By: Katie Morell
Contributing Writer
The Business Ledger
After three years of being hampered by a recessionary economy, job seekers are tired of guessing which positions are in demand, while hiring managers are sick of turning people away.
In an effort to help the millions of job seekers, Robert Half International (RHI), a staffing firm with a Naperville office, created a cheat sheet detailing the top 11 most sought-after positions for the coming year.
This list is based on the positions we are filling for our clients,” said Fran Liontakis, regional vice president for RHI’s Naperville office. “These are the jobs that were cut during the economic downturn. Now that businesses are seeing an uptick in business, they are not prepared to go into 2011 and are scrambling.
“These positions enable companies to save money and improve profitability. They improve efficiencies and identify revenue opportunities.”
Financial analyst
“This is a person who evaluates financial plans, assists with forecasts and budgets and identifies opportunities to boost budgets,” Liontakis said. “At first glance, they can identify an area in the company that is lagging and advise senior management on how to increase revenue flow.”
According to RHI, salaries will range from $72,750 to $95,000 per year for mid-sized companies and from $81,500 to $109,750 for large companies.
ERP technical developer
“ERP stands for enterprise resource planning, a function that enables companies to improve efficiency and cut costs by effectively managing resources,” said Liontakis, adding salaries will range from $72,250 to $109,500 per year.
“Companies are moving to ERP systems to make sure they are utilizing every piece of the business efficiently. An ERP developer is someone who customizes the system for the organization, based on the company’s needs.”
Business intelligence analyst
Next year, companies will look to pay business intelligence analysts between $82,500 and $116,250 per year, according to RHI.
“Companies really need these types of analysts to guide the decision making process,” Liontakis said. “You can think of these people sort of as consultants. They help high-level decision makers evaluate data and guide processes.
“Although this is usually on a project basis, a lot of companies haven’t looked at these decisions for a long time and need someone on a full-time basis.”
Paralegal
“Paralegals research, investigate and look up case laws,” said LaSonia Michele, a freelance paralegal based in Chicago. “Then we write a memorandum of findings for an attorney. We really support the attorneys.”
Associate degrees are required for most paralegal jobs, according to Michele.
“There are so many laws; a paralegal really needs to think like an attorney,” she said.
Why is this position in such high demand?
“Law is a growing field and it is very broad,” Michele said. “There are so many areas of law, there is always need for paralegals.”
RHI projects 2011 salaries to range from $48,250 to $62,500.
Senior administrative assistant
Liontakis said she isn’t surprised companies are in desperate need of senior administrative assistants.
“The first positions that went away during the recession was those of administrative support because they don’t impact the bottom line,” she said. “Now, managers are finding that it isn’t cost effective to do administrative work.”
According to RHI, companies are looking for individuals with technical skills and staff supervision experience. Yearly salaries are forecasted to range from $32,500 to $41,750.
Data modeler
These days, firms handling more and more data, Liontakis said, increasing the need for data modelers.
“Data modelers analyze data on various trends and process it for the needs of various parts of an organization, from purchasing to hiring,” she said, adding that compensation is expected to range from $80,750 to $11,250 per year.
Mobile applications designer/developer
With a salary ranging from $73,250 to $102,500, these positions are in top demand, said Liontakis.
“Technology didn’t stop when the economy took a dive,” she said. “Now, companies are looking to distribute content and build their brand through mobile applications, which wasn’t the case just a few years ago. This position is one that would help integrate smart phones and tablet computers into business models.”
User experience (UX) designer
A UX designer is someone who helps Web sites and software become more user friendly, according to Gabby Hon, a freelance senior UX consultant in Chicago.
“We really think about the customer’s experience. When they click on a link in a Web site, what happens?” she asks. “It involves testing where we sit people down, give them tasks and find out how difficult or easy it is to use a piece of equipment or a Web site.”
Why is this field growing?
“The recession highlighted the need for companies to focus on the customer’s experience,” Hon said. “Advertising is dead. Consumers want to be treated like people. They want their experience to be a good one, whether it is in person or on a Web site.”
Educational opportunities are hard to come by, as of now, Hon said.
“The field is so young that there are very few good programs out there for UX,” she said. “I assume that will change in the next five years as the field explodes.”
RHI projects 2011 salaries to range from $67,500 to $98,000.
Lawyer
Attorneys with at least four years of experience in the health care, bankruptcy, foreclosure and litigation law fields are in high demand, according to RHI. Projected salaries range from $106,250 to $163,250.
Staff accountant
“Companies need accountants who can do the grunt work,” Liontakis said. “This is the person who can maintain the general ledger, complete reports and get information ready for a financial analyst.”
Salaries range from $42,000 to $55,500, according to RHI.
Senior business systems analyst
A senior business systems analyst looks at existing systems and researches new ways to improve efficiency and day-to-day operations, Liontakis said.
“They specialize in researching new hardware and software to help a company,” she said.
RHI projects 2011 salaries to range from $66,500 to $85,000.
No comments:
Post a Comment