1. Medical science liaisons
Pharmaceutical companies employ medical science liaisons (MSLs) to serve as information providers to clients and potential clients -- from insurers to doctors in a medical group.
The demand for MSLs has grown along with the legal and regulatory requirements pharmaceutical companies must satisfy.
MSLs are not sales representatives. They have medical or scientific backgrounds, and so they can provide peer-level interaction in a way that a business person can't. Typically, MSLs have a Ph.D. in the sciences (e.g., nutritional science), a pharmacy degree (PharmD) or an MD. Before becoming a liaison, they often get their start working in medical research or in hospital pharmacies.
In major markets like New York, account directors can earn $150,000 or more. In secondary markets like Atlanta or Cleveland, they can earn $120,000 to $130,000.
Account directors typically have backgrounds in print, radio and television advertising or worked as producers or marketing managers with dot-com companies.
In their first year, MSLs can make between $115,000 to $120,000 plus a 10% to 20% bonus on their base. After 5 years, they can make between $125,000 and $135,000 plus bonus.
GMs typically have either a bachelor's or master's degree in business or hotel management. They often get their start as sales managers in the hospitality industry then work their way up to director of sales and marketing, a job that pays between $80,000 and $120,000 depending on the location.
The demand for talent in apparel design is particularly high this year for athletic and active wear.
Apparel designers typically have an undergraduate degree in design and textiles or in fashion design.
They might get paid $30,000 to $40,000 right out of school, $50,000 to $60,000 after a year, and $80,000 to $90,000 after three to five years. Beyond that, if they've survived and had some successes, they can pull down anywhere between $90,000 and $200,000.
6. Project managers Thanks to a commercial building boom for healthcare facilities, big box stores, malls and high rises, demand by large commercial construction companies has outstripped the ready supply of estimators and project managers.
Estimators price out the material costs for a project. Typically, they either have a two-year degree from a construction technology school or a four-year college degree with a major in construction management.
Managers oversee work on the construction site and other aspects of the project. They often have degrees in construction technology or management from 4-year colleges and many get their start as estimators.
In both instances, those with expertise in a particular kind of construction -- say, hospital buildings -- can command a premium in pay, since they can hit the ground running on similar projects.
Starting salaries for estimators in the Midwest range from $55,000 to $65,000, and after five years, the salary can climb to $75,000.
A project manager's starting salary also might range from $55,000 to $65,000 but after five years' experience they can make six figures.
Salary levels are higher on the coasts.
And as in 2006, developers who are expert users of Java or Microsoft's software programming language .NET are still in demand and can command even higher pay now, on par with the salaries of SQL database administrators.
The demand for MSLs has grown along with the legal and regulatory requirements pharmaceutical companies must satisfy.
MSLs are not sales representatives. They have medical or scientific backgrounds, and so they can provide peer-level interaction in a way that a business person can't. Typically, MSLs have a Ph.D. in the sciences (e.g., nutritional science), a pharmacy degree (PharmD) or an MD. Before becoming a liaison, they often get their start working in medical research or in hospital pharmacies.
2. Account directors
The dot-com bust chased a lot of talent away from the Internet as people sought employment in more traditional industries in corporate America. But now that the digital space is among the most sought after by companies -- drawing advertising dollars away from print, television and radio -- there is a lot of demand for Internet sales and marketing account directors with 7 to 9 years' of online marketing and sales experience.In major markets like New York, account directors can earn $150,000 or more. In secondary markets like Atlanta or Cleveland, they can earn $120,000 to $130,000.
Account directors typically have backgrounds in print, radio and television advertising or worked as producers or marketing managers with dot-com companies.
In their first year, MSLs can make between $115,000 to $120,000 plus a 10% to 20% bonus on their base. After 5 years, they can make between $125,000 and $135,000 plus bonus.
3. General managers at premier resorts and hotels
The demand for good general managers (GMs) has gone up because there are not enough people being trained in positions that lead to the job. Plus, as resorts and hotels specialize in a sport or other activity (e.g., golf or casinos), they need people with experience in that specialty.GMs typically have either a bachelor's or master's degree in business or hotel management. They often get their start as sales managers in the hospitality industry then work their way up to director of sales and marketing, a job that pays between $80,000 and $120,000 depending on the location.
4. Designer of athletic and active wear
The increasingly fast churn in fashion wear (designers are usually creating clothes and footwear six months out) is one reason good designers are in demand. Another is the trend-centric ethos in the fashion industry: one person comes up with an idea that catches fire and other designers then need to rework their collection to incorporate it.The demand for talent in apparel design is particularly high this year for athletic and active wear.
Apparel designers typically have an undergraduate degree in design and textiles or in fashion design.
They might get paid $30,000 to $40,000 right out of school, $50,000 to $60,000 after a year, and $80,000 to $90,000 after three to five years. Beyond that, if they've survived and had some successes, they can pull down anywhere between $90,000 and $200,000.
6. Project managers Thanks to a commercial building boom for healthcare facilities, big box stores, malls and high rises, demand by large commercial construction companies has outstripped the ready supply of estimators and project managers.
Estimators price out the material costs for a project. Typically, they either have a two-year degree from a construction technology school or a four-year college degree with a major in construction management.
Managers oversee work on the construction site and other aspects of the project. They often have degrees in construction technology or management from 4-year colleges and many get their start as estimators.
In both instances, those with expertise in a particular kind of construction -- say, hospital buildings -- can command a premium in pay, since they can hit the ground running on similar projects.
Starting salaries for estimators in the Midwest range from $55,000 to $65,000, and after five years, the salary can climb to $75,000.
A project manager's starting salary also might range from $55,000 to $65,000 but after five years' experience they can make six figures.
Salary levels are higher on the coasts.
7. SQL database administrators
8 . .NET and Java developers
Thanks to an increased concentration of web applications and online services that personalize and store users' information, structured query language (SQL) database administrators (DBAs) are in demand. They can command $100,000 and up in major cities like New York , and between $75,000 and $85,000 in smaller ones such as Des Moines.8 . .NET and Java developers
And as in 2006, developers who are expert users of Java or Microsoft's software programming language .NET are still in demand and can command even higher pay now, on par with the salaries of SQL database administrators.
