Career Trends

Presenters: Debbie Gravelle & Jay Derrico

CSU Channel Islands

Overview• Where to Start

– Major Myths– Major vs. Career– Decision Making and Reality Check

• Future Career Trends– What Employers are Looking For– The Job Market– Did you Know?– Employment Growth– Hot Careers for College Grads– Occupations with the Most New Jobs– Top Jobs for College Grads

• Career Success

Myths and Self-Defeating Ideas about Choosing a Major

1. I’ll never find a major that fits me perfectly. 2. A wrong decision is a failure and this is horrible…3. There is only one right major for me, and true happiness

is impossible until I find it…4. If I really had my head together, I would know exactly

what I wanted to major in…5. Once I choose a major I am stuck with it.6. To become a doctor or a lawyer, I have to major in pre-

med or pre-law.

7. Choosing a major means giving up all others.

Major vs. Career

• Ideally, career planning comes first.– Select the “best major” for a given career

field.

• Realistically, majors are often chosen by interest level or by “default” with little thought to career implications.

• Expect changes

What is a Major?

• Majors are part of the process that leads to earning a degree.

• They are designed for academic purposes rather than for career purposes.

• The link between many majors and specific career fields is often unclear.

• Once a student recognizes this they can begin to ask questions that will help make connections between a major and a career.

Making a Choice• The Logical Approach: The most logical and efficient way of

developing an educational plan is to choose a career then find out what you have to learn (and major in) to get there. Some people avoid this logical approach because it's not easy to determine what career would be best for them. Some of this avoidance is just old-fashioned procrastination and some is because students don't really know how to go about career exploration.

• The Mystical Approach: Just take general education courses and wait for the white light to illuminate your perfect career choice. The problem with this one is that often the white light never comes and then in desperation the student selects a major that doesn't require much major prep, while telling him or herself that it doesn't really matter what you major in as long as you have a degree.

Making a Choice• The Cloning Approach: By default, choosing a major that a teacher, friend or

relative chose.  This method can work if you like wearing other people's underwear.

• The Favorite Course Approach: Choose a major based on the course that you most enjoyed.  This is one rationale for taking general education courses during your first few semesters; that is, to explore various fields of knowledge. This method can work, but sometimes the career (what you do with the major) is not very similar to what you are actually learning in the course.  Also, sometimes it is the teacher that motivates you in a particular course.  This can work if you choose being an inspiring teacher as a career.

• The Marketable Approach: Choose a career and major based only on what will be the most marketable (make the most money). While marketability is one important factor in career/major choice it is not the full story.  Also important to consider are your interests and aptitudes.

Ten Commandments ofCareer Success

1. Know thyself2. Know thy market3. Research thine options4. Schmooze5. Have short-term/long-term goals6. Cultivate attitude7. Look to thine interpersonal skills8. Think like an entrepreneur9. Act like a consultant10. Feed thy soul

One of the most important considerations when choosing a career is the level of education that is required to enter that career. 

Some examples are given below:

Career Level of Education

Real estate sales personnel three unit (or equivalent) course to be able to take the sales exam

Certified Public Accountant BA or BS

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

MS or MA

Licensed Clinical Psychologist (Calif.) Ph.D. plus several years of post-doctoral studies

President of the United States no educational level required, though only six did not go to college  

Choosing a Career/Major

Which Adjective Describes You?If you’re TryAccurate Conservator Drafter Technical Writer

Bold Firefighter Reporter Stockbroker

Compassionate Funeral Directors Recreational Therapist Veterinary Technician

Cool-headed Air-Traffic Controller Art Director Multimedia Artist and Animator

Idealistic Social Worker Community Organizer and Activist

Public Interest Lawyer

Inquisitive Medical Scientists Federal Agent Research Psychologist

Observant Anthropologist and Archaeologist

Chemist Writer

Organized Construction Manager Librarian Surgical Technician

Outgoing Environmental Educator Human Resource Manager Sales Engineer

Patient Teacher Occupational Therapist Photographer

Persuasive Environmental Engineer Foreign Service Officer Public Relations

Practical Psychologist Operations Research Analyst

Urban and Regional Planner

Savvy Copywriter Government Executive and Legislator

Graphic Designer

Reality Check …

• Do you want to be a doctor, but can’t stand the sight of blood?

• Do you want to be an engineer, but don’t like math?

• Do you want to be a music major, but can’t carry a tune?

Top Five Personal Qualities Employers Look For

1. Communication

2. Honesty/Integrity

3. Interpersonal skills (relates to others)

4. Motivation/Initiative

5. Strong Work Ethic

Job and Career Trends

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:The more you learn the more you earn

Job Average Salary 06-07Management Trainee $40,231

Sales $39,480

Financial/Treasury Analysis $49,237

Consulting $51,556

Teaching $34,020

Accounting (private) $46,881

Project Engineering $51,546

Accounting (public) $46,368

Design/Construction Engineering $50,036

Software Design & Development $54,608

Salary Survey, NACE Summer 2007

Job Market for Class of 2007

• Employers expect to hire 17.4% more new college graduates in 2006-07 than they did in 2005-06, according to NACE Job Outlook 2007 Fall Preview Survey.

• Service employers project the biggest increase in college hiring: 19.8%.

• Manufacturers are also positive about hiring with an overall increase predicted of 9.5%.

Working-life Jobs & Careers

• Today’s workers will change jobs five times before age 40 and change careers three times before they retire.(Chronicle of Higher Education, Oct 24, 1984)

• Career changes every 10 years on average. (American Renaissance: Our Life at The Turn of the 21st Century)

• On average, a student leaving college today can expect to have three to five careers and 10-12 jobs during a work life that will last for 40-50 years.(Journal of Planning and Employment, Winter 1990)

• Young people hold an average of nine jobs before the age of 32.(U.S. Department of Labor, 1999)

Annual Rates of Labor Force Growth, 1950-2025

00.5

11.5

22.5

33.5

44.5

5

1950-60

1960-70

1970-80

1980-90

1990-2000

2000-2015

2015-2025

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

The very rapid labor force growth over the 1970s reflected two dramatic changes: the baby-boom generation reached working age, and it became more common for women to work outside the home.

Since the 1970s, the labor force has continued to grow, but at a slower pace.

A substantial slowdown is projected for the 2015-2025 period, as the baby-boom generation retires.

Did You Know?

The baby-boom generation was born between 1946 and 1964. The oldest baby boomers turn 62 this year.

Median Years of Age of the Labor Force

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

1978 1988 1998 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

The median age of the labor force is rising. It will approach 41 years by 2008 – a very high level by historical standards. (The median age is the age at which half of the labor force is younger and half of the labor force is older.)

Many of the changes in the age structure of the labor force reflect the aging of the baby boomers.

Did You Know?

One-fifth of men in the labor force are veterans. The median age of these workers is 50 years, compared with 39 years for non-veterans.

Labor Force Participation Rates by Gender

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1975 1981 1987 1993 1999 2005

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

About 60 percent of all women are in the labor force, compared with nearly 75 percent of all men. (The participation rate is the share of the population 16 years and older working or seeking work.)

The long-term increase in the female labor force largely reflects the greater frequency of paid work among mothers.

The slow long-term decline in work activity among men reflects, in part, the trend of earlier retirement.

Women now account for 47 percent of the labor force, up from 40 percent in 1975.

Did You Know?

Among married-couple families where the wife and husband work, about one-fifth of the wives earn more than their husbands.

Men- Women-

Percent Change in Labor Force Projected 1998-2008

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

White Black Hispanic Asian andother

Total

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Asians and Hispanics have the fastest labor force growth, primarily because of immigration.

The higher-than-average labor force growth for blacks reflects a higher birth rate among blacks than among white non-Hispanics.

White non-Hispanics will still be the largest labor force group, accounting for about 71 percent of the labor force in 2008. Hispanics will account for about 13 percent, black non-Hispanics for about 11 percent, and Asians and other groups for about five percent.

Did You Know?

Half of all Hispanics live in California and Texas, but over the past decade nearly all states saw an increase in the Hispanic share of their population.

Earnings and Unemployment by Education Levels

0 200 400 600 800 1000

Less thanHigh

School

HighSchool

Graduate

SomeCollege

CollegeGrad

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Less thanHigh

School

HighSchool

Graduate

SomeCollege

CollegeGrad

Weekly Earnings Unemployment Rate

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

College graduates age 25 and over earn nearly twice as much as workers who stopped at a high school diploma.

College graduates have experienced growth in real (inflation-adjusted) earnings since 1979. In contrast, high school dropouts have seen their real earnings decline.

From 1979 to 2000, the earnings of college-educated women grew nearly twice as fast as the earnings of men. But these women still earn less than men.

The unemployment rate for workers who dropped out of high school is nearly four times the rate for college graduates.

Did You Know?

High school graduates are more likely to go on to college today than in the past. Sixty-three percent of the year 2000 high school graduates had enrolled in college by the following fall.

Employer’s Projected Increases in College Hiring

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Employers responding to the NACE Research: Job Outlook 2009 Fall Preview survey plan to hire 6.1 percent more new graduates in 2008-09 than they did in 2007-08. While it’s a positive projection, it pales when compared to the expected percentage increases in the last five years.

Ten Industries with the Fastest Employment Growth

Industry 2004 2014 Percent Change

Home health care services 773 1310 69Software publishers 239 400 67Management, scientific, and technical

consulting services 779 1250 60

Residential care facilities 1240 1840 48Facilities support services 116 1710 47Employment services 3470 5050 46Independent artists, writers, and performers 42 61 45Office administrative services 319 450 41Computer systems design and related services 1147 1600 39Outpatient, laboratory, and other ambulatory care services

836 1660 39

Source: United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.org.

Ten Hottest Careers for College Graduates

Occupation 2004 2014 Percent Change

Network systems and data communications analysts 231 357 55Physician assistants 62 93 50Computer software engineers, applications 460 682 48Physical therapist assistants 59 85 44Dental hygienists 158 226 43Computer software engineers, systems software 340 486 43Network and computer systems administrators 278 385 38Database administrators 104 144 38Physical therapists 155 211 37Forensic science technicians 10 13 36

Source: United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov.

Occupations with the Most New Jobs: Bachelor's Degrees

Occupation 2004 2014 Percent Change

Elementary school teachers, except special education 1457 1722 265

Accountants and auditors 1176 1440 264

Computer software engineers, applications 460 682 222

Computer systems analysts 487 640 153

Secondary school teachers, except special and

vocational education

1024 1172 148

Computer software engineers, systems software 340 486 146

Network systems and data communications analysts 231 357 126

Network and computer systems administrators 278 385 107

Middle school teachers, except special and

vocational education

628 714 86

Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists 182 27 55

Source: United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov

Top Jobs for College Grads

• Management Trainee $40,231*• Sales $39,480*• Financial/Treasury Analysis $49,237*• Consulting $51,556*• Teaching $34,020*• Accounting (private) $46,881*• Design/Construction Engineering $50,036*• Software Design & Development $54,608*

*Average annual salary 2006-2007 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Selected Resources

• Department of Labor: http://www.bls.gov/opub/working/page1a.htm

• Occupational Outlook Handbook: http://www.bls.gov/oco/

• Job Web: http://www.jobweb.com/

• America’s Career InfoNet: http://www.acinet.org/acinet/

• California EDD: http://www.caljobs.ca.gov/

• JobStar Central: http://jobstar.org/index.php

• ONet: http://online.onetcenter.org/

• Career for the 21st Century

• Career Center homepages

• The Unofficial Guide to Hot Careers

Questions or Comments?

Thank You• Debbie Gravelle

– Interim Director for Leadership, Career and Health; Assistant to the Dean of Students

– deborah.gravelle@csuci.edu– (805) 437-3177

• Jay Derrico– Career Development Counselor– jay.derrico@csuci.edu– (805) 437-2745– The slides for this presentation can be found at

http://www.csuci.edu/careerdevelopment/employers/

career-trends/index.html