Decent jobs you can still get
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It's no big secret, in this economy, things are pretty rough out there for job seekers. Many have been laid off, and many more who still have their jobs find themselves being asked to do more for less money. Having recently completed an "unforeseen" cross-country move, I myself have moved to the "unemployed" category. For the better part of 6 months now, I've spent hours trolling through every job posting I could find; built, tweaked, and retweaked my resume, applied to every J-O-B I thought I had a snowflakes chance in hades of getting (and a few I didn't).
At last, in November, I finally got a call back! Provided I get through the background check, which is taking longer than I'd hoped due to the holidays, I believe I do finally have a job. Suffice it to say, ass-uming I get the job and we continue to find creative ways to survive until the point at which I am officially once again employed... I feel very fortunate in the fact I have the background I do (military and electronics) which has allowed me to successfully get hired. On that note, I thought I might take a minute to share some of the things I've learned on this journey and hopefully I can help someone else in the process.
It occurs to me that, despite all the unfortunate events which have occurred these last few years, there are still a few decent paying career fields and job opportunities I personally know of which remain immune from all the lay offs and out-sourcing.
1) The Army. I know many of the same benefits available in the Army apply to pretty much all branches of the service, but, as my experience is limited to active duty Army, that's all I can relate to here. While this may not be everyone's cup of tea, it does offer many advantages that are hard to find anywhere else. Not the least of which being, you don't need any special training or education to get "hired". I joined straight out of high school and not only received all of my training as an electronics technician for free, I also got paid a reasonable salary plus benefits in the process.
You can also look forward to getting in physical shape (whether you want to or not!), career growth and potential that is nearly unlimited, discovering a sense of strength and pride in yourself you didn't know you possessed, opportunities for furthering your education that are unmatched by any civilian entity (G.I. Bill, Army college fund, correspondence courses, etc.).
The military offers a wide range of specialty job opportunities you get to choose from, everything from the obvious "grunt" infantryman to graphic arts and design. You could also find yourself stationed in any number of locations both domestically and world-wide. In many cases, you can even find yourself in a position to request a duty station of your choice... Hawaii, Germany, Japan... you name it.
All the while, nothing says you have to make a life-long career out of it. Upon completion of your contract (2-5 years on average), you may choose to separate and rejoin the civilian world at which time you will discover, your benefits still don't end. Your service and experience will prove to be extremely beneficial in the line of any civilian career you choose to pursue. Not to mention being eligible for a VA loan to assist you in acquiring a mortgage. And if you're thinking you might be "too old"... keep in mind, the maximum age for an initial (first time) enlistment is 42.
2) Truck Driver. Again, this might not suit everyone, but given the circumstances many of us find ourselves facing... if you've never considered the idea, or have but discounted it... you may want to give it some thought. Truck drivers can earn a pretty decent living right off the bat, in most cases at least $30,000-$40,000 their first year on the road.
Obviously, you will need some training as well as your CDL (Commercial Drivers License), but many of the larger companies will offer conditional tuition assistance and possibly even train you themselves. Not only does trucking qualify as one of the few jobs safe from outsourcing, but truck drivers are also constantly in demand.
Many of the long time drivers are reaching retirement age and few within our younger generations even give the idea a second thought, as we're so conditioned to believe we have to get into a "tech" field. For this reason, many over the road trucking companies are experiencing a severe shortage of drivers.
3) DirecTV Field Tech. I'm throwing this one in because, as it has been my profession for the last four years, I can personally testify to a few of it's attributes. On the short list, you don't need any prior experience, as DirecTV will provide you a relatively in-depth training program during which you will be paid around $15 an hour. Upon completion of your training, you will be paid on a "piece-rate" basis, but you can expect to average anywhere from $20-$30 an hour depending. You also don't need any tools or a vehicle, as both are provided by the company.
I can not in good faith say you are likely to find this to be your "dream job", as it certainly has it's share of drawbacks. Ultimately, though, there are certainly worse jobs you could do for less money. Probably one of the biggest detractors is there are few opportunities for career advancement, but if you are currently without employment, I doubt that is your biggest concern. In fact, it works in your favor, as it's for that very reason that they have a relatively high turn over rate. Because of this, they are pretty much perpetually looking for new techs. And, at the very least, as a short-term job until you find something more to your liking, it could definitely fill the bill... in more ways than one.
4) Border Patrol. Much like the military, DHS Border Patrol is currently on a perpetual recruiting drive. Average salary can range anywhere from $31,000 to $60,000 and they offer many positions including Border Patrol Officer, automotive technician, communications specialist, etc.
The application process to get hired as an officer is similar to the military, although a bit more complicated. They will send you to their version of "basic training", afterwards, you will be required to either pass a Spanish proficiency test or take a follow up course to learn Spanish. Following this, you will be assigned a duty sector, usually near your home of record if possible, and will be considered a "probationary officer" for a period of two years.
5) The medical field. While unlike any of the above suggestions, their are few if any opportunities in the medical field that don't require some form of specialized college education, it still makes my list because it is an ever expanding career field. In all of my varied job searches, I constantly find myself having to weed through the hundreds of postings for a wide range of jobs ranging from dental assistant to dietary specialist to family practitioner. So far as I can tell, their are no shortage of available jobs in the medical field, and the trend doesn't seem to show signs of slowing down anytime soon.
As I mentioned above, you most likely won't find work without a specialized degree, or at least some form of vocational training in the field, but, that doesn't mean there aren't options if it's a field you're interested in. One in particular might be starting off in the military. Even if you are unable to get a PMOS (Primary Military Occupational Specialty) related to the medical community, you could take advantage of the college opportunities provided by the military to attain the necessary degree. Upon completion of your contract, for all intents and purposes, there's no reason you couldn't practically walk into a good job with zero education debt.
My sincere hope is that someone reading this will find it helpful, and I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors. Here are a couple of links you might follow should you find any of these options to your liking and wish to learn more:
U.S. Army career information:
DirecTV Careers:
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/careers
Truck Driver:
Border patrol:
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/careers/customs_careers/border_careers/
