Surprisingly Sexy Jobs: Five 'Under the Radar' Careers for Recent College Grads

By Brian Weed

College students graduating in 2017 will enter the strongest entry-level job market in years, and small to medium employers of 500 employees or less are creating most of these jobs. Opportunities abound for this year’s graduating class, particularly in industries dealing with an aging workforce and growth-oriented fields like healthcare and technology.

Unfortunately, both grads and the employers that want to hire them are suffering from an inefficient entry-level hiring process, particularly for industries that lack the sex appeal of the latest hot startup. But even young workers without a burning desire to work in one of these industries get excited when they realize their skills can lead to career success, advancement, and attractive salaries.

Here are five industries looking to hire Class of 2017 grads right now, along with the skills and experiences that job seekers can leverage to transform an entry-level job into a dream career:

Insurance

Companies focused on property and casualty business insurance have a dire need for new blood, with nearly one in four workers in the industry slated for retirement in 2018. Well-paying entry-level positions in underwriting, claims adjusting, actuarial sciences, brokerage, and other functions are perfect for inquisitive young hires, particularly those with analytical and problem-solving skills: Think Sherlock, only with numbers and risk calculations.

Perfect for: Graduates with degrees in one of the social sciences—particularly psychology, sociology, or anthropology—tend to find the greatest success and satisfaction in the insurance field, where there is opportunity for rapid advancement and a chance to solve business challenges on a daily basis

Healthcare

Regulatory compliance and an aging population will make healthcare a high-growth industry for years to come, offering young grads a level of stability that can be rare in entry-level roles. Interesting entry-level positions with health insurers, healthcare providers, and benefits brokers and administrators are available now. Not only are these jobs relatively secure, they’re also fulfilling; healthcare impacts everyone, and even entry-level positions can have a noticeable impact on people’s lives and livelihoods.

Perfect for: 2017 grads with academic backgrounds in marketing, communications, English, and psychology can be particularly valuable to healthcare organizations, as they are highly adaptable and adept at managing complex relationships.

Financial services

The abundant job opportunities in banking and finance will have 2017 grads shouting, “Show me the money!” From payment processing to asset management and private equity, financial firms offer excellent opportunities for young workers to align their personal passions with professional success. Careers in finance can also be exceptionally fulfilling, as entry-level workers can help families plan for retirement, assist civil servants in growing their pension funds, and even aid their own peers in achieving financial freedom and independence.

Perfect for: Not just business or finance majors; college grads with seemingly non-traditional backgrounds in music, fine arts, or foreign languages are encouraged to apply. These job seekers often possess the meticulous nature and patient temperament needed for successful careers in finance.

Logistics

If you bought it, a truck (or train or airplane) brought it. The entire American economy depends on efficient inventory management systems and transportation networks. How else could Amazon deliver laundry detergent to your door within two hours of ordering? E-commerce has driven rapid growth in the logistics field, with the most important segments—third-party logistics (3PL) brokers and asset-based shippers (trucking companies, railroads, etc.)—leading the charge for hiring entry-level workers.

Perfect for: Grads from just about any liberal arts discipline, but especially the most analytical social sciences like geography, archaeology, political science, and even urban planning will succeed in this fast-moving industry and enjoy making a real impact on business success throughout the world economy.

Software applications

Familiarity and comfort with technology is one enormous advantage for today’s entry-level worker. All industries are continuing to automate essential business systems, and the demand for coders and software developers is well known, leading to high demand for students with computer science degrees. But these companies also need tech-savvy young hires to translate “geek speak” to a non-technical audience, which is where liberal arts grads can play a compelling role in filling software sales, implementation, training, and technical support positions.

Perfect for: Grads with degrees in communications, economics, and English are perfect fits for these crucial, often customer-facing roles that can offer a higher degree of autonomy and flexibility than other entry-level jobs.

The entry-level job market continues to change rapidly, and this year’s graduating class must be ready to seize every opportunity. Luckily for today’s job seekers, there’s abundant potential to match skill, experience, and passion with surprisingly exciting, lucrative, and fulfilling careers in fields they never knew existed.