Tag Archives: The Conference Board

Employers will likely continue to aggressively reduce payrolls in the foreseeable future, according to The Conference Board’s assessment of its latest Employment Trends Index.

Few sectors seem immune to these cuts, though individuals with skills in high demand may find it a little easier to transition to a new employer. Personal-finance adviser Kiplinger.com reports that the career choices likely to remain hot over the next few years include:
* Health care (e.g., pharmacists, physical therapists).
* Education (especially math, science, and bilingual education).
* Security (police officers, detectives, private security guards).
* Environmental science (hydrologists, environmental chemists, geoscientists).

Forensic accounting and medical equipment and supplies distribution are two of the unique specialty programs that the University of Alabama, Birmingham, offers for students seeking high-growth careers. Public administration also offers some security, the University advises, as the government lays off workers at only 25% of the rate of the private sector.

And for many workers, recession-proofing will mean more self-reliance, fluid career paths, and nontraditional work settings. For example, “jellies” are a new form of worker—mostly young entrepreneurs, freelancers, and telecommuters—first introduced by Web entrepreneur Amit Gupta. Unlike a company’s work teams, the members of jelly groups may work for different clients or employers, gathering informally with their fellow jellies to brainstorm and support each other on various projects, notes strategic business futurist Joyce Gioia-Herman.

And if you want to know more about what a Jelly is, this video will help.