Career Facts and Stats

Millennials balance hearth and mind

Gen X-ers and baby boomers step aside. It's the Millennial Generation that is getting all the attention these days. These are the young adults and college students who were born in the 1980s and 1990s.

A 2004 Harris Interactive Poll of Millennial Generation Americans show that a majority of workers in this age group:

• value family time and aren't willing to sacrifice it just to get ahead
• want work that helps others and allows them to impact the world around them
• want idealistic, committed co-workers
• want work that requires creativity
• believe that how they spend their time matters more than how much money they make
• don't necessarily want to work for a large corporation or in a high pressure environment.

Harlan Wahrman of Northwestern Mutual, the corporation that commissioned the report, describes Millennials as having a "well-balanced mixture of mind and heart."

Ten places to look for a job

Who's hiring? According to a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the 10 employment fields listed below had the most job openings in 2004. Average salaries are listed with each one.

1. Accounting Services - $42,797
2. Educational Services - $30,506
3. Engineering Services - $45,607
4. Consulting Services - $45,278
5. Retail / Wholesale Trade - $34,543
6. Financial Services - $40,010
7. Aerospace - $51,935
8. Federal Government - $39,783
9. Building, Developing, General Contracting - $41,213
10. Commercial Banking - $39,604

Not just the girl next door

It turns out there's one more way men and women are different. In The Millionaire Next Door, Thomas J. Stanley surprised everyone by finding that millionaire men are often very thrifty and anything but flashy. In the new book, Millionaire Woman Next Door, co-authored by Stanley, he discovers that women who earn big bucks aren't just like the guys. They tend to plan more than wealthy men, clearly defining their goals, while staying flexible about the outcome.

According to Stanley, the typical female millionaire is 49 and married. She's likely to run her own sevice business; she doesn't hold a grudge; and she keeps good track of her household expenses. She works 49 hours a week exercises three to four hours a week and makes about $400,000 a year.

Community college enrollment climbs

You probably know where to find your local community college, but you might not know what an important educational resource it really is.

• Forty-four percent of all undergraduates in the United States are enrolled in a community or technical college.
• Enrollment in U.S. community colleges is expected to increase 25 percent from 2001 to 2005.
• Forty-six percent of community college students are at least 25 years old.
• Sixty-three percent of community college students attend part time.
• Forty-two percent of community college students plan to earn a bachelor's degree.
• The most popular career fields for community college students are health science and technologies (30 percent), business (17 percent), and computer and information technology (15 percent).

Source: www.ccssee.org

Tell the world about your job

Ever wonder what it might be like to work at Planet Hollywood in Paris or be a clown at kids' birthday parties? How about being a Norwegian dock worker?

These are a few of the more unusual jobs described by the people who do them at aboutmyjob.com. There are also many other more conventional jobs described such as HVAC mechanic, nurse and software engineer. This web site allows workers to describe their job, both the good and the bad aspects, and offers readers an inside look at real people in different professions.

What your boss wants from you

A 2002 survey conducted by Accountemps asked CFOs of a variety of corporations which characteristics they consider most important for an employee to succeed.

Here's what they said:

• Thirty-five percent agreed that a successful employee adapts easily to change.
• Twenty-seven percent agreed that employees should be motivated to learn new skills.
• Fifteen percent thought strong interpersonal skills were an asset.
• Thirteen percent believed successful employees should welcome increased responsibility.
• Only 5 percent believed successful employees should be willing to work long hours.

When more work is not the answer

Do you think you might be a workaholic? If you live for your work, consider it your sole reason for existence and value it above family and friends, well, you might have a problem. Here are a few of the signs you could be addicted to your work:

• You don't have any time or interest for hobbies.
• You haven't taken a sick or personal day in years - if ever.
• You almost always take work home with you.
• You love juggling multiple projects and multiple deadlines.
• Most of your meals are consumed while doing job-related tasks.
• You spend more time at work - or thinking about work - than doing anything else.

What's wrong with your workaholic tendencies, you ask? Dr. Randall Hansen of the online newsletter Quintessential Careers says, "Workaholism can be a serious condition that can lead to the decline and destruction of families, as well as to serious stress-related health problems. Don't confuse hard work for workaholism. Hard workers know the boundaries between work and personal times and can function normally when not at work, while workaholics have no personal time and can't function outside of work."