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10 Careers With True Job Security

If you’re thinking about switching careers, or you’re worried about your current employment status, here are 10 jobs that have real security. They’re the hardest to fill, according to research by employment services company Manpower.

Author:: Althea Chang
Publish date:: Sep 22, 2009 5:25 PM EDT

If you’re thinking about switching careers, or you’re worried about your current employment status, here are 10 jobs that have real security. They’re the hardest to fill, according to research by employment services company Manpower. Join the MainStreet team on Facebook!(you'll like it)

If you’re thinking about switching careers, or you’re worried about your current employment status, here are 10 jobs that have real security. They’re the hardest to fill, according to research by employment services company Manpower. Join the MainStreet team on Facebook!(you'll like it)

Engineers develop economical solutions to technical problems, linking scientific discoveries with commercial applications for consumer needs, according to the Department of Labor. They’re inventors, designers and testers of various products including computers, robots, power plants, chemicals, helicopters and toys, the Bureau of Labor Statistics explains.In addition, environmental engineers develop solutions to environmental problems using the principles of biology and chemistry. Marine engineers work on the "design, construction, and maintenance of ships, boats, and related equipment," while geological engineers "find, extract and prepare coal, metals and minerals for use by manufacturing industries and utilities," the BLS explains.A bachelor’s degree in engineering is required for almost all entry-level engineering jobs, notes the Bureau of Labor Statistics. College graduates with a degree in a natural science or mathematics occasionally may also qualify for some engineering jobs, especially those in specialties in high demand. If you really want to go far in this field, however, you’ll need an advanced degree. Photo Credit: Getty Images Follow the MainStreet team on Twitter(srsly, do it)

Nurses "record patients’ medical histories and symptoms, help perform diagnostic tests and analyze results, operate medical machinery, administer treatment and medications, and help with patient follow-up and rehabilitation," the Bureau of Labor Statistics says.Overall job opportunities for registered nurses are expected to be excellent, but may vary by geographic setting, according to the BLS. The market for nurses is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2016. Registered nurses can work in a variety of specialties and work settings including doctors offices, outpatient facilities and in homes to treat and educate patients and the public, BLS says, adding that they can specialize in one or more areas of patient care, assisting surgeons, specializing in specific health conditions or well-defined populations like the elderly. Photo Credit: Getty Images

Skilled trade workers including carpenters, electricians, plumbers, painters, and sheet metal workers are needed to help build and renovate buildings. Carpenters, for example, learn their trade through formal and informal training programs. "Between three and four years of both on-the-job training and classroom instruction is usually needed to become a skilled carpenter," according to the BLS. "There are a number of ways to train, but a more formal training program often improves job opportunities," the agency says. Most electricians learn their trade through apprenticeship programs combining on-the-job training and classroom instruction, the BLS says.Photo Credit: Getty Images

Jobs for those providing public and private educational services are expected to grow by 10.7%, adding 1.4 million new jobs through 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.If you’re looking for a teaching job, try EducationAmerica.net. Public school teachers must be licensed, and most teaching jobs require a master’s degree in education, though if you haven’t gotten your master’s or you’re working on it, you can try PublicCharters.org or USCharterSchools.org to find teaching jobs that don’t require a master’s degree.Photo Credit: Getty Images

Sales representatives are often a vital part of a company’s success, the Bureau of Labor Statistics explains. They present products to customers and negotiate sales. They have to be persuasive enough to make wholesale and retail buyers interested in what they're selling and keep up with new products and customers' changing needs, BLS says. They attend trade shows and introduce new products and technologies. They also attend conferences and conventions to meet other sales representatives and clients and discuss new product developments. "In addition, entire sales forces may participate in company-sponsored meetings to review sales performance, product development, sales goals, and profitability," BLS adds."Dealing with different types of people can be stimulating but demanding. Sales representatives often face competition from representatives of other companies. Companies usually set goals or quotas that representatives are expected to meet. Because their earnings depend on commissions, manufacturers’ representatives are also under the added pressure to maintain and expand their clientele," according to the BLS's description of a sales job.Photo Credit: Getty Images

Technicians put principles into practice, specializing and learning skills for specific trades. "Engineering technicians use the principles and theories of science, engineering, and mathematics to solve technical problems in research and development, manufacturing, sales, construction, inspection, and maintenance," explains the Bureau of Labor Statistics.When assisting engineers and scientists, especially in research and development, a technician's work is focused and application-oriented, the BLS says. Some work in quality control, inspecting products and processes, conducting tests, or collecting data. In manufacturing, they may assist in product design, development, or production. Clinical laboratory technicians are usually supervised by medical and clinical laboratory technologists or laboratory managers and may prepare specimens or perform manual tests based on detailed instructions, the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes.Photo Credit: Getty Images

Even though many goods travel at least part of their journey by ship, train, or airplane, almost everything is carried by trucks at some point, the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes. Before leaving a terminal or warehouse, truck drivers who pick up or deliver merchandise and packages make sure their cargo is secure, check the fuel level and oil in their trucks, inspect them to make sure that the brakes, windshield wipers, and lights are working and that a fire extinguisher, flares, and other safety equipment are aboard and in working order, according to the BLS. Photo Credit: Getty Images

Jobs in the information sector are expected to increase by 6.9% in the last quarter of 2009 according to the Department of Labor. Software publishing is expected to grow 32%, computer systems design and related service jobs will grow by more than 38.3%, Internet publishing and broadcasting could grow more than 44% and wireless telecommunication carriers are expected to increase their staffs by 40.9% according to the BLS. The growing information industry also includes movie production and broadcasting, cable service, high-speed Internet connections, and software industries.Photo Credit: Getty Images

While some construction laborers perform relatively easy tasks, some of their work can be potentially hazardous Many of the jobs they perform require training, and experience, and most laborers do physically demanding work, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. They may lift and carry heavy objects, and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl in awkward positions. Some work at great heights, or outdoors in all weather conditions. In some parts of the country, construction laborers may work only during certain seasons.Some laborers work in hazardous conditions and are exposed to noise pollution, harmful chemicals and other dangers. Some laborers may be exposed to lead-based paint, asbestos, or other hazardous substances during their work especially when working in confined spaces. "To avoid injury, workers in these jobs wear safety clothing, such as gloves, hardhats, protective chemical suits, and devices to protect their eyes, respiratory system or hearing," the BLS explains.Photo Credit: Wools

Tools such as lathes, milling machines, and machining centers are used to produce precision metal parts, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' description of a machinist's job. "Although they may produce large quantities of one part, precision machinists often produce small batches or one-of-a-kind items. They use their knowledge of the working properties of metals and their skill with machine tools to plan and carry out the operations needed to make machined products that meet precise specifications," the BLS says.Machinists may shape materials such as metals and plastic, first checking blueprints or specifications then determining an approach.Photo Credit: Getty Images Join the MainStreet team on Facebook!(opens in new window)

Finding Stability

If you’re thinking about switching careers, or you’re worried about your current employment status, here are 10 jobs that have real security. They’re the hardest to fill, according to research by employment services company Manpower. Join the MainStreet team on Facebook!(you'll like it)