Where Are All the Jobs?

Wondering where the hot jobs are for 2024? The latest trends in the constantly shifting labor marketplace can be seen by looking at recent statistics for indicators such as in-demand job titles, fastest-growing careers, fastest-growing cities, desired skill sets, and remote work opportunities. This article will review data for these categories and try to provide recruiters with guidance on how to better focus their efforts on making more placements! A look-ahead will give us a glimpse of the hot careers expected for the coming year and forecast trends in job growth through 2032.

In-Demand Job Titles

According to US News & World Report1, the Top Five Best Jobs for 2024 are:

• Nurse Practitioner
• Financial Manager
• Software Developer
• IT Manager
• Physician Assistant

USN&WR notes that “… with an increased demand for health care and health care support roles, nurse practitioner captured the No. 1 spot this year.” The jobs listed offer median annual salaries between $99,000 and $128,000. The aging Baby Boomer segment of the population helps to fuel this demand, along with increasing health awareness overall. Increasing complexity in the business world creates high demand for financial managers capable of leading firms through the competitive challenges of the marketplace. The growth of AI and Cloud-based applications have led to insatiable demand for software developers, programmers, and IT managers. Huge data centers are sprouting up around the country and these projects require skilled design, engineering, programming, and operating personnel to bring them online.

Fastest-Growing Careers

The fastest-growing careers projected through 2032 by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics2 are shown below. The 2023 Median Annual Pay for each category is included:

• Wind Turbine Technicians ($61,770)
• Nurse Practitioners ($126,260)
• Data Scientists/Statisticians ($108,020/$104,110)
• Information Security Analysts ($120,360)
• Medical and Health Services Managers ($110,680)

The proliferation of wind energy farms is fueling the demand for service technicians and other design and technical support personnel. Nurse Practitioners and Medical and Health Services workers appear again in this list for reasons cited above. Similarly, the tsunami of AI, Cloud, and Data Center projects drives the bright future for Data Scientists/Statisticians and Information Security Analysts.

Fastest-Growing Cities

People go where the jobs are and this has led to the migration of people seeking employment and a better life. Axios3 cites the fastest growing cities, by change in population from 2022 to 2023, to be:

• Atlanta, GA (Up by 2.4%)
• Fort Worth, TX (Up by 2.2%)
• Raleigh, NC (Up by 1.9%)
• Henderson, NV (Up by 1.8%)
• Charlotte, NC (Up by 1.7%)

Cities losing out on the population Merry-Go-Round are:

• Memphis, TN (Down by 0.8%)
• New York, NY (Down by 0.9%)
• Philadelphia, PA (Down by 1.0%)
• St. Louis, MO (Down by 1.6%)
• New Orleans, LA (Down by 1.6%)

Over the long haul, say the next ten years, Axios expects the fastest growth to be in:

• Fort Meyers, FL
• Killeen, TX
• Port St. Lucie, FL
• Daytona Beach, FL
• Tallahassee, FL

Recruiters can focus their efforts on the growth areas and perhaps score some placements from the new arrivals. Of course, with additional people moving into an area, and likely seeking new employment, growth in secondary services can be expected. There may well be opportunity in these service industries as well.

Desired Skills Sets

As far as what skills sets are in highest demand, we learn from PRNewswire4 that Toastmasters International cites the following skills as most important for job seekers:

• Communication
• Customer Service
• Leadership

The Toastmasters report finds that ”… the rapid rise of artificial intelligence stands to make core skills more valuable … for professionals looking to advance their career … and confirms that strong communication and leadership skills … remain extremely valued among employers.” In support of this, Morag Mathieson, Toastmasters’ 2023 – 2024 International President, says that “even as artificial intelligence transforms the way companies do business and employers hire, communication and leadership remain an integral part of keeping the human connection that enables them to thrive.” Recruiters should keep this in mind when vetting or coaching their candidates and emphasize to them the importance of acquiring or improving these critical skills.

Remote Work Opportunities

While many firms are requiring their employees to report to the office, a large share of workers are and will continue to work remotely. An interesting article by Emma Lee of Hubstaff5 cites some of the most popular remote jobs in 2024 and illustrates their estimated annual salaries:

• Digital Marketer ($77,381)
• Customer Service Representative ($39,098)
• Sales Representative ($76,681)
• Data Analyst ($82,640)
• Social Media Manager ($64,845)
• Software Developer ($94,832)

Emma’s article details the specific functions and skills that each of these positions entail. The article is well worth reading for this detail. Recruiters can improve their chances of making a successful placement by understanding these factors and carefully matching candidates and employers.

Keep current with these trends in the marketplace and you will have more successful placements. Make a habit of accessing readily available information such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics website and share what you learn with your clients. If you have any questions or if I can be of help growing your business, please feel free to call me. I am always happy to help!

Judy Collins CPCC
President, Judy Collins Staffing Resources, LLC
1102 Cordillera Trace
Boerne, Texas 78006
713-858-2677
judyff@jcsrllc.com

1. AXIOS, Fastest-Growing Cities, May 17, 2024.
2. U. S. News & World Report, January 9, 2024.
3. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Fastest Growing Occupations, April 17, 2024.
4. PRNewswire, “Communication Tops the List of Most In-Demand Skills in 2024,” May 7, 2024.
5. Hubstaff/Blog, Emma Lee, “Discover the Highest Demand Remote Jobs of 2024,” March 8, 2024.
6. Image: https://pixabay.com/photos/dream-job-looking-for-seek-4453054/