Hot Jobs in a Cool Economy
In an era of seemingly epic job loss and contagious company downsizing, no one would argue it is tough to find a job in many traditional industries. Perhaps it is time to look to a promising future in less traditional occupations.
Among those suggested as possible alternatives for those who have the qualifications:
Eco Home Designer Helping families “go green” with redesigned yards and home interiors.
Social Media Marketer Helping companies harness the marketing power of Facebook, YouTube and other social media outlets.
Financial Advisor Helping individuals and families plan and invest wisely for college costs, retirement and other goals.
Natural Food Chef – Helping busy people eat more healthily or tailoring diets for allergy, diabetes or weight loss.
Wellness Manager Working with companies who want to save on long-term costs by focusing on preventive care for employees.
On the face of it, all of these possibilities seem to be timely, progressive and reasonable. The difficulty noted one employment counselor, is that none are the types of jobs one could apply for through traditional venues.
But there may be ways to work your way into them by using less traditional means:
-Work for free to gain a client base. Try out your skills and gain valuable experience by offering your talent for free. Testimonials you gather from one or two satisfied customers may go a long way toward landing paid employment.
-Network, network, network Use the phone, go online, start a letter-writing campaign or use any other word of mouth means to help spread the word of your and qualifications, experience and availability.
-Be prepared to wait Many families, like many corporations, are cutting back these days. It may not be the best time to seek employment in these non-traditional jobs. But with any luck, your skills and experience will be ripe for the challenge as the economy begins to improve.
By Barbara Pronin