Who's Hiring

Despite hiring freezes across the board, some industries continue to hire. So, who is hiring?

Whether looking for full-time or freelance work, job hunters are in luck. Most people looking for a job this year will want full-time work. However, if an adjustable schedule is more your style, flexible jobs are available too, and include part-time, freelance, and telecommuting jobs, as well as those with flexible work schedules.

[See The 50 Best Careers of 2011.]

Employment is projected to increase by 10 percent from 2008 through 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Although 15.3 million jobs are expected to be added by 2018, these jobs will not be evenly distributed across industries. Where can you find your next job?

Get Paid to Design an App for That

Network and computer systems administrators are just one of several job categories in software publishing that are in high demand for late 2011. In addition, computer systems analysts, computer support specialists, and market research analysts are needed.

A burgeoning job field is the Android market, particularly for freelance jobs. Freelancers should take note that the Android market and mobile job market in general is booming. According to the Freelancer.com's Freelancer Fast 50, Android jobs continue to beat iPhone jobs, even with the introduction of the iPad2, and Blackberry jobs continue to decline.

Freelancer.com reports that those who know HTML5, Google Adsense, and Android inside and out, are in high demand.

[See Should You Get a Second Job?]

Computer Industry is Hiring

Network systems analyst? Data communications? Systems administrator? Computer software engineer? Software specialist? The computer systems industry needs YOU! And if you're an accountant or an auditor, you are needed too.

Those looking for flexible work arrangements will be pleased to learn that almost 6 percent of flexible jobs are in the computer and IT fields. Web and software development accounts for almost 6 percent--with web design rising to just over 2 percent--of available flexible jobs in the third quarter. According to Freelancer.com, just less than 140,000 new employment listings were posted in the third quarter.

Get Social with Facebook and Twitter

Freelance social media experts should follow Google+ and Facebook's battle for "social networking supremacy" as Facebook jobs are up by 32 percent and social networking jobs by 36 percent in late 2011.

With Foursquare and Twitter's fight for geolocation market share, freelancers benefited from the whopping 909 percent increase in online jobs. This might be due to the virtual appeal of the role: a freelance worker in Milwaukee can chat to his bosses in New York at the click of a button.

Many content writing jobs that suffered under Google's new search algorithm, Panda, are back with a vengeance. Writing jobs are up: ghostwriting, 22 percent; blogs, 17 percent; and reviews, 16 percent. Adsense projects topped the Freelancer.com Fast 50 projects.

Managers Needed Across All Industries

Everyone can complete tasks, but how many can effectively manage a group of people? Do you have experience with scientific and technical consulting? Fields from industrial engineering to public relations need more qualified managers. Network systems and data communications analysts, as well as financial analysts, are also needed.

Hello! How May I Help You?

With a breadth of experience across industries coupled with a willingness to learn the ins and outs of a new industry, customer service reps are needed in the following industries:

-- Scientific and technical consulting

-- Software publishing

-- Advocacy, grant making, and civic organizations

-- Educational services

Helping Hands

The availability of medical and health jobs was at 8.2 percent in late 2010. With a drop in demand to around 6 percent in the early part of 2011, medical and health jobs now account for 9 percent of available flexible jobs in the third quarter.

While doctors and nurses are not as in demand, physical therapists, as well as physical therapy aides and assistants, physician assistants, occupational therapists, and speech language pathologists are needed. Medical and public health social workers are also in demand.

[See 10 Questions You Should Never Ask in a Job Interview.]

Find an Apple of a Teaching Job

New college graduate or the recently jobless, should look to the nation's public and private schools to advertise the need for:

-- Special education teachers

-- Preschool teachers, including special education

-- Kindergarten and elementary school teachers, especially special education

Day care centers need preschool teachers, as well as those who focus on special education at the preschool and elementary school levels. First line supervisors and managers of personal service workers for day care centers are also needed.

And, schools don't run themselves, do they? Administrative positions, such as first-line supervisor, general office clerks, manager of personnel service workers, and social and human service assistants are increasing in demand.

Opportunities for jobs are better than they have been in years in some industries. Job hunters will need to be strategic about employment opportunities and develop strong goals for landing a job. With a large available workforce out there, job candidates should work hard to stand out from the crowd.

Lindsay Olson is a founding partner and public relations recruiter with Paradigm Staffing and Hoojobs, a niche job board for public relations, communications and social media jobs. She blogs at LindsayOlson.com, where she discusses recruiting and job search issues.

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