90 HIGHEST-PAYING CAREERS FOR THE 80S

by Anita Gates ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 14, 1984

An occupational outlook handbook--partly derived from the original--that's frank, shrewd, personable. . . and fun to read. ""Extraordinary talent and good timing might even lead you to a million-dollar career as the world's most famous physical therapist, tour guide, or chicken farmer. Some occupations, however, have financial success built right into the job description."" Gates also notes that top show-biz and professional sports salaries have skewed our idea of a good income, and explains averages and medians; her few pointers on ""How to Be Above Average"" speak volumes. (One is ""Study statistics,"" not only computers.) An initial list ranks the 90 highest-paying careers (in the curio line, #12 is Auctioneer); as entries, they're alphabetical. Some information--starting salaries, top-paying specialties, ""competition""--is standardized; but most of the content is descriptive, and non-routine. ""The [ad] agency business has a reputation as chaotic and madly creative, but the account executive has to be just the opposite. . . an organizer with an orderly business mind, someone who can diagnose a business opportunity or problem accurately."" The best bet in anthropology is in the urban field. To become an auctioneer? Go to auctioneering school, but learn a specialty first. (Electrical engineering or art history.) Interior design? ""The ability to handle people well is crucial."" This could serve, therefore, as aptitude-testing. It's also keyed to social trends--with half the US wearing glasses or contacts, and the population aging, ""the optician is one of the nation's fastest-growing careers."" (Re podiatry: ""Fitness is creating new diseases."") For sampling or consulting, guidance or information: a lively compilation of low-down.

Pub Date: Sept. 14, 1984

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Monarch/Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1984

Categories: NONFICTION