Columnist Susan Snyder: Laboring through job issues

Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2002 | 8:30 a.m.

Some phone calls need to be shared.

A woman, who left no name or number, called after reading last Tuesday's Valley Views, which included an item about which public bathrooms were voted Las Vegas' best.

The top 10 privies all were inside Strip resorts. But the caller says the poll overlooked one of the best tinkies in town.

"The Orleans' ladies' room is the best," she said."The Suncoast is OK too. But The Orleans is so close to the registration desk that you can get there quick, and you don't have to hit so many (slot) machines.

"Also, I've found a natural cranberry concentrate tablet that prevents accidents," the caller went on to say. "I don't like to drink cranberry juice because it squeaks."

The wonders of voice mail.

The manner in which we have allowed ourselves to keep in touch when we need to stay out of touch is out of hand. On my recent vacation one of the guys in our tour group was a New Jersey mortgage broker who was forever looking for telephones where he could send and receive faxes.

All three of my e-mail accounts -- it seems like only yesterday when I could hardly remember to check a single account once a day -- had vacation replies attached. But I still received so many messages it took me two days to read and clean them out. One account had 185 missives waiting.

Anyway, for those whose vacations are working ones or nonexistent, the calendar says our summer of fun officially ended Monday. And it's back to work for the most overworked population in the world.

As it turns out, even with the Sept. 11 attacks providing flinty employers with a flimsy excuse for layoffs and cutbacks, roughly half the United States' population is working, according to figures just released from the National Certification Commission.

The private, not-for-profit group from Washington, D.C., advises associations that certify workers in numerous professions and occupations.

The commission's annual report says retail and service jobs accounted for only about a quarter of all jobs 50 years ago but now account for half. Apparently, we're buying a lot of stuff and paying a lot of people to do things for us (most likely, while we're out buying stuff).

Farming and mining jobs decreased by about 50 percent. Makes sense. Why dig taters when you can get them at the mall -- french-fried, with a shake and some Nine West pumps?

If you're wondering where you might be working after Labor Day in say, 2008, the commission says it likely will be with computers. (Maybe I'll figure out how mine works by then.)

Systems analyst jobs are expected to rise 94 percent in the next six years, and computer engineer job opportunities are expected to be up 108 percent.

Both those careers will require at least a bachelor's degree. But of the 30 jobs examined -- from college professors and registered nurses to waiters and truck drivers -- 19 listed trade course work and on-the-job training as minimum requirements.

Journalism and communications didn't make the list. Maybe I'll be slinging espresso in 2008. Or maybe next week.

The smallest increases, 9 and 10 percent respectively, are expected to be in sales supervisors and worker supervisors.

Fewer bosses. Hey, the future looks pretty good.

Now, drink your cranberry juice.