Top in-demand jobs in Kansas City

The most recent jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed a bit of an uptick in new jobs and a decrease in the unemployment rate—good signs that the economy is rebounding from the coronavirus pandemic. Even though Kansas City is still under an emergency order, jobs are starting to come back in a variety of industries and occupations.

Using TalentNeuron from Gartner, Monster tracked five jobs that are showing growth in the Kansas City metro region. Going one step further, we layered on intel from Burning Glass to show the projected growth rate, median salary, and general requirements for each job.

It goes without saying, COVID-19 has dramatically changed the the way we work and look for a new job. Whether you're looking for a work from home opportunity, an onsite position, or a gig that will take you out on the open road, here are five jobs on the rise that have projected growth rates ranging from 10% to 27% and are available on Monster now.

Food Preparer

Duties: Food preparers help prepare and serve food as part of food service team in a hospital a fast food restaurant, or other institution.

Projected growth: 17%

Demand: Very high demand

Requirements: A high school diploma, two or less years of prior experience (food service or customer service), and strong communication skills

Median Salary: $32,420/year

Keyword search: Food Service Worker, Cook, Host/Hostess, Restaurant/food service supervisor, barista

Work from home/remote potential: no

Insurance sales agent

Duties: An insurance sales agent may work for an insurance company or as an independent insurance agent selling insurance to customers, evaluating the insurance coverage needs of customers, and proposing different packages and prices of available products. They may be the first point of contact for customers filing insurance claims and often specialize in one line of insurance such as life, auto, or homeowner's.

Projected growth: 16%

Demand: High demand

Requirements: A high school diploma, two or less years of prior experience, and strong communication and organizational skills

Median salary: $59,080/year

Keyword search: Insurance agent, Sales agent, Insurance sales representative

Work from home/remote potential: yes

Registered nurse

Duties: Registered Nurses (RN) provide medical care and treatment, educate patients about their conditions, and provide emotional support to patients and families. RNs most often work in hospitals, schools, clinics, or community health centers under the supervision of a physician or other specialist. They may specialize in emergency room work, surgery, or cardiac care, or may focus on treatment for a particular patient such as, infants, the elderly or other patient groups. RNs can also work as an advanced practice specialists and prescribe medications in addition to offering specialty care.

Projected growth: 18%

Demand: Very high demand

Requirements: Associate degree or Bachelor’s and as little as two years experience. Licensing varies by state.

Median salary: $86,070/year

Keyword search: Clinical care manager, physical therapist, respiratory therapist, licensed practical nurse

Work from home/remote potential: for some positions. Check out this list.

Retail Salesperson

Duties: A retail salesperson sells merchandise or products in a retail setting, provides information about merchandise, and assists customers with finding items and encourages sales.

Projected growth: 2%, although the National Retail Federation is estimating that retailers are looking to hire more than 1 million employees to help with increased consumer demand due to the pandemic.

Demand: Very high demand

Requirements: A high school diploma, two or less years of prior experience, and strong communication and organizational skills

Median salary: $33,900/year

Keyword search: Sales Associate, Retail Sales Associate, Retail Sales Consultant, Store Associate, Seasonal Sales Associate

Work from home/remote potential: no

Warehouse worker

Duties: Warehouse workers transport freight, stocks, and materials, often without using machinery.

Projected growth: 7%

Demand: Very high demand

Requirements: A high school diploma, two or less years of prior experience, and physical abilities including strength, flexibility, and endurance.

Median salary: $36,770/year

Keyword search: Warehouse Associate, Material Handler, General Labor, Forklift operator

Work from home/remote potential: no

Stay one step ahead of the curve

As the economy and jobs market rebound from coronavirus, it's important to make sure you're visible to recruiters who are constantly looking to fill new jobs as soon as possible. Need some help standing out? Join Monster for free today. As a member, you can upload up to five versions of your resume—each tailored to the types of work-from-home nursing jobs that interest you. Recruiters search Monster every day looking to fill top jobs with qualified candidates, just like you. Additionally, you can get job alerts sent directly to your inbox to cut down on time spent looking through ads. Those are two quick and easy ways you can super-charge your job search.