Fired is the New Retired - The idiocy of axing older employees.

By Ellis Cose NEWSWEEK
Published Oct 29, 2009
From the magazine issue dated Nov 9, 2009

This may be the worst time in the last 60 years to be old and looking for work. Some 6.8 percent of workers over 55 are unemployed (not as bad as for younger workers, but still a historic high). You have to go back to 1949 to find employment stats nearly (but not quite) as bleak as they are now. The bad news does not stop there. On average, it takes employees over 55 roughly 33 weeks to find new jobs, nearly seven weeks longer than for younger workers, and nearly 13 weeks longer than it took just two years ago. Bad as things are, the Supreme Court has made them even tougher—at least for those who believe they are victims of age discrimination and are inclined to try to prove it.

The court's 5-4 ruling last June came in response to a suit filed by a demoted employee, Jack Gross, under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967. It was not sufficient, concluded the majority, to show that age was among the reasons for an employee's bad treatment; age had to be the reason. In his dissent, Justice John Paul Stevens called the decision "unnecessary lawmaking." The majority, he said, misread Congress's intentions. Last month, in introducing legislation to nullify that decision, Senate Judiciary Committee chair Patrick Leahy also accused the court of thwarting congressional intent.

At a Judiciary Committee hearing focused on recent Supreme Court workplace decisions, Jack Gross told his story. (The committee also heard from a former Halliburton employee who says she was raped by coworkers in Iraq but was denied the right to sue because she had unwittingly signed a binding arbitration agreement.) Born in 1948 in a small Iowa town, Gross grew up imbued with the value of hard work. As a schoolboy, he labored at numerous jobs despite the constant pain of ulcerative colitis. As an adult, he found work with Farm Bureau Life, an insurance company, and eventually became a vice president. But in his 50s, he was abruptly replaced by a younger woman. The company, he surmised, was systematically trying to weed out older workers. A jury found in his favor but an appeals court vacated the verdict. The case eventually made its way to the Supremes, whose decision "mortified" him.

The AARP was similarly disturbed—especially in light of statistics showing a 29 percent jump in age-discrimination complaints from 2007 to 2008. Dan Kohrman, senior attorney with AARP, concedes that the numbers don't necessarily prove a commensurate rise in age discrimination, but he insists they show something bad is going on. During hard times, he says, many employers resort to "crude practices" that drive older workers away. They may force supervisors to rank employees on subjective criteria—such as mental "flexibility"—that are essentially a license to discriminate. Or they generate paperwork alleging drops in performance that have no clear explanation.

Linda Barrington, an economist with the Conference Board, agrees that older workers are often stereotyped. Obesity," she observed, "is more of a health-care cost than age for those between 30 and 50." And older workers show every bit as much stamina as younger workers when called upon to put in long hours. Yet in all too many cases, employers see age as a much larger liability than it is.

Earlier this year, after another Supreme Court ruling made it harder for women to fight discrimination in pay, Congress passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to restore rights many legislators assumed they had already protected. Congress ought to do the same for older workers, who should be given every legal weapon they need to fight discrimination. But even if that happens, age discrimination will not simply go away. Very few workers have the resources to bring a case to court. As Joanna Lahey, an economist with the Rand Corporation, has noted, "the majority of people who sue under the ADEA are white, male middle managers or professionals." And even if more people did have the financial resources to sue, many who are discriminated against don't have the smoking gun that will prove their case. They may just know the job or promotion they wanted went to someone else.

The larger problem, as Barrington points out, is how we tend to view people, the stereotypes we impose on workers of a certain age. It would be great if correcting that were as simple as changing a law. Instead, we face the more daunting task of changing ourselves.

Find this article at http://www.newsweek.com/id/220144 © 2009

US staffing market primed for recovery

The US staffing market is set for recovery in 2010, according to Ron Mester, managing director of research and analysis firm Staffing Industry Analysts.

In a live satellite link up to California at APSCo’s member sales conference in London, Mester told delegates that the value of the world’s largest staffing market (on a country-by-country basis) has now fallen to $93bn (£58.5bn), from $126bn in 2008.

But total revenue is predicted to grow to $98bn next year and temporary staffing is forecast to grow in all sectors measured by the research firm, including industrial (15%), finance/accounting (8%), IT (8%), marketing/creative (5%), legal (5%), clinical/scientific (4%), engineering/design (4%), office/clerical (4%) and healthcare (1%).

According to Mester, US recruiters have been more agile in the recession, increasing their value-adds of recruitment process outsourcing, HR outsourcing, managed service provider services, vendor managed services and master supplier services, while there were 8% more staffing companies placing professionals over office staff and industrial staff last year than in 2004.

Mester said: “Over the next 10 years, employment services will be one of the biggest growth industries. Increasingly, there are more people that want to work in flexible arrangements. Management teams are looking for more flexible workforces and there are skill shortages in professional skill sets.”

But elsewhere, Palmer Forecast predicts that US temporary worker demand is set to fall by 13.7% in 2009.

The industry consulting firm’s findings indicated a 22.2% decline in temporary help for Q3 2009, which actually came in at a 24.5 % decline more than predicted due to higher than expected unemployment figures.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, seasonally adjusted temp jobs fell 23.3% year-over-year in September, up from the 24.5% year-over-year decline in August. Temp jobs, seasonally adjusted, fell slightly, 0.1% sequentially from August.

Palmer says this is an encouraging early sign of rebound and provided a 3.1% boost on a non-seasonally adjusted basis. The 2,000 temp job losses were the lowest rate of loss since October 2007.

The unemployment rate increased to 9.8% in September from 9.7% in August, the highest jobless rate since June 1983.

10 Ways to Be Liked in Your Job Interview

by Jonathan Littman and Marc Hershon

No matter your resume and talents, if you mess up a job interview you won't get that position. In today's tough economy you need every possible edge. As authors of the new book, "I Hate People! Kick Loose from the Overbearing and Underhanded Jerks at Work and Get What you Want Out of Your Job," we see it as a simple equation: You want to be liked -- not hated.

Here are 10 simple things to do that will dramatically increase your chances: from wearing the right expression, to knowing what not to say, to never ever breaking a sweat.

1. Don't be a "smiley face."
Excessive smiling in a job interview is seen for what it is -- nervousness and a lack of confidence. A smiley-face person exudes phoniness, which will quickly be picked up by the interviewer. Instead be thoughtful and pleasant. Smile when there's something to smile about. Do a practice run in front of a mirror or friend.

2. Don't be a small-talker.
Your job is to be knowledgeable about the company for which you're interviewing. Random facts about last night's episode of "Dancing with the Stars" or your favorite blog will not get you the job. Never feel you have to fill an interview with small talk. Find ways to talk about serious subjects related to the industry or company. Pockets of silence are better than padding an interview with random babble.

3. Don't sweat.
You can lose a job by wearing an undershirt or simply a little too much clothing. Sweaty palms or beads on your forehead will not impress. You are not applying to be a personal trainer. Sweat will be seen as a sign of weakness and nervousness. Do a practice run with your job interview outfit in front of friends. The job interview is one place you definitely don't want to be hot.

4. Don't be a road block.
Interviewers are seeking candidates eager to take on challenging projects and jobs. Hesitance and a nay-saying mentality will be as visible as a red tie -- and seen as a negative. Practice saying "yes" to questions about your interest in tasks and work that might normally give you pause.

5. Don't be petty.
Asking the location of the lunchroom or meeting room will clue the interviewer into your lack of preparation and initiative. Prepare. Don't ask questions about routine elements or functions of a company: where stuff is, the size of your cube, and company policy on coffee breaks.

6. Don't be a liar.
Studies show that employees lie frequently in the workplace. Lying won't get you a job. In a job interview even a slight exaggeration is lying. Don't. Never stretch your resume or embellish accomplishments. There's a difference between speaking with a measured confidence and engaging in BS. One lie can ruin your entire interview, and the skilled interviewer will spot the lie and show you the door.

7. Don't be a bad comedian.
Humor tends to be very subjective, and while it may be tempting to lead your interview with a joke you've got to be careful about your material. You probably will know nothing about the sensibilities of your interviewer, let alone what makes them laugh. On the other hand, nothing disarms the tension of a job interview like a little laughter, so you can probably score at least a courtesy chuckle mentioning that it's "perfect weather for a job interview"!

8. Don't be high-maintenance.
If you start talking about the ideal office temperature, the perfect chair for your tricky back, and how the water cooler needs to be filled with imported mineral water, chances are you'll be shown a polite smile and the door, regardless of your qualifications. Nobody hiring today is going to be looking for someone who's going to be finicky about their workspace.

9. Don't be a time-waster.
At every job interview, the prospective hire is given the chance to ask questions. Make yours intelligent, to the point, and watch the person across the desk for visual cues whether you've asked enough. Ask too many questions about off-target matters and you'll be thought of as someone destined to waste the company's resources with insignificant and time-wasting matters.

10. Don't be a switchblade.
Normally the switchblade is thought of a backstabber, often taking credit for someone else's work. In an interview setting, the switchblade can't help but "trash talk" his former employer. If you make it seem like your former workplace was hell on Earth, the person interviewing you might be tempted to call them to find out who was the real devil.

Copyright 2009 Jonathan Littman and Marc Hershon, authors of "I Hate People!: Kick Loose from the Overbearing and Underhanded Jerks at Work and Get What You Want Out of Your Job"

Jonathan Littman is the author of "I Hate People!" and numerous works of nonfiction, including "The Fugitive Game," "The Watchman," and "The Beautiful Game." He is a columnist for Yahoo! Sports.

Marc Hershon is the coauthor of "I Hate People!" and a branding expert who helped to create the names for the BlackBerry, Swiffer, and many other influential products.

Celebrating 2-Years of Bringing People Together!

In July 2007 we started Direct Search Alliance to set a new standard in the "Recruiting for Recruiters" segment, which is largely made up of fragmented independent executive recruiters who are former industry professionals working on their own.

Leveraging best-in-class database management and communications technology, as well as the rapid growth of premier business information search engines and businesses-oriented social networking websites, we have built the largest confidential network of Staffing and Human Capital Industry professionals in North America.

How we provide this new standard is centered on making new and sustaining valued relationships with working professionals day after day. We might leverage "information technology" to create a platform from which we work, but what makes our approach truly unique to the industry is in our collective efforts to reach out to top performers directly by phone or with personal correspondence to develop relationships over time with industry talent, both broadly coast-to-coast and deeply within local markets.

We bypass the typical employment sites and find people who aren't looking for a job, but are interested in hearing about new opportunities and welcome a career partner with connections inside the top employers to work for.

In the Staffing & Human Capital Services Industry, we have multidisciplinary depth and breadth across Commercial and Professional Staffing, Place & Search, Outplacement, Human Capital Management Services and Outsourcing segments.

Our organizational mission is to represent, serve and inspire talented individuals in connection with business performance as well as career progression. We believe that it is people who drive business success, and it is our job to bring people together.

Join us in celebrating our anniversary. Cheers to our team: Leslie, Kisa, Craig, Lisa, Carrie, Jen, and Amy! A heartfelt thank you to our clients who have supported our growth with exciting and challenging opportunities, and sincere appreciation to our candidates who have brought us diverse skills and talents, making us proud and more knowledgeable.

5 common interview questions and how to answer them

by Marci Alboher, Working the New Economy, on Fri Jun 12, 2009

Several people wrote to me saying that whether an interview is on the phone or in person, there were several questions that they anticipate with dread. I’ve been collecting those questions and talking to some pros about how best to answer them. Here are the top five, with suggested answers. Of course, there are no right or wrong answers, only ways of thinking about answers that will get you to the next stage of the process:

What’s your greatest weakness?

It’s an interview cliche, but it still gets asked. The key is to come up with something that is truthful, yet doesn’t impact your ability to do the job, according to career coach and blogger, Miriam Salpeter. More important than what you identify as a weakness is the part about how you’ve overcome it. Salpeter offers this example: A computer programmer might say, “Speaking in front of very large crowds really scares me, but I’ve been working on becoming a better public speaker. I’ve joined Toastmasters, and I stand up in front of my mirrror, pretending there is a crowd.” It's a good one because public speaking is something most people are afraid of, and it is also not likely to be essential to a job as a programmer. One thing you should never say, says Salpeter, is that you are a perfectionist because no one wants to work with a perfectionist. If you want to know why, read this spot-on post by Penelope Trunk.

So tell me about yourself? (Also posed as “Why do you think you’re the person for this job?” “Why should we hire you?” “What distinguishes you from other candidates?”)

This is not an invitation to recite your biography. It is an opportunity to draw out the parts of your story that best sell you for the position. So if you were born and raised in Boston and are passionate about the city, that might a good topic for conversation in an interview for a marketing position with the Boston Red Sox. But it wouldn’t necessarily be worth mentioning if you were talking about a job in international banking. If you’re fluent in three languages, have worked overseas, and have parents who hail from outside the U.S., then those facts would be good ones to highlight in the interview for the international banking job.

Talk about a time you failed and how you recovered.

Since we all mess up from time to time, the important thing is that you choose something where you can demonstrate what you’ve learned from the experience. A classic example here would be a time that you took on too much responsibility or agreed to do something on an unreasonable timetable, according to career coach and resume writer, Chandlee Bryan. Your recovery could be as simple as the fact that you now feel comfortable raising concerns about what you can deliver on a given schedule.

What changes would you make to our company if you came on board?

This one can set you up to stumble in a variety of ways, according to Ford R. Myers, author of the new book, “Get the Job You Want Even When No One is Hiring.” "No matter how comfortable you feel in this situation, you are still an outsider, and don't know the inside story,” warns Myers. “Even if your suggestions are good, you might make them look like idiots, if they don’t see things your way. And if you say something that doesn’t align with the company’s culture, then you look like an idiot.” Myers recommends saying something like this: “I wouldn’t be a very good doctor if I gave my diagnosis before examining the patient. If I were hired, I’d take a very good look at what’s going on, speak to a lot of people. And after examining the entire situation, I would come to you with a proposal for your input, and collaboratively we would come up with a solution.”

Why are you returning to a field or a company you left?

The key with this one is to present your time away as a learning experience and focus on what you know now that you didn't understand before, says Chandlee Bryan. Say you were in banking, helping to evaluate companies for mergers and acquisitions and went for a stint to a startup. You’ll now be able to say that you understand the start-up mentality from more than just a balance street perspective. You might want to add that the time away helped you understand why you are more suited to working in a large organization than in a small one, or some other observation about the difference in cultures and why the one you left is a better fit for you.

For examples of more challenging interview questions along with sample answers, spend some time on Glassdoor.com’s interview section where people post real questions -- as well as other details about interview formats -- from real interviews. To gain full access to the interview section, you need to post information about an interview you went on. The site offers a range of questions -- from basic ones like the ones above, to some that will appeal to anyone who enjoyed studying for the SATs. This was apparently a question in an interview for an account manager Microsoft interview: “One train leaves Los Angeles at 15mph heading for New York. Another train leaves from New York at 20mph heading for Los Angeles on the same track. If a bird, flying at 25mph, leaves from Los Angeles at the same time as the train and flies back and forth between the two trains until they collide, how far will the bird have traveled?”

With Jobs Scarce, Age Becomes an Issue

by Dana Mattioli
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
provided by The Wall Street Journal

Age discrimination in the workplace has long been a concern for the 55-and-older set. In this downturn, however, younger workers may have as much to fear as their more-mature colleagues.

Employees in their 20s and 30s are finding themselves more at risk of a layoff, according to labor lawyers, as employers look to avoid age-discrimination lawsuits by adopting a "last one in, first one out" policy and turn to tenure as a means of conducting layoffs. In some cases, young, childless professionals say they feel they're being targeted in layoffs, while employees who have families to support are given special consideration.

While no age group is exempt from layoffs, younger workers seem to be shouldering a larger percentage of the burden, according to recent Labor Department figures. The unemployment rate for those between the ages of 25 and 34 was 9.6% in April 2009, up from 4.9% a year earlier. For those ages 55 and older, the unemployment rate was 6.2% in April 2009, compared with 3.3% a year earlier.

Wary of Lawsuits

While younger workers tend to earn the lowest salaries, making them the least-expensive workers to retain, companies are becoming wary of laying off older, better-paid workers. In fact, Gerald Maatman, co-chairman of the class-action litigation practice at Seyfarth Shaw LLP, which represents employers, says he has been fielding more inquiries about laying off younger workers than in years past, especially from companies in states like New Jersey and Michigan that have laws to protect workers as young as 18. Age-discrimination lawsuits brought by older workers can cost more than the salary of the worker who was laid off and can hurt the company's reputation, according to Andria Ryan, partner at Atlanta law firm Fisher & Phillips LLP.

"Younger people, in general are a lot less of a risk [for lawsuits] when you do a reduction in force," says Ms. Ryan. While most states protect employees 40 and older from age discrimination, only a handful of jurisdictions extend this protection to employees as young as 18, she says.

"Companies don't like [layoffs by seniority], but [they're] also the easiest to defend," says Gerald Hathaway, co-chairman of the business-restructuring practice group with employment law firm Littler Mendelson. "If you have a bona fide seniority system it's a defense for any type of discrimination," according to the law, he adds.

Seniority in Education

This is particularly true in the education field, where many colleges and schools are taking measures to protect tenured teachers and professors. David Schauer, superintendent of Kyrene Elementary School District No. 28 in Tempe, Ariz., sent layoff notices to 68 teachers in anticipation of budget cuts. The cuts target only first-year continuing teachers, most of whom are in their 20s, says Mr. Schauer. "My worst fear is that really good people will leave teaching," he says.

Nicole Ryan, a 24-year-old sixth-grade math teacher for Fox Lane Middle School, in Bedford, N.Y., received such a layoff notice. The notice was sent out to teachers and staff based on their seniority. So, despite strong performance reviews, budget cuts mean she may not have a job to return to in the fall. "I knew it was coming because, based on seniority, I was lower on the totem pole," she says. "It didn't make it any easier."

The emotional impact of layoffs can affect a manager's decision when it comes to choosing who gets the ax -- and that can also disproportionately affect younger workers. "It takes a tremendous toll on managers," says Mitchell Marks, a professor of organizational change in the College of Business at San Francisco State University. Mr. Marks says when layoff decisions come to a tie breaker, personal and family situations often come into play.

"I've had plenty of managers sit me down and say 'Joe's spouse just got diagnosed with cancer but Jane's spouse is an M.D.,' " says Mr. Marks of the explanations of how a layoff has been decided. The same decision-making process can occur when choosing who gets laid off between a single 20-something employee or, say, a 50-year-old employee with two kids in college.

Svetlana Gelman, 24, worked in the marketing department of a law firm until December when she was laid off. She feels strongly that her age and the fact that she doesn't have a family to support put her at greater risk before the layoff. Ms. Gelman says she was competing head-to-head with another employee with a child, who was hired a few months after Ms. Gelman and often would use her sacrifices as a parent to tout her dedication to the firm.

"The person was very tactical, she would bring the child in, spoke about him all the time and would say things like 'My child is sick but I'm still here,' " says Ms. Gelman.

And as work became more scarce and layoffs loomed, Ms. Gelman says she was let go while her colleague remained, despite the fact that Ms. Gelman earned less and often worked longer hours because of her co-worker's child-care responsibilities.

Staying Safe

Still, there are ways younger workers can go about safeguarding their jobs. High-maintenance attitudes typical of younger workers also make them more prone to the chopping block in a down economy, says Bruce Tulgan, author of "Not Everyone Gets a Trophy." Twentysomething professionals tend to demand flexibility, responsibility and high pay, he says -- all things that aren't going to be well-received in this environment.

"This is a really great time to come in early, stay late, dot your i's and cross your t's," says Mr. Tulgan. He says young employees should volunteer to do grunt work, take advantage of free certifications their companies offer and be compliant, rather than demanding.

Staying Valuable

Ms. Ryan, the attorney, says now is the time to make yourself as invaluable to a company as possible. She recommends cross-training in another department, learning as much as possible about different areas of the company and expressing a willingness to relocate to less desirable locations (something those with families often can't do).

You might also try to align yourself with someone in senior management. This could be in a mentor relationship or as a volunteer on a big project a manager is working on. Although executives are busier these days, they often view being asked to mentor as a compliment, says Mr. Marks. And if it should come to layoff decisions, "It doesn't hurt to have someone in the executive conference room on your side," he says.

Physician, heal thyself

This saying, that dates back to biblical times, means attend to one's own faults, in preference to pointing out the faults of others. The phrase alludes to the readiness and ability of physicians to heal sickness in others while sometimes not being able or willing to heal themselves. This suggests something of 'the cobbler always wears the worst shoes', i.e. cobblers are too poor and busy to attend to their own footwear. It also suggests that physicians, while often being able to help the sick, cannot always do so and, when sick themselves, are no better placed than anyone else.

A pithy saying, a bit dated for these modern times, but spot on with what ills the Staffing Industry.

What the industry sells to business clients is flexibility and access to talent; responsiveness and quality, as well as specialization and depth in any one industry or discipline. With economic times uncertain, the need for flexibility and talent is more acute, a message Staffing Industry companies are quick to point out to customers who have cut back on spending on staffing and talent searches.

Staffing Industry leaders; however, espouse the benefits of industry services staffing firms bring to the economy, while at the same time have cut back or eliminated the use of "in-house" temporary employees and put a freeze on using outside search firms to find them talent specific to their industry segment. Hmm...what is wrong with this picture?

Another proverb says it best...charity begins at home. You should take care of family and people close to you before you worry about helping others. For customers and the industry analysts to have confidence in the industry as a whole, we must set the example to validate what we sell is truly of value to businesses--even in difficult economic times.

As the premier source of top talent to the Staffing and Human Capital Services Industries, I have the pleasure of working with companies who value talent and trust us to be the specialist practice we are to provide talent for sales, recruiting, client services, management and executive positions. We do, however, come across companies that have shut down the use of the very services that they sell.

In my opinion, this is a factor germane to the success or failure of the industry to recover. Be a part of the solution to our fiscal challenges and use Staffing Industry services, benefit from the flexibility and the access to talent that are central to growth and prosperity.

With talent, we can help.

Win Friends and Expand Your Network

by Caroline Levchuck

Do you freeze when someone invites you to a networking event? Do you groan at the mere mention of the word networking?

Networking isn't about artificial settings or immediately asking someone at a professional event for a job. Rather, in the truest sense of the word, networking is about friendship and communication.

Your family, friends, and neighbors, and current and former coworkers are all part of your natural network. So is everyone you stay in contact with and show an interest in.

Reach Out and Touch Everyone

To have a friend, you must be a friend.

And to have a robust natural network filled with friends, you've got to be a thoughtful friend. This means remembering people's birthdays and other important occasions. It means giving kudos for their accomplishments. It means sending thank-you notes for referrals or favors you receive.

It also means staying in regular contact through emails, phone calls, and get-togethers. Each week, set a goal to send one friendly unsolicited email to someone who's in your network (or someone you'd like to be in your network). Also, make at least one personal phone call a week to another individual. Finally, at least once a month, arrange to meet someone in your natural network for lunch, cocktails, or just coffee.

If none of this comes naturally to you, make it a priority by putting each obligation on your to-do list.

You Wanna Be Starting Something

A great way to connect with people and, yes, network, is at an event. But rather than attending yet another formal-but-worthless gathering, get people together informally, and for fun.

Start a weekly poker game. Start a book club with coworkers. Start a cooking club. Start a band.

Have a dinner party or a backyard BBQ. Invite your guests to each bring another friend who's not part of your immediate circle.

Arrange a potluck lunch at the office. Initiate a walking group with coworkers during the day. Spearhead a company outing or fundraiser.

Initiating group activities allows you to network organically while having fun.

Oh the Places You'll Go

Joining is as important as initiating. What are your natural interests? Follow them to expand your natural network.

Do you like to golf? Rather than playing with your usual partner, walk on to a course as a single and play with a threesome. You could make three new friends -- and add three new members to your network.

Have you always been interested in pottery? Or learning sign language? Take a course after work. You'll be with a group of like-minded folks from all walks of life. Odds are at least one or two will wind up members of your network.

Joining a gym, a special interest group, or getting involved with local politics are all great ways to meet new people and make new friends.

Become the Ultimate Connector

One of the best ways to be a good friend and great natural networker is to become a connector.

Rather than focusing on how people in your network and new friends can help you, focus on how you can help them. Keep your ears open when someone says they're looking to break into a certain industry or they're seeking someone with specialized knowledge. Who in your network can help? Who in your network would benefit from such an opportunity?

Becoming the ultimate connector may not bear immediate fruit for you and your professional ambitions. But when you need it, you will have a flourishing network to lend you a hand.

9 Recession-Proof Careers

Despite the economic downturn, these careers are still growing.
By Cathie Gandel and Hilary SterneAdditional reporting by Neena Samuel and Kathryn M. Tyranski

These industries project promise—and jobs—for the future, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Occupational Information Network database.

1. Education
Math and science teachers will be in demand as the U.S. struggles to compete with other countries in engineering, technology, and medicine. A growing immigrant population means more English-as-a-second-language classes will be needed.

Postsecondary teachers - Median salary: $56,120 Education: bachelor's degree and often a master's or doctorate

Teacher assistants - Median salary: $21,580 Education: some post-secondary education or vocational training

Educational, vocational, and school counselors - Median salary: $49,450 Education: secondary education, associate's, bachelor's, or master's

2. Energy
Some of the jobs in this field are the result of projects started a year or more ago. But the real boost will come from the new administration's commitment to a more efficient national energy system. "Growth of energy consumption around the world will keep this sector strong," says Laurence Shatkin, coauthor of 150 Best Recession-Proof Jobs.

Power plant operators - Median salary: $56,640 Education: vocational training and several years of on-the-job training

Insulation workers - Median salary: $31,280 Education: secondary education and vocational training

Electrical power-line installers and repairers - Median salary: $52,570 Education: vocational training and several years of on-the-job training

3. Environment
Green is getting the green light in a nationwide push to make homes and office buildings more energy-efficient and to develop alternative energy sources (solar, wind, nuclear) as well as fuel cell technology. "Anything involved with wind power, either the design or related products, will be big," says Laurence Stybel.

Environmental scientists - Median salary: $58,380 Education: master's

Environmental engineers - Median salary: $72,350 Education: bachelor's

Hydrologists - Median salary: $68,140 Education: master's

4. Financial Services
Rising from the ashes of a very bad year, financial services have a bright future. Corporate America's wretched excesses mean more government regulation. Workers who are retiring will need advice on how to make their money last. Small businesses may outsource accounting services. As we get to the middle of the recession, there will be a wave of mergers and acquisitions, Stybel predicts. "People with experience in managing the process-corporate attorneys, investment bankers, and accountants-will be in demand."

Financial advisers - Median salary: $67,660 Education: bachelor's

Accountants and auditors - Median salary: $57,060 Education: bachelor's

Sales agents (securities and commodities) - Median salary: $68,430Education: bachelor's

5. Government
More than half a million federal employees will retire by 2016, leaving open positions at agencies from the CIA to AmeriCorps to NASA. There will also be opportunities at the state and local levels. "In addition to police work and homeland security, government inspects and regulates many industries," says Shatkin. "Workers can sometimes capitalize on their experience in an industry by moving into a regulatory job."

Government property inspectors - Median salary: $48,400 Education: vocational training, associate's or bachelor's

Immigration and customs inspectors - Median salary: $59,930 Education: bachelor's

Urban and regional planners - Median salary: $57,970Education: master's

6. Health Care
Health care pops up at the top of just about every list of hot careers. All of us are getting older and living longer, sometimes with chronic health conditions. What's more, health insurance practices may undergo a radical revision during the Obama administration, which has announced plans to address three central issues: coverage, cost, and quality of care. "Health care is a growing industry," says Bettina Seidman, "and not just for health care professionals. There will also be jobs for secretaries, accountants, and administrators."

Registered nurses - Median salary: $60,010Education: associate's or bachelor's

Dental assistants - Median salary: $31,550Education: secondary education, plus a few months to one year of on-the-job training

Medical records and health information technicians - Median salary: $29,290 Education: associate's

7. International Business
Corporations, consulting firms, nonprofits, and even governments are going after global markets. People with international expertise, foreign-language skills, or a willingness to move abroad will be in demand. "The global economy is only going to grow," says John Challenger. "U.S. involvement will expand, short and long term."

Interpreters and translators - Median salary: $37,490 Education: bachelor's

International management analysts - Median salary: $71,150 Education: bachelor's or master's

Market research analysts - Median salary: $60,300 Education: bachelor's or master's

8. Law Enforcment
International terrorism makes daily headlines, and fear of financial insecurity is matched only by concern for our physical safety. "Crime doesn't go down in a recession," says Shatkin. "It may even increase."

Probation officers - Median salary: $44,510 Education: bachelor's

Court reporters - Median salary: $45,330 Education: postsecondary vocational training

Paralegals - Median salary: $44,990Education: associate's degree in paralegal studies

9. Technology
New uses of technology in services and products like electronic health records mean that this sector will continue to be strong. "We have just begun to use the Internet as an entertainment medium in publishing, music, and film," says Peter Weddle.

Computer systems analysts - Median salary: $73,090 Education: bachelor's

Network systems and data communications analysts - Median salary: $64,600 Education: bachelor's

Computer, ATM, and office machine repairers - Median salary: $37,100 Education: high school or vocational training

And We'll Always Be Looking For..."Think of basic human needs, the things we can't do without," says Shatkin. They provide what he calls "little islands" of employment in this economy. For example, he says, we will always need sewage and water treatment. Challenger says the food industry is a core area: "People have to eat, and the global population is increasing."
In a down economy, people don't buy new cars—they repair their old ones. People turn to their clergy for comfort. Funeral directors will always have jobs. And since pets are very much a part of the family, veterinarians and veterinary technicians will continue to be in demand.