Where the Jobs Really Are

With Friday's miserable jobs numbers came a flurry of commentary filled with phrases like "double dip recession," "expiration of unemployment benefits," and "the waning of American dominance."
David Gergen, adviser to four U.S. presidents and professor of leadership at Harvard's Kennedy School noted in a recent Tweet that employment numbers only reconfirm the need for a jobs plan. He went on to ask his Twitter followers, "Whose ideas will put Americans back to work? Clinton? GOP?"
Former President Clinton's plan, put forth in Newsweek magazine, proposes 14 steps to kick-start job growth. From speeding up start times on construction projects (by providing certain approval waivers) to a slew of energy and environment-related jobs and improvements, to states' rights to incentivize business growth, Clinton looks to government to clear the way for business opportunities to prosper and spur job creation.

The GOP's approach focuses on "America's Job Creators" that will reduce regulatory burdens on Small Business Owners, pass free trade agreements, fix the tax code to encourage investment and pay down the national debt.

Like Clinton's plan, the GOP looks to government policies and practices to create more favorable environments for business, so that these businesses will hire more people.
Here's the problem with a government-then-business approach.

First, in a society where success in business is measured by quarterly returns, it is incredibly difficult for businesses to grow at a pace that allows for long-term planning, investment in the future, and increased employee education, enrichment and retention, all of which lead to long-term sustained growth. In a shareholder-focused, short-term, buy/sell world, it's a challenge to have faith that tax incentives and reduced regulation will encourage businesses to do the "right thing" and create new jobs.

Consider Boston Scientific Corp., which in March 2011 announced that it would cut 5 percent of its staff. On a conference call with employees, Chief Medical Officer Keith Dawkins explained, "We have to be responsible to our shareholders," adding that management believes that they can increase shareholder value by 70 percent over the next three years. The implication here is that Boston Scientific can increase revenue with less people. So why, if they can do this, would they ever consider hiring more?

Second, in a government-then-business approach, American workers are ceding all responsibility for their job creation, and ultimately their livelihoods, to the companies, organizations and entities that can hire them. In this scenario, the prevailing attitude is that "the jobs are coming" and that workers should just be patient while government and business collude to create them. So why should workers even attempt to get a job when the reports are so bad and the big "plans" proposed by the vying parties never mention the duty of the worker to make things happen for him or herself? If I were the average American worker, I'd sit back on my couch, collect unemployment benefits and wait until things look rosier.
Clearly, this isn't going to work.

We are in a different world. We all know this. With ever-emerging technology replacing the need for certain job categories, many businesses have found that they can operate without those extra hands and still be productive. So what is the average American supposed to do?

Here's something that not enough people seem to know: The jobs are actually inside of each and every one of us. It is up to us to Claim Our Careers and no longer wait for others to tell us it is OK to get back to work.
Whether it is starting a home business, or identifying a company of interest and proving to management that we can help solve their problems and make them successful, the key to solving our job creation woes lies within each of us, the American worker. We can all work harder, reject laziness, and strive to be successful. We can all stop complaining about what government is or isn't doing to help us get ahead, and start doing the things we need to survive.

It is time for all of us, of every color, stripe, political orientation, education level and creed, to step up our game. Where the jobs really are ... are inside each and every one of us.
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By Susanne Goldstein
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Jobs That Pay $60,000 a Year

By Rachel Zupek,

So, you want more money? Welcome to the club. We've been waiting for you.

These days, it seems no one is satisfied with the amount of zeros at the end of his or her paycheck.  According to a new CareerBuilder.com survey, 83 percent of employees are living paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet. Twenty-three percent of respondents said they would need to earn an extra $251 to $500 more per paycheck to live comfortably, while 12 percent said they need to earn $501 to $750. Twenty percent of workers say they would need to earn more than an additional $1,000 more per check to live comfortably.

With the current national median salary at $40,690, these statistics are as surprising as they are expected. If you're looking to earn a few more dollars per paycheck, here are 15 jobs that earn between $60,000 and $69,999 annually, which are also expected to experience growth through 2016.

1.   Appraiser

Annual mean income: $60,689*

Projected employment in 2016: 118,000**

Increase between 2006 and 2016: 17 percent

2.   Architect

Annual mean income: $62,246

Projected employment in 2016: 155,000

Increase between 2006 and 2016: 18 percent

3.   Communications editor

Annual mean income: $68,267

Projected employment in 2016: 124,000

Increase between 2006 and 2016: 9 percent

4.   Computer Programmer Analyst

Annual mean income: $65,911

Projected employment in 2016: 650,000

Increase between 2006 and 2016: 29 percent

5.   Counseling psychologist

Annual mean income: $64,851

Projected employment in 2016: 176,000

Increase between 2006 and 2016: 16 percent

6.   Pediatric nurse

Annual mean income: $61,467

Projected employment in 2016: 3,092,000

Increase between 2006 and 2016: 23 percent

7.   Physician assistant

Annual mean income: $63,655

Projected employment in 2016: 83,000

Increase between 2006 and 2016: 27 percent

8.   Property leasing manager

Annual mean income: $65,320

Projected employment in 2016: 379,000

Increase between 2006 and 2016: 15 percent

9.   Seismologist

Annual mean income: $66,749

Projected employment in 2016: 38,000

Increase between 2006 and 2016: 22 percent

Web developer

Annual mean income: $66,864

Projected employment in 2016: 157,000

Increase between 2006 and 2016: 15 percent

10.  Media manager

Annual mean income: $66,931

Projected employment in 2016: 651,000

Increase between 2006 and 2016: 12 percent

11.  Meteorologist

Annual mean income: $68,594

Projected employment in 2016: 9,700

Increase between 2006 and 2016: 11 percent

12.  Purchasing manager

Annual mean income: $69,373

Projected employment in 2016: 72,000

Increase between 2006 and 2016: 3 percent

13.  Vascular technologist

Annual mean income: $69,036

Projected employment in 2016: 57,000

Increase between 2006 and 2016: 27 percent

14.  Video producer

Annual mean income: $62,476

Projected employment in 2016: 103,000

Increase between 2006 and 2016:11 percent

Jobs 2011 - Six Figure Jobs

(No M.D., No J.D., No Problem!)

As we each search for our personal pot of gold, many of us wonder whether the rainbow leading us to a six-figure paycheck has to be so long. We want financially rewarding jobs, but not everyone is eager to commit the time and money necessary to complete a medical or law degree. 

The good news is that, even though statistics have shown that more education translates to higher earnings, there are still plenty of six-figure salary jobs for those of us who have decided not to take the seven-years-and-a-stethoscope route. The following is a list of seven lucrative fields in which the top-earning 25 percent of workers take home more than $100,000 annually, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That percentage proves there is real potential for sizeable salaries within these fields, even if your résumé doesn't boast a lengthy list of alma maters. 

Though some of these positions are filled by people with graduate degrees, a bachelor's degree and a little initiative could get you well on your way to a six-figure salary. 

Sales Managers 

Salary of top 25 percent: $127,820* 

Median salary: $87,580 What they do: Sales managers establish company or team sales goals and coordinate training programs for sales representatives. They monitor sales statistics and customer satisfaction, and make adjustments to sales strategies as needed. 

How to get the job: The educational background of sales managers varies. Managers frequently work their way up the ranks of a company -- often starting as sales representatives -- and many companies have established management training programs. 

Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents 

Salary of top 25 percent: $123,910 

Median salary: $67,130 What they do: Securities, commodities and financial services sales agents buy and sell stocks, bonds and other financial products. They may also inform clients about financial markets and counsel them regarding their financial portfolios. 

How to get the job: The majority of financial sales agents have college educations, and have taken courses in business, economics and finance. Securities and commodities agents must pass state licensing examinations, and many firms require agents to complete in-house training programs. 

Financial Managers 

Salary of top 25 percent: $118,150 

Median salary: $86,280 

What they do: Financial managers' responsibilities vary, but they generally oversee the preparation of financial reports involved with accounting, investing, banking, insurance and securities. They can also develop financial strategies for their organizations. 

How to get the job: Employers expect financial managers to have a bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, economics or business administration, and increasingly expect a master's degree in one of these fields as well. Depending on the company and the specific position, professional certifications such as the Chartered Financial Analyst designation may also be required. 

Computer and Information Scientists, Research 

Salary of top 25 percent: $113,830 

Median salary: $91,230 

What they do: Computer and information scientists act as theorists, designers or inventors while developing solutions to computer hardware and software problems and researching computer technology. 

How to get the job: A bachelor's degree is usually a prerequisite for filling these positions, with most of the more technically complex jobs reserved for workers with graduate degrees. 

Actuaries 

Salary of top 25 percent: $112,360 

Median salary: $81,640 

What they do: Actuaries are often employed in the insurance industry. They assess the potential for various types of risks and design insurance policies and other financial strategies in order to reduce the potential cost of those risks. 

How to get the job: In addition to a bachelor's degree, there are a series of examinations that actuaries must complete to gain full professional status. 

Personal Financial Advisers 

Salary of top 25 percent: $107,470 

Median salary: $63,500 

What they do: Personal financial advisers provide guidance to clients regarding financial decisions. Many financial advisers specialize in a particular field, such as retirement planning or risk management. 

How to get the job: Most financial advisers hold a bachelor's degree in finance, economics or accounting. Certifications such as the Chartered Financial Analyst designation can strengthen an adviser's professional standing. 

Public Relations Managers 

Salary of top 25 percent: $106,440 

Median salary: $76,450