#10: Customer Service Manager

You always go the extra mile. You're always smiling. You love finding solutions to difficult problems. You are always brightening someone's day. You love to take care of people. You're good at developing relationships. You're often the mediator when conflict arises.

Does this sound like you? If so, you have the skills to be an excellent customer service manager!

Customer service managers hire, train and manage members of the customer service department. Customer service managers often work on the front lines, resolving customer complaints and working to establish and maintain customer relationships.

In today's increasingly competitive market, companies are fighting to keep their existing customers. In fact, 86 percent of small-business owners said they have placed extra emphasis on offering quality customer service during the tough economic times.

Therefore, the job market for customer service managers is booming. This year, there will be 797 customer service manager openings in Indiana alone. The average salary is about $46,000.

How to become a Customer Service Manager

Some employers require an associates or bachelors degree, but most employers are more concerned with a proven record of providing excellent customer service.

At Ivy Tech, you can get an Associates Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Business Management. You may also benefit from a concentration in Human Resources Management that would give you a foundation in staff management.

If you have a positive attitude and a lot of patience, consider the growing field of customer service management!

#9: Truck Driver

Just imagine: you're sitting in a big rig with the windows down, stereo turned up, and no boss breathing down your neck. Just you and the open road.

There are many pros and cons to truck driving. Some people love the unstructured work enviornment, traveling all over the country, and the camraderie among fellow drivers ("10-4 good buddy!") Others wouldn't dream of spending weeks at a time away from home. The physical requirements of the job should also be taken into consideration.

Truck driving is a growing field in Indiana, with a projected job growth of 15% and 2,030 job openings in Indiana per year. The median salary is $37,600.



How to become a Truck Driver

Ivy Tech's Workforce Economic Development program offers a CDL-A Truck Driver Training program to prepare students for the Indiana CDL examination. If you see yourself advancing within the field, you might want to consider an Associates of Science in Transportation, Logistics, and Management.

To become a truck driver, you must pass the CDL exam and obtain a Commercial Driver's License. You must be 21 years old and pass a physical exam once every two years.

Keep on truckin'.

#8: Postsecondary Teachers

College enrollment rates have skyrocketed since the recession began, as students return to school to retrain for new careers. Thus, there has been a large increase in demand for college and postsecondary teachers.

Ivy Tech alone hired over 825 new faculty members last year to keep up with it's surge in enrollment. The greatest need is for math, science, and nursing teachers.

The average salary for a tenured professor is about $60,000. However, with recent budget cuts, colleges are now hiring mostly part-time faculty or non-tenure track full-time faculty. Colleges are also hiring faculty to teach online courses and these professors need not even step foot on campus.

How to become a Postsecondary Teacher

Most colleges prefer that professors have a Ph.D. and an impressive portfolio of research and published work. However, some colleges will hire faculty with a masters degree and teaching experience.

If you would like to become a college professor, the first step is figuring out what subject you would like to teach. Start by getting your Associates of Science in your field of interest, and then go on to get your bachelors, masters, and doctoral degree in the field. Be sure to participate in research opportunities while in school in order to build your portfolio of published work.

Whether you are passionate about French, Geography, or the History of Rock 'n' Roll, your expertise and knowledge are needed in Indiana postsecondary education.

#7: Computer Systems Analyst

A local school corporation would like to integrate more advanced technology into the classroom, but it's not sure what software it needs or whether it can afford it. Enter the computer systems analyst.

The computer systems analyst may be referred to as the "IT guy" where you work. Unfortunately, this is still a primarily male-dominated field. 80 percent of all computer systems analysts are male.

Computer systems analysts consult with an organization's managers and users to define the goals of a computer system and then design a system to meet those goals. They use structured analysis, data modeling, information engineering, mathmatical model building, sampling, and accounting in their analysis and design.

The average pay in Indiana is about $67,000 and job prospects are excellent. This growing field provides excellent opportunities for advancement to those that are technically-savy problem solvers and are interested in science, technology, engineering, and math.

How to become a computer systems analyst

At Ivy Tech, you can get an Associates of Science in Computer Information Systems or Computer Information Technology. From there, you can continue on to get a bachelors degree in a similar field such as computer science.

A Day in the Life: Computer Systems Analysts

#5: Accountant

If an accountant's wife can't get to sleep, what does she ask her husband?

"Tell me about work today, dear."

Accountants are often the butt of bad jokes. Many people perceive accounting to be dull and monotonous work that requires being confined to a cubicle. As the world evolves, so does the profession of accounting.


Accountants work on movie sets, for professional sports teams, for the FBI, and in a wide variety of exciting settings. If a company has a balance sheet, it's probably got an accountant.

Nothing is certain but taxes and death. Thus, there will always be a need for accountants. Job growth is expected to increase 17 percent in Indiana, making it number five on Indiana's top ten jobs list. Over the next ten years, there will be 700 accounting job openings in Indiana, and employers often have a hard time finding qualified candidates to fill these positions. The average salary for an account in Indiana is about $56,000.

There are four major fields of accounting: public, managerial, government, and internal auditing. The basic function of an accountant is to ensure that firms are run efficiently, public records kept accurately, and taxes are paid properly and on time.

However, new fields of accounting are emerging. A growing area is forensic accounting, in which accountants investigate white-collar fraud such as money laundering or embezzlement. They use their accounting skills to find out whether someone has "cooked the books." Even the great Al Capone was no match for the mighty accountants that eventually busted him for tax evasion.

How to become an Accountant

Ivy Tech offers a direct path to becoming an accountant. With an Associates of Science in Accounting, you can obtain an entry-level junior accounting position.

If you are interested in advancing in your career, you can continue your education and obtain a bachelors and masters degree in accounting that would qualify you to become a Certified Public Accountant. With this certification you would qualify to work for any of the major accounting firms or in senior positions in major corporations.

The website http://www.startheregoplaces.com/ is a fun, interactive website that may just make you pause the next time you go to tell a joke about accountants.

#4: Registered Nurse

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know about the nursing shortage throughout the nation. In Indiana alone, there are 2,280 job openings per year for registered nurses. Nationwide, it's over 100,000. The pay is not too shabby either; in Indiana the average salary is $56,000.

The job market and salary are certainly appealing, but the job is not for the faint of heart. Nurses are unsung heroes, often working 12-hour shifts and getting stuck with some very unglamorous tasks. If you are a patient, compassionate individual with a strong stomach and a desire to help others, nursing may be your calling.


How to become an RN

Ivy Tech has a nursing program with a stellar reputation. Once you complete your Associates of Science in Nursing, you are qualified to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam and become a certified registered nurse. Chances are you will have no trouble finding a job as an RN with just an associates degree. Employers will often pay for you to go back to school and get your Bachelors of Science in Nursing, and even a masters degree in nursing. Nurse practitioners are also in great demand, with average salaries of around $80,000.

#3: Physician

If only becoming a doctor were as simple as adding "Ph.D" to the end of your name. It requires almost a decade of higher education, but the personal and professional payoffs make it a highly-coveted career.

When you think of a physician, you probably think of your family doctor. If you aren't interested in dealing with the flu viruses and colds of everyday life, there are many other areas of specialization, such as becoming a surgeon, psychiatrist, anestheologist, or OB/GYN.

How to become a Physician

The best way to prepare yourself for med school is with a strong foundation in science and health courses. While medical schools do not require a certain major, they tend to favor students who have taken rigorous courses in biology, chemistry, and anatomy.

If you plan to start your education at Ivy Tech, you might want to check out the Associates Degree in General Studies. The general studies degree allows you to pick most of your own courses, so you could pick which science and health courses you feel would best prepare you for med school, or the classes that would transfer to a bachelors degree. Once you obtain your bachelors degree and get accepted to med school, you will spend four years in med school, and then do a 12-month internship. You then begin your residency, which can last anywhere from 2-6 years.

The amount of school required may seem overwhelming, but it pays off. Not only will you be saving lives, but you'll make six figures doing it.

#2: Management Analyst

Want to make $66,000 a year telling people everything they're doing wrong?

If you find yourself pouring over the Wall Street Journal over coffee every morning, this may be the perfect job for you.

Management analysts serve as experts and consultants in specific areas of expertise. They are often self-employed and hired by executives to analyze and report on how a company can improve it's operations and investments to maximize profits and potential.

There are two types of management analysts: business and financial.

Financial analysts assess a company's financial state and determine the best strategies for investing the company's money. Business analysts consult on the operational side of the business. They sniff out inefficiency in operational procedures and recommend solutions to company executives.

Management analysts: the crime scene investigators of the business world.

How to become a Management Analyst:

Management analysts are often self-employed consultants. Private companies tend to hire analysts with an MBA and several years of experience in the area in which they consult. For example, a marketing firm may hire a management analyst with an MBA in Marketing and several years of experience as a market research analyst.

Start off with an Associates of Science in Business Administration at Ivy Tech. Contact the Transfer Center at Ivy Tech at 317-921-4275 to find out how your credits will transfer to a bachelor's degree in the discipline you wish to consult in, such as finance or human resources.

With a bachelors degree you may qualify for an entry-level position as a research analyst. After working a few years in the field, you can then obtain your MBA and become a self-employed management analyst consultant. The good news is that often experience trumps education in this field. The results you produce in increasing company efficiency will speak louder than an MBA.

The opportunities for advancement for management analysts are endless. Job growth is projected at 24 percent. However, be prepared to fight for these highly desirable jobs, keen competition is expected. The rewards may be worth the fight; 26% are self-employed, and some management analysts make six figure salaries.

Looking at Management Analysts