It's not uncommon to hear about job-seekers flooding the market with scores, if not hundreds of applications to no avail. Sometimes they get lucky, but the shotgun effect isn't always the best method. If you can't find anything wrong with your resume, cover letter, or search methods, it may be time to consider different industries. This will probably entail training to make yourself a competitive candidate, but a few years of hard work will go a long way in landing a career job.
One method to consider is searching for jobs that are experiencing a shortage of qualified people. If you figure out what they're looking for and make yourself an exceptional candidate, you'll have a better experience than firing your resume around haphazardly. HR.BLR.com has posted the results of a 2013 study that reveals the top 10 hardest jobs to fill which we've posted for you below.
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1) Skilled Trades – The range of skilled labor jobs available varies widely, as does their pay. What unifies them all is that they usually require a certain type of certification in lieu of a four-year degree. Although the work isn't always extremely lucrative, it's hard to beat a steady income with honest work.
2) Sales Representatives – Working in sales isn't a cake-walk: it requires the right combination of business sense, charisma, and interpersonal skills. Whether you're working in retail or a major corporation, sealing a business deal or transaction is a difficult art to master. Lower-paying positions don't usually require a degree but can be lucrative with enough time invested. However, higher-paying jobs will most likely require a degree.
Search for Sales Representatives jobs.
3) Drivers – Between busses, limousines, taxi cabs, and semis, good drivers are hard to come by in 2013. These jobs don't require degrees but do require exceptional skills behind the wheel. Navigating dense city streets or enduring long treks across the nation require different personality traits, but if you can see yourself earning money behind the wheel and don't have irresistible urges to reenact "Drive" or "The Fast and the Furious," it's worth checking out.
4) IT Staff – Information technology has been a rapidly growing industry for years and it doesn't show any signs of petering out. Most companies need IT professionals to manage internal networks, their websites, or both. These jobs usually require a degree, but putting the four years into obtaining one and learning the industry is worth the paycheck down the road.
Search for Computer & Technology jobs.
5) Accounting and Finance staff – The laws that govern the U.S. economy can be difficult to navigate, especially for large companies. Experts in this field are highly valued because they understand the financial obligations and requirements necessary for a company to function well and legally. Jobs in this field require four-year degrees, but the investment is well worth the cost.
6) Engineers – Engineers are tech and science savvy individuals who specialize in designing a wide range of hardware and infrastructure. There is a broad range of engineering positions available, and each one requires a high degree of specialized knowledge. Anyone planning on becoming an engineer should pick their specialty before applying to college so they can enroll in and stick to a program relevant to their career aspirations.
7) Technicians – America runs on complex technical systems that require constant maintenance and repair, not Dunken Donuts. No matter what type of technician you'd like to become, the job will require a certification if not a four year degree. There are many types of technician jobs available, so pick a field that appeals to you the most and start your training as soon as possible.
8) Management/executives – Believe it or not, the business world has a shortage of good leaders. The military provides an environment where good leaders foster other good leaders. If your experience provided you with a sense of teamwork and the ability to organize a group of people, you may want to consider gunning for a management or executive position. Not only are the jobs in demand, but they pay well. Management positions occur in almost every industry, but the best way to prepare for climbing the corporate ladder is to earn a degree in business or something related.
9) Mechanics – Maintaining vehicles can be a fulfilling profession if you have an aptitude for it. Although many mechanics tend to specialize in certain types of vehicles, it's possible to be certified for different types of jobs. You don't necessarily have to have spent time repairing anything in the Military, but competence with the inner workings of vehicles and the special tools required to repair them is a must.
10) Teachers – Although widely considered to be an underpaid job, becoming a teacher isn't terribly difficult. However, the job requires the ability to work with children, so you need to have the right character traits. All teaching positions require at least a four year degree and most of them require a credential. If you want to teach high school, it would be best to earn a degree in the field you'd like to teach, gain experience as a tutor or substitute teacher, earn a teaching credential, and then apply. There are also programs available such as the Peace Corps and Teach America that give a credential after completing about two years of work.
Search for Teaching & Education jobs.
Related: Discover your perfect career path and get customized job recommendations based on your military experience and vocational interests with Military.com's Military Skills Translator + Personality Assessment.
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