Fast Company's Top Jobs list for 2007 takes a look at 10 of the most sought-after positions in some of the fastest growing U.S. industries.

This year, we followed in the footsteps of the creative and indomitable Fast Company reader. Our readers don't wait for the Department of Labor to tell them what fields are hot -- they start their own trends, and develop their own businesses and jobs.

In the spirit of blazing one's own trail, we spoke with trend forecasters to determine which careers will be the most popular in the coming year. Gerald Celente, Publisher of the Trends Journal, along with the team at TrendsResearch.com provided us with details on which industries are growing the fastest. Armed with statistics on industry competitiveness and job availability supplied by Monster.com, this year's list has been compiled with the forward-thinking attitude of the Fast Company reader and the professions listed.

Each job listing contains and explanation of the position, why it's hot for 2007, and suggestions for further topical reading from Fast Company articles from the past year. Some positions have a tech focus, some are design based, but they all share common ground: It takes a creative soul with an endless amount of determination and innovation to thrive in these fields. This year, Fast Company salutes its readers who brave the challenge of the "what if" with the list of top professions destined for success in 2007.

Experience Designer: These talented individuals work in the retail industry, creating the essence and aura of a store. Experience designers go beyond the look of a place, creating a unique experience in which shoppers can immerse themselves. From cellular boutiques to the American Girl doll store on New York's Fifth Avenue, the shops created by an experience designer are often considered works of art; mini universes unto themselves. Experience designers are involved in every aspect of creation -- from choosing accent colors on walls to slanting the windows in the right direction. The next time you go into a boutique and you feel as if you've just had an "experience" -- you have, and someone went to a lot of trouble to make you feel at home.


Medical Researcher: It's no news that what's on the forefront of medicine is on the forefront of America's collective mind. Researchers of cancer, Alzheimers, and the developers of prosthetics are the most coveted titles in the healthcare industry. With the aging baby boomer population, the need for cures and treatment plans is both paramount and profitable. Major developments aren’t only taking place in medicine, but also in the way doctors file medical records. Individuals with the know-how and creative juice to mix tech with medicine can expect seven figure salaries in the year ahead.

Web Designer: What's new about web designers? We already know they have cool jobs, working as the creative arm behind highly trafficked websites. But Trendsresearch.com reports that the profession is still in its adolescent phase, and for 2007 it's going to be a new era of web design. Monster.com charts a 26 percent growth rate in this field for the past year, which will continue to blossom for the coming year.

Security Systems Engineer: Monster.com reports that individuals in the protective services industry can expect a rise in demand and salary for 2007. Advances in Vegas-Casino like security systems and satellite maps are helping to wire the world for defense. Individuals with a head for engineering and computers can easily expect a six-figure salary in this industry. From sonar imaging to keystroke identification, keeping our country and our world safer has never been easier or more profitable.

30 Hot Jobs Recruiters are Hiring forNow

When job seekers hear the words "staffing firm," they tend to think three things: costly, part time and low wages. In most cases, staffing agencies are just the opposite. In fact, anyone can make his or her next career move by partnering with a staffing agency at no cost and for any position.

"Staffing agencies work with candidates for all types of positions at every level of organizations, from the face that greets you at the reception desk to the manager who is your main point of contact, right up to the CEO," says Loren King Shields, director of e-business strategy at Select Staffing, a California-based recruitment firm.

Unfortunately, recruitment, a $92 billion industry, is virtually untouched by job seekers. Forty percent of job candidates are unable to name a single staffing firm from memory and only 20 percent have used a staffing firm in their most recent job search, according to a recent study by CareerBuilder.com and the Inavero Institute for Service Research.

Instead, job seekers are utilizing other resources in their search for employment. The average candidate uses up to four different sources in his or her search and only 4 percent of people turn to recruiters as their first method, according to the survey.

It behooves job candidates, however, to use staffing agencies in their job searches because of their unique relationships with companies.

Rick Gray, senior vice president of marketing and communications for Hudson, a global staffing firm, says his firm makes a genuine effort to build lasting relationships with candidates to "help find the right role in helping them fulfill their career aspirations and to better match their skills and knowledge, development objectives and cultural or work orientation with specific client needs."

Benefits of using a recruitment firm

One benefit is that most agencies possess unique relationships with Fortune 500 firms, says Jay Rogers, vice president of recruiting for Think Resources, an engineering placement firm.

"Large companies have more money and less time to spend finding talented candidates for open positions," Rogers says. "Fortune 500s frequently hire staffing companies because [they] afford them a greater deal of efficiency for a minimal cost. Second to your father being the VP of human resources, a staffing firm may be the best way to get your foot in the door."

Additionally, DeLynn Senna, executive director of permanent placement services in North America for Robert Half International, says staffing firms offer candidates the advantage of having a partner in their job search.

"By working with a staffing firm, job seekers can learn about opportunities they might not be able to find on their own. Through their connections in the business community, recruiters often know about openings before they are advertised," Senna says. Additionally, recruiters can help enhance your résumé and interviewing skills.

Along with learning about unknown opportunities, Josie Huber, director of sourcing and recruiting for Kelly Services, a world leader in human resources solutions, says job seekers might find work in industries they might not have looked at before.

"Often, job seekers are focused on finding a job only within their specific area or skill set and may fail to recognize the transferable skills they possess for another type of job or within a different industry," Huber says. "Staffing firms can assist job seekers in identifying their strengths, along with how to successfully communicate those attributes to a prospective employer."

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