Dive Brief:
- Technology is ushering in most new jobs, increasing the demand for skilled workers in STEM fields, according to CareerCast's "2018 Jobs Rated Report." Among the top 10 job titles are mathematician (No. 2), data scientist (No. 7), information security analyst (No. 8), operations research analyst (No. 9) and actuary (No. 10).
- Data scientists reported very low levels of stress with a "very good" projection of growth, making an average of about $120,000 annually. Information security analysts reported similar metrics of workplace culture with an average annual salary of about $93,000.
- Digital disruption and low pay mean a lower place on the scale, according to CareerCast. The lowest ranking jobs are taxi driver, advertising salesperson, corrections officer, newspaper reporter and broadcaster.
Dive Insight:
Innovation logically changes and even eliminates certain jobs by making some tasks and skills obsolete. Recruiters have a front-row seat to this dynamic, which is reflected in the skills demanded by job postings and department heads. At present, those with tech skills like programming are in such high demand that employers far beyond Silicon Valley are looking to hire workers with those skills.
Analytics skills also appear in demand; HR industry experts have long indicated the particular need for people analytics as a way to better evaluate important metrics like employee engagement, satisfaction and performance management. The ability to use — and, some predict, work alongside — algorithms and physical machines will only grow in importance across industries.
But are employers prepared to find this skilled talent? And, if not, are they willing and able to invest in necessary training, upskilling and retooling? To prepare workers for today's emerging professions, let alone the jobs that don't yet exist, it might not be too early to envision what work might look like 10 or even five years down the road.
