2012 Job Outlook

The job market for 2012 is looking up in a number of ways as many corporations and even small businesses are looking to staff themselves up to full capacity. Throughout the country, there are a number of industries that are hiring more than ever before, including the healthcare industry. In addition, a number of small businesses are booming and searching for employees to handle the operations.

The high unemployment rate can be very daunting when looking for a new job. While many states are currently sitting around 5% unemployment, some states are even higher, showing that it can still be very difficult to get a job in certain fields. Many government sites are urging job prospects to remain positive and continue to connect with their peers in an effort to find jobs.

One of the easiest ways for people to search for jobs in today’s market is through the use of social media. This is making it more fundamentally possible for people to not only learn about new opportunities but to connect with the people who are making the decisions for the hiring. Websites including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn allow people to connect with peers, co-workers and past employers to find out what positions are available in the marketplace.

The 2012 job outlook is looking better than it was in 2011, however the average employer is looking for a stronger candidate than they were five or ten years ago. Often it is not enough to have experience or a four-year education within a particular field of study. Many employers want to see master’s degrees to show that a person has a solid knowledge of the field in question.

As a result of the more demanding job market, more and more people have to continue their education and go back to school. This could mean getting a bachelor’s degree or an MBA. In many cases it means getting an additional degree or at least taking courses so that a person can get a competitive edge in the job force.

Employers are looking for more out of all of their candidates. Because of the higher unemployment rates, there are typically hundreds and even thousands of resumes being submitted for a single high-paying job. Employers must then focus on education and experience as a way to choose the most qualified candidates.

Those who have just a bachelor’s degree are often discarded from the pile. Then it becomes choosing the ones that not only have a master’s degree but who have the most experience and the most to provide in terms of the details of the position. Candidates must then make sure their resume is polished, have a significant amount of education and experience.

The best advice for the 2012 job market is to continue one’s education. Through workshops, advanced degrees and even internships, it can be enough for a person to stand out amongst their peers in order to be considered for the best jobs within a particular industry and location. There may be more jobs available in 2012 than there was in 2011, but there are also more candidates for all of the positions. Students are graduating from college at alarming rates and only about 50% of them will work within the field that they have studied.

The job outlook for 2012 is one for entrepreneurs. It is one of the reasons why there are more small businesses now than ever before. If one cannot become an entrepreneur, continued education or working for an entrepreneur are the best options for securing a well-paying job throughout the workforce in 2012, which means a search for a job can be a long, drawn out process.