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5 Jobs That Are Hard to Fill in 2017

Topics: Career Profiles
data scientist
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During the Great Recession, it was difficult to imagine the problem that some industries are confronting today — labor shortages. But, we’ve seen steady and consistent economic gains, year after year, since the recession ended. Now, after a record 75 consecutive months of job growth, some jobs are hard to fill.

Workers should know about the areas of the job market that are flooded with opportunity right now. So, CareerCast has released a new report on the toughest jobs to fill in 2017. They compiled their list based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data as well as through analysis of hiring trends over the last decade, university graduate employment data, trade statistics, and their own database of job listings. Here are five of the hardest jobs to fill in 2017.

  1. Data Scientist. Growth Outlook – 16 percent.

Demand is high for these IT workers, but since the field is somewhat new, it can be hard for companies to find qualified candidates. Of course, these jobs are only expected to grow in the years to come. As businesses and organizations expand the scope of their online presence, they’ll need advice regarding how to best manage those systems. Data scientists provide these valuable insights. These jobs are expected to increase by 16 percent over the course of the next eight years.

  1. Financial Advisor. Growth Outlook – 30 percent.

The BLS anticipates that financial advisor positions will grow by 30 percent by 2024. It’s difficult for employers to keep up when the field is expanding at a rate like this. Those who are qualified to do this work shouldn’t have a hard time finding a job in the years ahead. It’s an interesting field to consider if you’re still in school or if you’re in a position to move over from a related field, as many do.

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“We are clearly in a supply and demand mismatch, and, as an industry, we must find new ways to attract young talent to the financial advisory business,” John Bahnken, President of Wealth Management at Citizens Bank, told efinancialcareers. “We are building out our other licensed sales forces such as premier bankers and licensed bankers which will allow us to organically grow our financial adviser headcount in future years.”

  1. General and Operations Manager. Growth Outlook – 7 percent.

Jobs for general and operations managers are expected to grow by seven percent in the next eight years. When that rate is combined with the need to replace a retiring labor force, the hiring projections grow significantly. This report offers a projected total increase of 151,000 hires by 2024. General and operations manager positions exist across industries and throughout the United States. The BLS gives more specific information concerning opportunities for these workers, for those who are interested.

  1. Home Health Aide. Growth Outlook – 38 percent.

The job of home health aide stands out on this list for a few reasons. First, it’s in the healthcare profession. While jobs in finance seem to dominate this list, healthcare positions are surging right now too. Jobs in this industry, like Registered Nurse for example, are not only booming, they are also secure. Unemployment rates are low for workers with this kind of professional background. Secondly, the job of home health aide requires less education, training, and experience than many of the other positions on this list. It could be a good option for those who are passionate about this kind of work, but don’t want to invest a lot of time or money into getting a career off the ground.

  1. Cyber Security. Growth Outlook – 18 percent.

Cyber security professionals are needed in every industry. Recent and damaging data breaches illustrate their necessity. But, like some of the other job titles on this list, like data scientist, the work is relatively new. So, these workers are in high demand and will continue to be in the months and years to come. The labor shortage also means that these professionals should continue to be well-compensated for their work.

Be sure to check out the full report from CareerCast for more information or to see if your job made the list.

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