If you’re eyeing a career change this year, you may want to consider transitioning to a growing field where employers can’t hire qualified workers fast enough!
A new study from CareerCast.com highlights 10 of the toughest jobs to fill in 2017.
Read more: The ultimate guide to getting a better job this year
10 in-demand jobs with plenty of openings!
In addition to its own database of job listings, CareerCast.com evaluated labor and salary data from multiple sources, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
“The thought of positions not having enough candidates might have felt foreign at the height of the recession, when unemployment lingered around 10%,’ said the report’s author. ‘But as the economy and hiring improved over the past seven years, recruiters and hiring managers sometimes now face challenges filling certain in-demand position.’
What’s the number one challenge for employers? Finding applicants with the necessary skills.
For example, the report said that many universities still don’t offer programs for future data scientists, a relatively new career, so workers are entering the field from other disciplines.
Meanwhile, a retiring labor force is leading to many new opportunities for finance and health care workers.
Several of the jobs that made the list, like truck driver, don’t require a college degree. However, salaries are typically higher for the jobs that list a bachelor’s degree as a qualification.
And if you want to learn a new skill or expand your expertise in order to qualify for one of these (or other) jobs, here’s where to find thousands of free online courses.
Ranked by growth outlook through 2024, here are CareerCast’s hardest to fill jobs:
Home Health Aide
- Annual Median Salary: $21,920
- Growth Outlook: 38%
Physical Therapist
- Annual Median Salary: $84,020
- Growth Outlook: 34%
Financial Advisor
- Annual Median Salary: $89,160
- Growth Outlook: 30%
Information Security Analyst
- Annual Median Salary: $90,120
- Growth Outlook: 18%
Medical Services Manager
- Annual Median Salary: $94,500
- Growth Outlook: 17%
Software Engineer
- Annual Median Salary: $100,690
- Growth Outlook: 17%
Data Scientist
- Annual Median Salary: $128,240
- Growth Outlook: 16%
Registered Nurse
- Annual Median Salary: $67,490
- Growth Outlook: 16%
General and Operations Manager
- Annual Median Salary: $97,730
- Growth Outlook: 7%
Truck Driver
- Annual Median Salary: $40,260
- Growth Outlook: 5%
Before you apply for a new job, you’re going to need a resume that will stand out from the rest. Here’s the resume format most hiring managers want to see.
Read more: The 25 best jobs of 2017 all pay over $60,000 a year
