As an employer, it’s crucial to have your finger on the pulse of trends in compensation for key positions. We recently published a guide to help with these salary conversations, but it’s good to factor in why it’s so critical to be informed about the competitive landscape before you negotiate. Glassdoor’s new tool, Know Your Worth™, can also help by giving a crystal-clear understanding of competitive salaries in the job market, which can help you with employee retention.
But what are the hottest positions for hiring? Glassdoor today reported that there are 13 jobs that have shown a significant jump in pay over the past year,* with salaries topping out at 5–11% over the past year. That’s above the national average for salary increase of 2.5% over 12 months, according to BLS.
We’ve put together this guide to show why each position is so hot in the employer marketplace right now and the average percent salary increase between 2015 and 2016. We’ve also gathered links to competitive job listings so you can compare how you’re marketing your job descriptions to attract the kind of talent you want.
1. Certified Nursing Assistant
11% Increase from 2015 to 2016
Why employers need to pay top dollar: As the U.S. population continues to age and the elderly population grows, demand for Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) at nursing homes and long-term care facilities has spiked. It’s hard to find great CNAs, so it’s crucial to keep high-quality employees.
2016 median base pay: $50,000
2015 median base pay: $45,000
2. Sales Manager
7% Salary Increase from 2015 to 2016
Why employers need to pay top dollar: Because sales managers are the people in your organization who can really move the needle on revenue, it’s crucial that once you’ve found and onboarded great talent, you keep it. Likewise, losing great sales talent or suffering high turnover can be greatly detrimental to overall earnings.
2016 median base pay: $73,000
2015 median base pay: $66,040
Job Listings to review
3. Implementation Consultant
7% Salary Increase from 2015 to 2016
Why employers need to pay top dollar: Implementation consultants must be good at simplifying technical information for users who may not have a technical background. Finding someone with deep technical knowledge is not hard; finding someone with that expertise who also has the ability to finesse relationships and communicate clearly is challenging – and essential for any successful tech business.
2016 median base pay: $75,000
2015 median base pay: $70,000
Job Listings to review
4. Recruiter
7% Salary Increase from 2015 to 2016
Why employers need to pay top dollar: Because it is up to recruiters to judge for both a professional and cultural fit – and human capital can make the difference between success and failure for any company – it’s absolutely paramount to put people in HR who are highly qualified to recruit and place candidates with excellent skills and a great culture fit. If that key role isn’t filled with engaged, motivated people, it can be disastrous for the overall health of your company.
2016 median base pay: $45,000
2015 median base pay: $42,000
Job Listings to review
5. Registered Nurse
7% Salary Increase from 2015 to 2016
Why employers need to pay top dollar: As the U.S. population continues to age and the elderly population grows over the next decade, registered nurses will be in high demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the profession to grow 16 percent by 2024, opening up 439,300 new jobs (Bureau of Labor Statistics). With that kind of swell in demand, it will be imperative to find and keep top talent.
2016 median base pay: $68,000
2015 median base pay: $63,500
Job Listings to review
6. Media Planner
7% Salary Increase from 2015 to 2016
Why employers need to pay top dollar: Because media planners execute make-or-break advertising efforts for clients through a wide range of media platforms, they can have enormous impact on your company’s potential for success. Because it’s so important to the advancement of business, finding and keeping good people in this role is essential.
2016 median base pay: $45,000
2015 median base pay: $42,164
Job Listings to review
7. Data Analyst
7% Salary Increase from 2015 to 2016
Why employers need to pay top dollar: In order to scale any business, it’s critical to be able to take company data and translate it into valuable insights that are used to make the best business decisions. Because nearly every industry needs data analysts, there is a huge demand for their skills, and therefore it’s essential to compensate top talent well for good rates of retention.
2016 median base pay: $65,000
2015 median base pay: $60,960
Job Listings to review
8. Admissions Representative
7% Salary Increase from 2015 to 2016
Why employers need to pay top dollar: University education is big business, and admissions representatives are essentially sales reps. They must nurture relationships with prospective students by promptly answering all questions and conducting introductory assessments that evaluate the candidate's qualifications. Because admissions reps are a direct reflection of the distinction of the school, they have to be top caliber. If they’re not, demand for admission could drop dramatically, which could have long-term repercussions on the financial health of the school.
2016 median base pay: $44,745
2015 median base pay: $42,000
Job Listings to review
9. Claims Adjuster
6% Salary Increase from 2015 to 2016
Why employers need to pay top dollar: Because claims adjusters are in the field inspecting the property damage of a home, business, or automobile in order to determine how much an insurance company should pay for the loss, experience is everything. During the process, they may also interview the claimant and witnesses and assess police reports, which demands a high level of emotional intelligence. This key position makes a big difference in the kind of payout insurance companies are responsible for, which is why finding and keeping top talent can be pivotal for the business.
2016 median base pay: $47,500
2015 median base pay: $45,000
10. Marketing Coordinator
6% Salary Increase from 2015 to 2016
Why employers need to pay top dollar: Marketing coordinators assist marketing managers in putting together campaigns, including website and content creation, event marketing media management, data verification, and advertising placement. Because this is an extremely fast-paced position that touches on key revenue drivers, there is the risk that – without someone good in the role – a lot of business-critical marketing infrastructure could collapse very quickly. People in these roles also tend to be educated and ambitious, so without high motivation and engagement they will move to other roles for advancement.
2016 median base pay: $45,000
2015 median base pay: $42,672
Job Listings to review
11. Case Manager
6% Salary Increase from 2015 to 2016
Why employers need to pay top dollar: As advocates for individuals and families coping with complicated health or medical situations, emotional demand and associated burnout is high in this position, but it’s a critical role in a growing job sector. To attract and keep good case managers, it’s essential to offer competitive salaries.
2016 median base pay: $45,000
2015 median base pay: $42,672
Job Listings to review
12. Underwriter
5% Salary Increase from 2015 to 2016
Why employers need to pay top dollar: Because an underwriter’s job is to approve, suspend, or decline mortgage applications, people in these roles are the lynchpin in large business transactions. Without high-functioning talent in place, business – and associated commissions – will go elsewhere, which is why it’s so crucial to offer competitive salaries to attract and retain top talent.
2016 median base pay: $60,000
2015 median base pay: $57,000
Job Listings to review
13. Communications Manager
5% Salary Increase from 2015 to 2016
Why employers need to pay top dollar: Communication managers oversee an organization’s internal and external messaging responsible for triggering publicity, funding, sales and customers. Because the role is enormously influential for brand perception and extremely fast-paced, there is the risk that – without someone good in place – a lot of business-critical marketing infrastructure could collapse very quickly. People in these roles also tend to be highly educated and ambitious, so without high motivation and engagement they will move to other roles for advancement.
2016 median base pay: $84,000
2015 median base pay: $80,000
Job Listings to review
Methodology*: Glassdoor’s 13 Jobs With the Biggest Pay Raises report identifies job titles with the largest percentage increase of pay raise of median base pay during the overall time period 9/26/2014 - 09/25/2016. Job titles to be considered must have had at least 300 salary reports during the time periods 9/26/2014 - 9/25/2015 and 09/26/2015 - 09/25/2016. Any job titles with the word “intern” were excluded. This report takes into account job title normalization that groups similar job titles. This report only takes into account base pay, not total compensation.
