What careers are in high demand?

By DonShook

There are a myriad of ways to decide which jobs to apply for. Not a terrible one is to ask: Who’s hiring?

Employers will be particularly eager to fill certain positions this year, according to CareerCast.com’s 10 toughest jobs to fill for 2018. There are more job openings for some positions — including personal care aides, truck drivers and application software developers — than there are qualified people to fill them.

“There’s a lot of immediate need in all of these positions,” said Kyle Kensing, online content editor at CareerCast.

For example, too few people hold the certificates necessary to be truck drivers, Kensing said. And even as more people live on their phones, not enough people understand how to create digital apps.

Aging baby boomers are also generating a need for health workers (which account for half of the positions on the list below), as well as financial advisors to help them transition into retirement, he said.

If you have the skills and experience to apply for the jobs below, you might get a call back pretty quickly.

1) Application software developer

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Ronsitk | Getty Images

Companies will need to fill 255,400 application software developer positions by 2026 — representing growth of 31 percent.

The annual median salary is $100,080.

2) Construction worker

Toll Brothers worker construction

Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images

In the next eight years, construction jobs will grow by 12 percent, with 150,400 new open positions.

The annual median salary is $33,430.

3) Financial advisor

Forces reshaping the financial advisory landscape range from regulatory and technology-related changes to shifting demographics and investor preferences.

Thomas M. Barwick | Getty Images
Forces reshaping the financial advisory landscape range from regulatory and technology-related changes to shifting demographics and investor preferences.

By 2026, the labor market will need 40,400 more financial advisors. That’s a 15 percent growth from today.

The annual median salary is $90,530.