Six Careers Undergoing Rapid Growth

Source: Yahoo

If you want to transition into a hot career field, check out these fast-growing jobs.

By Andrea Duchon

Getting ready to switch careers? It's probably a good idea to look before you leap. By that we mean you might want to check out whether your desired field is booming or shrinking before you decide to invest any time or money preparing for it.
A quick glance at the U.S. Department of Labor job projections from 2010 to 2020 will tell you just which careers are experiencing a growth spurt and why. But to make your life easier, we've pulled together a list of six top careers that are projected to expand by at least 30 percent and add at least 65,000 jobs by 2020.
So keep reading to learn about six fast-growing careers that will be in demand tomorrow and beyond.

Career #1: Medical Assistant

Projected Growth 2010-2020: 31 percent, or 162,900 new jobs*
If you think you might enjoy helping other people directly and you want a field that's growing quickly from 2010 through 2020, a career as a medical assistant could fit the bill.
Medical assistants record patient history, measure vital signs, give injections, and schedule patient appointments, says the U.S. Department of Labor. Along with the clinical aspect of the job, medical assistants will sometimes complete administrative tasks around the office.
Why It's Hot: There is increasing focus on preventative care and doctors are under pressure to see more patients, says Joe Weinlick, vice president of marketing at Beyond.com, a career network focused on helping people grow and succeed professionally. "As a result, doctors are hiring more medical assistants so they can continue to provide good service with an increased workload."
And why is there such demand from patients?
"Many people - especially of the baby boomer age - are heading to the doctor more and more due to declining health," explains Weinlick. "Younger patients are better educated about their health and recognize the need for preventative care more than ever before, so they're also scheduling more appointments with physicians."
Next step: Click to Find the Right Medical Assisting Program.
Education Requirements: In most states there are no formal education requirements for pursuing a career as a medical assistant, and many assistants learn through on-the-job training, says the Department of Labor. However, some medical assistants may pursue a formal education program and employers may prefer these candidates. Such programs could take about one year and lead to a certificate or diploma. Community colleges might offer two-year programs that result in an associate's degree.

Career #2: Market Research Analyst

Projected Growth 2010-2020: 41 percent, or 116,600 new jobs
Have you always had a knack for predicting trends and understanding what people want? You may want to take a look at the in-demand field of market research analysis.
As a market research analyst, you could help companies monitor and forecast marketing sales and trends, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. You might work in local, regional, or national areas to examine potential sales, measure the effectiveness of marketing programs, or present reports to clients and management.
Why It's Hot: "Companies have more information than they've ever had, and people who are able to understand and interpret data are in short supply," notes Weinlick. "Market research analysts can help transform an abundance of data into competitive advantage."
He adds that the ability to unearth simple insights from complex data sources is also in high demand, which is why we're seeing this industry skyrocket.
Next step: Click to Find the Right Business Administration Program.
Education Requirements: In order to pursue this career, the Department of Labor says you'll typically need a bachelor's degree in market research or a related field. However, many have a degree in computer science, math, or statistics. "Others have a background in business administration, communications, or one of the social sciences," says the Department, while top research analyst positions often require a master's degree.

Career #3: Cost Estimator

Projected Growth 2010-2020: 36 percent, or 67,500 new jobs*
Maybe you've always been good at figuring out budgets and unraveling problems. The in-demand field of cost estimation could be the perfect fit for your analytical mind.
Cost estimators often work in offices and visit construction sites or factory floors and estimate how much money, resources, and labor are required to complete a project or manufacture a product, reports the U.S. Department of Labor. More specifically, cost estimators may be tasked with consulting with industry experts, traveling to job sites to gather information, and reading blueprints and technical documents.
Why It's Hot: "Doing more with less is the new normal," says Weinlick. "While the economy is recovering, there is scrutiny across all sectors on cost, creating demand for estimators who can help understand and reduce expenses."
But it's not just that employers are trying to cut back on costs, says Weinlick, building in general is back on the rise, creating an increased demand for talented cost estimators. "We are entering a rebuilding era, with a need for new commercial building construction as well as continued investment in infrastructure."
Next step: Click to Find the Right Cost Estimator Program.
Education Requirements: The Department of Labor says that generally a bachelor's degree in a field like construction management or building science is required to pursue a career as a construction cost estimator. For those who prefer estimating manufacturing cost, a bachelor's degree in engineering, physical sciences, mathematics, or statistics is typically needed.
The Department also says that some employers prefer candidates with backgrounds in business-related disciplines, such as accounting, finance, business, or economics. And finally, "Some highly experienced construction workers with analytical abilities may also qualify without a bachelor's degree," notes the Department.

Career #4: Dental Hygienist

Projected Growth 2010-2020: 38 percent, or 68,500 new jobs*
The medical field is growing at a red-hot pace, so it makes sense that a career as a dental hygienist is one of the top in-demand careers.
As a dental hygienist you might work directly with patients in a dentist's office by cleaning their teeth, examining for disease, or educating them on improving their oral health, says the U.S. Department of Labor.
Why It's Hot: "Twenty years ago, people avoided going to the doctor or dentist," says Weinlick. But times have changed. "Because we know more about maintaining our health, we're also becoming obsessed with staying healthy, and that includes our oral health. More people are going to the dentist more often, and that's spurring demand for dental hygienists."
Next step: Click to Find the Right Dental Hygiene Program.
Education Requirements: The Department of Labor reports that in addition to being required to have a license, you typically need an associate's degree in dental hygiene to pursue a career as a dental hygienist.

Career #5: Software Developer

Projected Growth 2010-2020: 30 percent, or 270,900 new jobs*
Do you enjoy working with computers and dreaming up interesting programs? The absolutely booming field of software development could be calling your name.
The U.S. Department of Labor says "software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs." Based on users' needs, they design, test, and develop software, then ensure everything works together to function normally. The Department of Labor also notes that software developers are in charge of the entire creation process for a program.
Why It's Hot: "Employers need software developers because there is a large increase in the demand for computer software and new applications for mobile technology as people are shifting to handheld devices and smartphones," notes Weinlick. "The demand for software developers stayed strong throughout the recent downturn, and continues to grow as we shift to a technology driven society."
Next step: Click to Find the Right Computer Science Program.
Education Requirements: According to the Department, "software developers usually have a bachelor's degree, typically in computer science, software engineering, or a related field." And while math degrees are also acceptable, computer science degrees are the most common.

Career #6: Personal Financial Advisor

Projected Growth 2010-2020: 32 percent, or 66,400 new jobs*
If managing money is one of your strong suits, you may want to consider getting into the growing field of financial advising.
Personal financial advisors help people with taxes, investments, and insurance decisions, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. They may typically meet with and educate their clients on investment options and risks, and monitor their client's accounts to determine if changes need to be made. The Department of Labor says they may also research investment opportunities.
Why It's Hot: "With the unpredictability of the economy over the past few years, demand for financial advisors will grow as more people turn to them for guidance," notes Weinlick. "This is especially true of baby boomers, who are nearing retirement age and may be uncertain about what they need to do financially as they transition to a new phase in their lives."
Next step: Click to Find the Right Finance Program.
Education Requirements: The Department reports that "personal financial advisors typically need a bachelor's degree." They also note that while a specific field of study isn't required, getting a degree in finance, economics, accounting, business, mathematics, or law is a good way to prepare for this career.

Six Flexible Degrees You Could Earn In Two Years

Too busy to go back to school? You might be able to earn a degree online in as few as two years.

By Danielle Blundell

When it comes to life, you're no stranger to a full plate. And these days - between work, the kids, and pets - penciling school into your hectic schedule might seem impossible, especially for a four-year degree. But pursuing an associate's degree online could offer you much needed flexibility and convenience - and the opportunity to earn your degree in as few as two years. 
"Online learning provides an opportunity for working professionals, single parents, anyone really to earn a degree without stopping life to travel to campus and sit in class for 55 minutes or more a day," says Audra Barrett, associate vice president of instruction with Dallas Colleges Online, the virtual campus of the Dallas County Community College District in Texas.
Barrett notes other advantages of online education: "You've got the added benefit of contact advising, where you can get on demand academic advice through chat or email. That means important dialogue is taking place without wasting time waiting around for advisors, arranging specific meeting times, and commuting to common locations."
Of course, while online education does offer convenience, it isn't perfect for everyone. It takes a lot of hard work and self-discipline to keep all the balls in the air when earning a degree online.
But if you're intrigued by the prospect of going to school on your schedule, keep reading for six rock solid online associate's degrees that could make your education dreams a reality.

Associate's Degree #1: Business Administration

You've got a knack for business and think school could help you take your career to the next level. The only problem is you're strapped for time, and driving to campus just won't cut it. Well, consider taking your educational pursuits online, where you could gain a new skill set and associate's degree in business administration in as little as two years.
The Online Edge: Face it: Business has gone global, and an online education in business administration could offer you the most time efficient way to prep yourself for that climate, according to Barrett, as you could literally be in class with students from clear across the globe.
An online associate's program in business administration could broaden your horizon and expose you to video conferencing software, a tool you might use in the working world, says Barrett. Obviously, you'll also have the benefit of doing class assignments whenever - and wherever- it's convenient for you, she says; all you need is an Internet connection.
Next step: Click to Find the Right Online Business Administration Program.
Common Courses: According to the College Board, in a business administration program, you could expect to learn how to control an organization's activities and to solve business problems. Your classes might include financial management, accounting, and marketing, among others.

Associate's Degree #2: Nursing

Sometimes the best way to find out if you'll like something is by jumping right into it, and that's what an online associate's degree in nursing could do for you - since you could get all the coursework you need for pursuing a job as a nurse in as little as two years as opposed to a four-year bachelor's program.
The Online Edge: If you want to earn an associate's degree in nursing, why commute to campus for a class like biology  when you can turn your living room into a virtual laboratory in mere minutes? "The technology for getting biology classes off the ground and online has come a long way with simulations," says Barrett.
For example, "With the purchase of a lab kit, students can experiment from home with a virtual lab partner. What better way for a single mother, for instance, to expose her kids to the importance of education early by bringing out that lab kit and logging on instead of isolating herself and the educational process in a classroom?"
Next step: Click to Find the Right Online Nursing Program.
Common Courses: And according to the College Board, the hard sciences will likely be a part of your program curriculum. For instance, you could take classes like chemistry, microbiology, and pharmacology.

Associate's Degree #3: Accounting

Been called a math whiz more times than you can remember? Love - not dread - balancing your checkbook each month? Then you might just be the type to excel in an online accounting associate's program, where you could use your free time - either early in the morning or late at night - to close in on a potentially life-changing degree.
The Online Edge: How frustrating is it when you go to class, take notes, and still get lost on a problem set? Well, according to Barrett, in a well-designed online accounting course, you'd have on-demand help. Plus, instead of wasting time searching for explanatory websites or calling a classmate, you might actually consult materials hand-picked by instructors and embedded in your course material.
"A benefit of online coursework is that teachers can build in references for students (explanatory Web links, videos, or PDFs) for when they have trouble, especially because accounting can be very difficult."
Next step: Click to Find the Right Online Accounting Program.
Common Courses: Besides getting a grip on collecting and analyzing financial information, the College Board says you could also take classes like accounting, auditing, and tax law. In this program, you'll learn things like how to prepare tax forms and how to evaluate profitability for companies.

Associate's Degree #4: Health Information Technology

Want to break into the hot health care industry but don't have the time or flexibility to get a bachelor's degree at a traditional school? Well, a degree in health information technology might be a good option for you, since you could complete it from the comfort of your own home in as little as two years.
The Online Edge: Barrett says earning an associate's in health information technology online could help prime you for the computer coding and electronic medical record keeping you could be doing one day as a professional out in the health care field.
How? "If I'm a student, and I'm not understanding what it means to open a file or to save information a certain way," Barrett says, "it can help to be constantly immersed in the technology during class time."
Next step: Click to Find the Right Online Health Information Technology Program.
Common Courses: Major in health information technology, and you could learn how to prepare and maintain medical records, which includes coding, medical terminology, and working with special medical software.

Associate's Degree #5: Early Childhood Education

Preschool - art, naps, and learning fundamental concepts. Sounds pretty great, right? Well, if you've been longing to go back to college to help children learn, you might consider enrolling online in a two-year associate's degree program in early childhood education.
The Online Advantage: According to Barrett, a big advantage to studying for an associate's in early childhood education online, in addition to the convenience of the class bell ringing on your own schedule, is great virtual simulations that have been developed to mimic real-world childcare situations.
"Virtual simulations are a powerful way to learn childcare skills," says Barrett. While it would be impossible to use real children to test your accountability as a caregiver in a child-rearing psychology class, Barrett says she's seen virtual baby simulators do just that: Students have to take care of a child in an online environment built to mimic the real world.
She also says that case studies, another major component of many child education classes, make the transition to online easily. "Teachers just put the course material up, and students can go on and give their ideas and recommendations."
Next step: Click to Find the Right Online Early Childhood Education Program.
Common Courses: Get ready to get acquainted with all things kid-centric, as the College Board lists the following as typical classes: child development, parent-child relations, and classroom management and behavior.

Associate's Degree #6: Computer Science

Known in your group of friends as the go-to person for fixing all things computer and mobile? Then why not take all that time and energy you're already spending with technology and work towards earning an online associate's degree in computer science, which you could potentially finish in as little as two years.
The Online Advantage: The hidden advantage of pursuing an online associate's degree in computer science, Barrett says, is that you're "inside" the very technology you are trying to master, building your computer literacy skills by default every time you log on to complete your coursework.
"It's kind of neat to study computer science online because you're working with the technology that you're taking classes in," says Barrett. Essentially, the venue of your learning also contributes to familiarizing yourself with best practices with computer software and programs.
Next step: Click to Find the Right Online Computer Science Program.
Common Courses: According to the U.S. Department of Labor, computer science degrees teach students skills for learning computer languages. Courses might provide instruction on fixing bugs in programs, writing computers code, and other hand-on tasks.

Online Degrees that Could Pay You Back

Source: Yahoo

Want to earn an in-demand degree, but need some flexibility to make it happen? Check out these five online degree programs...

By Sarah Tann   

Let's face it: Juggling a job, family - plus that reality TV show obsession - is hard. Add school into the mix, and things could just get a little crazy.

The good news: You have options.

Online education, for example, provides the opportunity to study whenever and wherever it's most convenient - whether that's after your 9-to-5 gig or the latest "American Idol" episode.

More and more students are beginning to take advantage of this flexibility, too.

In fact, in the fall of 2010, over 6.1 million students - that's 31 percent of all higher education students - were taking at least one online course, according to "Going the Distance," a 2011 study by Babson Survey Research Group and the College Board.

Of course, if you're going to earn a degree, you want to think about its relevance - and potential payback, too.

To help, we looked to the National Association of Colleges and Employer's (NACE) "Job Outlook 2012 Survey," a forecast of employers' intentions to hire new college graduates.

With a total of 244 surveys returned by employers, the NACE was able to determine which degrees will be in-demand in 2012.

Keep reading to learn more...

Online Degree #1 - Business Administration

Starting up a new company, running a business, or managing a team definitely has its perks. But before you can take the reins, you might find it helpful to pick up some leadership and problem-solving skills from an online business program.

A bachelor's in business administration program, for example, can teach students how "to plan, organize, direct, and control an organization's activities," notes the College Board, an organization that administers academic aptitude tests. And if you earn this degree online, you could take commonly offered courses like operations management, accounting, and business ethics in the comfort of your home and pajamas...if that's your style, of course.

Click to find the Right Business Administration Program for You.

Payoff Potential: Financial analyst, insurance underwriter, and personal financial advisor, to name a few examples, are potential career paths that a bachelor's in business administration grad could pursue, says the U.S. Department of Labor.* According to the NACE report, 48.5 percent of the surveyed employers said they have their sights on business grads when it comes time to hire this year.

Online Degree #2 - Computer & Information Sciences

Do you wear your nickname "tech geek" or "computer nerd" with pride? Great news: there's a flexible way for you to fine-tune your skills and interest in the field - and it goes by the name of an online computer and information sciences bachelor's degree.

"Students in this major study a broad range of computer topics," notes the College Board. This means you'll likely get a peek into the various fields within the tech-industry, like computer science, informatics, and computer programming - which could allow you to pick and choose areas that best align with your interests.

Click to Find the Right Computer & Information Systems Program for You.

Payoff Potential: Despite what teenybopper movies may say, computer geeks are becoming increasingly popular - at least according to the 59.3 percent of surveyed employers who plan to hire computer and information sciences majors in 2012, notes the NACE report. And with a bachelor's degree in computer and information sciences, you could prepare to pursue techie careers such as network and computer systems administrators, computer programmer, and computer systems analyst.*

Online Degree #3 - Psychology

Getting into people's heads to try and understand their thoughts can get a bit confusing and scary at times. But, it could also be extremely exciting - especially if you acquire the right skills to do so from an online bachelor's degree in psychology. Even better, you can earn this flexible degree in bed, or on the couch, or in the kitchen, or...you get the point, right?

And with commonly offered courses like social psychology, personality, and perception and sensation, "psychology majors study the way humans and animals act, feel, think, and learn," notes the College Board.

Click to Find the Right Psychology Program for You.

Payoff Potential: Apparently, the need to get into people's heads is on the rise, with 71.4 percent of surveyed employers planning to hire psychology grads in 2012, notes the NACE report. Social worker, probation officer, and correctional treatment officer are just some of the "mind-boggling" career path options that bachelor's in psychology majors can prep to pursue.*

Online Degree #4 - Accounting

Numbers: some of us are good with them and others are not. If you fall in with the crowd that doesn't need a calculator to figure out your group's dinner bill, then you might find the flexibility and convenience of an online bachelor's degree in accounting to be a great option for you.

And not to worry, an online accounting degree could teach you more than just how to figure out the tip. In fact, "accounting majors learn how to gather, record, analyze, interpret, and communicate information about an individual's or organization's financial performance and risks," says the College Board.

Click to Find the Right Accounting Program for You.

Payoff Potential: This all-about-numbers degree could help you prepare to pursue a career as an accountant, auditor, or budget analyst.* And according to the NACE report, 71.4 percent of the surveyed employers plan to hire accounting grads in 2012.

Online Degree #5 - Communications

If you're a chatter-box who's looking for a way to go to school on your own time, then an online degree in communications might be calling your name. Often offered at the bachelor's degree level, an online communications degree could teach you how to translate your "talkative" skills into the business sector.

According to the College Board, common courses like the power of communication, rhetorical criticism, and research methods can help hone your communications skills, as well as help you better understand how messages are exchanged on television, the Internet, and through mass media.

Click to Find the Right Communications Program for You.

Payoff Potential: You could use your knowledge and skills from a bachelor's in communications to help you prepare to pursue a career as a public relations specialist, market research analyst, or broadcast news analyst.* According to the NACE report, 95.7 percent of surveyed respondents plan to hire graduates with a communications major in 2012. Being chatty never sounded so good...