Hot jobs: ten fields offer higher earnings and greater security

In an era where informaiton is more valuable than gold, and technology more sophisticated than anyone ever imagined, career choices have never been more varied and exciting. Now, more than ever, there is a need for reliable facts about job prospects and the market.

Blacks who end up with the best jobs started out by identifying their potentialities and by tracking the hot spots in the economy.

For a number of reasons, racism included, Blacks are concentrated in fields where there is no longer any growth, such as the automotive, steel and telephone industries. High-growth fields that will yield greater job security and higher earnings in the '90s are human resources management, the natural sciences, engineering, and sales and marketing.

Whether entering the job market for the first time or considering a career switch, remember that you can't compete without specialized training or a college degree.

The 10 careers featured here are expected to offer good job prospects throughout the decade. Sound career tips are offered by men and women who have made it in these hot fields.

Accounting

Accounting is one of the fastest-growing fields with 300,000 accoutant and auditor's jobs expected to be added by 2000. At least a bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field is required, though many employers prefer candidates with MBAs and a concentration in accounting. McKeever, of Chicago, has more than 30 years of experience as a certified public accountant (CPA). He earned his undergraduate accounting degree from the University of Illinois in 1955 and recently picked up a J.D. in law from the Illinois Institute of Technology. When hiring, he looks for "someone who has done a good job academically, a self-starter who has participated in community and professional organizations enough to know how to meet and deal with the public." McKeever says an ideal candidate also has plans to become a CPA. Accountants must have a high math aptitude, good analytical skills, and should be able to interpret facts and figures quickly. They also need excellent communications skills. Entry-level salaries average between $25,000 and $30,000 depending on education level, while top-management accountants can earn $80,000 or more.

Health Administration

The need for skilled health-care administrators will increase in the '90s. But as the cost of health care becomes prohibitively expensive, the field will become more competitive. Cities with large medical centers and public hospital systems offer the widest range of jobs. Shaw, 43, is responsible for 2,700 employes who work for "The Med," a health-care facility averaging 22,000 admissions per year and 200,000 outpatients. Shaw draws on 12 years of health-care management experience and an energetic personality. The job, she says, requires patience, an intuitive ability, and "a tremendous appreciation for the talents of other people. It is absolutely a people business." Challenges are plentiful in this field and the hours can be long. Administrators work anywhere from 40 to 60 hours per week, and many are on 24-hour call, just like physicians. A master's degree in public health business administration or hospital administration is required. Shaw has undergraduate degrees in nursing and human resources development, and an MBA. Some of the highest-paid chief operating officers at large medical facilities earn well over $100,000.

Architecture

Harris, 47, heads the largest Black architecture firm in Atlanta. He enterd the field because of its creative potential, but he warns: "It's not for everybody; it's within your or it isn't." The attrition rate for the average incoming class of architecture students, he says, is 60 percent. "You must have the ability to conceive a concept in your head and draw and design it," he says. "You must have strong math skills and be able to write well in order to promote and sell your concept." A career in architecture requires perseverance, for the years of training are lengthy. Accredited college programs offer five-year bachellor of architecture programs and six-year master of architecture programs. Before applying for a registerd architect license, graduates must complete three years of training as an apprentice. With little or no experience, architects earn about $25,000 to $30,000, while an experienced principal in a larger firm earns upward of $70,000. Harris is proud of his staff of 20 architects, two of whom are Black women. "There aren't a lot of those around," he says.

Computer Science

Employment opportunities in the high-tech field of computers will continue to grow throughout the decade as aging baby-boomers reach retirement age. Demand for programmers, systems analysts and software developers will be particularly strong. Walker, 38, works closely with marketing representatives at his firm in Akron, Ohio, to ensure that computer customers get the results they need from the systems they purchase, and that their software problems are resolved. Walker has bachelor's and master's degrees in economics from the University of Akron, with concentrations in mathematics. Though computer science experts should be academically strong in math and science, Walker says employers look for specialized degrees today. He says diverse personalities are needed in the