Jobs That Pay At Least $25 An Hour

Good middle-class careers -- plenty of openings, too.

• By CareerBuilder 

By Debra Auerbach

If you make an hourly wage, you may not know how much you could potentially earn in a year. Let's say you make $25 an hour and work 40 hours a week year-round. That comes out to about $52,000 a year, a nice amount, especially considering it's roughly equivalent to the median annual household income in the U.S.

If getting a paycheck like that sounds good to you, consider any of these nine jobs, all of which make around $25 an hour.

1. Aircraft and avionics equipment mechanic and technician*

Job description: Aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians repair and perform scheduled maintenance on airplanes and helicopters. They also inspect airplanes and helicopters as required by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Typical education level: Postsecondary non-degree award

Median hourly pay: $25.59

2. Construction and building inspector

Job description: Construction and building inspectors ensure that new construction, changes or repairs comply with local and national building codes and ordinances, zoning regulations and contract specifications.

Typical education level: High school diploma or equivalent

Median hourly pay: $25.18

3. Dietitian and nutritionist

Job description: Dietitians and nutritionists are experts in food and nutrition who advise people on what to eat in order to lead a healthy lifestyle or reach a specific health-related goal.

Typical education level: Bachelor's degree

Median hourly pay: $25.60

4. Editor

Job description: Editors plan, review and revise content for publication. An editor's responsibilities vary with the employer and the type and level of editorial position.

Typical education level: Bachelor's degree

Median hourly pay: $24.75

5. Fire inspector and investigator

Job description: Fire inspectors visit and inspect buildings and other structures, such as sports arenas and shopping malls, to search for fire hazards and to ensure that federal, state and local fire codes are met. Fire investigators determine the origin and cause of fires by searching the surrounding scene and collecting evidence.

Typical education level: High school diploma or equivalent

Median hourly pay: $25.11

6. Geological and petroleum technician

Job description: Geological and petroleum technicians provide support to scientists and engineers in exploring and extracting natural resources, such as minerals, oil and natural gas.

Typical education level: Associate degree

Median hourly pay: $25.97

7. Human resources specialist

Job description: HR specialists recruit, screen, interview and place workers. They also may handle human resources work in a variety of other areas, such as employee relations, payroll and benefits and training.

Typical education level: Bachelor's degree

Median hourly pay: $25.33

8. Property, real estate and community association manager

Job description: Property, real estate and community association managers handle the many aspects of residential, commercial or industrial properties. They ensure the property looks nice, operates smoothly and preserves its resale value.

Typical education level: High school diploma or equivalent

Median hourly pay: $24.75

9. School and career counselor

Job description: School counselors help students develop social skills and succeed in school. Career counselors assist people with making career decisions by helping them choose a career or educational program.

Typical education level: Master's degree

Median hourly pay: $25.67

11 companies hiring in health care

• By Guest Contributor

by Jason Lovelace, president of CareerBuilder Healthcare

For the remainder of 2013, hiring in the health care industry is expected to remain steady, according to a recent CareerBuilder and MiracleWorkers.com survey. Fifty-one percent of health care employers plan to hire full-time, permanent employees, up two percentage points from last year. Part-time and temporary or contract workers are being hired at an accelerated rate from last year, with 34 percent of employers planning to hire part-time employees, up from 28 percent from last year. Additionally, 27 percent plan to hire temporary or contract workers, up from 12 percent last year.

But despite these optimistic hiring plans, employers are having trouble filling positions. A separate CareerBuilder survey found that health care organizations are struggling to find qualified candidates. When employers were asked what barriers stood between filling open positions, a lack of relevant experience was the most common response from 47 percent of employers (40 percent said applicants had less than three years of relevant experience); 42 percent said salary requirements were too high; 39 percent said applicants don’t have the proper education or training; 38 percent said applicants have poor communication skills and 38 percent cited work schedules/hours that were not desirable.

Job seekers in the health care industry can overcome these challenges by being more flexible about work schedules and pay, fine-tuning their soft skills and seeking out employers who have the resources to train those with little to no on-the-job experience. Joining an industry as dynamic as health care can be a challenge, but the rewarding work is worth the hurdles.

For those job seekers ready to take on an exciting opportunity in health care, here are 11 companies hiring right now:

1. Avante Centers
Health care focus: Skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers
Sample job titles: Registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, certified nursing assistant, executive director, physical therapist, occupational therapist, RN minimum data set (MDS) coordinator
Location: Boca Raton, Inverness, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Lake Worth, Leesburg, Melbourne, Mount Dora, Ocala, Orlando, Ormond Beach and St. Cloud, Fla.; Charlotte, Concord, Reidsville, Wilkesboro and Wilson, N.C.; Harrisonburg, Lynchburg, Roanoke and Waynesboro, Va.

2. Consulate Health Care
Health care focus: Long-term care and skilled nursing
Sample job titles: RN, CNA, MDS coordinator, director of admissions, director of nursing/clinical services
Location: Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin

3. County of Riverside
Health care focus: Health services, hospital, community health
Sample job titles: Clinic assistant nurse manager, institutional nurse, behavioral health specialist, dietitian, certified occupational therapy assistant, RN II/III – RCRMC – Pediatrics RN
Location: Moreno Valley and Riverside, Calif.

4. Genoa Healthcare
Health care focus: Mental health pharmacies
Sample job titles: Pharmacist, pharmacy technician, part-time pharmacist, site manager
Location: Nationwide

5. Liberty Healthcare Services, Inc.
Health care focus: home health care
Sample job titles: RN, CNA, LPN, home healthcare program coordinator, certified home health aide
Location: Elmwood Park, Mount Laurel, Somers Point and Toms River, N.J.

6. Lincare
Health care focus: Respiratory care, home infusion, enteral therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation
Sample job titles: Respiratory therapist, center manager, driver, registered dietitian
Location: Nationwide

7. Midwest Dental, Mountain Dental
Health care focus: Dentistry
Sample job titles: Dentist, dental hygienist, dental assistant, regional director of operations, business office manager, lead patient service representative, patient service representative
Location: Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, Pennsylvania,  Wisconsin

8. Ochsner Health System
Health care focus: Nursing/allied health/leadership & management
Sample job titles: RN, LVN, chief financial officer, respiratory therapist
Location: New Orleans, La.

9. Octapharma Plasma, Inc.
Health care focus: Biotechnology/pharmaceutical
Sample job titles: LPN/emergency medical technician (EMT), donor floor technician, medical screener, processing technician, management trainee
Location: Nationwide

10. RSA Medical
Health care focus: Medical risk management services
Sample job titles: Medical case manager, nurse case manager/RN
Location: Naperville, Ill.

11. Stewart Healthcare
Health care focus: Hospital system
Sample job titles: Clinical manager, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, vascular technician, medical assistant
Location: Ayer, Boston, Brighton, Brockton, Dorchester and Westwood, Mass.

The pulse on health care hiring for the second half of 2013

Jason Lovelace,

During the back half of the year, employers in health care are looking to add on employees in full-time, permanent positions, as well as part-time employees and temporary or contract workers. In CareerBuilder and MiracleWorkers.com's latest national survey, health care employers indicated that full-time, permanent hiring in the second half of 2013 will show a gradual improvement over 2012, while temporary and contract hiring is expected to increase 15 percentage points over last year.

While projected additions to full-time staffs have improved marginally from last year, temporary and part-time hiring is expected to grow at a more rapid pace. At the same time, there is an increase in health care employers planning on transitioning temporary employees to full-time roles over the next quarter. These trends reflect the hesitation typical of a post-recession market, along with growing optimism that will continue as employers gain confidence in the economic recovery.

Looking forward to the remainder of the year, there will be a continued boost in temporary hiring activity as well as incremental increases in hiring for full-time and part-time positions:

• 51 percent of health care employers plan to hire full-time, permanent employees, up 2 percentage points from last year
• 34 percent plan to hire part-time employees, up from 28 percent last year
• 27 percent plan to hire temporary or contract workers, up from 12 percent last year

Other hot roles in health care
Those who don't have an M.D. can still find a career in the thriving health care industry. In addition to hiring for health care-specific positions, health care employers are also placing an emphasis on roles involving newer technologies, big data and social media. These hiring trends reflect the growing importance of technology in making patient records, treatment information and other medical data readily available across networks and facilities, as well as the need for strong customer service.

In the remainder of 2013, employers plan to hire in the following areas:

• Jobs tied to health informatics -- 37 percent
• Jobs tied to cloud technology -- 10 percent
• Jobs tied to social media -- 7 percent
• Jobs tied to managing and interpreting big data -- 7 percent
• Jobs tied to mobile technology -- 6 percent
• Jobs tied to financial regulation -- 6 percent

Hiring stable in both big cities & rural areas
When looking at where the health care jobs are, job creation continues in both big cities and outlying towns, where areas are more densely populated and can be accessed by greater numbers of patients. Of health care employers who are hiring in the second half of 2013, 72 percent said they will be hiring for positions in large metropolitan areas, while 42 percent will be hiring in nonmetropolitan, rural areas, similar to last year.

Hiring in the third quarter
Hiring plans for full-time, permanent employees are varied in the health care industry. While the majority of employers (57 percent) anticipate no changes to head count, more than a quarter of employers are looking to add to their staff. Between July and September, 27 percent of employers plan to hire full-time, permanent employees, similar to last year.

While the economy continues to improve, the health care industry remains a strong center of employment and job creation. And as technology grows more essential to job performance and patient care, new roles will be added to meet the industry's demands.

Jobs Where Most People Hate Their Coworkers

A new report identifies 10 occupations where people can't stand their coworkers.

• By Business Insider

 

Some jobs create more enemies than friends.A recently published Payscale report examined jobs where the most people said they would axe their coworkers if they were allowed to change one thing about their work environment.

Based on more than 28,000 responses from Payscale's users, the jobs with the most aggravating coworkers include maintenance workers, food preparers, servers, health-care practitioners, and personal-care workers.

"A lot of these jobs are on the lower end for pay and higher end of stress," Katie Bardaro, lead economist at Payscale, tells Business Insider. "It's easier for workers to get aggravated by coworkers who aren't pulling their weight, since it's more of a group effort."
Below are the top 10 jobs where people can't stand their coworkers, according to Payscale:

1. Maintenance (hate their coworkers 1.48x more than the national average)

2. Food preparation and serving related (1.45x)

3. Production operations (1.42x)

4. Building and grounds cleaning (1.40x) - TIED with #5

5. Health-care practitioners and technical operators (1.40x) -TIED with #4

6. Health-care support occupations (1.29x)

7. Office and administrative support occupations (1.24x)

8. Protective service occupations (1.13x)

9. Life, physical, and social science occupations (1.08x)

10. Personal-care and service occupations (1.05x)

On the other hand, jobs where people are most content with their coworkers tend to be those where employees don't rely too much on one another on a day-to-day basis.

These include jobs such as social services, education, engineering, arts and media, sales, and business.

"In these jobs, your entire work doesn't rest on how [your coworkers] are doing," says Bardaro. "This is especially true in sales where performance falls on your shoulders, and you take the reigns and run with it."

The report also found that Baby Boomers report the highest desire (1.16x) to change their coworkers, whereas Gen Y are the most content (0.91x) with their colleagues.

The 10 Best Places To Live For Jobs

Double digit growth in jobs.

 

• By Dan Fastenberg

In a tight economy, workers often are willing to pick up and move to wherever the opportunities are. So, where are they? CNN Money has just compiled a list of the counties that have experienced the fastest jobs growth from 2010 to last year. The trend lines are clear -- the South offers vast pockets of opportunity. Nine of the ten counties that have seen the greatest growth in the beginning of the current decade are located in the South.

But don't pack your bags yet. While the jobs growth in the below ten counties can be chalked up to booms in sectors like aerospace, clean energy and manufacturing, it's also true that Southern counties could be seeing strong growth rates because the region has so much room for improvement. Indeed, four of the ten states with the worst unemployment rates are located in the South, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Either way, the region's job picture is no doubt improving in recent years; southern states like Southern Carolina are regularly seeing their employment rates drop faster than any other state in the region, as the Associated Press has reported.

See below for the counties with the best jobs growth since 2010.

10. Santa Rosa County, FL

2010-12 job growth: 10.9 percent

Find a job now in Santa Rosa County, FL.

9. Gwinnett County, GA

2010-12 job growth: 11.3 percent

Find a job now in Gwinnett County, GA.

8. Prince William County, VA

2010-12 job growth: 11.4 percent

Find a job now in Prince William County, VA.

7. Madison County, AL

2010-12 job growth: 11.5 percent

Find a job now in Madison County, AL.

6. Utah County, UT

2010-12 job growth: 11.6 percent

Find a job now in Utah County, UT.

5. St. John's County, FL

2010-12 job growth: 12.1 percent

Find a job now in St. John's County, FL.

4. Guadalupe County, TX

2010-12 job growth: 12.2 percent

Find a job now in Guadalupe County, TX.

3. Falls Church, VA

2010-12 job growth: 12.6 percent

Find a job now in Falls Church, VA.

2. Rockwall County, TX

2010-12 job growth: 13.0 percent

Find a job now in Rockwall County, TX.

1. Columbia County, GA

2010-12 job growth: 14.1 percent

Find a job now in Columbia County, GA.

High-Paying Jobs That Don't Contribute To Society

• By Business Insider

By Vivian Giang

Does your job make the world a better place?In a Payscale survey published Tuesday, workers who earn a lot but don't believe their jobs help the world tend to work in sales, finance, or tech.

These people aren't "healing sick people, helping underprivileged people, educating our children, providing a public service," notes Payscale economist Katie Bardaro. "Instead they are doing normal white collar professional tasks that help their firms to generate revenue either directly or indirectly."

For these "low meaning" jobs, Bardaro said there isn't much that employers can do to increase the meaning behind their employees work because this value is "driven by society."

"That being said, if workers are struggling with the low job meaning in their current role, employers might be able to offer other outlets for job meaning, such as corporate-sponsored volunteer work," Bardaro said.

Below is Payscale's list of the highest-paying jobs where workers don't feel they're making a difference.

1. Senior Counsel

Typical national median pay: $176, 900

% reporting high job meaning: 31%

2. Product Marketing Director

Typical national median pay: $135,400

% reporting high job meaning: 36%

3. Vice President , Sales and Support

Typical national median pay: $131,600

% reporting high job meaning: 40%

4. Global Account Manager

Typical national median pay: $130,100

% reporting high job meaning: 23%

5. Technical Program Manager (TPM)

Typical national median pay: $119,700

% reporting high job meaning: 38%

6. Network Architect

Typical national median pay: $114,800

% reporting high job meaning: 33%

7. Corporate Counsel

Typical national median pay: $109,900

% reporting high job meaning: 36%

8. Energy Trader

Typical national median pay: $105,600

% reporting high job meaning: 30%

9. Senior User Experience Designer

Typical national median pay: $104,100

% reporting high job meaning: 33%

10. Credit / Collections Director

Typical national median pay: $100,200

% reporting high job meaning: 35%

11. Chief Fashion Designer

Typical national median pay: $99,000

% reporting high job meaning: 36%

12. Compensation Consultant

Typical national median pay: $91,100

% reporting high job meaning: 35%

13. Senior Privacy & Security Analyst

Typical national median pay: $90,800

% reporting high job meaning: 27%

14. ScrumMaster

Typical national median pay: $89,400

% report high job meaning: 33%

16 Careers That Improve The World

• By Business Insider 

• By Vivian Giang

At some point in your career, you may have to choose between making money and making a difference in the world.In Payscale's report published Tuesday, workers who have "high-meaning" yet low-paying jobs are typically in the public sector.

"Society values these workers in terms of what they add, even if they don't value them in terms of what they get paid," Katie Bardaro, lead economist at Payscale, told us.

Many of these workers believe what they do for a living is meaningful because they're impacting and improving other people's lives through their work.

Job meaning should not, however, be confused with job satisfaction, said Bardaro.

"The first gets at the societal benefit of your work, while the latter is how much you are actually enjoying your job," she says. "One can easily be satisfied in their job - like the pay, the work, the company culture - but not feel as if what they do improves the world. Similarly, one could feel their work is hugely important in terms of making the world a better place, but they might not be super satisfied with their job."

Payscale acquired this information through compensation surveys that asked workers in the past year the question:"Does your work make the world a better place?"

Below are low-paying jobs that make people feel good about what they do:

1. Sign Language Interpreter

Typical national median pay: $42,100

% report high job meaning: 100%

2. Rehabilitation Equipment Specialist

Typical national median pay: $40,200

% report high job meaning: 100%

3.Child Life Specialist (CCLS)

Typical national median pay: $39,000

% report high job meaning: 100%

4.Worship Coordinator

Typical national median pay: $38,000

% report high job meaning: 100%

5. Water Treatment Plant Laboratory Technician

Typical national median pay: $36,300

% report high job meaning: 100%

6. Water Plant Operator

Typical national median pay: $35,600

% report high job meaning: 100%

7. Adult Literacy, Remedial Education, Ged Teacher / Instructor

Typical national median pay: $38,400

% report high job meaning: 95%

8. Crime Scene Investigator (CSI)

Typical national median pay: $37,500

% report high job meaning: 93%

9. Park Ranger

Typical national median pay: $34,000

% report high job meaning: 92%

10. Soldier

Typical national median pay: $41,300

% report high job meaning: 91%

11. Mental Health Therapist

Typical national median pay: $41,200

% report high job meaning: 90%

12. Art Teacher

Typical national median pay: $40,000

% report high job meaning: 89%

13. Addiction Counselor

Typical national median pay: $35,200

% report high job meaning: 89%

14. Child, Family, or School Social Worker

Typical national median pay: $34,900

% report high job meaning: 89%

15. Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT)

Typical national median pay: $41,400

% report high job meaning: 88%

16. Personal Trainer

Typical national median pay: $37,900

% report high job meaning: 88%

20 companies hiring in August

• By Debra Auerbach 

It’s hard to believe that it’s August, and we’re more than halfway through the year. If you started the year with specific career or job-search goals in mind, hopefully you’re well on your way to reaching them. If you’re feeling stuck, now is the time to take a step back and determine what’s working and what’s not. It’s not too late to course correct and still reach your goals before the year ends.

To help you get closer to achieving your job-search goals, here’s a list of 20 companies that are hiring throughout August.

1. AdvancePierre Foods
Industry: Food
Sample job titles: Quality supervisor, packaging engineer, maintenance mechanic, inventory specialist
Location: Nationwide

2. Cassidy Turley
Industry: Commercial real estate
Sample job titles: Property manager, property administrator, accountant, lead operating engineer
Location: California, Florida, Texas

3. Copart Inc.
Industry: Automotive
Sample job titles: Customer service representative, project manager, general manager, software quality assurance manager
Location: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New York, Tennessee, Texas

4. Dickinson Fleet Services
Industry: Transportation
Sample job titles: Mobile diesel mechanic
Location: Atlanta, Houston, Indianapolis

5. Diebold
Industry: Integrated self-service solutions, security systems and services
Sample job titles: Applications developer, network engineer, security analyst, electronic security service technician, first-line technician
Location: Nationwide

6. Dollar General
Industry: Retail
Sample job titles: Store manager, district manager
Location: Alabama, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia

7. eBay Inc.
Industry: e-commerce
Sample job titles: Customer support, software developer, software engineer, Java developer, big data
Location: Austin, Texas; Boston; New York; San Francisco; Seattle

8. Esurance Inc.
Industry: Insurance
Sample job titles: Sales representative, customer service, claims representative, IT professional
Location: Phoenix; Sacramento and San Francisco, Calif.; San Antonio; Sioux Falls, S.D.; Tampa, Fla.

9. iCan Benefit Group
Industry: Insurance
Sample job titles: Health insurance sales consultant, inside sales, entry-level inside sales
Location: South Florida

10. Mako Surgical Corp.
Industry: Medical devices
Sample job titles: Biomedical software engineer, territory sales manager, MAKOplasty sales specialist, RIO account executive, network engineer
Location: California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, New Jersey, Maryland, Minnesota

11. MasTec Advanced Technologies/MasTec Network Solutions
Industry: Telecommunications
Sample job titles: Satellite installation technician, field technician supervisor, home security installation technician, tower technician, foreman, customer care agent, project manager, project coordinator, field technician
Location: California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia

12. Modern Woodmen of America
Industry: Financial services, banking, sales
Sample job titles: Financial services manager — entry level insurance/finance manager, financial adviser — insurance and finance/banking sales consultant
Location: Nationwide

13. Nintendo of America Inc.
Industry: Gaming, entertainment
Sample job titles: Software engineer, front end Web developer, bilingual coordinator, marketing manager
Location: Redmond, Wash.

14. PharMerica
Industry: Health care
Sample job titles: Director of pharmacy, pharmacy technician, pharmacist, payroll manager, business analyst
Location: Nationwide

15. Salem Carriers
Industry: Transportation/logistics
Sample job titles: Commercial driver’s license Class A driver, diesel truck mechanic, lease sales executive, shift supervisor/manager
Location: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas

16. SalesStaff Resources
Industry: Staffing
Sample job titles: Medical sales representative
Location: Atlanta; Austin, Texas; Boston; Charlotte, N.C.; Cincinnati; Dallas; Denver; Jacksonville, Fla.; Memphis, Tenn.; Milwaukee; Mobile, Ala.; New York; Phoenix; Pittsburgh; San Jose, Calif.; Seattle; St. Louis; Tulsa, Okla.

17. Starwood Vacation Ownership
Industry: Hospitality
Sample job titles: Director of project finance, in-house sales representative, lead treasury accountant, senior project manager
Location: Lahaina, Hawaii; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Orlando, Fla.; Palm Desert, Calif.

18. Towne Air Freight 
Industry: Transportation
Sample job titles: Owner operator
Location: Allentown, Pa.; Brisbane, Los Angeles and San Francisco, Calif.; Chicago and Rockford, Ill.; Cleveland; Dallas; Detroit; El Paso and Houston, Texas; Newark, N.J.; Philadelphia; Portland, Ore.; Seattle

19. Towne Park
Industry: Hospitality
Sample job titles: Valet; cashier; bell services; account manager; district manager; professionals in human resources, information technology, finance/accounting
Location: California; Colorado; Florida; Kentucky; Maryland; Minnesota; Missouri; New Jersey; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Tennessee; Texas; Virginia; Washington, D.C.

20. United Insurance Group
Industry: Insurance
Sample job titles: Insurance sales agent
Location: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas

What you can do with a background in retail

By Susan Ricker,

More than 15 million people work in retail, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and a recent CareerBuilder survey found that 33 percent of retail employers are likely to hire seasonal help this summer. Considering the high employment numbers, along with varying education requirements, on-the-job training and transferable skills, a job in retail can be the start of, or next step in, a strong career path.

Here is a look at the skills you acquire in retail, advancement opportunities within the industry and similar occupations to which retail workers can apply their skills.  

Skills gained from working in retail

From customer service to sales, retail workers have hard and soft skills that can be transferred to other jobs in the retail industry or a different sector. When you're putting together your résumé or preparing for an interview, build upon the skills that you've gained while working in retail. The BLS names some of the important qualities workers in retail possess, including:

• Customer-service skills: Retail sales workers must be responsive to the wants and needs of customers. They should explain the product options available to customers and make appropriate recommendations.
• People skills: A friendly and outgoing personality is important for these workers, because the job requires almost constant interaction with people.  
• Persistence: A large number of attempted sales may not be successful, so sales workers should not be discouraged easily. They must start each new sales attempt with a positive attitude.
• Selling skills: Retail sales workers must be persuasive when interacting with customers. They must clearly and effectively explain the benefits of merchandise.

Advancement opportunities within retail

If you're not interested in leaving the retail industry, or if you're looking for an advancement opportunity within your current company, know that there's room to move up. The BLS notes, "Retail sales workers typically have opportunities to advance to managerial positions. Some employers want candidates for managerial positions to have a college degree.

"As sales workers gain experience and seniority, they often move into positions that have greater responsibility and may be given their choice of departments in which to work. This opportunity often means moving to positions with higher potential earnings and commissions. The highest earnings potential usually lies in selling 'big-ticket' items -- such as cars, jewelry, furniture and electronics. These positions often require workers with extensive knowledge of the product and an excellent talent for persuasion."

Similar occupations and career options

When looking to what's next in your career, there are a variety of jobs at which you can apply the skills you've acquired in retail. Here are some examples:

Customer service representatives* interact with customers on behalf of an organization. They provide information about products and services and respond to customer complaints. Some also take orders and process returns.

Entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent           

Median annual pay: $30,460

Information clerks provide administrative and clerical support in a variety of settings. They help maintain records, collect data and information, and respond to customers' questions or concerns.

Entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent, though some employers prefer some education beyond high school.

Median annual pay: $29,990

Insurance sales agents help insurance companies generate new business by contacting potential customers and selling one or more types of insurance. An agent explains various insurance policies and helps clients choose plans that suit them.

Entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent           

Median annual pay: $46,770    

Real estate brokers and sales agents help clients buy, sell and rent properties. Brokers and agents do the same type of work, but brokers are licensed to manage their own real estate businesses. Sales agents must work with a broker.

Entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent           

Median annual pay: $42,680

Sales engineers sell complex scientific and technological products or services to businesses. They must have extensive knowledge of the products' parts and functions and must understand the scientific processes that make these products work.

Entry-level education: Bachelor's degree           

Median annual pay: $87,390    

Securities, commodities and financial services sales agents connect buyers and sellers in financial markets. They sell securities to individuals, advise companies in search of investors and conduct trades.

Entry-level education: Bachelor's degree           

Median annual pay: $70,190

Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses, government agencies and other organizations. They contact customers, explain product features, answer any questions that their customers may have and negotiate prices.

Entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent; some industries may require a bachelor's degree

Median annual pay: $56,620

7 Surprisingly Good Jobs You Can Land After A Retail Gig

• By CareerBuilder

By Susan Ricker

More than 15 million people work in retail, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and a recent CareerBuilder survey found that 33 percent of retail employers are likely to hire seasonal help this summer. Considering the high employment numbers, along with varying education requirements, on-the-job training and transferable skills, a job in retail can be the start of, or next step in, a strong career path.

Here is a look at the skills you acquire in retail, advancement opportunities within the industry and similar occupations to which retail workers can apply their skills.

Skills gained from working in retail
From customer service to sales, retail workers have hard and soft skills that can be transferred to other jobs in the retail industry or a different sector. When you're putting together your résumé or preparing for an interview, build upon the skills that you've gained while working in retail. The BLS names some of the important qualities workers in retail possess, including:

• Customer-service skills: Retail sales workers must be responsive to the wants and needs of customers. They should explain the product options available to customers and make appropriate recommendations.
• People skills: A friendly and outgoing personality is important for these workers, because the job requires almost constant interaction with people.
• Persistence: A large number of attempted sales may not be successful, so sales workers should not be discouraged easily. They must start each new sales attempt with a positive attitude.
• Selling skills: Retail sales workers must be persuasive when interacting with customers. They must clearly and effectively explain the benefits of merchandise.

Advancement opportunities within retail
If you're not interested in leaving the retail industry, or if you're looking for an advancement opportunity within your current company, know that there's room to move up. The BLS notes, "Retail sales workers typically have opportunities to advance to managerial positions. Some employers want candidates for managerial positions to have a college degree.

"As sales workers gain experience and seniority, they often move into positions that have greater responsibility and may be given their choice of departments in which to work. This opportunity often means moving to positions with higher potential earnings and commissions. The highest earnings potential usually lies in selling 'big-ticket' items -- such as cars, jewelry, furniture and electronics. These positions often require workers with extensive knowledge of the product and an excellent talent for persuasion."

Similar occupations and career options
When looking to what's next in your career, there are a variety of jobs at which you can apply the skills you've acquired in retail. Here are some examples:

Customer service representatives interact with customers on behalf of an organization. They provide information about products and services and respond to customer complaints. Some also take orders and process returns.
Entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent
Median annual pay: $30,460

Information clerks provide administrative and clerical support in a variety of settings. They help maintain records, collect data and information, and respond to customers' questions or concerns.
Entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent, though some employers prefer some education beyond high school.
Median annual pay: $29,990

Insurance sales agents help insurance companies generate new business by contacting potential customers and selling one or more types of insurance. An agent explains various insurance policies and helps clients choose plans that suit them.
Entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent
Median annual pay: $46,770

Real estate brokers and sales agents help clients buy, sell and rent properties. Brokers and agents do the same type of work, but brokers are licensed to manage their own real estate businesses. Sales agents must work with a broker.
Entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent
Median annual pay: $42,680

Sales engineers sell complex scientific and technological products or services to businesses. They must have extensive knowledge of the products' parts and functions and must understand the scientific processes that make these products work.
Entry-level education: Bachelor's degree
Median annual pay: $87,390

Securities, commodities and financial services sales agents connect buyers and sellers in financial markets. They sell securities to individuals, advise companies in search of investors and conduct trades.
Entry-level education: Bachelor's degree
Median annual pay: $70,190

Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses, government agencies and other organizations. They contact customers, explain product features, answer any questions that their customers may have and negotiate prices.
Entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent; some industries may require a bachelor's degree
Median annual pay: $56,620