Now hiring: the hot jobs of the moment

That may be one of the reasons there is such a strong demand for petroleum engineers graduating from Marietta College this spring. By January, the 14 grads had landed jobs, as had the 20 students from the year before. This year, one student had a starting salary of $72,000 and received a $7,000 signing bonus.

"Over half of those working in petroleum engineering could retire in the next 10 years, so we think the demand for our students should remain strong for the next 10 to 15 years," says Bob Chase, chairman of the Petroleum Engineering and Geology Department.

And it's not just hydrocarbons. EnerDel, for one, expects to grow at double-digit rates as lithium batteries become established in hybrid autos and other industrial uses. The company, which has plants in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Indianapolis, is looking hard for battery engineers. "With our business growing, we always have our feelers out," says Pankaj Dhingra, president of the company.

• Accounting, which continues to grow. With the requirement that companies comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley legislation, which compels CEOs to certify their company's financial results, demand for accounting services has soared.

The 9,000 people that Ernst & Young plans to hire this year is a 35 percent growth rate. The company also plans to hire 22,000 globally. "Demand is exceeding supply," says Karen Glover, director of recruiting for the US at the firm.

To attract the green-eyeshade set, the company is giving additional bonuses, more vacation time, and a new concierge service. In addition, this year Ernst & Young is taking on 1,900 interns, an increase of 32 percent. And the company sees its growth track continuing for at least the next two to three years, says Ms. Glover.

• Building trades, especially as America's love affair with real estate continues. For example, in Phoenix, contractors run ads every week to attract plumbers, who are being enticed with $500 sign-up bonuses. "Tell people to quit going to school for computers and go to school to learn a trade instead," says Mark Larson, vice president of Marlin Mechanical Corp., which supplies plumbing systems for condos, apartments, and hotels.

• Computer security. The recent data breaches has given companies an incentive to improve their ability to block hackers and others who want to steal information. This has resulted in a growing need for computer security specialists, says Bob Cohen, senior vice president at the Information Technology Association of America. "Companies have come to realize the security of their systems is critical to the integrity of their business," he says.

• Healthcare. One example is a burgeoning demand for pharmacists. Workloads are getting heavier, so chains and pharmacies are staffing up. In the past four years, the number of applicants to pharmacy programs has doubled, says Justin Serrano of Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions, which helps students prepare for the Pharmacy College Admissions Test. Once a student graduates, the pay is good: $83,000 for the first year out of college, says Mr. Serrano.

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