The State of the US Job Market – November 2018

As 2018 draws to a close, the US economy is in pretty good shape. Unemployment is low, wages are up, and thousands of companies are actively hiring. All these factors combine to create the current job market in 2018, which is tilted heavily in favor of job seekers. Depending on the exact industry and area, most top candidates are having little to no trouble finding opportunities and many can choose between multiple offers.

A healthy US job market is great for professionals and employers alike. The competition to hire and retain talented employees drives innovation in recruiting practices and work environments. From recruitment marketing to social media onboarding and creative retention ideas, employers are working hard to attract recruits and keep their teams happy.

Using information from our candidate database, we were able to put together this map of the continental US showing the concentration of candidates in different areas.

Here’s another view that’s a bit easier to digest. This shows that the US job markets with the most activity are metropolitan areas (no big surprise there) with large cities boasting the highest concentrations of job seekers.

The current job market in 2018 is thriving in many places, but the job market in Chicago looks a little different than the job market in New York, Dallas, Los Angeles, or Miami. Here’s our list of the top 5 metropolitan areas and best cities for employers and job seekers alike.

1. New York City – 153K candidates

• Top Industries: Admin, Technology, Accounting, Construction, Social Service
• Top Titles: Administrative Assistant, Receptionist/Clerk, Software Developer, Marketing Manager, Sales Representative
• Top Skills: MS Office Suite, Management, Customer Service, Communication Skills, Organization

2. Dallas & Houston – 130K candidates

• Top Industries: Admin, Construction, Technology, Accounting, HR
• Top Titles: Administrative Assistant, Receptionist/Clerk, Software Developer, Sales Representative, HR Generalist
• Top Skills: MS Office Suite, Customer Service, Communication Skills, Scheduling, Sales

3. Los Angeles & San Diego – 78K candidates

• Top Industries: Admin, Technology, Marketing, Sales, Accounting
• Top Titles: Administrative Assistant, Software Developer, Receptionist/Clerk, Marketing Manager, Sales Representative
• Top Skills: MS Office Suite, Customer Service, Management, Communication Skills, Sales

4. Chicago – 68K candidates

• Top Industries: Admin, Technology, HR, Accounting, Sales
• Top Titles: Administrative Assistant, Receptionist/Clerk, Software Developer, DevOps Engineer, Sales Representative
• Top Skills: MS Office Suite, Customer Service, Management, Communication Skills, Scheduling

5. Miami – 43K candidates

• Top Industries: Admin, Sales, Nursing, Accounting, Technology
• Top Titles: Administrative Assistant, Receptionist/Clerk, Sales Representative, Software Developer, Sales Manager
• Top Skills: MS Office Suite, Customer Service, Management, Bilingual, Sales