CNN.com and Careerbuilder has a great article for everyone that spends plenty of time each day updating your Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Ustream, Linkedin, MySpace, Jobster, Friendster, Ning or another social media page. If you know how to Podcast, Design and Develop Websites and Media, knowledge of RSS Feeds and there potential, get Twitter traffic and followers, then you may be the SOCIAL MEDIA GURU that some employers are in need.

Careerbuilder has listed 20 “BIG SALARY” jobs that do not require a degree. Here is the list:

1. Margin department supervisor
Salary: $83,579/year
Primary duties: Overseeing a company’s credit department, which manages customer credit accounts and approves or denies credit to customers.

2. Air traffic controller
Salary: $74,922/year
Primary duties: Controlling air traffic around airports according to established procedures and policies to ensure flight safety.

3. Automobile service station manager
Salary: $72,246/year
Primary duties: Supervising gas stations and planning and implementing policy and procedure like hours of operation, workers’ duties and prices for products and services.

4. Real estate broker
Salary: $71,994/year
Primary duties: Securing real-estate transactions, selling real estate, renting properties and arranging loans.

5. Web surfer
Salary: $70,604/year
Primary duties: Scouring through multiple Web sites to analyze and compare information and user experiences to collect information to help companies

Many Americans are seeking jobs after layoffs, downsizing, new graduates, or changing careers, here are some 2008’s recession proof jobs in America.

* Education. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has historically shown teaching to be relatively recession-proof. But demographics are important: High-growth areas like the Sun Belt offer much better prospects than the Rust Belt.

* Energy. “This is a major issue for the global economy, and jobs related to oil and gas, alternative energy and even nuclear are likely to see strong growth,” Challenger said.

* Health care. Almost half the 30 fastest growing occupations are concentrated in health services — including medical assistants, physical therapists, physician assistants, home health aides, and medical records and health information technicians — according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

* International business. “If you have a strong knowledge of other cultures, and an ability to work in another country, you’ll find plenty of opportunities,” according to John Challenger. “If you’re first generation Chinese, with business skills and Chinese language skills, you’re in good shape.

* Environmental sector. There is a huge and growing industry geared to combat global warming. “Not only will professionals with skills in sustainability issues be in demand through the end of the decade, we are likely to shortages of professionals with ‘green’ skills,” said Rona Fried, president of sustainablebusiness.com, a networking service for sustainable businesses.

* Security. “Crime doesn’t stop during a recession, and police officers, port security specialists and international security experts will continue to be in demand,” Challenger emphasized.

Source: Read the entire article

Forbes had an article in July of 2008. They advised job-seekers to consider, Nursing, Sales Representatives, Networking and Systems Administration, Accounting and others. Read the Forbes story here.

CNN.com’s Personal Finance Editor Gerri Willis gives tips on how to handle a job layoff.

Excellent CNN.com story for job-seekers in this economy to take notes:

If you are getting ready for a job search during troubled times, here are some tips from the experts.

1. Take a closer look at industry data

Research industries and job sectors that are experiencing worker shortages or still experiencing job growth. These are the areas where you may want to focus your search.

CareerBuilder.com produces a quarterly job forecast that indicates hiring manager trends for the next few months, both regionally and across major sectors. The Bureau of Labor Statistics releases updated figures every month on occupational job growth.

For example, by looking at the BLS data, you will learn that health care, education, government, food services and drinking places, and IT categories have all gained jobs this year.

2. Freshen up your skills

“Don’t give an employer a reason to pass you over because you don’t know the basics,” states Diane Morgan, director of career services at London Business School. Morgan says everyone should know basic office skills like Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel. “Since these are skills you can teach yourself from the Internet or a library book, there are no excuses for not having them.”

Another alternative is CBInstitute.com, which offers easy-to-use online courses at all levels, including business etiquette, project management, foreign languages and typing. You can take courses at times that are convenient for you, so no matter how little time you have to invest, you can make it work. At the same time, the courses are affordable and reasonably priced.

Morgan also suggests brushing up your sales skills (persuasion, negotiating and influencing) even if you aren’t in the sales industry. You need to sell your best product, which is you, so make sure your personal pitch is relevant, timely and effective, she asserts.

3. Try part-time or freelance work

“Rather than one ‘job,’ think in terms of multiple positions. Breaking in [to a new job] may be easier if you aim for part-time work within a company,” advises Katy Piotrowski, career counselor and author of “The Career Coward’s Guides.” “Line up multiple part-time positions and you’ll benefit from more job security; if one position evaporates, you have the others to fall back on.”

Moreover, it will pad your résumé and your wallet.

Rachel Weingarten, author of “Career and Corporate Cool,” recommends job sharing or taking over for someone on maternity leave or during the holiday crunch.

“A lot of people don’t want to commit full-time skills to a part-time or temporary gig. In this economy though, it can allow you to not only try on a job for size, but to also improve your skills, impress a potential long-term employer and network like crazy with people in your chosen industry,” she says. “Instead of nervously waiting for the right full-time career, you can potentially make something better happen in the short term.”

4. Rev up your social networking

Gone are the days of peddling your résumé at anonymous networking events with watered-down drinks and goofy nametags. Now you can have countless opportunities with a few keystrokes and a couple of mouse clicks.

Sure you’ve received those requests to join LinkedIn and BrightFuse, and you certainly use Facebook daily. (Scrabble anyone?) But now is the time to really take of the network you’ve probably casually built over the years.

Networking is easier than in years past because of the easy access to your network and those of your friends and colleagues, Matuson declares. “Now you can go onto [social networking] sites and see who in your network knows someone at a company that you might be interested in working for. You can then ask them to make an introduction on your behalf.”

Read the entire article at CNN.com