Degree Programs That Could Help You Find A Career
For many career-minded professionals, going to school might be a means to an end. Getting good grades is important, but getting a job is the goal.
Nobody knows that better than those who work in human resources (HR). HR professionals are the gatekeepers who control who gets hired and who doesn't.
Challenger, Gray & Christmas, the nation's oldest outplacement consulting firm, polled 100 HR professionals to determine which career programs and college degrees were desirable in 2010.
Check out this list of the top five career programs that rank best for finding employment, according to the Challenger, Gray & Christmas poll.
Program #1 - Health Care
More than any other field, health care is where graduates are finding jobs in 2010, according to the Challenger survey. When asked for the best odds at finding employment, more than 26 percent of the HR professionals polled picked graduates of health care degree programs.
Specifically, nurses are fielding the most job offers among those completing health care degree programs. Other popular health care career programs include medical technician, pharmacy, healthcare administration, and medical assisting.
Program #2 - Business Administration
In today's global economy, business classes are providing graduates with the kind of skills they have the potential to put to use right away. According to the Challenger survey, a background in business could help students work in today's tight job market.
Not so surprisingly, a bachelor's in business remains the most popular degree in the country. Related career programs include international business, e-business, and administrative office support.
Program #3 - Computer Science
HR professionals tabbed computer science as the third most sought after degree in 2010. Graduates could find work in all kinds of industries, since computers have become part of the fabric of our everyday lives.
Other popular computer career programs include technology support, information technology, networking, and programming and applications.
Program #4 - Accounting/Finance
Wall Street tends to be more forward-thinking than other industries, putting finance degree graduates in a potentially strong position to succeed in the job market.
Accounting and finance career programs placed fourth overall, according to the Challenger survey. Other career programs in this area include economic, e-commerce, and bookkeeping.
Program #5 - Engineering
Engineering ranks as the fifth-best career program overall, with eight of the 10 highest paid majors in the engineering field, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
Career programs in engineering include biomedical engineering, electrical engineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, and network engineering and administration.
