Software engineers trump newspaper reporters

In a news flash for reporters, their job ranks as the fifth-worst in 2012, according to CareerCast.com. The best job for 2012 is “software engineer.”

Why does  the software engineer job rank so high? It has a positive hiring outlook, high salary and minimal physical demands — all factors in CareerCast.com’s rankings.

This good news for software engineers could entice more people into the information technology industry, and they can fill positions placed by staffing firms. The IT area, particularly for staffing, remains hot. Staffing Industry Analysts forecasts that IT staffing revenue will exceed pre-recession levels in 2012.

What about the worst job? That is “lumberjack,” according to CareerCast.com. Not much of a surprise. Low pay and high physical demands are associated with this occupation. Following lumberjack, the 10 worst occupations for 2012 in CareerCast.com’s ranking include: dairy farmer, enlisted military personnel, oil rig worker, newspaper reporter, waiter/waitress, meter reader, dishwasher, butcher and broadcaster.