Top 20 Industries Where Jobs Are Returning

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Well, no one here will likely be surprised, but according to US News & World Report the healthcare field is near the top of the list of industries where jobs are returning fastest.  According to their article linked here: “Healthcare. There was barely a recession in healthcare–employment has been rising consistently in almost every specialty. This is one of the few fields in which there are more jobs today than before the recession began. A lot more, in fact. Jobs gained in 2010: 204,000 Change since 2007: 738,000 jobs gained“ Mining, warehousing and oil extraction also made the list.  But aren’t you glad to be in healthcare rather than digging, lifting or drilling?

Medical Assistant is #1 Job for Work-Life Balance

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According to this article from Yahoo! entitled, ” Jobs that Let You Flex Your Freedom”, medical assistant is the best job for work-life balance.  The number four job on the list is medical transcriptionist.  Read the article at Yahoo! for the details.

Seeing is Not Always Believing

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Watch this fascinating video about the McGurk Effect.  It deals with the way our brains interpret the vast quantity of stimulus we absorb every minute.  From sounds to visual images, our amazing noggins are able to separate out all the different input and make sense of it.  However, just like optical illusions trick our eyes, there are also “auditory” illusions that can dupe our ears.  This is important as you enter (or re-enter) the career world.  Remember, you may hear your employer or supervisor say one thing, but the boss may have actually said something completely different.  The moral?  Listen carefully!

Some Factual Information About Job Growth

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With the upcoming election, politicians are yammering on and on about the jobs picture in this country and how it should affect your choice on whom to vote for. Needless to say, when listening to politicians, you’re likely to hear more lies than truths. However, the facts are out there if one wishes to seek them out. Now, no one can say that the jobs picture is pretty and we are a far way away from returning to the full employment we enjoyed before the economy tanked. However, it is an indisputable fact (as shown in the video below) that job losses have been shrinking and job growth has returned (albeit slowly) since 2009. Also, you should give yourselves a pat on the back for chosing a career in an industry that is poised for significant growth. Keep this video in mind when listening to the candidates talk about unemployment on the campaign trail. And don’t forget to vote on November 2nd!

Medical Support Jobs Up 20%

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Ready for some positive job news?  Especially for people studying what you’re studying?  Popular online jobs portal  Monster.com compiles an employment index.  They report that in the last 13 months, job postings in the medical support fields are up 20%.  That’s right!  Now, the overall employment outlook remains difficult so don’t go out on a spree just yet.  But it is looking better for medical support fields than many other fields right now and that’s cause for celebration.  From the Monster.com article:
“Fast Fact: A quick search of Monster shows 557 job postings for medical assistants. The Department of Labor sees a 34 percent jump in medical assisting opportunities from 2008-2018.”

Surprising Strength in Job Markets

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Career professionals (that’s people who work in staffing and human resources) are reporting that the recovery in the job market is happening faster than people think.  According to recent reports from the NBER (National Bureau of Economic Research) the technical data shows that recession ended last June.  “So where are the jobs?” cry out the 10%+ who are still struggling to find full time employment.  Read this article by noted jobs expert, John Challenger for some surprising answers.

States With the Lowest Unemployment

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The Business Insider released an article this week listing the top ten states with the lowest unemployment rates.  The lucky top 10 are: 1) North Dakota 2) South Dakota 3) Nebraska 4) New Hampshire 5) Vermont 6) Hawaii 7) Kansas 8) Wyoming 9) Minnesota 10) Iowa The article included information on the particular industries in each of these states that contributed to its position among the states with the lowest unemployment.  And although medical industry was not featured as a key driver of employment in any of these states, there’s no getting around the fact that wherever there are people, there will always be demand for medical services.  So if you’re setting out, new certificate in hand, looking for a new place to start your life and career, think about some of these places where the good employment outlook surely means the local economies are vibrant.

Friday Funnies – Quitting a Job Made Easy

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By now, the whole country has seen the story of the disgruntled Jet Blue flight attendant who literally pulled the cord and ejected himself from his job after a particularly stressful day.  I am sure he will be seeking a new job shortly.  If you’re about to graduate and ready to leave your crummy job behind to begin your new career in medical billing and coding, you might want to purchase this useful item – the Slipquit – when it’s time to tell your current boss, “sayonara”.

Five Online Job Hunting Mistakes

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Most of our reporting on how to succeed in the job hunt has focused on resume writing and interview skills/practices.  However, as many of you online students are all too aware, there is a lot of job hunting that goes on over the Internet.  Wouldn’t ya know it, there are etiquette mistakes to be made in the online job hunt just as sure as there are in the real world.  Here’s a link to a great article about how to avoid common online job hunting gaffes, SNAFUs and faux pas.

Spell Check Isn’t Enough to Avoid These Grammar Blunders

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Kaboodle.com had this great list of common grammatical blunders that you really should avoid when writing resumes and cover letters.  The takeaway message here is that spell check is not enough because sometimes misspellings form other actual words that are not spelled wrong, but mean something entirely different.  Here (over the fold) are some examples from the Kaboodle.com article. Continue reading…