master's degree in healthcare management is usually
required. Students can pursue graduate degrees in business
and public administration, with course concentration in
health services management. They may also seek out joint
degrees such as business administration and public health,
or in healthcare management and law. Coursework typically
includes healthcare policy and law, marketing,
organizational behavior, healthcare financing, human
resources, and other healthcare management topics. Some
programs may also include a supervised internship,
residency, or fellowship.
If you're looking for a more hands-on, entry-level role in
the healthcare field, consider becoming a medical assistant.
Why? For starters, the position is projected to grow a
whopping 59 percent through 2012, according to the BLS.
Accounting
Sizzling plus in demand equals accounting?! In light of
recent legislation and high-profile corporate scandal, that
equation says one thing - accounting is hot, illustrated by
the fact that the number of accounting degrees awarded
nationwide in 2003 jumped 11 percent from the previous year.
What's more is that online learning's technology is making
accounting accessible to more people, allowing them connect
numbers and concepts despite never setting foot on campus.
Adam Mikolajczak, who has taken several online accounting
courses through Baker Online, explains that technology like
video-cams and real-time simulations of events enhances
study of the number-crunching field. "Instead of dry
textbook theories, practical terms seem to come alive."
The job outlook is alive and kicking also, with both large
and small companies experiencing a hiring boom, says Tom
Ward, Jr., corporate relations manager at the Career Center
of St. John's University (Queens, N.Y.). "Even mom-and-pop
shops are being vigilant in terms of accounting." What's
desired across the board, he points out, is not only a
strong knowledge of finance, but people skills as well.
"You need the right type of personality to say 'let me see
your books,' and balance those political and interpersonal
skills with foundational knowledge," Ward explains.
Computer Software Engineering
If you're driven by the digital world, why not capitalize on
your cyber-savviness? With fast-growing fields such as
computer software engineering, you can write your own code
for a career opportunity that is exciting, cutting-edge and
creative - and one that is ranked as a fastest growing
career through 2012 by the BLS.
According to Joyce, advanced manufacturing is partly
responsible for driving the demand for software engineers.
"It's a marriage of manufacturing and IT. It's taking
systems and procedures and processes that were normally
exclusively done manually, and [instead] programming
machines to help people get the job done," she explains.
In today's rapidly evolving world, the role of a computer
software engineer changes quickly, requiring a huge
commitment to continuing education. According to the BLS, a
computer software engineer must understand the intricacies
of computer science, such as engineering and mathematical
analysis, as well as the design, development, testing, and
evaluation of computer software and systems.
Properly trained software engineers are expected to become
leaders in their field, specifically ones who continually
strive to acquire new skills in a solTech Schoolons-driven
environment. Robert Savage, who recently completed his
online bachelor's degree in computer science through Regis
University, can attest to that.
As an applications software engineer at control systems
manufacturer AMX Corporation, he says writing software is
his passion. "In fact, I started programming on Commodore
VIC-20's at age eight," he says. Now, having lived out his
childhood dream, he takes pride in his education and
profession. "I like to create solTech Schoolons to create increased
efficiency and productivity."
Entrepreneur
Always dreamed of opening your own business? You're not
alone. In fact, in 2003, there were approximately 23.7
million small businesses (defined as an independent business
having fewer than 500 employees) in the United States,
according to the Small Business Administration's Office of
Advocacy. Unfortunately, only about half of all new
businesses survive at least four years, reports the U.S.
Census.
To get an entrepreneurial edge, many are turning to
education to acquire skills like creating a business plan
and analyzing potential markets. With such overwhelming
demand for do-it-yourself business training, degree programs
like the MBA in Entrepreneurship, offered online at Jones
International University (JIU), are designed to teach
students to develop an entrepreneurial mindset. Such lessons
include how to launch a new business, as well as function
successfully in a corporation that employs entrepreneurial
management strategies.
"Some students have actually taken a [class] project and
used that as the basis for starting their own business,"
says Richard Thompson, Ph.D., JIU's academic chair of
business administration. For those who don't start up new
ventures right away, entrepreneurial study makes them
popular hires for corporations looking to start a new
division, he assures.
Paralegals
Paralegals help lawyers prepare for closings, hearings,
trials, and corporate meetings, as well as investigate the
facts of cases. They may even be called upon to help lawyers
prepare legal arguments, draft pleadings and motions to be
filed with the court, obtain affidavits, and assist
attorneys during trials.
What makes the field piping hot? The fact that paralegals
can find work in a number of places and in a variety of ways
has the profession projected to increase by 35 percent
through 2012. In addition, for career changers, becoming a
paralegal allows you to draw upon previous professional
knowledge , increasing your marketability.
"Paralegals can apply a medical background into a legal
career that deals with malpractice, for instance, assisting
in reading medical records, evaluating cases, etc.," says
Louise Gussin, academic director of legal studies at
-
University College (-
), which
offers an online paralegal certificate program. "A lot of
lawyers don't have a medical background."
The same concept can be applied in other areas of specialty,
she says, including corporate law, criminal law, employee
benefits, intellectual property, labor law, bankruptcy,
immigration, family law, or real estate. While some
paralegals benefit from on-the-job training, the BLS
suggests that most employers prefer graduates of paralegal
education programs.
Louise, who is a former paralegal graduate of -
's
program, and is now an attorney and educator, notes that
because law firms are realizing they can bill clients for
paralegal consultation at a fraction of the cost of an
attorney, the field is exploding. "Paralegals offer a
delivery of services that are more efficient and
affordable," she says, "and they can do anything from
interviewing clients, to gathering evidence, and conducting
legal research."
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