Everyone knows what a blue-collar job is, right? Many green-collar jobs are in familiar fields like manufacturing, construction, and maintenance and repair.

And like blue-collar jobs, many green-collar positions do not require a college or graduate degree. Rather, some additional technical skills and job training are often enough to ramp up workers for green-collar jobs.

For a job seeker, this can be good news. You may not need to learn entirely new skills in an entirely new field. Instead, a few months of training may be enough to “green” your trade.

A steel worker is working a green-collar job if he or she is building a wind turbine.

Another simple, yet essential, tenet of a green-collar job is that it is good for people and planet. The “people” part means workers in green-collar jobs must be paid a family-supporting wage, have safe working conditions, and have opportunities for career advancement. Pushing a broom for $7 an hour doesn’t count as a green-collar job, even if it’s a solar-panel factory you’re cleaning.

Over the next 18 months, green-collar jobs are expected to grow significantly in the United States, mainly due to government investment through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (aka the stimulus package). This means more training programs that will give you a leg up in entering green-collar fields.

Opportunities to Watch For

Look for growth in these fields below. This list illustrates the range of green jobs available, from “green-collar” to white-collar work in green fields:

Green Building Retrofitting — Fixing up buildings so that they leak less energy helps homeowners save on energy bills, lowers the use of dirty energy, and creates jobs like:

- Energy auditor
- Green carpenter
- Insulation installer
- Environmental compliance specialist

Mass Transit and Transportation — Clean mass transit options (trains and zero-emissions buses) that cut down on carbon pollution.

- Civil engineers
- Rail track layers
- Bus/train systems operator
- Urban planner

Renewable Energy — Wind and solar energy are clean and safe energy sources, and rapidly expanding fields. It takes 250 tons of steel to make one wind turbine — that’s a lot of work for steel workers, many of whom are currently unemployed.

- Wind turbine machinist
- Solar and PV (photovoltaics) installer
- Iron and steel workers
- Solar operations engineer

Public Utilities (recycling, water treatment)

- Recycling center operator
- Waste water engineer
- Water quality consultant

2. Physician assistant (49.6%)
Job description: Work under a doctor’s supervision to complete miscellaneous tasks physicians may not have time to handle, such as taking medical histories, writing prescriptions, giving patient exams and ordering lab tests.
Why it’s hot: An aging population is creating a growing need for medical care. And with an increasing emphasis on keeping health-care costs low, demand is booming for physician assistants, who cost less than doctors.
Degree: Bachelor’s plus a two-year physician-assistant program. Must pass a licensure exam.
Median salary: $69,410

3. Computer applications software engineer (48.4%)
Job description: Uses computer languages to design, construct and maintain computer programs and applications software for consumers and businesses.
Why it’s hot: Customized business software is a growing market.
Degree: Bachelor’s in computer science or software engineering
Median salary: $79,930

4. Computer systems software engineer (43%)
Job description: Configures, installs and maintains entire computer systems. May also set up a company’s intranet and handle security issues.
Why it’s hot: Businesses continue to implement new technologies to increase the efficiency of their computer systems. Concerns over security are driving organizations to invest more money in protecting their networks.
Degree: Bachelor’s in computer science, computer information systems or software engineering
Median salary: $79,740

5. Network and computer systems administrator (38.4%)
Job description: Run a business’s on-site help desk for computer matters.
Why it’s hot: More organizations are implementing networks and need the in-house support that comes with them.
Degree: Bachelor’s, but not necessarily in a computer-related field.
Median salary: $58,190

6. Database administrator (38.2%)
Job description: Determine the best ways to organize, store and deliver a company’s data.
Why it’s hot: Falling prices for computer hardware and software are driving more organizations to ramp up their computerized operations.
Degree: Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information science or management information systems. Many employers seek workers with a master’s of business administration (MBA).
Median salary: $60,650

7. Physical therapist (36.7%)
Job description: Help people suffering from injuries or disease by administering physical treatments and exercises.
Why it’s hot: An aging population means more people with physical limitations and disabilities.
Degree: Bachelor’s and accredited physical therapy educational program. Must pass a licensure exam.
Median salary: $60,180

8. Medical scientist (34.1%)
Job description: Conduct biomedical research to understand causes of health problems to develop treatment and techniques to improve human health.
Why it’s hot: Hot health issues such as AIDS, cancer and Alzheimers are driving research. Medical scientists also help develop new drugs — a hot field thanks to the aging population.
Degree: PhD in a biological science
Median salary: $61,320

9. Occupational therapist (33.6%)
Job description: Help people with mental or physical handicaps learn daily tasks such as bathing and dressing, as well as other life skills such as using a computer and problem solving.
Why it’s hot: An increasing number of seniors will need this kind of assistance in hospitals, nursing homes and their own homes. Also, a rising prevalence of special education programs for children with disabilities is driving a need for OTs in schools.
Degree: Master’s required beginning in 2007. Must pass licensure exam.
Median salary: $54,660

10. College instructor (32.2%)
Job description: Teach classes in a variety of academic and vocational subjects. Prepare lectures, grade exams and advise students.
Why it’s hot: College enrollment is rising as the number of 18- to 24-year-olds increases. Also, more adults are returning to school to enhance career prospects.
Degree: Master’s required for entry-level jobs. PhD required for tenure-track positions. Median salary: $51,800

So which well-paid careers won’t be shipped overseas? Our experts — career coaches Susan Bernstein, founder of Work from Within, LLC in San Francisco, and feature writer and instructor Paym Bergson in Toronto — offer this list of hard-to-outsource jobs that highlights a variety of industry sectors.

The jobs share a key factor, Bernstein says. “Think about things where you literally have to touch or see people,” she says. “Managing anything related to personal services or health care — that can’t be outsourced.”

1. Physician assistant — Despite the global economy, doctors will still need to see patients in person, and physician assistants will need to be on hand to free doctors from many routine clinical tasks. Becoming a physician assistant requires a bachelor’s degree and board certification, at the very least, but most physician assistants complete a master’s degree, as well. This is a highly lucrative field which, like most jobs in healthcare, is forecast to grow rapidly in the years to come.
Median annual salary: $85,124

2. Education administrator (elementary school) — If you’re a teacher or have been one, completing a master’s degree could position you for this well-paid role setting policy and overseeing day-to-day operations at a school — which can only be done onsite. Bernstein says roles may vary from project management to overseeing staff. Keep in mind that elementary school administration pays more than the job does at many other institutional levels, according to PayScale.com.
Median annual salary: $70,163

3. Facilities manager — Venues from concert halls to colleges need someone on hand to make sure they’re properly maintained and staffed.
Median annual salary: $59,332

4. Dental hygienist — No matter how far technology advances, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to get your teeth cleaned here by someone who’s overseas. Bergson notes that once you’re in the dental field, you can move fairly easily into a variety of other roles including selling dental supplies.
Median annual salary: $57,148

5. Psychiatric nurse — Nurses in this in-demand field assist patients with mental-health issues, in a range of settings. A two-year degree is the usual starter ticket into this field, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecasts will see rapid growth. Bernstein reports this field is “the easiest specialty to get into as a nurse,” with no waiting for needed hands-on training.
Median annual salary: $56,835

6. Retail sales manager — If you’ve held sales positions, consider moving up to management. It’s hard enough to motivate salespeople to be their best in person — it’s not going to happen from another country. While many sales managers have at least a two-year degree, others work their way up on the job.
Median annual salary: $48,543

7. Landscaping worker — Nobody’s trimming your hedge from abroad. And gardening work is surprisingly lucrative, and forecast to grow, especially in grounds maintenance for commercial buildings and golf courses. In this enjoyable field, workers are often self-taught. Bergson reports many in colder climes fill in the slow winter months by also offering snow-removal services.
Median annual salary: $46,973

8. Computer network installer — Though many computer jobs have been widely outsourced, the BLS expects this role to see exceptional job growth. Someone still has to show up in person to set up wireless networks or thread fiber-optic cable to someone’s home when they need an Internet connection.
Median annual salary: $46,578

9. Automotive repair — It would take too long and cost too much in transportation to ship your car off to a foreign land for repairs, so mechanic jobs will stay in the U.S. Ditto for truck and airplane repair. And the BLS expects job prospects to be good, as a wave of workers are hitting retirement age.
Median annual salary: $45,150

10. Catering manager — Food spoils, and with the trend toward eating local, it’s clear that catering isn’t going to see much outsourcing, says Bernstein. Some managers learn this task while working in the foodservice industry as chefs or servers, while others have a culinary arts degree.
Median annual salary: $44,356

They inspect your car.

Tina Hamilton, of HireVision Group, knows a corporate president who would find out which car belonged to the candidate he was interviewing. “The receptionist … would then go outside and look in the candidate’s car to see how neat and clean the car was, if there were food wrappers … how well maintained the car was,” says Hamilton. “The owner considered this a definition of the candidate’s character.”

They watch while you wait.

Some recruiters deliberately keep candidates waiting and have the receptionist report on how they choose to occupy their time, says career consultant Eileen Varelas, of Keystone Partners. “So if you are playing games on your phone instead of reading the Wall Street Journal on the table in front of you, you could be sabotaging yourself before you even meet the recruiter,” she says.

If you choose to do something besides quietly sit and wait to be called in, take care in choosing an appropriate activity. For example, reviewing your resume or an industry publication would be a good choice. Loudly sampling songs as you download them to your phone, not so good.

They try to see your inner gossip.

Waffles Natusch, president of The Barrett Group, says a senior manager client would have other people on the hiring team do the normal interview screening. Then he would have a friendly interview with the applicant during which he’d drop a sideways comment about someone on the hiring team and ask the candidate’s opinion of the person.? If the candidate agreed or added to the slam, or disagreed and defended the person, he or she wasn’t hired. But if the candidate refused to acknowledge or discuss the inference, a job offer was usually made.

They mind your manners.

Many recruiters use meals as a screening tool. “I know a recruiter who passed over a candidate because of the way they cut their meat during a lunch interview,” says Varelas. (The candidate cut his meat all at once, not one piece at a time.) Juliet Boghossian, a behavioral food expert and columnist for Food-ology.com, teaches execs what they can learn by the way someone eats.

“By observing an individual’s eating style or food habits, you can quickly reveal their character or judgment capacity, among many other behavioral facets,” she says. For real insight into your character, work personality and career interests, take a free career test.

If your resume passes the first screen and you get called in for an interview, these are just some of the unusual strategies you may face. Make sure your resume passes the test with a free resume test and be on your way to landing your dream job.

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You should continually assess your progress towards reaching your goal. Do you think you are making satisfactory progress towards your goal? Is there any progressive consistency in the positions you have held? Do not get depressed if the answers to any of those questions is no.

Think logically and optimistically and start planning to get on the right course. Most of the times such mistakes can be corrected!

Importance of Realizing Your Short-Term Goals

Next, decide your goals-career goals and secondary goals. Secondary goals are directly related to you present job profile. The career goals are the “zenith” you want to reach through the succession of changing jobs or positions.

The secondary goals are short-term goals, which when achieved give you the boost and confidence to progress towards your ultimate career goal.

The Road Ahead

After formulating a clear career plan, next comes the hardest part – the preparation! Be ready to put in a lot of effort. Build the credentials that will help you progress forward. Prepare yourself for the career plan that you have decided for yourself. Be ready to join any institute or college – and if required, to complete a course or undergo additional training programs that are going to help you in the process.

Get engaged in activities that are beneficial to your career. Get involved in business groups and committees.

Maintain a career progress record. Write down the positions you need to reach to realize your ultimate goal. Write down the skills essential for each of them. Think about the obstacles you may face during the process. Write down what steps you will take to overcome them. Then write down your resolutions for short-term and career goals and set time limits for them. Have optimistic but practical targets.