Where are the Jobs?

 

A pressing question on everyone’s mind is “where are the jobs?” and rightfully so. The past several years have been tough and once employed individuals are now finding themselves in the unemployment line while trying to make ends meet. This is a challenging position for many job seekers because many of them have never been unemployed.

Besides being informed of how to best prepare for employment, a job seeker must also know if the industry they're preparing for is even an area of demand. Job seekers are finding themselves having to return to school in some cases to obtain additional training and/or credentials. This may mean obtaining a certification in a particular study or even obtaining a degree.

The bay area is leading the nation in job creation, behind Austin, TX. Jobs are being created in Silicon Valley at rates that are very optimistic. But where are the jobs?

I’m seeing a growing demand for high skill-sets. These are skill-sets that are obtained post high school. The days when a high school diploma was enough for an individual to obtain a job that can sustain a family are long behind us. It’s unfortunate, but it’s reality. With the evolution of technology, comes an evolution of desired skill-sets for employment. A job seeker will benefit greatly from obtaining some form of post-secondary education.

 

I’m seeing a growing demand from employers in specific areas:

-          Technology

o   IT, software development, big data, cyber security, computer engineering, internet, and mobile devices

-          Mass communications

o   Sales, advertising, social media, content development, and marketing

-          Healthcare

o   Doctors, nurses, home healthcare aides

-          Labor

o   Construction

Many of these jobs require college education, while some do not. Fields like IT, sales, marketing, home healthcare aides, and construction are areas where some employers will hire based on experience and/or vocational education versus a college degree.

Currently, these areas are showing an increased demand. While some may be at a shortage of supply, others are not. In areas such as construction, although there are signs of an increased demand for workers; do not confuse this with the fact that obtaining a job in this area is more accessible. Instead, what it means is that although many construction workers were laid off within the past five years, we are seeing signs that many of them are going back to work. It will take some time before the supply meets the demand.

Overall, the economy is growing at a stable rate. We will continue to see job growth over the coming years as long as Federal lending rates to banks remain low, tax cuts for the middle class are kept, and job seekers continue to obtain post-secondary education.

 

Regards,

 

Daniel Newell
danielnewell@ymail.com

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