By Ed Orum

When the Mayans devised their calendar ending in 2012 more than 5,000 years ago, I bet they had no idea how much end-of-world fodder they were providing for centuries of civilizations to come.

With the date creeping closer and a big Hollywood blockbuster imagining exactly how it would all go down, it's only fair to help plan for the worst - by pondering which jobs would be essential should a small group of us survive the apocalypse.

Keep in mind - this is by no way scientific - I have no research, experience or knowledge to back up these claims. Just a hunch. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments.

By Carol Tice

If you're in the market for a new job, why not go the creative route?

There are plenty of jobs where creativity and fresh ideas can make you stand out – and many of them are still in demand despite the recession. The following list provides a mix of in-demand gigs and (hopefully) soon-to-bounce back options for you.

Here's a look at some of the best-paying jobs that require a creative mind:

By Michelle Goodman

Between the clever quips, the incessant cleavage, and the convenient storeroom sex, this year's fall TV lineup makes a day at the office look nothing short of a college frat party. But anyone who's worked as a nurse, publishing assistant, or criminal investigator will tell you that the TV version of their job is far racier than the reality.

To set the record straight, we asked workers in the trenches what TV's hottest prime time shows get wrong about their jobs. We also dug up what these positions actually pay (hint: often less than their fictional counterparts) and how stiff the competition is, especially in today's tricky job market.

by Ed Orum for AOL Find a Job

Many job hunters will be happy to put 2009 to rest, and welcome 2010 with an eagerness that the job market will pick up. Staffing firm Robert Half recently put together a list of what it believes to be 10 Promising Jobs for 2010. The company has identified opportunities in accounting and finance, information technology and administrative fields.

In accounting and finance, salaries are actually expected to increase by an average of .5 percent in 2010. Companies want financial pros who can crunch numbers, communicate clearly with various departments and help manage costs.

Job titles to look for include:

Regions across the U.S. will see job growth in the first quarter of 2010. But the growth will be sporadic and many areas will continue to lag

By Prashant Gopal

The recession might be technically over, but unemployment is rising month after month even in most of the nation's strongest job markets.

A full-fledged job recovery seems to be a long way away. But some metros are poised for significant job growth by the first quarter of next year. BusinessWeek.com teamed up with Moody's Economy.com to identify America's 25 next recovering job markets. These metros were ranked based on Economy.com's projected job growth in the first three months of 2010.