Career Choices are often difficult. Is the salary acceptable? Do you have the skills and ability to do the job? Do you need additional training and are you willing to commit to the financial and time investment? Is the proximity of work to where you want to live important? How it will mesh with other aspects of your family life and personal life? What are the factors you need to consider in your career transition?
While it is true that most adults change careers 3 to 5 times in a lifetime, it is unwise to make a decision without careful forethought. Career Info Net, a service sponsored by the US Department of Labor indicates: Network systems and data communications analysts are the fastest growing employment opportunity in the US. Network systems and data communications analysts require a Bachelor’s Degree and on average earn $43,600 per year. It is expected that there will be a 53% increase in the number of positions in this field in the next ten years.
Does that make it the best career to pursue? Not necessarily. Choosing a career based solely on the job prospects in the field is making a choice without considering whether or not you are suited to the career. Your personality type, likes and dislikes must be considered as you choose a career. Some people deal well with numbers while others are prefer working with people. If you pursue a career that is not suited to your personality, your likelihood of excelling in the career is limited.
Moreover, it may lead to a costly need to retrain for something you are more suited to sooner than you expect. The second most rapidly growing career is personal and home care aides with an expected growth of 51% over the next 10 years. However, while the education needed to be a personal and home care aide is less – usually short-term or on-the-job training, personal and home care aides do not earn even half what a network systems and data communications analyst makes. The average income of personal and home care aides is just over $20,000 per annum.
Nevertheless, there are more than two times, as many people employed as personal and home care aides, than there is as network systems and data communications analysts. Moreover, it isn’t clear to me the difference between personal care aides and home health aides which is in a separate category and the third fastest growing career with an expected increase of 49% in the next 10 years. They make comparable wages to personal and home care aides.
Career Choices are often difficult
It is interesting to note that the next fastest growing career – computer software engineers and applications expects 45% growth in the next ten years. This is a career, in many respects, like the #1 career (network systems and data communications analysts) from the perspective that it relies on strong mathematical inclinations, strong attention to detail and working with numbers and data rather working with people. Computer software engineers and applications, is also in the same income bracket at the #1 (fastest growing) career.
The fifth fastest growing career is Veterinary technologists and technicians, which in some ways bears some similarity to the care giving careers that placed second and third, in that it involves helping and caregiving. While there is a big difference between care giving seniors versus animals, they both are careers that have interests in health, physical activity, and showing compassion. For people who enjoy the emotional rewards of helping all three of these careers are going to be more gratifying than working with numbers for individuals with a strong social orientation.
Veterinary technologists and technicians require more training – requiring an associate degree. In that regard they are more akin to the 8th fastest grow career which is medical assistants. Both have incomes in the range of $20,000 – 28,500.
Personal financial advisors, is a career that combines the mathematical inclinations with dealing with people. For some people this is the best of two worlds. With an expected 41% growth potential in the next 10 years, the prospects are great. Personal financial advisors require a Bachelor’s degree and have an average income range similar to the computer and technology careers that ranked high on the scale for job prospects.
Although the number of people working as makeup artists, theatrical and performance is only about 5% of that of many of the top growth careers, the amount of training and income potential is comparatively higher when considering the educational qualifications required. The average income of makeup artists (theatrical and performance) is between $28,500 and $43.590 per annum. All that is required is a post secondary vocational award.
Other careers that rank in the top 20 in job prospects in rank order are:
- Medical Assistants: Income range $28,580 – 43,590, education moderate term on the job training.
- Veterinarians: Income Range: Average salary is very high, or more than $43,600 per year Education: First professional degree
- Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors: Income: $28,580 and $43,590 per year Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Skin care specialists: Income: $20,190 and $28,570 per year Education: Postsecondary vocational award
- Financial analysts: Income: more than $43,600 per year Bachelor’s degree
- Social and human service assistants Income: $20,190 and $28,570 per year Education: Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Gaming surveillance officers and gaming investigators $20,190 and $28,570 per year Education: Moderate-term on-the-job training.
- Physical therapist assistants: Income: $28,580 and $43,590 per year Associate degree.
- Pharmacy technicians – Income: $20,190 and $28,570 per year Education: Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Forensic science technicians Income: $28,580 and $43,590 per year Bachelor’s degree.
- Dental hygienists Average salary is very high, or more than $43,600 per year Education: Associate degree
- Mental health counselors $28,580 and $43,590 per year Education: Master’s degree.
- Mental health and substance abuse social workers - Income: $28,580 and $43,590 per year Master’s degree. It is quite alarming that mental health counselors and Mental health and substance abuse social workers, require masters degrees for remuneration similar to most undergrad degrees. For me it raises some serious questions about priorities in our culture.
Why is it that physical health fields pay very well, where as mental health pays poorly? Unfortunately, this is a much needed and undervalued career. The emotional rewards for working with people in these careers can be quite rewarding but also quite demanding. Career choices require taking a serious look at so many aspects of the career. It isn’t just about the money…or at least one would hope not.
Statistics show that people who choose careers that give them some sense of giving back have a higher job satisfaction ranking. Also as people mature, they often choose to move towards careers that give greater emotional gratification.
There is a common saying in coaching circles – “do what you love, and the money will follow.”
However, that too can be too simplistic and erroneous. If you love to crave wood carvings, you may have a much harder time making the money follow than if you love technology. While the person who follows their passion is more likely to excel at their career, and hence do better, one must always ask “Where are the people, or organizations who have both the money and the desire to pay for the goods or services you will produce.
Choosing a career is partly, a business decision however it is also a lifestyle choice. I believe life is a series of experiential events. We choose what out life experience will entail. We will find ourselves being quite unhappy if we make all choices based on money. There needs to be a balance between ease and challenge. We need challenge to keep our interests, but we also need enough ease in what we do to create some relief from stress.
