The week between Christmas and New Year is typically quiet (not dead, just slow).  I use it as a time for an annual and complete office cleaning.  One of the areas I have put off for years was going through old presentations (from my Career Dynamics days . . . . 1989 - 1996) and getting rid of them.  I found some interesting 'dated' material - most of it quickly hit the paper recycling bin.  There was one I held on to.

Labor Market and Career Planning Trends (from America's 50 Fastest Growing Jobs - 1994)

I started reading through the information - part of a larger presentation on trends for the 1990's.  I then pulled up a list from earlier this year (August 2011), JIST Publishing's list of labor market trends and their impact on your career (JIST stands for Job Information Seeking and Training).  The overlap - staggering!

• Education Pays: most good jobs require more/continuing education.  Degrees from years ago are all but obsolete.  It is the continuing education that becomes critical.
• Knowledge of computers and other technologies is increasingly important: all of our areas of expertise can be discussed in terms of technology.  It is no longer necessary to say you are good with the Microsoft Office Suite of products.  Being up-to-date in technology of all sorts is simply critical - and often assumed.
• Career Planning is more important than ever: Laurence Shatkin states, "Most people spend more time watching TV in a week than they spend on career planning during an entire year."  We will all change jobs and careers many times - we should be prepared.

There were other trends as well.

The pundits from 1994 were ahead of their time - or they were stating long-standing rules/predictions.  Most of their other trends and comments focused on what would be AND still are growth areas:

• The service economy is becoming increasingly important.
• Jobs will increase in health care (due to the need for eldercare/home health care).
• Small businesses will become increasingly important.
• Retail trade positions will increase quickly (remember - the Mall of America opened in 1992).

May 2012 be a year to focus on some of the trends/your own development.

Wishing you and yours only the best for 2012 and beyond!