The job market looks gloomy right now. The question is, Will it ever pick up? One thing’s for certain though; some industries will recover, while others may not. Have a look at the 8 industries that are thought to be doomed.

Struggling Industries in the United States

These industries are some of the worst hit industries in the United States right now. They have seen a decline in revenue over the past 10 years and the decline is expected to continue that way for some time. It is suggested that you should avoid these industries, at least for now until they show some signs of recovery after the recession.

The industries are deemed doomed due to various reasons like:

• Decline in revenue
• Greater competition
• Technological change
• Lack of innovation
• Not current with market trends

The Top Eight Doomed Industries in America

1. Video Rental We’ve all seen several video rental stores make drastic changes to stay in business. But how can they compete with the Internet? These days it is so easy to get your favorite movies online, you can even order anything you want on cable TV, so why take a trip to the video rental store?

2. Record Stores The same goes for record stores. Why go to the store when you can get what you want over the Internet? It is so convenient and so much easier online. This industry could not keep up with the competition and that’s the main reason why it has seen a decline in revenue.

3. Newspaper Do you still read the newspaper? Most people feel that since they can get the most current news 24/7 online, there is no reason to wait to read it the other day. This is what’s sending the newspaper publishing industry into extinction.

4. Photofinishing Digital cameras have changed the photo shop industry. No need to wait a few hours or days for the film to be developed anymore.

5. Costume Rental Why rent a costume when you can buy one at a cheap price and reuse it year after year? Most people choose to buy rather than rent these days because it’s cheaper in the long run.

6. Apparel Manufacturing Cheap labor overseas keeps the costs down at home. Therefore apparel manufacturing has moved overseas where labor is cheap.

7. Manufactured Home Dealers This industry will not recover as there are more innovative competitors. The drop in revenue over the past decade is also due to the decrease in the price of traditional homes.

8. Wired Telecommunications Service Carriers Everyone is going wireless these days, so goodbye to wired telecommunication carriers.

These are the 8 doomed industries to watch out for. They have seen better days, but it’s time for them to say goodbye!

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Now what?

Landing your first job can be a challenging and difficult task, but it can also be exciting and, ultimately, rewarding. Much like your college years, your first job is an investment in the future. The skills you learn and the reputation you earn will do much to launch a strong career.

If you didn’t already do this in college, do it now. If you did already do this in college, do it again. Evaluate your skills and interests, talk with your parents and mentors, study God’s Word, and wrestle in prayer as you consider the path you think the Lord is leading you down. Don’t worry if this life purpose is different than a few years ago and don’t be afraid to change it again as the Lord reveals more of his plans for you. Do, however, determine the goal you currently think you should be working toward.

Once you have decided your general life purpose, zoom in on the details. Put together a fairly detailed plan for the next decade of your life. If becoming a pastor is your life goal, your ten year plan might include smaller goals of completing seminary, interning with a Biblical ministry, and assembling a Bible study group in your community.

As Proverbs 16:9 councils us, “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.” Layout your plans, but be prepared to change them as necessary.

Based on the skills that you need to learn, determine the best position that will balance application of your current abilities with the challenge of new learning. If necessary, be willing to take a lower paying job that will help you grow rather than a higher paying professional dead end.

Rather than randomly sending out resumes to every “accounting clerk” position advertised in the newspaper, put in the effort to research the various companies that you might be interested in working for. Not only will this help you find the best match for your current goals and aspirations, but it will also help you avoid being just another of the hundreds of resumes sorted by the tired hiring manager.

Once you have decided on a company (or two or three), begin contacting people you know. If you have cultivated a good LinkedIn profile, this online tool makes it quite simple to search by company and find people you know who work for the companies you are targeting. If you don’t have any direct connections, you might be able to find a friend-of-a-friend who you could reach through an introduction.

Take these people out for coffee and get their advice. Ask them questions about the company culture and mission. If you’re still interested in working for the company, tell them the type of position you are looking for and see if they know someone you should contact.

Once you have landed an interview, the job hunting process is only half finished. Prepare well for your first meeting and be prepared to ask the hiring manager questions about the company and, particularly, the position. Even though your preliminary research has shown good results, this interview should be just as much about you evaluating the company as it is about the company evaluating you. Pray for the Lord’s blessing and focus on ways that your skills will meet the companies needs.

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” This will seem trite and useless when you are turned down for a position – particularly after all the research and work you put in – but don’t give up. Although you will likely not be fortunate enough to land your dream job on the first attempt, you will come away with lessons learned and ideas for the next try.

How did you (or will you) land your dream job? I’m a Christian young man working on my BSBA in Accounting and writing blog posts in my spare time. I enjoy learning how to do things faster and better… whether through new keyboard shortcuts, world record holding shoelace knots, or motion study.

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The lead-generation websites for for-profits have used infographics to increase the number of links and social shares as part of their marketing strategy for several months. And, this is linkbait strategy has been VERY successful with many mentions in Mashable (including this recent article on how higher ed institutions use social media).

Ive , that it would make a lot of sense for the non-profit institutions to use infographics in the same way. So, yesterday, when I got pitched by email about the infographic University College, the college of professional and continuing studies at the University of Denver, created to promote its new degree and certificate in new media and internet marketing, I HAD to find out more about the strategy behind this piece of infographics.

Victoria Harben, Content Manager at UD University College, was kind enough to answer my questions via email.

1) Can you tell us why your institution decided to use infographics? What are your marketing goals?

Infographics are sweeping the web as a concise, visual exploration of trends and statistics—ideal for quickly conveying an overall shift in a specific area. Internet marketing has grown dramatically in the last few years and to really capture this shift and the most eye-opening statistics, we wanted to develop a quick reference tool for those interested in this professional area. Between the industry trends and the career possibilities (shown through the top skills needed and the potential job titles/salaries), the infographic tells the story of how the marketing industry is shifting and how to get on board.

The marketing goals with the infographic are two-fold: to promote awareness of the new degree/certificate program and to illustrate the rising importance of this area of study.

2) Is it central to your online marketing strategy for this degree/certificate?

The infographic is simply a component of the overall marketing efforts being put forth, which include online advertising and traditional marketing strategies. It’s a unique and eye-catching way to present the information to prospective students, who presumably are adept at marketing tactics in the first place.

3) How will you measure its success?

We’re aiming for buzz, brand awareness, and increased visits to our program page. Because an infographic doesn’t typically link anywhere (unless it is embedded in a blog using the provided code, for instance), it’s difficult to measure the click-through rate.

4) Can you walk us through the design process? How long did it take to develop?

Developing the infographic started with a discussion about what story we wanted to tell and what information we needed to convey. We reviewed other examples of successful infographics and then research for trends and specific statistics took about a week to compile via websites, articles, reports, databases, etc. Creation of the infographic itself took less than a day to design in Photoshop and posting to the University College blog with commentary.

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The new building blocks for learning in a complex world

This important resource introduces a framework for 21st Century learning that maps out the skills needed to survive and thrive in a complex and connected world. 21st Century content includes the basic core subjects of reading, writing, and arithmetic-but also emphasizes global awareness, financial/economic literacy, and health issues. The skills fall into three categories: learning and innovations skills; digital literacy skills; and life and career skills. This book is filled with vignettes, international examples, and classroom samples that help illustrate the framework and provide an exciting view of twenty-first century teaching and learning.

• Explores the three main categories of 21st Century Skills: learning and innovations skills; digital literacy skills; and life and career skills
• Addresses timely issues such as the rapid advance of technology and increased economic competition
• Based on a framework developed by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21)

The book contains a DVD with video clips of classroom teaching. For more information on the book visit www.21stcenturyskillsbook.com.

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