By Anthony Balderrama, CareerBuilder.com writer >>>Next: Jobs That Pay $60/Hour
The economy is acting strange, to put it lightly, and the only certainty anyone has regarding the job market is that things will fluctuate. If you're searching for a job during these finicky times, all you want is a little guidance. Although having a job is good, having a job that pays well is even better.
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Regardless of the economy's state, people want to work in a job where they grow and will be compensated accordingly. The past is a good indicator of where the future might take certain industries and salaries.
In an effort to help you find a job with a salary that could continue to increase, here's a list of industries that have seen continuous wage increases over the last three years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Under each industry are jobs that constitute a substantial portion of that field's workforce, accompanied by their mean annual salaries.
Wireless telecommunications services
1. Computer support specialists
Salary: $45,300*
2. Computer systems analysts
Salary: $75,890
3. Network systems and data communications analysts
Salary: $70,760
4. Electronics engineers, except computer
Salary: $85,550
5. First-line supervisors / managers of retail sales workers
Salary: $39,210
Amusement parks and arcades
6. Security guards
Salary: $24,880
7. Restaurant cooks
Salary: $24,220
8. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
Salary: $20,110
9. Amusement and recreation attendants
Salary: $17,070
10. General maintenance and repair workers
Salary: $31,830
Audio and video equipment manufacturing
11. Engineering managers
Salary: $117,670
12. Electrical and electronic engineering technicians
Salary: $45,890
13. Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers
Salary: $27,020
14. Laborers and freight, stock and material movers
Salary: $24,790
Computer and software stores
15. Computer, automated teller and office machine repairers
Salary: $34,330
16. Customer service representatives
Salary: $28,930
Natural gas production and distribution
17. Electrical power-line installers and repairer
Salary: $66,270
18. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
Salary: $51,870
19. Meter readers, utilities
Salary: $37,970
20. Home appliance repairers
Salary: $52,270
Finance and insurance
21. Financial analysts
Salary: $90,010
22. Personal financial advisors
Salary: $90,970
23. Securities, commodities and financial services sales agents
Salary: $90,570
24. Tellers
Salary: $23,570
*Salaries based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.
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Jan 26th 2009 @ 2:47PM TESE42S
They better triple the wages of security guards. When people find out that they might be guarding something important, they might not be around to collect on payday.
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Jan 26th 2009 @ 2:34PM Amanda
Nice to see those salary rises, but actually GETTING a job in those fields isn't so easy! My husband has 21 years' experience in the security field as an armed guard, unarmed guard, and supervisor. He's also CPR/AED and First Responder certified, FEMA incident management certified, and has received awards for service above and beyond the call of duty on the job. Even with all that, NOBODY'S HIRING HIM!!!!! What the hell is he supposed to do?
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Jan 26th 2009 @ 4:43PM GENE STALEY
DON'T KNOW WHAT COMPANY HE IS TRYING OF IF HE HAS SOME SORT OF BACKGROUND PROBLEM BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT THE WACKENHUT CORPORATION IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR EXPERIENCED SECURITY OFLFICERS, BOTH ARMED AND UNARMED BUT THEIR HIRING CRITERIA IS VERY HIGH.
Feb 1st 2009 @ 5:01PM Val
I understand exactly how you and your husband feel. I have been a legal secretary, then legal assistant/paralegal for almost 30 years. I was let go by my former employer for no valid reason, but in an "at will" state, employer's don't have to have a reason. I had worked there for 5 1/2 years. That was the first time in my almost 30 year career that I was let go by my employer. It's been four months, and I am still unemployed. I have recruiters helping me, but still no job yet. It's beyond frustrating.
Feb 1st 2009 @ 7:10PM Betty
Off hand I'd say your husband is a MALE OVER 40 (white) well black don't matter for this group... Males over 40 are discriminated against. Age discrimination is very hard to prove, but it's a big problem. The other yr the Virginia Employment Commission sent my husbnad to a local "set up" The Rail Road... (N&W) were hiring something like 40 workers... several different jobs...
They had all these men sit in a room.... rows of seats like a class room. Each desk had a pencil and blank sheet of paper on it...
They were told to write their name on the paper then pass it up..BEING sure to keep them in order... The person in the back having his paper on the bottom...and as you pass it up putting yours on top...
He then collected them... lining them across his desk so he could flip thru and BY SITE only eliminate people...
Then he said "IF I call your name... get up quietly and leave the room , I will not be considering you. You are not eligible to fill out an application with our company"..
To have over 40 job openings... He only allowed about 19 people to stay in the room.
Once out in the hall way..One black guy in particular was really offended... HE had worked for another rail road before and was probably the ONLY one in the room with experience at all. He loudly said it was because he was black... When he calmed down , my husband talked with him telling him... it was not a black thing...BUT an age thing.... He told them LOOK at us... we are all over 40. The b guy was 51... my hubby was about 50 then...
They only allowed the guys under about 30 to even fill out an application...
it's wrong... but when it was reported to the VEC they said that what the man did, DID Not constitute discrimination... and how it was very hard to prove... and that is why they rarely ever try to act on it...
IT SUCKS.
My husband got layed off one month ago. ;o( He's 60 now... and who is going to hire him again... ? He'd be better to try to start some little side business of his own to make $
Jan 26th 2009 @ 3:04PM American Engineering
Most of this is complete B.S. Employees in the technical fields mentioned are generally getting about half of what they quote here. They also work 12 hour days when you include the typical commute time.
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Jan 26th 2009 @ 3:34PM sonia
IT FEELS GOOD TO READ YOUR ARTICLE..THERE IS HOPE !! THANK YOU..
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Feb 2nd 2009 @ 9:17AM Susan
The economy here in new jersey stinks..there are no jobs unless you are a teacher....businesses have closed by the hundreds in this state and I only see it getting worse....I am 50 and have to find a new job in a different career. My first plan is to leave nj....new jersey had it's day in the 80's..now not only are jobs scarse in this state but the housing costs are out of this world...any other state besides California and NY would be less costly to live in no matter what type of job you get in that other state. Anyone who stays in NJ the next few years is nutz ...if they can get out they should and not look back.
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Feb 1st 2009 @ 6:03PM Brian
What they dont say is that for every job opening, there are hundreds of people waiting to here the same two words.... YOUR HIRED
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Feb 1st 2009 @ 6:12PM Brian
Here in Phx Az. you cant go to an interview with out having hundreds doing the same you are.
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Feb 1st 2009 @ 6:40PM Pearlene Coleman
Right now with the number the people out of work. There is well over 5 to 10 thousand people looking for the same job.
And these companies know what is going on. So they are hiring more people part-time and commission base only.
There is no more secure jobs any more. Everyone one is going to have to go back to school and start a new career
The jobs that will only be available soon be police officiers and doctors and nurses. Fast food everyone will eat. This is the future of the USA. Wake up out there!!
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Feb 1st 2009 @ 6:49PM Anna
These articles are so full of BS. How you can earn six figures without a college degree or experience in the specialty is beyond me. I would like the author of the article to print the names of the companies that will hire you for $60 per hour without a degree. I put my resume on monster and some other sites the only responses I got were from investment companies, insurance companies that are all commission. Again, the author needs to use some reality when writing.
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Feb 1st 2009 @ 8:01PM LRT
hairstylist 30 yrs now....9 months in beauty school...I make over 6 figures!
Feb 1st 2009 @ 7:21PM Sandra
Your article makes you hopeful, but truthfully the only fields I see growing in the future are Healthcare and insurance. Healthcare because people are going to become sick from not working or become depressed to the point of ending their lives in turn the insurance companies will be dispersing more claims than usual. "God help America"
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