Patriot News Artcile Featuring CareerPlanner.com

 

Job security plays role in picking careers

PETER SVENSSON
Associated Press
8 July 2004
Patriot-News © 2004 Patriot News Company.

Mike Zimmerman left college to start a Web-design business with some friends in Philadelphia. He's concerned, though, that the very technology he intends to make a living from also means someone else, far away, can do the same job.

"As far as this stuff is concerned, it can be done from anywhere," he said. "You really can't stop it. People are going to go where the cheapest prices are and the best quality of work."

With all the talk of white-collar jobs moving overseas, it's no wonder that Americans, particularly those just entering the work force, wonder about the security of their jobs and are reassessing career and educational choices.

Career coach Michael T. Robinson of Careerplanner.com believes the best jobs for the future are those that require a worker's physical presence and can't easily be done remotely, such as nursing, real estate and teaching.

Another route is to go for jobs that require a lot of talent or skill, like music, acting or writing. These aren't likely to move overseas, either.