A new year is upon us, and the first two months of a new year for many mark a renewed vigor in job hunting. There are many different methods to choosing a new career, but one of the most stable is to look at which jobs are in high demand. If you're hurting for work, it might benefit you to look for what's available and put your dream job on hold for a few years. If you think this is your best option, Fortune.com grabbed ten of the most in-demand jobs for 2015 which we've compiled for you below. All salary information came from the Bureau of Labor Statistics website and uses the most current data available.
1. Registered Nurses: Registered nurses have a rewarding job and can make a good amount of money throughout their career. Nurses don't have as much responsibility as a doctor, but they do have a prominent impact on a patient's health. The job usually entails operating diagnostic equipment, explaining treatment routines, observing patients, and much more.
Median Salary: $65,470
2. Truck Drivers: Hauling cargo across state lines may be ideal for people who want to get away from a traditional work lifestyle; you'll be out of an office, away from bosses, and enjoy a relatively high degree of freedom. However, it's important to consider that truck drivers can be away from their homes for days or weeks at a time.
Median Salary: $38,200
3. Customer Service Representatives: Customer service requires highly developed interpersonal skills, or at the very least a deep well of patience and empathy. The degree of stress you'll deal with depends on what company you represent, but human nature tends to express itself in a variety of interesting ways regardless of the context. If you can help people of varying degrees of competency troubleshoot a wide range of issues, this is a job you might want to consider.
Median Salary: $30,580
4. Sales Managers: This job pays out big bucks, but it requires a four-year college degree and experience as a sales representative. Although this tends to be a position that requires a good deal of experience, getting through the long haul can yield high payouts and overall job satisfaction. Sales managers shift away from direct client interaction to leading sales teams and focus on high-level issues.
Median Salary: $105,260
5. Sales Representatives: Working as a sales representative means working with people and numbers every day. These professionals must have in-depth knowledge of their products and their value in order to effectively pitch and close sales deals.
Median Salary: $57,870
6. First-Line Supervisors or Managers of Retail Sales Workers: Working in retail is a tougher job than many believe. Even in a management or supervisory capacity, it tends to require long hours on your feet, superb customer service skills, and the ability to manage situations that are stressful and fluid.
Median Salary: $36,820
7. Software Quality Assurance Engineers and Testers: Just about every tech job requires the desire and ability to solve problems and work with software. Software quality assurance in particular requires you to stress-test programs and help developers find bugs before the product is shipped or released to internal teams.
Median Salary: $63,834 (Data from PayScale.com)
8. General and Operations Managers: General and operations managers fill a broad range of rolls, but each one involves planning, directing, and coordinating the operations of private and public organizations. The minutia of each position changes depending on the industry you're in, but no matter what the differences are, general and operational managers will always require strong leadership and business skills.
Median Salary: $116,090
9. Managers (all others): Most managerial positions are not high-level positions, but the requirements are still the same. Effective leadership skills, the ability to learn new concepts in a fluid business environment, and strong interpersonal skills are must-have abilities.
Median Salary: $108,380
10. Accountants and Auditors: Accounting and auditing may sound incredibly boring to many people, but the financial rewards can be fairly high. These professionals fill a role that not many want to, but it's a job that just about every organization needs. If you're good with numbers and money, these jobs tend to be secure and provide solid income.
Median Salary: $63,550
