Top-5 Best Jobs in the US and UK - 2015 edition

Just like last year, we bring you a comprehensive look at the best jobs to have in the US and UK in 2015. Read on to find out what professions are in vogue, pay the most, offer most hiring possibilities and are considered the best positions to look out for over the next few years…

Top Jobs in the UK

Glassdoor.com, a website where employees share their real-life experiences seeking a job and advancing in their career, has compiled a very interesting study on top jobs in the UK and US in 2015. Their findings are based on real data submitted by employees so there's little chance of bias. The study took into account the number of postings at the time, the average salary per year, and the overall job assessment by job seekersand employees. Take a look at their study's five most promising jobs in the UK,ranked from worst to best.

5. Business Analyst

Openings: 3400

Salary: GBP 46000

Role: Business analyst's job is to analyze how well or badly a company's business model or operations function in a given real or hypothetical marketplace. Analysts mostly deal with process design, strategic planning, systems and business models analyses. Usually such analysts work in IT, marketing, banking, finance, utilities etc.

Requirements: There're no specific education requirements, but many business analysts benefit from a computer science degree.

4. Sales Manager

Openings: 3800

Salary: GBP 45000

Role: A sales' manager oversees, shapes and controls the way product is sold and the company's overall sales operations. This job mostly involves setting goals based on profit, predicting how well something will sell and how to increase the demand for the company's product. In addition, sales manager also selects, hires and trains actualsalespeople.
Requirements: Typically, this role requires any management Bachelor's or Master'sdegree (e.g. MBA).

3. Mechanical Engineer

Openings: 5900

Salary: GBP 35000

Role: This job is mostly about designing, streamlining and maintenance of all types of machines and technologically advanced structures, ranging from engines, to power plants or vehicles. Mechanical engineers deal with robotics, nanotechnology and even biotechnology and are at the forefront of pretty much every real-world application ofscience and technology.

Requirements: Usually this role requires at least a B.Eng., B.Tech., B.Sc. orcomparable degree.

2. Finance Manager

Openings: 4300

Salary: GBP 52000

Role: Finance Manager's job comprises many different roles depending on their chosen field. In general, this role requires to control, plan, design and streamline the company's (or individual's) finances, taxes, income etc.

Requirements: This role is not defined as a profession but rather according to specific company's needs and thus may require any finance-related degree.

1. Marketing Manager

Openings: 2900

Salary: GBP 46000

Role: Marketing Manager's role is to control, test, strategize and continually improvethe way a company presents and promotes its product to the market and its target audience. Marketing Managers work very closely with PR and C-suite, as they have to present a common strategy for a product (or range of products) launch throughout all the media, social channels etc. They also plan, design and control the company'sbrand image. It's little wonder, then, that in this list they are ranked 1st - marketing manager can make or break the company and consequently, the demand for talented marketing managers is higher than ever.

Requirements: Nowadays marketing managers have a plethora of specialized university Bachelor's degree courses to pick from, but any business-related Bachelor's or similar degree will do.

It's important to note, that even though Glassdoor took into account actual data from its more than 27 million users, the trends shown at the time of study may no longerreflect the reality of the market. For example, marketing manager openings in the UK now stand at around 6000, whereas the winner of the study, Mechanical Engineer, is now at 8000.

Overall, the numbers indicate an improving job market in the UK, with many new positions available to professionals in the marketing, business and finance industries. There's also a smattering of vacancies for mechanical engineers and the ever popularjob posting for software engineers. It's worth noting that the only reason this last position wasn't among the Glassdoor's top five is its slightly lower job score. Employees find this particular job stressful and not very open to career advancement.

Top Jobs in the US

Interestingly enough, the majority of the best jobs in UK are very similar across the pond, with one important exception: healthcare professionals are having a field day, especially ones related to assistance and care. Take a look at Glassdoor's top five US jobs, ranked by similar actual data from the US job seekers.

5. Finance Manager

Openings: 5700

Salary: USD 122 000

Role: As above

Requirements: As above

4. Human Resources Manager

Openings: 3700

Salary: USD 96 000

Role: HR manager finds, selects, trains, continually assesses, motivates and rewardsthe workforce. In special cases, the role is outsourced or subcontracted to recruitment agencies or headhunters, but for larger companies, HR manager is a must.

Requirements: Typically, HR managers operate between the fields ofindustrial/organizational psychology and business development strategy, thereforeeither a BA in psych or MBA will be most useful.

3. Business Development Manager

Openings: 5000

Salary: USD 94 000

Role: In the most general sense, Business Development Manager helps the company grow in an optimal way, without collapsing under its own weight or becoming structurally and organizationally inefficient. Their analysis of the sales, marketing, market conditions and R&D defines the company's growth strategy.

Requirements: Most recently, their role started to be described as innovation management and has been most clearly defined in the fields of biotech and pharma. Since this is a very general and not yet fully developed profession, there're no specific degree requirements.

2. Software Engineer

Openings: 52 000

Salary: USD 98 000

A software engineer designs, codes and troubleshoots computer programming at any level. This is a profession that has not seen any significant decline in decades, growing at a very steady pace and always in the need of fresh talent. It's no wonder it's listed 2nd in the top US jobs - software engineers are sought after in almost every industry and command one of the highest salary compared to the cost and time of training.

Requirements: Usually, a full computer science, information technology or software engineering Bachelor's degree course at the university is required, but only about half of all the practitioners actually hold such degrees, as this field values talent,expertise, experience and practical abilities over any education credentials.

1. Physician Assistant

Openings: 16 000

Salary: USD 111 000

Role: These are most often people who treat or prevent illnesses and injuries while being supervised by a doctor. They run tests and form diagnoses, help heal injuries or illnesses, perform procedures, advise on health-related issues and prescribemedication. In the UK the job title is „Physician associate”.

Requirements: A PA is now a very lucrative role (and still in great demand), since it often requires just a two-year course (one year of theoretical study, one year of clinical training) that costs much less than a full medical education in the US. PA's aresomewhat similar to registered nurses in some of their roles, but require a lot less training and cannot operate without a physician's or surgeon's supervision.

According to another list compiled by Career Cast,audiologist, actuary, mathematician, statisticianand biomedical engineer make up the top five.

But while Jobs Rated Report, a print and ebookAlmanac now entering its 28th year of publication, is considered a very accurate compilation of statistical data for new graduates, it doesn't offer a good multi-year analysis to show larger trends. EnterCareer Builder's and EMSI study conducted earlier in the year.

Top Jobs in the US - Current Growth Trends

CareerBuilder (one of the most often visited employment websites in the US) and EMSI (Economic Modelling Specialists Ltd., a statistical analysis organization) compiled a list of the most popular jobs in the US. Aside from typical data, they also included the difference between new hires and new vacancies. This reveals an actual demand for people in certain fields and oversaturation with employees in other. They've alsotracked job growth between 2010-2014 and the median salary over that period, in more than 90 private and national institutions and for more than 700 professions. Their findings differ slightly from Glassdoor and Jobs Rated Report, but show a broader perspective. Here's their top five, ranked from worst to best.

5. Network and Computer System Administrator

Job demand: 17 000

Job growth (2010-2014): 7%

Median Salary: USD 74 000
Role: Network and system administrators oversee, plan, control, maintain and grow any means of information storage and exchange within the company. They control the company's websites, servers, apps and cloud storage/computing capacity. Along with pretty much every other IT specialization, System Administrators have not seen any decline in popularity for decades.

Requirements: Identical to Software Engineers or any courses related to cloud tech, network administration and the like.

4. Industrial Engineer

Job demand: 18 000

Job growth (2010-2014): 9%

Median Salary: USD 81 000

Role: This title is a little ambiguous, since it has little in common with previously mentioned Mechanical Engineer. Industrial engineers may fulfil tasks ranging from control, upgrade and maintenance of complex systems of people, money or information, to manufacturing engineering, ergonomics of products, safetyengineering etc. In short, this is a role that combines technology and scientific expertise with knowledge of company's structure, operations and business processes.Interdisciplinary business approach coupled with technological and scientificbackground makes Industrial Engineers a very hot commodity these days.

Requirements: Because this role has a larger scope than Mechanical Engineers, aside from their technical degrees, Industrial Engineers must obtain proper state licensing, which varies from country to country. In the US, the licensing body is called the Institute of Industrial Engineers.

3. Registered Nurse

Job demand: 19 000

Job growth (2010-2014): 5%

Median Salary: USD 67 000

Role: Registered Nurse performs all the tasks related to nursing: taking care of the sick, injured or recovering patients to make them healthy or improve their quality of life. Compared to a regular nurse, RN has extensive clinical training and additional education, and is expected to undergo continuous education after registration. After qualification for a diploma or degree, RN can also obtain new clinical skills to add to their procedures and activities.

Requirements: In the US, requirements for registration depend on the conditions set by the region or state's board of nursing. Nursing education can be completed at the hospital, via hospital diploma program which usually lasts three years, or via a specialized university/college course to get an Associate Degree in Nursing after two years. Other degrees, like Bachelor of Science in Nursing obtained after a four-year course, are also available.

2. Software Developer (Apps/Programming)

Job demand: 21 000

Job growth (2010-2014): 15%

Median Salary: USD 92 000

Role: This role can be treated as an offshoot or sub-role within a Software Engineer'spurview. The biggest difference is type of code Software Developer works on - it's usually specific, standalone computer programmes, video games or mobile applications. Currently, software developers are experiencing a boom in popularity, especially in the mobile and social app sector.

Requirements: SD has the same practical skills, expertise and talent requirements as the Software Engineer. In addition, any applicant must have a proven and testableknowledge of at least one major programming language.

1. Marketing Executive

Job demand: 23 000

Job growth (2010-2014): 10%

Median Salary: USD 120 000

Role: It's almost the same title as „Marketing Manager” above, yet in a corporate setting, the Executive sits at the top of the corporate pile. Marketing Executives will thus command a higher salary and have a much greater say in how the company operates. Because of the way companies operate in the US, Marketing Executives are very sought after in the turbulent economy. Their actions and talents may be the difference between a company becoming the next big thing or a flop. In recent years, their importance has only increased, with many vacancies going unfilled. The demand is great, hence their number one spot in the multiyear study.

Requirements: The same as for the Marketing Manager.

As you can see, trends in Human Resource management, Marketing and Software development (engineering) are similar to Glassdoor's findings. Also noteworthy is that where Glassdoor finds a Physician Assistant an attractive healthcare job, CareerBuilder and EMSI's study puts a Registered Nurse, arguably the more qualified among the two healthcare professionals. Another key difference here is that Glassdoor doesn't have any „hard” engineering jobs, whereas the latter list ranks Network/System Admin and Industrial Engineer jobs fourth and fifth respectively. It's quite clear that data skills' positions are still very much in demand, and according to many other sources, that demand is growing.

And finally, it's not at all surprising to find that marketing executives and managers enjoy the very privileged position, as do finance managers and business development specialists — on both sides of the pond. So, if you're looking toward a career in finance or marketing, now's as good time as any to take the plunge. You never know, maybe this will pave the way for your future position as a Fortune 500 CEO? Good luck!

VOCABULARY

in vogue - modny
to consider sth sth - uważać coś za coś/jakieś
real-life - tu: z prawdziwego życia (tylko przed rzeczownikiem)
to advance - postępować, awansować
to compile - skompilować, ułożyć
findings - wyniki (badania)
to submit - przekazać, złożyć
bias - stronniczość, uprzedzenie
to take sth into account - uwzględnić coś
postings - wakaty, wakujące stanowiska (ogłaszane w prasie, mediach itp.)
salary - płaca
overall - ogólny
assessment - ocena
job seeker - osoba poszukujÄ…ca pracy
to rank sth - sklasyfikować coś, uplasować się (na liście)
opening - wakat
given - dany, konkretny
marketplace - rynek
to deal with sth - zajmować się czymś
IT (information technology) - informatyka, technologie informatyczne/internetowe
finance - tu: sektor finansowy
utilities - media (gaz, prÄ…d itp.)
to benefit from sth - korzystać na czymś
computer science - informatyka
degree - tytuł
to oversee - nadzorować
to involve - dotyczyć, obejmować
to set a goal - wyznaczyć cel
to predict - przewidzieć, przepowiedzieć
demand for sth - popyt na coÅ›
in addition - dodatkowo, ponadto
salespeople - pracownicy działu sprzedaży
Bachelor's (degree) - stopień licencjata
Master's (degree) - stopień magistra
MBA (Master of Business Administration) - magister zarzÄ…dzania
to streamline - usprawnić, zoptymalizować
maintenance - utrzymanie ruchu, konserwacja
engine - silnik
to range from X to Y - zawierać się w przedziale od X do Y, obejmować od X do Y
power plant - elektrownia
vehicle - pojazd
to be at the forefront of sth - znajdować się na czele/przedzie czegoś, na pierwszej linii
application - zastosowanie
science - nauka
B.Eng. (Bachelor of Engineering) - licencjat studiów politechnicznych
B.Tech. (Bachelor of Technology) - licencjat w dziedzinie nauk technicznych
B.Sc. (Bachelor of Science) - licencjat w dziedzinie nauk ścisłych
comparable - porównywalny
to comprise sth - składać się z czegoś, obejmować coś
depending on sth - w zależności od czegoś
individual - osoba, jednostka
income - dochód
according to sth - w zależności od czegoś, według czegoś
thus - tym samym
to strategize - ustalać cele strategiczne, ustalać strategię
continually - stale, ciÄ…gle
to improve - poprawiać, ulepszać
target audience - odbiorca (produktu, marki), grupa docelowa (odbiorców produktu itp.)
C-suite - szczebel kierowniczy, ścisłe kierownictwo spółki
common - wspólny
launch - wypuszczenie, debiut
brand image - wizerunek marki
it's little wonder that… - nic dziwnego, że…
to make or break sth - stanowić o być lub nie być czegoś
consequently - w rezultacie, wskutek tego
nowadays - obecnie
a plethora of sth - mnóstwo czegoś, ogrom
to pick from sth - wybierać spośród czegoś
to reflect sth - odzwierciedlać coś, odzworowywać
to stand at X - wynosić X
whereas - podczas gdy
to indicate - oznaczać, świadczyć (o czymś)
a smattering of sth - odrobina czegoś, nieduża liczba
vacancy - wakat
the ever popular X - cieszący się niesłabnącą popularnością X
software engineer - programista, developer (programów komputerowych)
to note - dostrzec, zauważyć
slightly - odrobinÄ™
score - wynik, rezultat
majority - większość
across the pond - po drugiej stronie oceanu, za oceanem (pot.)
exception - wyjÄ…tek
to have a field day - mieć używanie, tu: mieć wzięcie
to assess - ocenić
to reward - nagrodzić
workforce - pracownicy, zatrudnieni
to subcontract - podzlecić
headhunter - łowca talentów/głów
sb is a must - ktoś musi się koniecznie pojawić, ktoś musi być gdzieś obowiązkowo
industrial - przemysłowy
organizational psychology - tu: psychologia pracy
therefore - zatem
psych - tu: psychologia
in the most general sense - mówiąc najogólniej, w najogólniejszym tego słowa znaczeniu
to collapse - upaść, zawalić się
inefficient - nieudolny
conditions - warunki
R&D (research and development) - badania i rozwój (dział spółki)
to define - określać, definiować
biotech - biotechnologie
pharma - przemysł farmaceutyczny
to code - tu: programować
to troubleshoot - rozwiązywać problemy, usuwać usterki
significant - znaczÄ…cy
decline - upadek, pogorszenie siÄ™
steady pace - stała prędkość/tempo
talent - tu: osoby utalentowane
sought after - poszukiwany
to command sth - cieszyć się czymś, dysponować czymś
compared to sth - w porównaniu do czegoś
practitioner - osoba praktykująca (dany zawód)
to value sth - cenić coś
expertise - biegłość, znawstwo
physician - lekarz (US)
to treat sth - leczyć coś
to prevent sth - zapobiegać czemuś
injury - rana, uraz
to supervise - nadzorować, sprawować pieczę
to run tests - wykonywać/przeprowadzać testy
to form - tworzyć, podawać
diagnose - diagnoza
to perform - wykonywać
to advise on sth - radzić komus w sprawie czegoś, doradzać
to prescribe - wypisywać receptę (na lek)
lucrative - lukratywny
somewhat - nieco, trochÄ™
registered nurse - pielęgniarka dyplomowana
surgeon - chirurg
audiologist - audiolog, audiofonolog
actuary - aktuariusz
mathematician - matematyk
statistician - statystyk
to make sth up - składać się na coś, współtworzyć
almanac - almanach, przewodnik
to enter sth - wkraczać w coś
accurate - precyzyjny, trafny
graduate - absolwent studiów
enter… - i oto…
to conduct sth - przeprowadzić coś
new hire - nowo zatrudniona osoba, nowy pracownik
to reveal - ujawniać, pokazywać
oversaturation - nadmierne wysycenie
to track sth - śledzić coś, prześledzić
median - średni (matematycznie)
to differ from sth - różnić się od czegoś
perspective - perspektywa, spojrzenie
means of sth - metoda/metody na coÅ›
storage - przechowanie
exchange - wymiana
app - aplikacja (np. mobilna)
cloud - przetwarzanie „w chmurze”
capacity - pojemność
related to sth - powiÄ…zany z czymÅ›
X and the like - X i temu podobni
ambiguous - niejednoznaczny
to have little in common with sth - mieć niewiele wspólnego z czymś
to fulfil - wypełniać (UK)
complex - skomplikowany
manufacturing - produkcja
ergonomics - ergonomia, wygoda użytkowania
safety - bezpieczeństwo
to combine sth with sth - łączyć coś z czymś
interdisciplinary - interdyscyplinarny
approach - podejście
coupled with sth - w parze z czymÅ›
background - wykształcenie, poprzednie środowisko lub doświadczenie
hot commodity - chodliwy/gorÄ…cy towar
scope - skala, zakres
aside from sth - poza czymÅ›
state licensing - licencja wydawana przez państwo/urząd
to vary - róznić się
body - organ, urzÄ…d
recovering - odzyskujący siłę/sprawność, zdrowiejący
compared to sth - w porównaniu do czegoś
extensive - szeroki, rozległy
to expect - spodziewać się, oczekiwać
to undergo sth - poddawać się czemuś, przechodzić (przez) coś
board of nursing - rada ds. kwalifikacji pielęgniarskiej
via - za pośrednictwem
to last - trwać
Associate Degree - tytuł licencjata (US)
offshoot - odłam, odgałęzienie
purview - zakres obowiązków
standalone - oddzielny, autonomiczny
applicant - ubiegajÄ…cy siÄ™
proven - udowodniony, poparty dowodami
testable - sprawdzalny
executive - dyrektor, członek ścisłego kierownictwa spółki
to sit at the top of the pile - zajmować posadę na szczycie
to have a say in sth - mieć prawo głosu w czymś, mieć coś do powiedzenia w czymś
turbulent - burzliwy
the next big thing - kolejna wielka rzecz, kolejny hit
flop - klapa, porażka
unfilled - niewypełniony (np. wakat)
hence - stÄ…d
noteworthy - godny uwagi
arguably - możliwe
latter - ten drugi, ten ostatni
respectively - odpowiednio
privileged - uprzywilejowany
now's as good time as any… - jeÅ›li nie teraz, to kiedy…, teraz jest najlepsza okazja, aby…
to take the plunge - dać nura
to pave the way for sth - utorować czemuś drogę, przygotować (się) na coś

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