For many people the economy is still wreaking havoc on their financial security. And while unemployment maybe stabilizing there are still many people who continue to look for work. But some people may not be opening their eyes to see great opportunities when they’re right in front them.

Forbes recently released its list of the Top 10 Best-Paying Blue-Collar jobs and if you’re looking to switch careers this list could be a great jumping off point. According to Forbes most of these jobs do require some lid of training and some even up to a four-year apprenticeship.

Topping the list is Elevator installer and repairer with a nice sized salary of $67.950 a year. Sadly missing from the list this year is Construction worker as the real estate and construction industries still try to recover from the deep slump both industries feel into with the down economy.

Bluecollarjobs.com is a great site to visit and you can even open up the phone book and start making some cold calls to find out the requirements if any of these jobs look like they may be of interest to you. And remember when looking for work the two most important things to remember id to keep your eyes AND mind open.

Many people remain out of work right now even as unemployment continues to levels off. And as spring slowly begins to turn into summer a whole new slew of seasonal jobs are opening up. But you don’t have to look towards construction and retail seasonal jobs to fill your time.  There are a lot of summer jobs out there that will allow having fun as well as making an extra few bucks.

These are not jobs that would by any means sustain a household alone or last much further past the summer, but they will help you bring in extra money while enjoying the summer. And if your kids were out of school as well, some of these suggestions would even allow bringing your kids with you, eliminating the need for daycare.

Here is a list of jobs to help bring you through the summer season.

• Landscaper – You do not need to be a brain surgeon to landscape, but you do need to have a good eye, the soul of an artist and a very green thumb. If you know someone who landscapes start by calling them. Otherwise just go down the list of local landscapers and ask if they’re hiring. This is their busiest season by far and many landscapers will be looking for a few extra bodies to help take up the slack.
• Hotel/Resort – In many parts of the world this is soon to be the busiest travel time of the year. If you are in the position to do so, think about traveling to spend the summer working at a hotel or resort. Or if you live nearby a fairly trendy tourist destination start by calling around locally.
• Amusement Park – Once again this is the beginning of the season for many theme parks or at least the busiest time for parks open year round. This idea may seem a little odd for some, but spending your days in the sun isn’t a bad way to spend them.
• Childcare – Many daycares open up their doors to school age children during the summer, increasing the need for more help. Also there may be families in your area who are looking for someone to watch their kids for the summer. This is another great way to make some extra money without leaving the comfort of your own home. Remember though, if you start watching more than one family’s children in your home you need to look into licensing yourself as a daycare facility. But if you just stick with one family you are exempt from licensing.
• Summer Camps – Whether it be the traditional full summer camp experience in the mountains somewhere or the shorter day camps via your local parks and recreation district, this is a constant source of summer jobs. One that will allow you to enjoy your summer and possibly even bring your kids depending on the age and the camp.

If you do have to find quick work for the summer why not make the best of it and do something fun? Good luck!

It seems that the currents state of unemployment seems to be continually fluctuating. Trends continue to change and grow with the publication of each new report. And of course those trends can depend greatly on not only what industry you work in but of course the area in which you live.

Indeed.com recently released a report that showed a list of 50 cities and how hard it is to find a job in each one. The report shows just how competition can vary greatly depending on where it is your looking for work.

This isn’t the first time we’ve talked here on the Ntroduction blog about which Metropolitan areas are the easiest to look for work in and this list isn’t to far off from what those results were a few months ago. But what’s interesting to examine while looking at these numbers is the actual ratio between the job postings for each area versus each unemployed person.

It can give you a much clearer picture of what you may be up against, or not be up against, depending on where you live.

The top 5 most competitive markets and their job posting per unemployed persons are,

• Las Vega, NV            1:7
• Sacramento, CA            1:7
• Los Angeles, CA            1:8
• Detroit, MI            1:9
• Miami, FL            1:9

The top 5 least competitive markets were,

• Washington, D.C.            1:1
• San Jose, CA            1:2
• Baltimore, MD            1:2
• New York, NY                        1:2
• Salt Lake City, UT            1:2

If the area you live in falls into one of the more competitive markets be sure and read through some of our posts here on the Ntroduction blog to find ways you can stand above the competition. And of course be sure and check out the full results at Indeed.com
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