Ah, 2004. U.S. unemployment was a mere 6% and the average home price reached $264,540. 2004 was a time when many people lived well and earned more. Well today, many industries are either down and out, or out altogether, and many cities throughout the U.S. still have high unemployment rates. Silicon Valley is an exception.

Bloomberg reports that Silicon Valley employers rebounded from the recession by adding 12,300 positions in 2010, though the total number of jobs is only back to 2004 levels, according to an annual economic report on the region.

The study, released Februray 14, 2011, by Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network and Silicon Valley Community Foundation, also found per- capita income stabilized last year, at $62,400 — the same level as in 2005. Meanwhile, the region is still reeling from cutbacks in government jobs and programs, according to the report.

“The good news is the private sector is doing its thing — don’t ask me how they’re doing it, they’re defying gravity,” Russell Hancock, chief executive officer of Joint Venture, a nonprofit group in San Jose, California, said in an interview. “The problem is the public sector is slammed.”

Google Inc., Facebook Inc. and a new crop of social- networking startups are stepping up hiring, helping offset government cuts and the shift of computer-hardware jobs to lower-cost regions. Google is adding 6,000 jobs worldwide this year, and Facebook plans to boost its workforce by 50 percent annually. The social-networking giant will move its headquarters to Menlo Park from nearby Palo Alto to accommodate the growth.

One of the companies adding employees was Apple, Inc. The Cupertino, California-based company increased its workforce by 36 percent California-based to 46,600 as of September 2010. Apple also reported having 2,800 full-time temporary workers and contractors around this time, up from 2,500 in 2009.

Christine Owens, executive director of the National Employment Law Project, promotes jobs for lower-wage workers. She, along with worker advocates, claims that employers are screening out job applicants who are unemployed.

Owens said a telephone company in Atlanta, which she didn’t identify, ran an help-wanted ad saying only the employed should apply. Jobless applicants were also turned down by a temporary staffing firm and a Texas recruiter because they were unemployed, she said.

“What’s startling are the lengths to which companies are going to communicate this such as including the phrase ‘unemployed candidates will not be considered’ right in the posting,” she said.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is investigating similar claims after media reports revealed that some employers are keeping applicants without jobs from being considered. The practice has also raised concerns about discrimination. Still, many others feel that the practice just doesn’t exist.

The Society for Human Resource Management, which represents more than 250,000 personnel managers, is “unaware of widespread recruiting practices” that exclude the jobless, said Fernan R. Cepero, representing the Alexandria, Virginia-based group.

Applicants who have been out of work may struggle because their skills are more obsolete than those who are employed, said Cepero, vice president for human resources at the YMCA of Greater Rochester in New York.

If you feel you have been discriminated against by an employer, contact the EEOC at 1.800.669.4000 or email info@eeoc.gov.

Just when you thought the workplace was supposed to be for, well—work, someone comes along and says otherwise. Lois P. Frankel, Ph.D. and author of Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office 101: Unconscious Decisions Women Make That Sabotage Their Career, claims that workers need to build relationships on the job in order to advance their careers. She also mentions that it only takes 5% of your day, which is around 20 minutes or so a day, to build strong 360-degree relationships. How? Frankel provides the following tips on how to work on relationship building without neglecting your responsibilities at work:

-Take a moment to compliment someone on a particular accomplishment.
-During a business phone call.
-On the way to or from the parking lot.
-Over lunch (even if it’s lunch at your desk).
-Before, during or after a meeting.
-In a brief doorway conversation.
-After work at professional association meetings.

If you’re confused about how this can help advance your career in today’s shaky workplace, it’s probably a good idea to pick up a copy of Frankel’s book. Let us know what you think.

Two of the fastest growing careers in the world are software engineers and network systems analysts. These and other technology driven careers continue to grow even as other careers dwindle, while even more have all but died. This stable and growing career field also offers some of the highest salaries in the U.S. In fact, the average computer scientist earns a cool $86,000 per year. This is higher than 33% of all careers nationwide. 

The technology industry is always on the lookout for new talent, so if you think you might be interested in a career in this field, you can get started by choosing a focus area, then enroll in a computer science degree program. Major areas of study include software and hardware engineering, computer systems analysis, database administration, computer and information systems, computer science, operations research analysis, mathematics, an atmospheric science, computer science teacher, and video game design. Bachelor’s and master’s degrees are offered in these areas, and some institutions even offer Ph.D. depending on the focus area.

Aspiring technology professionals can also opt for a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with a concentration in any of the areas listed above. The standard curriculum for a B.S. in Computer Science typically requires 360 units or 124 credit hours divided into the following sections:

-Computer Science
-Mathematics/Probability
-Engineering and Natural Sciences
-Humanities and Arts
-Required Minor
-Free Electives

Major courses may include introduction to data structures, principles of programming, introduction to computer systems, algorithm design and analysis, foundations of software engineering, database applications, computational discrete mathematics, computer networks, and probability and computing.

To find the best schools for computer science majors, visit Princetonreview.com or U.S. News & World Report college rankings. These popular college directories are a reliable source of information about the nation’s best programs. If you decide to use other sources and you find several schools that sound interesting, make sure you do some research of your own. Make sure the school is accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, as employer’s prefer candidates with a degree from an accredited school. You can check the accreditation status for any school in the U.S. at www.ed.gov.

You may have noticed that there are fewer people working at reception desks, in administrative positions, at checkout counters, and in factories, and more computers are popping up in their place. Self-service check-out, and computers and robots that can do everything from sort mail to assemble a car, have all but eliminated millions of jobs around the world—and the trend is expected to continue.

A whopping  300,000 administrative jobs alone disappeared between 2004-2009 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and it projects “continued contraction throughout the next decade.” File clerk positions are expected to decline 23 percent, and according to a recent Forbes article, technology has put postal service mail sorters on the chopping block as well. After losing nearly 57,000 jobs between 2004 and 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects a further 30 percent decline in this occupation by 2018.

“The kinds of jobs that are disappearing are the jobs that pay really well (for) relatively unskilled workers,” says Harry Holzer, Ph.D., Georgetown University economist and co-author of “Where Are All The Good Jobs Going.” He lists manufacturing jobs as a leading example, saying that well-paid assembly jobs that require modest training and only a high school diploma or less are a thing of the past.

So where did all the good jobs go? “The combination of technological advancement and off-shoring has shrunk these jobs,” says Holzer.

The following list represents only a few of the world’s dying occupations. Many more are expected to kick the bucket in the coming years.

-Computer Operators: declined by 31% from 2004-2009

-Radio Operators: declined by 43% from 2004-2009

-Carpenters: declined by 17% from 2004-2009

-Stage Performers: declined by 61% from 2004-2009

-Holistic Healers: declined by 44% from 2004-2009

-Telemarketers: 15% decline by 2018

-Door-To-Door Salespeople: 11% decline by 2018

-Photo Processors: 24% decline by 2018

-Seamstress: 34% decline by 2018

There are many reasons to sign up with a temp agency. You might need supplemental income, you might work while you look for job, or maybe you want to get your foot in the door at a top company. Whatever your reason for signing with a temp agency, you can count on plenty of assignments to choose from once you become a member of the temp talent pool.

According to a recent Los Angeles Times article, many temp agencies report that business has been on the rise since around September of 2010 and according to the American Staffing Association, the number of temporary workers jumped 25%, to an average of 2.6 million a day, in the third quarter of 2010 compared with the same period a year earlier. One Torrance, CA staffing agency owner even stated that sales on the temporary-employment side of her business, which accounts for about 70% of her revenue, were up 8% in 2010 compared with the year before. So why all the interest in temporary workers?

Agencies that provide temporary staffing are benefiting from the fact that companies are feeling more optimistic about their short-term prospects but not confident enough to add permanent workers.

“The new reality is people have been much more resistant to bringing on permanent employees than they have been in the past because of the uncertainty of where the economy is going,” said Michael Neidle, president of Optimal Management, a San Mateo, Calif., consulting firm for small- and medium-size staffing companies.

Neidle estimated that temporary workers would make up 4% of the workforce within three years, from a low of 1.65% before the recession.

If you’re looking for an agency, visit Net-Temps.com to locate temporary staffing agencies in your area. Many staffing agencies can also help you find permanent employment.

Employers consider many factors when assessing a candidate for employment, but two of the most important factors are experience and education. These two factors may determine whether or not the company will hire you and how much they will pay. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, bachelor’s degree holders earn nearly twice as much as workers with a high school diploma. Bachelor’s degree holders typically earn 15-30 percent more than associate’s degree holders during their working lifetime.

While associate degree holders may earn less than bachelor degree holders (overall), unemployment rates for all college degree levels are significantly less than rates for individuals with no college experience at all. The unemployment rate for individual’s with less than a high school diploma was 14.5 percent for 2010. For individuals with a high school diploma (but no college), the unemployment rate was 10.8 percent for 2010. For associate degree holders the unemployment rate was 8.2 percent and for bachelors, masters, professional, and doctoral degree holders, the unemployment rate was 4.9 percent.

Fortunately, there are a number of rewarding careers for individuals with an associate degree. An associate degree can also help you get your foot in the door at top companies. Many associate degree holders work in entry-level positions at top companies while gaining valuable experience in their respective fields. Some associate degree holder’s work in these positions while earning a bachelors degree.

Associate degree holders can find careers in all fields, but many of the top careers for these degree holders are in the medical and technical fields. Because the positions listed below are in the medical and technical fields, the average salaries are higher than most other industries. Just a few high-paying associate degree careers include:

1. Computer Specialist-Support Position ($46,370 per year)
2. Dental Hygienist ($66,570 per year)
3. Diagnostic Medical Sonographer ($61,980 year)
4. Engineering Technician ($42,960-$56,080 per year)
5. Nuclear Technician ($66,660 per year)
6. Radiation Therapist ($72,910 per year)
7. Immigration and Customs Inspectors ($59,930 per year)
8. Loan Officer ($53,000 per year)
9. Paralegal and Legal Assistant ($46,120 per year)
10. Radiologic Technologist/Technician ($52,261 per year)

If you are interested in earning an associate degree, many programs are available both on-campus and online through colleges and universities, community colleges, technical schools, career schools, and specialty schools. Before enrolling in an online associate degree program, check with the U.S. Department of Education to make sure the school is accredited by a recognized accrediting agency. Just a few of the top accrediting agencies include:

-The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
-The Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
-Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS)
-Distance Education Training Council (DETC)
-Council on Occupational Education (COE)
-Accrediting Commission for Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT)
-Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
-National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)
-Council for Interior Design

Recognized Regional Accrediting Agencies

-Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
-New England Association of Schools and Colleges
-North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
-Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
-Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
-Western Association of Schools and Colleges

Yes—they’re out there. You can find a job that pays $80,000 or more if you have the right education and experience. If you are unsure about what you want to do with your life or you are confused about a career switch, money just might motivate you make a decision. So, which careers pay $80K or more? Everything from art directors to veterinarians are on the list, so you just might find something you could be good at or better yet, something you can actually grow to love.

1. Administrative law judges, adjudicators and hearing officers
Do this: Conduct hearings to rule on government-related claims; determine penalties and liability; and help to craft settlements.
Get paid: $80,870

2. Biomedical engineers
Do this: Design and develop devices and procedures to help solve health-related problems. Projects might include information systems, artificial organs or artificial limbs.
Get paid: $81,120

3. Chiropractors
Do this: Diagnose and treat musculoskeletal conditions of the spinal column to prevent disease and alleviate imbalance, pain and pressure believed to be caused by interference with nervous system.
Get paid: $81,340

4. Atmospheric, earth, marine and space sciences teachers, post-secondary
Do this: Teach courses and research topics in the physical sciences, except chemistry and physics.
Get paid: $81,470

5. Agents and business managers of artists, performers and athletes
Do this: Represent and promote their client’s business while handling business matters and contract negotiations.
Get paid: $81,550

6. Materials scientists
Do this: Study the chemical composition of various materials and figure out ways to develop new materials and improve existing ones; also determine ways to use materials in products.
Get paid: $81,600

7. Physician assistants
Do this: Perform health-care services and provide treatment plans under a physician’s supervision.
Get paid: $81,610

8. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
Do this: Research and investigate human diseases and how to improve human health.
Get paid: $81,870

9. Physics teachers, post-secondary
Do this: Teach courses and research topics pertaining to the laws of matter and energy.
Get paid: $81,880

10. Atmospheric and space scientists
Do this: Study the effects the atmosphere has on the environment, most commonly through weather forecasting.
Get paid: $82,080

11. Management analysts
Do this: Figure out best practices of management by conducting studies and procedures to help companies figure out how to operate more effectively.
Get paid: $82,920

12. Producers and directors
Do this: Produce or direct, and make all creative decisions for stage, television, radio, video or motion picture productions.
Get paid: $83,030

13. Biological science teachers, post-secondary
Do this: Teach courses and research topics in biological sciences.
Get paid: $83,270

14. Materials engineers
Do this: Develop new uses for recognized materials, and develop new machinery and processes to make materials for use in specialized products.
Get paid: $84,200

15. Transportation, storage and distribution managers
Do this: Oversee transportation, storage or distribution activities in accordance with governmental policies and regulations.
Get paid: $84,520

Click here to take a look at more $80k  jobs on CareerBuilder.com’s roundup of “30 jobs that pay $80,000.”

Although economists predicted that the unemployment rate would increase to 9.5 percent, the unemployment rate went in the other direction, dropping 9 percent last month from 9.4 percent in December. Many would consider this good news, but a number of skeptical analysts don’t see it this way. The government reported that 36,000 new jobs were created last month—the fewest in four months. And analysts say this might not be a sign that that economic recovery is picking up pace.

Jim O’Sullivan, chief economist at MF Global, said that the market is discounting the big drop in the unemployment rate. “The information value of this report is limited because it was obviously affected by the weather,” he said.

The unemployment rate fell despite the small number of new jobs because some people who are out of work gave up looking for a new job, Mr. O’Sullivan said.

Andrew Wilkinson, senior market analyst at Interactive Brokers, said: “It’s extremely difficult to see beyond the snow to understand today’s data.”

Fortunately, during a recent speech the National Press Club, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the Fed expects the economy to improve this year and inflation to remain low.

A liberal arts degree is such a versatile degree, that it can prepare you for dozens of distinct careers from archaeologist to legislative researcher to United Nations staff. It may be difficult to believe, but this unique degree is nothing new and it has never really been considered an “experimental” or “alternative” degree. Liberal arts study has been around since ancient Greek and Roman times, but liberal arts colleges didn’t begin to multiply in North America until the early 1800s. In medieval European Universities, liberal arts covered seven subject areas including arithmetic, astronomy, geometry, grammar, logic, music, and rhetoric.

Today, there are more than 200 liberal arts colleges across the United States. These liberal arts degree programs promote the study of history, languages, literature, mathematics, philosophy, and science—subjects that form the basis of a general or “liberal” education. Many institutions describe the liberal arts curriculum as the study of three main branches of knowledge including: the social sciences, humanities (literature, language, philosophy, the fine arts, and history), and the physical and biological sciences. In addition to studying the three main branches of knowledge, liberal arts colleges allow students to focus on a particular major. Typical liberal arts majors include:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• History
• Languages (French, German, Russian, Spanish)
• Liberal Studies
• Literature or other Humanities
• Philosophy
• Physics
• Psychology
• Social Sciences
• Sociology

While the liberal arts curriculum is basically the same at all liberal arts colleges, these unique colleges come in all shapes and sizes. Liberal arts colleges may be secular, religiously affiliated, gender-specific, public or private, urban, rural, residential, independent or part of a larger college or university.

Graduates with a liberal arts degree are an attractive option for employers mainly employers feel that liberal arts graduates have developed the skills necessary to deal with today’s evolving career world. Employers also see a liberal arts graduate as an individual that has demonstrated the ability to learn and become successful in today’s working world. Liberal arts graduates have proven that they have the ability to uncover problems, find solutions, and implement them.

Although liberal arts degrees have benefits on a personal, community, and career level, this type of degree also has benefits on a financial level. Liberal arts graduates entering professional fields can expect starting salaries ranging from $38,620 (anthropologists and archaeologists) up to $80,560 (political scientists). Earnings increase significantly with  master of liberal arts degree (MLA).

If you are interested in obtaining a liberal arts degree, you should start by contacting one of the top schools for liberal arts. The following colleges ranked high on U.S. News & World Report’s National Liberal Arts Rankings for 2011.

• Amherst College, Amherst, MA
• Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME
• Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA
• Carleton College, Northfield, MN
• Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, CA
• Davidson College, Davidson, NC
• DePauw University, Greencastle, IN
• Furman University, Greenville, SC
• Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA
• Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA
• Haverford College, Haverford, PA
• Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
• Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA
• Pomona College, Claremont, CA
• Scripps College, Claremont, CA
• Sewanee: University of the South, Sewanee, TN
• Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX
• Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA
• University of Richmond, Richmond, VA
• Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY
• Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA
• Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
• Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
• Willamette University, Salem, OR
• Williams College, Williamstown, MA

For more information about the top liberal arts colleges and universities in the United States, visit U.S. News & World Report rankings for 2011 at http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/liberal-arts-rankings.

Jobs for Liberal Arts Graduates

• Account executive trainee
• Administrative assistant
• Affirmative action officer
• Anthropologist
• Archeologist
• Benefits manager
• Caseworker
• Caseworker
• Choreographer
• City manager
• College recruiting specialist
• Compensation manager
• Compliance officer
• Congressional relations officer
• Congressional staff member
• Consul
• Copywriter
• Cultural affairs officer
• Customer relations officer
• Customs agent
• Customs inspector
• Dancer
• Economic development coordinator
• Employee relations officer
• Employment interviewer
• Exporter
• Foreign language teacher
• Foreign service
• Fund raising/development
• Geographer
• Historian
• Immigration agent
• Importer
• Intelligence officer
• Interpreter/translator
• Investigator
• Job analyst
• Labor relations manager
• Labor relations researcher
• Legislative analyst
• Legislative assistant (federal, state & local)
• Legislative researcher
• Lobbyist
• Media buyer
• Organizational development specialist
• Personnel generalist recruiter
• Politician
• Press relations officer
• Producer
• Program analyst
• Program information officer
• Promoter
• Public affairs officer
• Public relations officer
• Publicity assistant
• Recruiter
• Research assistant
• Researcher
• Researcher
• Sales promoter
• Sociologist
• Speechwriter   
• Stage manager
• Training & education supervisor
• Training specialist
• Travel agent
• United Nations staff