Looking forward, robots may soon start competing for a new array of jobs.  It could take 20 years before a significant displacement in the labor force is evident.  If you are in high school or college, this is something for you to take into consideration.  Your working life will last 30 - 40 years.  To be pushed out of your industry when you are 50 years old is a hard thing to financially recover from.

The next wave of jobs that robots and artificial intelligences are being designed to do are; most warehouse jobs, cargo ships, truck driving, taxi driving, security guards, receptionist, some low level nursing specialties, expert advice to doctors and lawyers.  There was successful experiment this year with IBM's Watson performing the job of magazine editor.  It is reasonable to expect that some restaurant jobs like cooking and busing could become automated.  The result will not be the elimination of job categories, just fewer positions nationwide.

A successful new wave of robots would increase the need for electrical engineers, computer scientist, technicians, mechanical engineers and information security specialists.

I am working on two articles specifically about this.  They will be posted on my Tech Watch blog.


This next section is a repeat from last year's posting.

What most career councilors and colleges fail to tell you is that when you are high school age you really can be anything you set you mind to.  Money to pay for college is you're only challenge if you have reasonable grades.  Reasonable means a B average or better.

Don't know what you want to do with your life?  If you haven't chosen a path by your late twenties, life will pick one for you.  Usually it's not what you want.  Low skilled jobs means low pay with little growth.  By Age, thirty, it is very difficult at best to change your path through life in a significant way.  You can work very hard lifting and carrying in your 20's but by your mid 40's your body can't take the constant strain anymore.

In many sales jobs, commission can vary one's income greatly.  Bartender and waitress have poor hourly wages but can make most of their daily pay in tips if they are on their toes and work for a busy place.  Attractive women often bet better tips then men.

When picking a job, the work schedule can greatly effect your life.  Many people don't want to work nights and weekend.  This can be hard on one's social life.  Nights and weekends are the primary dating times.  3rd shift jobs sometimes pay higher wages.

For a married couple with two children, to own a middle income home and two cars they need at least $60,000 per year (in 2013).

Benefits or the lack there of skews the real income.  The typical benefits are Life and Health insurance, retirement plan and paid vacations.  Two weeks vacation is typical in the United States.  The federal government starts with one week a year and grows to five weeks a year by the middle of one's career.  Teachers have the summer months off.  Many of the large employers will pay for additional college degrees, assuming you pass the courses with a B or better.  My employer paid for my Master's degree.  Although I spend several years going to school at night once my day job had ended, I saw it as a $39,000 bonus.  That was long time ago and I will always command a higher salary because of it.

In some careers, the high end of the pay scale is easy to reach.  Before getting training, ask how easy to get a job?  It depends on the decade and the career.  Currently nurses need experience to get their first job.  Often they get this by volunteering.  A.K.A. working for free for a while.  Medical coders can get $22 per hour with little advanced training but the shortage is over.  There are more people looking for this job than jobs are to be had.

The below chart of jobs with how each pays is to help you make an educated choice about the rest of your life.  61 jobs arranged by low starting pay to high.  In most cases, you will see the projected range for starting to pay to what you might expect if you were nearing retirement today.  The actual pay will vary based on state, city vs. country, big company vs. small business.

$10 an hour is $80 a day.  If 253 days/yr then annual salary is $20,240 (before taxes)

$11 an hour is $88 a day. If 253 days/yr then annual salary is $23,260

$12 an hour is $96 a day. If 253 days/yr then annual salary is $24,288

Federal standard definition of a full time job is currently 1880 hours a year.  If you work at a job with no benefits, you are more likely to work 2024 hours a year, or 253 days.

--------------------------------------------------

If you liked this, you might like my book of ideas how to make a little extra money on the side.  "How to Make an Extra Dollar" is available in paperback, for Kindle  and all other ebook formats.