Where You'll Find a Job In 2003

Jan. 16 -- It is no mystery. Unemployment is persisting into the New Year. In fact, companies such as Kmart are picking up exactly where they left off in 2002 — with closings and layoffs.

The Kmart Corporation announced Tuesday that it would be closing 326 stores and cutting up to 35,000 jobs in its struggle to get out of bankruptcy.

This is the second round of closings for the chain discount store, with the first cuts eliminating 22,000 jobs and shutting the doors on 284 stores in March of 2002.

So with news of such massive layoffs, one would think this is neither the time nor the place to look for a job. However, inside this dark unemployment cloud there are actually some areas in the market that are expanding and hiring.

Think Small

When looking for a job in today's market, think small. People have a tendency to think of big companies first in their employment search. Instead, take the road less traveled where you are not only likely to have less competition, but where you'll also find more businesses in a position to hire.

Smaller companies tend to lead the curve on hiring following a recession and are faster to ramp up or down because they are more nimble. In fact, small businesses are often the economic powerhouses which provide the economy with a wealth of jobs.

Instead of relying on temporary hires or part-time employees, smaller companies generally fill their positions with full-time employees. According to Manpower, Inc., the hiring outlook for small companies has improved this year with 20 percent of employers expecting to hire more people in the first three months of 2003. About 12 percent intend to reduce their work force.

One way to get to those bite-sized businesses is to scan the membership directory of your local chamber of commerce via the Internet or at your local public library.

Prescription for Employment

If you are currently in school and undecided about a major or are unemployed and considering returning to school for additional education, a pharmacist or nursing degree may be the perfect prescription for your potential employment ailments.

With an aging population and more and more prescription drug offerings, the pharmaceutical industry is struggling to meet the growing demand. Currently, there are roughly 200,000 licensed pharmacists in the United States — not enough to fill all outstanding prescriptions. According to the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, as of July 2002, there were almost 5,500 vacancies in drugstore chains alone.

A shortfall of as many as 157,000 pharmacists is predicted by 2020 according to the Pharmacy Manpower Project, Inc.

The fact pharmacies are struggling to fill their positions, given the current economy and the average salary for the industry $68,215, is quite surprising. And unlike the trend in other graduate schools such as law and business where their graduates are struggling to find jobs nonetheless a signing bonus, students who graduate with a degree in pharmacy are frequently enticed with multiple job offers and signing bonuses.

According to the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, the national organization which represents all 83 U.S. pharmacy colleges and schools (www.aacp.org), a degree program requires at least two years of specific undergraduate coursework. Once that is complete, you must attend a four-year professional pharmacy program.

Likewise, the demand for nurses is high in all major cities in the United States, with hospitals, long-term care facilities, home visitation organizations and doctors' offices indicating they are actively seeking nurses.

Currently, there are more than 120,000 open positions for registered nurses (RNs) nationwide, with California, West Virginia and Florida having the highest shortages. To make matters worse, this nationwide shortage is expected to increase to 400,000 in the next 20 years.