NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Those on the front lines have said that jobs are still being posted and that salaries are still relatively competitive. One phrase to watch for is "green-collar jobs," and it doesn't matter if you work in construction or on a computer.

Job-seeker Amy Cadish doesn't need a reality check; she knows finding a job in today's environment is tough.

"It's very competitive at this point in time," said Cadish. "Friends of family are getting laid off and everything, and I'm worried about my family as well as graduating and going out looking for a job."

If Cadish decides to stay in Middle Tennessee, she may have some luck.

Belmont University's Lori LeBleu tracks available jobs in middle Tennessee. Right now, she said jobs in health care top the list. That includes nurses, physical therapists and even accountants.

"It's an association of employers," LeBleu said. "In this town, because we have corporate health care offices, there's accounting, there's finance, there's operations jobs on the corporate side. So there's business in health care as well as clinical."

Other places to look for work today in middle Tennessee include companies that sell auto and health insurance. These firms will need everyone from IT support to sales people.

"Those industries still stay on because it's viewed as a necessity," said LeBleu.

Experts have said to make some green, you need to go green. A new generation of green-collar jobs is expected to soar in the years ahead because of green requirements in the stimulus package.

"Building, construction can come back on, and it may be a year or so, especially building that would be green contractors, or people that would be getting these large commercial jobs to build green infrastructure," said LeBleu.

With a growing pool of people wanting a job, filling out an application won't do it anymore.

LeBleu said a personal connection needs to be made, regardless of the job being applied for.

Job-Related Links:

Nashville Career Transition Support Group: provides information on networking and job search seminars open to the public in Nashville.

http://www.geocities.com/mtctg/

The Riley Guide: a comprehensive guide to all types of career information, and includes an index of job posting boards.

http://www.rileyguide.com

USAJobs: the official site for jobs and employment information by the Federal Government. View job openings, get general information or apply online.

Indeed.com: gives jobseekers free access to millions of employment opportunities from thousands of Web sites. Includes all the job listings from major job boards, newspapers, associations and company career pages.

http://www.greencollarhiring.com/

http://directemployers.jobcentral.com