MONEY, the country's largest personal finance magazine, and Salary.com, Inc., a leading provider of on-demand compensation management solutions, unveiled today an exclusive list of the best jobs in America for people looking to upgrade their careers.
Geared towards "second act" careers, the list focuses on the best jobs for four groups specifically: Early-Mid Career Changers, Parents Returning to Work, Retiring Military and Workers Over 50.
The full report along with tips and guidelines for making the switch will appear in the April issue of MONEY, on newsstands March 26 and available online now at www.CNNMoney.com/bestjobs2007.
The top five jobs for each group are:
EARLY CAREER CHANGERS PARENTS RETURNING TO WORK
1. Product or Brand Manager 1. Executive Recruiter
2. Registered Nurse 2. Nonprofit Manager
3. Property Manager 3. Sales Representative
4. Certified Public Accountant 4. Marketing Analyst
5. IT Generalist 5. Accountant
RETIRING MILITARY OVER 50 BUT NOT OVER THE HILL
1. Operations or Intelligence Analyst 1. Nonprofit Executive
2. Network Systems Manager 2. Patient Representative
3. Field Service Engineer 3. Celebrant/Religious Leader
4. Logistics/OPS Manager 4. Financial Adviser
5. Senior Trainer/Training Manager 5. Public School Teacher
"Economists have been forecasting that the multiple-career work life is about to become the rule," said MONEY's executive editor Craig Matters. "But that doesn't mean people will simply be looking for more money. They often have a non-financial goal that's just as important, if not more so. What makes this list of careers unique is that it factors in those quality of life motivators."
"Workers still consider cash to be king, but not by as wide of a margin as in the past. Today, workers look at a broader financial picture -- placing greater emphasis on health benefits and vacation time than ever before and often prioritizing non-financial goals reflecting a true 'total rewards' perspective," said Bill Coleman, senior vice president of compensation at Salary.com. The top three non-financial rewards were passion for the work, flexible scheduling and career advancement opportunities; however, the importance of the rewards differed by each "second act" group.
The most sought after workplace rewards for each group are:
EARLY CAREER CHANGERS PARENTS RETURNING TO WORK
1. Mental Stimulation and Challenge 1. Flexible Schedule (manage own
time)
2. Promotion and Advancement 2. Passion for the Work
3. Passion for the Work 3. Mental Stimulation and Challenge
4. Flexible Schedule (manage own 4. Skill Enhancement (on job
time) experience)
5. Business Networking and/or 5. Promotion and Advancement
Peer Interaction
RETIRING MILITARY OVER 50 BUT NOT OVER THE HILL
1. Passion for the Work 1. Flexible Schedule (manage own
time)
2. Promotion and Advancement 2. Passion for the Work
3. Skill Enhancement (on job 3. Mental Stimulation and Challenge
experience)
4. Flexible Schedule (manage own 4. Skill Enhancement (on job
time) experience)
5. Mental Stimulation and Challenge 5. Keeping Active
People in their second acts share a common priority - a passion for the work. "Passion is the new king," said Meredith Hanrahan, chief marketing officer at Salary.com. "This isn't their first time at bat; the majority of 'second-acters' aren't willing to the make the critical trade-offs for just any job. Time is precious, child care is costly and they are more honest about what they need. It isn't about advancing to the next level or networking. For most in their second acts, people want their contribution to matter; they want a passion payoff. It's not optional; it's the new requirement."
To compile the list of best jobs, MONEY and Salary.com surveyed more than 12,000 people, of whom more than 7,000 indicated they were planning a career change or had recently done so. Those 7,000 were surveyed further to identify the fields they were most interested in and the things that were most important to them.
For more on MONEY's second annual report of the best jobs in America, readers can visit www.CNNMoney.com where they'll find a complete list of the top 20 jobs for each category with job statistics for each. Also available is an online survey and stories of people who have made the switch. For strategies to re-enter the workforce and see what jobs pay, visit http://www.Salary.com
MONEY and Salary.com reviewed survey responses received from more than 7,000 people who recently changed careers or were thinking about making the switch to determine what interested them most important in a new career. MONEY reporters then spoke to experts and survey participants to assemble a list of positions that fit the bill for each of the "changer" groups. The result was a list of approximately 20 jobs in each category, for which Salary.com then provided compensation and growth projections. Jobs were then ranked by total compensation, job growth and the top non-financial motivator for each group. SOURCE MONEY magazine
