Future not so bright for new professions

Many new jobs are apparently being created every year in China for three primary reasons: More services are needed because many Chinese people are enjoying a boom in living standards and greater incomes; industries and technology are developing; and traditional sectors are now looking at a division of labor to create jobs.

But where are the jobs coming from? For one thing, the increased wealth of some Chinese people has lead to individuals pursuing spiritual enrichment, personal fulfillment and self-realization, so there are more positions in the services sector, such as an aroma therapist.

Industries are also developing, especially the information technology industry. The Internet sector has expanded from basic website businesses using simple Internet technology, to derivatives business using e-commerce and social networking. New jobs created from business sectors have led to a boom in fields of logistics and advertising.

There is also a greater division of labor. Departments of human resources in many companies, for example, used to be led by a single office director, who took charge of everything. Now this position can be divided into six job functions: Planning, recruiting, training, reviewing, welfare package designing, and contracts managing.

Management in human resources is also being subdivided into internal corporate relations and employer branding communications, creating more jobs.

The same situation is happening in corporate marketing and communications, with the new position of corporate crisis manager in the traditional field of public relations as one such example.

These new jobs may look shiny and pretty but not all of them can stand up to the rigors of the market. The position of hardware engineer, which used to be popular in the jobs market, has met with increasingly tepid responses, according to results published from a survey by the international executive recruitment firm Antal.

The survey sought the opinions of 14,465 individuals in 47 countries. The latest statistics, issued last month, have shown that only 38 percent of the companies are hiring hardware engineers. Although the hiring percentage for this job in China is higher than it is worldwide, I am still worried about whether this new occupation can have a bright future career path.

For new jobs that are fueled by growing needs, we need to analyze whether the need for the job will last. The professions that meet the daily basic needs of people tend to be more steady, such as the position of a career consultant. It seems that everybody needs a career path consultant. Less clear is how professions that provide services and consultations on how to improve your quality of living will fare.

The persons who take up these newly created occupations might need to shoulder greater risks since these jobs are not fully established throughout the nation.

The new jobs created from the development of industries and divisions of labor are quite similar. People should choose to take these jobs out of personal interest, but they should also be aware that their jobs can be replaced depending on how technology in China advances.

People who take on these new jobs should also consider how long they want to work in these new positions. Can you work for 10 years or 20 years in an innovative industry such as advertising? If not, what do you plan to do next? One interesting job market is for consultants, especially private wealth consultants, who may have more advantages in securing a lengthy career. China had a record 115 billionaires on the 2011 Forbes Billionaires List published last month, which ranks second to the United States and was an increase from 64 in 2010.

The more experience a wealth consultant has, the more his or her clients will trust them. If you're looking for a long career, this new profession is quite promising.

No matter whether it is a new profession or a traditional occupation, what we need to consider when choosing a career is quite similar: You must start with your personal interests and factor in whether the job will stand the test of time, whether the job's salary will steadily increase, whether your job field will develop further, and whether you can work in this field for a long time.

As the job market becomes more diverse, people's freedoms will grow and the labor market will eventually become more dynamic.

The author is the China partner of Antal International, a global executive recruitment organization.