GRAND RAPIDS ? Forbes Magazine has ranked Grand Rapids as a top 10 city for find employment, citing the metropolitan area’s 6.6 percent unemployment rate in February.
Forbes cited the top industries hiring as Healthcare, Financial Services, Skilled Labor, Education, IT, and Engineering. The job skills most in demand are Information Specialists, Manufacturing, Administrative, and Skilled Laborers.
Grand Rapids joins Bethesda, Md, Austin, Texas, Jacksonville, Fl., Columbus, OH, Seattle, WA, Phoenix, AZ, New York City, and Richmond, VA.
How was the list compiled?
The human resources firm Adecco Staffing U.S. looked at the U.S. cities with the fullest employment, according to the Department of Labor, as well as internal data around job growth and demand?and then determined which areas are the best for finding a job. The ranking reflects considerations such as: the diversity of industries in the city, the cost of living, the range in size of companies offering employment, and high level of education among its residents. All those factors were weighed equally.
?Within the last year, we?ve really seen the number of employment opportunities pick up, and there?s hiring taking place in many sectors,? says Joyce Russell, president of Adecco Staffing U.S. ?We?re seeing demand in a number of areas including healthcare, technology, skilled labor and professional and business services. Companies are feeling confident enough in the economy to hire, and we?re also seeing an increasing number of clients opting to hire temporary workers permanently after their contract period ends. These are signs that lead to an overall improvement in the job market in 2013.?
What do the top 10 cities have in common?
?In addition to the pure job growth, these cities are booming with new businesses?be it technology start-ups or new manufacturing plants,? Russell says. ?When companies move their headquarters to a new city, it?s a time of hope and opportunity for job seekers. These cities offer a well-educated and skilled workforce, which make them attractive to companies seeking to expand or change locations.?
