OK, this may not be the first question that comes to mind, but it is crucial when evaluating an industry.

Growth is often the result of some megatrend. There wouldn't be much demand for mobile developers if the smartphone sector was small and growing slowly, right? In other words, see if there is a huge driving force that should result in long-term growth. You should come across this information as you research an industry, as you should start to see certain themes emerge.

Consider that many industries do not have any major catalysts, and this is likely to mean that the growth will be muted.

If you take another look at our top-ten list mentioned previously, you will notice that all of them are benefiting from major catalysts. It should be no surprise that three are in the tech industry, which is currently undergoing tremendous change.

Four of the categories listed are in the healthcare industry. This makes sense. The "baby boomers" are now entering...