According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and PayScale, the best jobs in America currently are as follows.  If you have an educational qualification and experience in IT or healthcare, it’s going to be a cakewalk for you, what with the numerous opportunities out there, just waiting for you.

Let’s take a look at the 50 best jobs in the United States:

#1 Systems Engineer – Information Technology (Pay: $87,100 – $130,000)

The highest rated job in the United States is in the information technology sector. Engineers are considered extremely valuable due to their exceptional technical problem solving skills. They have jobs as the think-tank “managers” on complex projects, including military defense programs and major transportation networks.

#2 Physician Assistant – Healthcare (Pay: $90,900 – $124,000)

They work under a doctor’s supervision and it is a recession proof field because of the shortage of PAs.

#3 College Professor – Education (Pay: $70,400 – $115,000)

The best part of this job is the scheduling freedom they get, as well as the time off for holidays and less workload in summer.

#4 Nurse Practitioner – Healthcare (Pay: $85,200- $113,000)

With the growth of retail health clinics and the shortage of primary care doctors, NPs have lots of opportunities in hospitals, private practices and urgent-care centers.

#5 Information Technology Project Manager – IT (Pay: $98,700 – $140,000)

Plenty of opportunities and scope for growth as every company needs tech savvy managers. They can even rise to the level of a chief technology office with salaries of $300,000.

#6 Certified Public Accountant – Financial (Pay: $74,200 – $138,000)

CPAs are in demand with the government and businesses. They can also work for themselves as tax preparers. A great recession proof job!

#7 Physical Therapist – Healthcare (Pay: $74,300 – $98,100)

The inevitability of aging makes this a high demand job, where physical therapy treatment is needed for a lot of chronic conditions.

#8 Computer/Network Security Consultant – IT (Pay: $99,700 – $152,000)

Companies and government agencies increasingly need to safeguard themselves against breach of security in their computer systems. Top level consultants demand very high pay.

#9 Intelligence Analyst – Government (Pay: $82,500 – $115,000)

Great for those who love adventure as data is collected from internet, military, spy reports, satellite images etc.

#10 Sales Director – Sales & Marketing (Pay: $140,000 – $239,000)

Sales directors who can help during an economic downturn are always needed. They often get promoted to the higher levels of management.

#11 Anesthesiologist – Healthcare (Pay: $292,000 – $408,000)

They are doctors who are in great demand, as they are essential to administer anesthesia during surgery or other procedures.

#12 Software Developer – IT (Pay: $79,400 – $116,000)

Their job is to write software for websites, applications and data processing systems.

#13 Pharmacists – Healthcare (Pay: $109,000 – $134,000)

They give medications for prescriptions issued by medical practitioners.

#14 Occupational Therapist – Healthcare (Pay: $69,700 – $100,000)

This job involves organizing and participating in rehabilitative programs to help restore daily living and vocational skills to disabled persons.

#15 Nurse Anesthetist – Healthcare (Pay: $117,000 – $214,000)

Working with anesthesiologists to help administer anesthesia to patients, they monitor and adjust the levels of anesthesia during the surgery and also take care of patients after surgery.

#16 Software Product Manager – IT (Pay: $106,000 – $148,000)

Their job is to assess customer needs and come up with new software products or new features for the old products.

#17 Business Analyst – IT (Pay: $82,600 – $119,000)

Analyzing management, healthcare, engineering, operations and other business information processes to provide software and hardware solutions is their job.

#18 Attorney/Lawyer – Legal (Pay: $115,000 – $262,000)

They represent clients in civil and criminal proceedings, advice clients on legal matters and draw up legal documents.

#19 Physician/General Practice (Pay: $150,000 – $228,000)

They will always be in demand as they help treat all sorts of diseases, conditions and injuries.

#20 Human Resource Manager (Pay: $71,000 – $111,000)

Their role is central to any organization.  They have to plan and manage everything related to human resources; including recruitment, benefits, training, compensation and employee relations.  They are also required to ensure that all procedures and policies of the company are properly followed through.

While the above listed are the top 20 best jobs, let us take a brief look at the rest of the 30 jobs in the list along with the pay.

#21 Senior Financial Analyst (Pay: $79,900 – $109,000)

#22 Physician/Obstetrician/Gynecologist – Healthcare (Pay: $222,000 – $338,000)

#23 Clinical Psychologist – Healthcare (Pay: $81,100 – $172,000)

#24 Psychiatrist – Healthcare (Pay: $177,000 – $279,000)

#25 Veterinarian (Pay: $83,900 – $157,000)

#26 Marketing Manager – Sales & Marketing (Pay: $76,600 – $126,000)

#27 Speech Language Pathologist – Healthcare (Pay: $70,900 – $116,000)

#28 Technical Writer – IT (Pay: $67,400 – $99,600)

#29 Finance Director – Financial (Pay: $121,000 – $214,000)

#30 Telecommunications Network Engineer – IT (Pay: $86,200 – $130,000)

#31 Director of Communications – Sales & Marketing (Pay: $78,300 – $135,000)

#32 Hotel General Manager (Pay: $76,800 – $146000)

#33 Securities Trader – Financial (Pay: $113,000 – $491,000)

#34 Account Executive – Sales & Marketing (Pay: $81,400 – $157,000)

#35 Education/Training Consultant – Education (Pay: $77,800 – $157,000)

#36 Corporate Paralegal – Legal (Pay: $65,600 – $96,000)

#37 Quality Control Engineer – Engineering (Pay: $69,300 – $96,800)

#38 Manufacturing Engineer – Engineering (Pay: $75,100 – $103,000)

#39 Software Program Managers – IT (Pay: $110,000 – $152,000)

#40 Applications Systems Analyst – IT (Pay: $71,500 – $95,900)

#41 Senior Internal Auditor – Financial (Pay: $75,000 – $106,000)

#42 Commercial Property Manager (Pay: $75,400 – $123,000)

#43 Creative Director (Pay: $86,900 – $157,000)

#44 Pharmaceutical & Sales Representative – Sales & Marketing (Pay: $105,000 – $138,000)

#45 Associate – Investment Banking – Financial (Pay: $106,000 – $221,000)

#46 Training & Development Manager (Pay: $79,800 – $120,000)

#47 Product Marketing Manager – Sales & Marketing (Pay: $105,000 – $146,000)

#48 Quality Assurance Manager – Engineering (Pay: $79,500 – $122,000)

#49 Financial Research Analyst – Financial (Pay: $65,500 – $155,000)

#50 Outside Sales Representative – Sales & Marketing (Pay: $66,900 – $125,000)

The starting pay mentioned for all the jobs is for workers with at least 2-7 years experience in the particular field. What are you waiting for?  Grab the job that suits your qualifications the best and make hay, recession or not.

It’s no secret that the U.S. economy is in bad shape. The housing bubble burst. The stock market crashed. People lost a lot of their retirement savings. The federal government has been bailing out big industries like banks and auto makers. State governments are feuding over state budgets. People are losing their jobs with some of the highest unemployment rates young professionals have seen in their lifetime.

Who’s to blame for the recession we’re in? It’s a hotly debated topic, and there really is no single right answer. The economic recession didn’t stem from a single group or a lone action. But to help you understand how the current economic situation came about, let’s look at three groups that had a hand in it:

The Federal Reserve – For years, the Fed kept interest rates low. Low interest rates help to grow the economy–they make borrowing (and therefore spending based on that borrowing) more attractive to consumers. Low interest rates also benefit banks making loans, because it’s easier for them to attract new customers as they advertise that low interest. The problem is that low interest leading to growth is good when the economy needs a boost; not so much when it’s already booming. That can lead to rapid inflation like we saw for years with the skyrocketing housing prices around the country.

Banks - You would probably be hard-pressed to find any American who didn’t hold banks at least partly to blame for the credit crunch-turned-recession. The fact that their tax dollars then went to bail out the banks with little oversight certainly didn’t help matters. And they would be right. Banks played a major role in the current crisis–a role stemming from greed.

To explain it as simply as possible, banks knowingly loaned money (through mortgages for over-inflated housing prices) to people who couldn’t afford it. They did it for the sole purpose of earning more money–they can charge much higher interest on sub-prime loans to people at the most risk of not paying them back.

Why did banks take that risk? Well frankly, they didn’t consider it to be that much of a risk at the time. They had at least two back-up plans:

1. They had insurance (through companies like AIG) to help cover their potential losses.
2. The housing market at the time showed no signs of slowing down. Therefore, if they foreclosed on a home, they had a good chance of selling it back on the market for an even higher price.

Everyone knows that markets fluctuate through inflation and recession, and that every bubble will eventually burst. The problem with banks is that they just didn’t care. They wanted to make as much money as possible in the short-term with little regard for the long-term.

Credit: Steve Woods

Consumers – Yes, even consumers just like you played a role in the current economic recession. Let’s be honest about it. If people lived within their means without a sense of entitlement to more, they wouldn’t have racked up debt they couldn’t afford.

In their defense, the average consumer is somewhat easily sucked in by promises of low interest and great deals (if the marketing messages and sales pitches didn’t work on many, people wouldn’t use them across most sales-oriented industries). Banks basically promised high-risk consumers something they never thought they’d have–a house of their own. People who otherwise would have stayed in their smaller homes or continued to rent strove for something better, but something they ultimately knew they couldn’t afford.

No single person, or even a single industry, led to the collapse of the housing market or our overall economic recession. While it may be easy to place blame on whoever the media or government is targeting on any given day, when you really think about the situation critically you see that there’s plenty of blame to go around. While you can’t say any one person caused the recession, you can be sure of one thing–the economy will rebound. It may not happen as quickly as we’d like, but it always does. Following every boom there comes a bust. And after every bust we rebuild.

The housing bubble is old news – very old. For years the Fed kept interest rates low which helped fuel the biggest housing market America had seen in years. But those good times are evaporating and even dramatic price cuts can’t keep the housing market alive.

A Bad Month
October was a bad month in the housing market. September and August were even worse. The holiday season is great for most retailers, but new homes sales have always been a bit sluggish throughout December and possibly even November.

The most interesting aspect of the poor sales in October was that the median price for a new home actually dropped 13% during the month. This is the largest pricing drop in 37 years. But even that dramatic cut wasn’t enough to get sales up to the forecasted levels. This is just one more blow in an already dismal report for the housing market.

A Buyer’s Market
It is most definitely a buyer’s market in most areas of the county. New home buyers are finding terrific deals. Builders first attempted to lure buyers with extra features on homes. Then they offered to pay a portion of closing costs or to give buyers a gift card for furniture. Now, those soft measures aren’t working anymore and builders have taken a final step – they are slashing prices.

This is terrific if you’re looking to buy your first home. There are plenty of homes on the market and you can take your time finding the one that is right for you. When you do find the home you want, feel free to negotiate the price – the builder wants the house sold at this point, even if they make far less profit than they originally anticipated.

Sellers Beware
If you’re trying to sell a home, however, the market just got that much less attractive. New homes in your area, or just outside of your area, are looking great to buyers. They may even be looking great to you. There are deals everywhere and many homeowners are starting to think that this is the perfect time to upgrade.

Why stay in a small house, when you can now buy a larger one for the same price? Many homeowners are being drawn with the great bargains, but are still struggling to close the deal. The problem is not with finding the new home – it’s getting out of the old one.

New homes are everywhere. It takes a very special existing home to be more attractive than a new one. The sellers who are feeling this most are those who are trying to sell in a recently developed area. Those in areas that are built out or highly desirable real estate are feeling less of a pinch although they may not be able to earn as much as they would have a year ago.

But regardless, the market is slowing down. Sellers are starting to feel the crunch as poignantly as the builders of new homes, but buyers are having a field day. It’s definitely a great time to just be entering the housing market.

The last few years have been great for homebuyers. Banks seemed to be dying to offer us home loans and the Fed kept interest rates conveniently low. House prices were going up and everyone wanted in on the joys of home ownership. Now, however, the overenthusiastic banks are starting to pay the price.

Subprime Lending
There are two areas of the mortgage market – prime and sub prime. The prime market includes the average and above average citizens and companies who pay their bills on time, make plenty of money and are an overall great banking customer. There is virtually no risk in giving loans to individuals in the prime market. They are an excellent gamble.

The subprime market is a much more exciting gamble as it doesn’t always pay off. Subprime lending is a practice of offering loans and mortgages to candidates who would normally not qualify for the money. Subprime borrowers might have declared bankruptcy in the past, have low credit scores, have foreclosures or a history of untimely payments.

Often these borrowers clean up their act for a time under the guidance of a credit counselor, apply for and receive a subprime mortgage. Of course the corresponding interest rate and fees may be considerably higher than a standard mortgage as the bank must mitigate its risk. The subprime market is huge and there is a great deal of money to be made for banks willing to take the gamble.

The Credit Crunch
And for awhile things were looking good. Banks loaned money to almost anyone who applied and interest rates stayed low enough to keep mortgage payments comfortable. In fact, interest rates stayed low so long, the subprime market was expanding more than the prime.

Bundles of subprime mortgage were trading in the markets. They were like junk bonds, a bit risky but highly profitable. To fill the demand, banks kept borrowing to lend to others, and they kept those subprime mortgages coming.

But interest rates didn’t stay low. After years of rock bottom interest rates, the Federal Reserve raised in the prime rate which in turn affected adjustable rate mortgages. They adjusted upward. This adjustment made some mortgages a bit tight, especially in the subprime market.

Borrowers purchased as much house as they could afford, and that was plenty thanks to the lower adjusted mortgage rates. As the rates rise, the payments rise with them and many borrowers can’t cover the adjustment. So they stop paying. The lucrative gamble that was bringing in money hand over fist isn’t looking attractive anymore, and there isn’t anywhere for the banks to go. They are stuck with their loans.

It’s getting harder for banks to borrow money, and this is trickling down to buyers. It will be harder to refinance a home, and adjustable rates will keep climbing. As more people default, the situation will worsen. All this will tighten the noose gradually until the banks remember exactly why the subprime market was originally termed “subprime.”

Real estate is a fiercely competitive marketplace, and the top players know how to stay well ahead of the competition. New resources spring up daily, and to become or stay successful in the field you must search out the newest techniques and services on a regular basis.

Education is critical in the field of real estate. Agents and brokers must not only be licensed, but know the ins and outs of the industry as a whole as well. Real estate stretches far beyond the family home for sale. It ventures into commercial properties, land acquisitions, rentals, and more. Each style of property has its own rules and regulations, and those in the industry can not take chances with their knowledge in a particular field.

Those seeking to get a start in real estate will need training, information and contacts. Specific licensing is required to sell or deal in real estate, and as much of the business goes hand in hand with government and contractual laws and regulations, it is an area to study in its entirety.

Looking for a Place?

If you’re seeking a home for your business or perhaps a home to use as your business, the market is a constantly fluctuating spectrum. Get the best listings and most information possible about each listing though http://www.dirjournal.com

Need Answers?

If you’re looking for answers to complex real estate questions or simply want to expand your knowledge of purchasing, renting, or selling a space, there are many quality resources available. The trick is to find the quality resources that have the information you’re looking for without fluff or outdated information.

Real estate is a powerful field populated by knowledgeable professionals. If you’re looking to join the field or just seeking a few answers to property questions, you’ll find what you need in the Real Estate area.

Building is at the heart of the economy. Some companies build service areas or develop new product ideas. But other companies just build. With the enormous amount of growth the country has seen in recent years and is forecasted to continue seeing, it’s no wonder the construction industry has been growing by leaps and bounds to keep up.

Whether you’re building from the ground up or simply redesigning and remodeling an existing structure there are plenty of areas to consider. Supplies, labor, design and inspection can keep the most seasoned construction company on its toes. It also doesn’t help that the government likes to change and update requirements and code regulations on a rather frequent basis.

Industry professionals must keep up with many different aspects of the construction business through education and hands on experience. As new materials are created and new information is discovered and released the industry continues to grow and change. To stay on top of the competition, everyone within a company must also continue to grow and change.

Industry Knowledge

The world is constantly improving and the construction business is no exception. New materials are discovered or made and existing materials are used in new and exciting ways. For many the only way to stay on top of what is new in materials, techniques and regulations is to seek out education on a regular basis.

Supplies and Installation

Building requires supplies and labor. You must have the steel to build with and the workers to create your structure. Supplies can vary in cost and quality and it’s critical to find high quality dealers for each piece you need. Construction is not an area to be taken lightly. Even before construction begins it’s imperative to plan the project and forecast costs as closely as possible.

The construction area is a one stop shop for all the knowledge, planning and supplies you need to complete any project of any size.