Ready for your next move?
Career growth happens as you take steps to align your interests and skills with what employers need. Here you’ll find tools to explore where your skills and interests match what San Diego County hiring managers are looking for, plus learn moves you can make now to land a dream job.
What is a Priority Job?
We looked at all occupations in San Diego County to determine which pay best, have the most openings and are growing quickly. There are 72 priority jobs in San Diego County, ranging from stucco masons to biomedical engineers. These priority jobs pay at least 90% of workers $16 an hour or more, provide at least 63 openings a year and are projected to grow by at least 6.5% annually.
What is a Priority Sector?
San Diego’s employers can be categorized into industries like Ship Building & Repair, and those industries can be grouped into larger sectors of the economy like Advanced Manufacturing. Priority sectors are areas of the economy that provide at least 10,000 positions in the 72 priority jobs.
The most important part of continuing to progress is being able to translate the work and skills from one job and apply it to the next, even if it is in a different vertical. Gaining certifications and degrees has helped propel my career forward and stand out to employers.
After I graduated, I was unemployed for nine months before I could find a full-time job. I thought I would be able to find one sooner. I graduated from UC Berkeley with a double major and an internship on Capitol Hill with [then-Speaker of the House] Nancy Pelosi and had this amazing resume, but as it turns out there’s much more to it.
But the real secret to how I got where I am today is that I always keep my eyes open for opportunities. I push myself to learn, grow and do things that make me feel uncomfortable. I am constantly looking at the angles and figuring out where things are going.
Ready for Action?
We offer training, job search and career development resources to all San Diego County job seekers—at no cost to you. Use these resources to identify your interests, gain new skills or prepare a job application.
Find the Right Fit
Landing a job that fits your interests means you are more likely to enjoy your job and often leads to being more successful at work. Take our free RIASEC quiz to learn about yourself and get career suggestions based on your interests.
Take the QuizWhat is RIASEC?
Develop Essential Skills
While technical skills are what you do at work, essential skills are how you do it. Employers value these skills in their employees—often as much as technical skills. Developing them and helping employers understand your expertise will help you to get a job and be successful in your workplace.
how to do it
Build Your Resume
A resume is often the first impression a business has of what you bring to the table—make it a good one. Access our easy-to-use resume builder to bring your professional experience to life.
Resume BuilderHow Can We Help?
Finding the right job isn’t easy. We’re here to help. Visit a career center, sign up for our Career Portal or explore our On-demand Training Library to jumpstart your job search.
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