Careers Finding a Job Good Jobs With High Projected Growth and Openings Print PeopleImages / E+ / Getty Images Finding a Job Job Searching Job Listings Skills & Keywords Resumes Salary & Benefits Letters & Emails Job Interviews Cover Letters Career Advice Best Jobs Work-From-Home Jobs Internships Table of Contents Expand Good Jobs With High Projected Growth and Openings Largest Number of Projected New Jobs Jobs With Expected Fastest Growth Research Your Job Options Consider Short-Term Training Programs By Alison Doyle Updated on 08/08/19 Whether you're just starting your career or you're looking for a job change, it can be helpful to review a list of "good jobs." What makes a job a good one? Of course, a good job for one person may not be good for someone else. However, good jobs are simply jobs that allow you to reach your financial goals, come with reasonable employment benefits, bring you personal fulfillment, and benefit your society. To be a good and sustainable job, projected growth in that job must be high, and there needs to be an opening that you can fill. When making a career choice, you should factor in your skills, interests, values, and personality in order to find a job that's a good match. Good Jobs With High Projected Growth and Openings The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists jobs in both growth categories: an opening and a strong indication that demand for that job will continue to grow. Some jobs require training, and others don't. For example, food service workers, home care aides, and janitors/cleaners are all on the list of jobs with the greatest number of openings and for which short-term, on-the-job training is provided. Those are also examples of jobs wherein you don't need a college education or additional training beyond a high school diploma or GED. At the other end of the spectrum are the jobs that require advanced degrees and certifications. A physician assistant, for example, typically has two years of postgraduate training and a master's degree. These are specialized jobs, and while it may take longer to become qualified, it is typically a more fulfilling and financially lucrative line of work. Here are the lists, with projections from the BLS for the decade of 2016-2026, for jobs where the outlook is strong over the next several years. Largest Number of Projected New Jobs If you're looking for a career in an industry with the highest number of projected new positions, consider one of the following jobs. Personal care aides Food preparation and serving workers, including fast food Registered nurses Home health aides Software developers Janitors and cleaners General and operations managers Laborers and material movers Medical assistants Waiters/waitresses Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants Construction laborers Restaurant cooks Accountants and auditors Market research analysts and marketing specialists Customer service representatives Landscaping and groundskeeping workers Medical secretaries Management analysts Maintenance and repair workers Jobs With Expected Fastest Growth If you prefer a career in a pioneer, booming industry, with expected fast growth, where you are likely to not be the only new hire, you may want to choose one of the following, newly-created jobs. Solar installers Wind turbine service technicians Home health aides Personal care aides Physician assistants Nurse practitioners Statisticians Physical therapy aides Software developers Occupational therapy assistants Mathematicians Bicycle repairers Genetic counselors Medical assistants Physical therapist assistants Information security analysts Physical therapists Operations research analysts Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists Massage therapists Research Your Job Options While several jobs may sound attractive to you right away, take your time and research the required skills and experience you need for each one you find appealing. Many of the listed careers require additional studies, whether it's as simple as a several-week course on learning how to drive a truck or years of schooling to become a veterinarian. How much time you'll need to invest in acquiring the necessary skills will likely be an important factor when choosing your new career. Be sure to also check what is entailed in each job. Being a registered nurse, for example, and caring for people may sound appealing, but if you hate math and paperwork, you'll likely be disappointed at how much of an R.N.'s day is spent calculating medication doses and keeping charts up to date. If you're just beginning your career or looking for a change, start the career planning process to help discover job options that are a good fit for your personality, your skill set, and your experience to date. Consider Short-Term Training Programs If you're lacking the skills you need, consider a short-term training program or an apprenticeship program to help you gain the skills you need to get hired quickly. For some positions, a trade school education or community college may be sufficient to start a career. There are plenty of career options that don't require a four-year college degree. How to Find Job Listings To locate these job openings, use job search engines to search by keyword or job title, e.g., retail sales and the location where you want to work. Searching for jobs by location is a really good idea if you are unable or unwilling to move to a new career opportunity in another city/state. There are several great sites you can use to search for job listings.