America's best jobs in the hottest markets

The great American hiring boom is slowing down--but as labor cools with the rest of the economy, a few choice regions will stay red-hot. You just have to know where to look.

By Paul Kaihla, Business 2.0 Magazine senior writer

Best known as the spring break destination of choice for college students, Ft. Lauderdale still reaps big rewards from tourism. The office property sector is also going strong.

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15. FORT LAUDERDALE, FL

2-year job-growth forecast: 4.1%

Metropolitan-area population: 1.8 million

Who's hiring now: Citrix Systems, DHL Express, Republic Services, Spirit Airlines, Zimmerman Partners

Hottest jobs Senior software developer ($84,600), financial controller ($78,600), IT project manager ($75,700), HR director ($73,500), construction project manager ($72,700)

If West Palm Beach is one of south Florida's last frontiers, then Fort Lauderdale is fast turning into its settled interior. Tourism continues to be the big draw for new jobs, since home prices are sinking and the recent boom in back-office operations here has peaked as well. The office property sector continues to be strong, indicating that growth in the area's professional job market is not done yet.Nearby Port Everglades is also part of the equation, as it continues to grow in importance, attracting even more lucrative cruise ship traffic to the area.

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Sources: Conference Board, Global Insight, Moody's Economy.com, PayScale, and Radford Surveys & Consulting.