Posted by: Richie Bernardo

With 2017 behind us, it’s time to think about fresh starts again. But whether that means a small change or a complete life overhaul, finding a new or better job will be a top resolution.

If that’s your mission for the new year, it’s a good time to be on the job market. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ most recent jobs report, the national unemployment rate has fallen to a 17-year low of 4.1 percent while hiring is up.

College graduates, especially, will see a strong boost in their job prospects. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, employers plan to hire 4 percent more members from the Class of 2018 than from the previous graduating cohort.

But your luck of finding work depends largely on location. To help you with the job hunt, WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities across 26 key indicators of job-market strength. They range from job opportunities to employment growth to monthly average starting salary. Read on for our findings, additional insight from our panel of experts and a full description of our methodology.

1. Main Findings
2. Ask the Experts
3. Methodology

Main Findings Embed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/2173/geochart-jobs.html" width="556" height="347" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:556px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="http://ift.tt/2ExQdux; Best Places to Find a Job

Overall Rank (1 = Best)	City	Total Score	‘Job Market’ Rank	‘Socio-economics’ Rank
1	Chandler, AZ	67.66	3	9
2	Scottsdale, AZ	66.29	5	3
3	San Francisco, CA	66.06	2	43
4	Peoria, AZ	65.86	1	56
5	Gilbert, AZ	65.35	4	34
6	Plano, TX	64.69	6	16
7	Portland, ME	63.06	10	12
8	Irvine, CA	62.86	11	13
9	Madison, WI	62.44	21	1
10	Boston, MA	62.37	7	42
11	Austin, TX	62.29	12	25
12	Fargo, ND	62.10	14	18
13	Orlando, FL	61.98	9	36
14	Bismarck, ND	61.61	13	39
15	Columbia, MD	61.28	30	4
16	Tampa, FL	60.78	18	22
17	Seattle, WA	60.70	28	11
18	Salt Lake City, UT	60.65	17	28
19	Fremont, CA	60.04	15	66
20	Tempe, AZ	59.79	32	15
21	Charleston, SC	59.67	24	38
22	Manchester, NH	59.52	19	55
23	Irving, TX	59.44	8	122
24	Minneapolis, MN	59.38	58	2
25	Denver, CO	59.32	35	17
26	Overland Park, KS	59.26	45	10
27	Nashua, NH	58.85	29	48
28	Atlanta, GA	58.78	26	54
29	Boise, ID	58.62	67	5
30	San Diego, CA	58.55	43	19
31	Des Moines, IA	58.42	37	29
32	Huntington Beach, CA	58.27	40	30
32	San Jose, CA	58.16	31	59
34	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	58.13	50	27
35	Omaha, NE	58.06	53	23
36	Lincoln, NE	57.99	74	8
37	South Burlington, VT	57.91	38	44
38	Grand Prairie, TX	57.89	27	85
39	Amarillo, TX	57.60	20	112
40	Portland, OR	57.55	59	26
41	Sacramento, CA	57.51	55	33
42	Honolulu, HI	57.51	44	46
43	Grand Rapids, MI	57.32	52	40
44	St. Paul, MN	57.28	72	14
45	Pittsburgh, PA	57.24	81	7
46	St. Petersburg, FL	57.20	41	58
47	Colorado Springs, CO	57.03	68	24
48	Garland, TX	57.03	16	147
49	Dallas, TX	56.96	22	135
50	Santa Clarita, CA	56.92	36	90
51	Washington, DC	56.77	47	65
52	West Valley City, UT	56.76	64	35
53	Salem, OR	56.64	39	86
54	Virginia Beach, VA	56.45	75	20
55	Pearl City, HI	56.41	25	124
56	Mesa, AZ	56.25	48	83
57	Little Rock, AR	56.12	23	160
58	Aurora, CO	55.93	33	129
59	San Antonio, TX	55.83	49	94
60	Los Angeles, CA	55.80	46	98
61	Phoenix, AZ	55.47	65	75
62	Lewiston, ME	55.37	42	126
63	Sioux Falls, SD	55.33	87	21
64	Garden Grove, CA	55.20	85	32
65	Raleigh, NC	55.12	78	51
66	Fort Smith, AR	54.87	34	157
67	Cincinnati, OH	54.77	86	45
68	Charlotte, NC	54.64	76	69
69	Burlington, VT	54.59	102	6
70	Glendale, CA	54.58	66	105
71	Cedar Rapids, IA	54.58	84	52
72	Fort Lauderdale, FL	54.42	56	141
73	Columbus, OH	54.29	92	31
74	Long Beach, CA	54.18	61	125
75	Nashville, TN	54.16	70	103
76	Jacksonville, FL	54.07	69	110
77	Oceanside, CA	54.06	71	114
78	Wilmington, DE	54.01	83	70
79	Lubbock, TX	53.99	54	139
80	Tacoma, WA	53.97	80	89
81	Glendale, AZ	53.94	62	130
82	Santa Rosa, CA	53.88	82	81
83	Arlington, TX	53.87	60	143
84	Ontario, CA	53.76	62	144
85	Miami, FL	53.47	51	163
86	Anaheim, CA	53.46	77	109
87	Fort Worth, TX	53.40	73	123
88	Chattanooga, TN	53.34	57	168
89	Columbia, SC	53.06	95	47
90	Santa Ana, CA	52.89	79	127
91	Chesapeake, VA	52.85	94	61
92	Reno, NV	52.62	97	60
93	Cape Coral, FL	52.39	88	107
94	Kansas City, MO	52.15	89	104
95	Rapid City, SD	51.92	103	72
96	Durham, NC	51.82	91	113
97	Richmond, VA	51.71	101	84
98	St. Louis, MO	51.26	93	120
99	Warwick, RI	51.02	120	50
100	Fontana, CA	50.96	104	106
101	Knoxville, TN	50.91	99	117
102	Tucson, AZ	50.82	112	79
103	Newport News, VA	50.78	108	97
104	Jersey City, NJ	50.73	126	49
105	New York, NY	50.72	110	91
106	Tallahassee, FL	50.63	121	67
107	El Paso, TX	50.62	109	96
108	Milwaukee, WI	50.56	106	115
109	Port St. Lucie, FL	50.48	107	111
110	Lexington-Fayette, KY	50.47	129	57
111	Riverside, CA	50.47	100	131
112	Vancouver, WA	50.40	111	99
113	Billings, MT	50.17	113	100
114	Charleston, WV	50.00	98	150
115	Wichita, KS	49.96	96	149
116	Philadelphia, PA	49.84	105	146
117	Spokane, WA	49.73	124	87
118	Worcester, MA	49.62	128	78
119	Pembroke Pines, FL	49.61	118	108
120	Houston, TX	49.53	116	116
121	Oakland, CA	49.51	90	173
122	Louisville, KY	49.42	122	95
123	Aurora, IL	49.39	144	41
124	Nampa, ID	49.26	115	136
125	Dover, DE	49.17	125	101
126	Las Vegas, NV	49.13	143	53
127	Juneau, AK	49.08	130	93
128	Cheyenne, WY	49.03	132	92
129	Henderson, NV	48.83	139	74
130	Chula Vista, CA	48.65	114	148
131	Yonkers, NY	48.56	142	71
132	Buffalo, NY	48.49	146	63
133	Chicago, IL	48.32	153	37
134	Norfolk, VA	48.25	127	132
135	Albuquerque, NM	48.20	135	118
136	Fort Wayne, IN	48.05	133	119
137	Missoula, MT	48.01	147	62
138	Springfield, MO	47.63	123	153
139	Corpus Christi, TX	47.54	117	156
140	Modesto, CA	47.51	137	134
141	Bridgeport, CT	47.14	149	82
142	Huntsville, AL	46.96	155	80
143	Indianapolis, IN	46.95	131	162
144	Moreno Valley, CA	46.65	138	154
145	Baltimore, MD	46.53	119	176
146	Laredo, TX	46.46	134	159
147	Rochester, NY	46.42	158	68
148	Toledo, OH	46.10	136	170
149	Winston-Salem, NC	45.94	140	165
150	Tulsa, OK	45.92	151	121
151	Baton Rouge, LA	45.60	150	140
152	Akron, OH	45.47	152	138
153	Greensboro, NC	45.36	148	151
154	Oklahoma City, OK	45.24	165	64
155	Augusta, GA	44.84	141	180
156	Providence, RI	44.28	169	76
157	Memphis, TN	44.04	145	179
158	San Bernardino, CA	43.84	156	169
159	Oxnard, CA	43.80	162	133
160	North Las Vegas, NV	43.66	163	137
161	Casper, WY	43.64	177	73
162	Las Cruces, NM	43.59	172	88
163	Anchorage, AK	43.48	160	145
164	Jackson, MS	43.19	154	177
165	New Haven, CT	43.07	178	77
166	Bakersfield, CA	42.96	175	102
167	Cleveland, OH	42.35	159	172
168	Huntington, WV	42.28	174	128
169	Stockton, CA	42.20	170	152
170	Fayetteville, NC	42.14	166	158
171	Brownsville, TX	42.12	161	171
172	Gulfport, MS	42.11	167	161
173	Mobile, AL	41.55	164	174
174	Montgomery, AL	41.48	171	164
175	Fresno, CA	41.45	173	155
176	Hialeah, FL	41.38	157	182
177	New Orleans, LA	40.64	180	142
178	Birmingham, AL	40.62	168	178
179	Columbus, GA	39.97	179	166
180	Newark, NJ	39.61	181	167
181	Detroit, MI	38.85	176	181
182	Shreveport, LA	37.49	182	175

 

Embed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/2173/bubblechart-findjob.html" width="700" height="450" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:700px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="http://ift.tt/2ExQdux;

Ask the Experts

Although the employment projections for 2018 appear to be promising, the job-hunting process can still be scary, especially for those entering the workforce for the first time or facing particular obstacles. To ease the burden on job seekers, we asked a panel of experts to share their thoughts on the following key questions:

• What is your prediction for the job market in 2018?
• What impact will the current administration’s policies have on job growth?
• Which fields are expected to grow the most in the coming years?
• Recent evidence suggests fewer people are moving across state lines in search for work. Why do you think this is, and what can be done to increase geographic mobility?
• What are the most common mistakes job seekers make when seeking employment?
• What types of programs have proven effective in helping unemployed individuals find work?
• Should unemployed people be required to do something in order to earn their unemployment benefits? If so, what?

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• Zhaochen He Professor in the Department of Economics at Christopher Newport University
• Stephanie R. Thomas Lecturer in the Department of Economics at Cornell University
• Peter Cappelli George W. Taylor Professor of Management and Director for the Center for Human Resources at The Wharton School from the University of Pennsylvania
• Christine Neylon O'Brien Professor of Business Law for the Carroll School of Management at Boston College
• David Bjerk Russell Bock Chair of Public Economics and Taxation at the Claremont McKenna College
• Kurt Kraiger & Eric Leftwich Professor of Psychology for the Department of Psychology at the Colorado State University, respectively Business Development Officer at jobZology

Zhaochen He Professor in the Department of Economics at Christopher Newport University

Which are the most common mistakes job seekers make when seeking employment?

A lot of young people I see are simply too picky. They complain that they can't find a job, but upon further inquiry, I'll discover they've only applied to a handful of positions. They might have very strong preferences about geography, or work environment, or pay, even though they are in no position to make such stringent demands. It's a rather entitled attitude, if you ask me -- as though they view employment as a luxury, not a necessity.

Stephanie R. Thomas Lecturer in the Department of Economics at Cornell University

What fields are expected to grow the most in the coming years?

According to projections by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, almost 9 out of 10 jobs expected to be added during 2016 to 2026 will be within the service-providing sector. Specifically, employment in the health care and social assistance sector is projected to add nearly four million jobs by 2026, about one-third of all new jobs. By 2026, the health care and social assistance sector is expected to be the largest major sector.

It is expected that the fastest-growing occupations during 2016 to 2026 will be health care support occupations and health care practitioners and technical occupations. These two occupational groups make up nearly half of the 30 fastest growing jobs by 2026, and are expected to contribute about one-fifth of all new jobs by 2026.

This growth will be driven by the aging Baby Boomer population, increases in life expectancies, and growing rates of chronic conditions, all of which will increase the demand for health care services.

Recent evidence suggests fewer people are moving across state lines in search for work -- why do you think this is and what can be done to increase geographic mobility?

There is some research indicating that since the Great Recession of 2007-2009, workers are twice as likely to exit the labor force following a separation event than they were prior to the Great Recession. Relocation is still the most common response, but it is less important than it used to be.

I think that the decline in geographic mobility can be explained in part by two key driving forces. First, the American workforce is getting older. Older individuals have fewer years remaining in their work life, as compared to younger individuals. If an older individual were to relocate, (s)he has fewer years over which to reap the gain from relocation. Additionally, gains from relocation may not be positive; it depends on the reason for the separation from employment.

Among those workers who are involuntarily separated from employment, many are not able to recapture their previous level of earnings. Research suggests that the earnings recapture rate is typically around 80 to 85 percent. This means that these workers will earn less on the new job. At the same time, however, older individuals tend to have stronger attachments to their local communities (because of homeownership, family and social relationships, spouses or partners who may have substantial time investments in their careers in the current labor market, connections to physicians and specialists providing ongoing care for chronic conditions, etc.).

These stronger attachments mean that the psychic costs of relocation are greater, and relocation may be a more complicated process for an older individual than for a younger individual. From a cost-benefit perspective, it makes sense that older individuals are less likely to relocate. If employment prospects are limited in their current labor market, they may choose to exit the labor force rather than relocate.

Second, among younger workers, there has been a decline not only in geographic mobility, but also in job-to-job mobility. Research from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco suggests that job mobility has been slowing down overall, but particularly among young workers. This means that not only are younger workers not relocating for employment reasons, they are not changing jobs within their local labor market. There are a number of possible explanations for this. One possible explanation is the increase in the percentage of young adults that are moving back in with their parents. This may lead to a decreased desire to experiment with different jobs in the local labor market, and essentially precludes geographic relocation for employment reasons.

Another possible explanation relates to improvements in the labor market itself. Currently, many younger individuals are earning postsecondary and graduate degrees, and are investing in a greater amount of specialized training. This increase in “specialization” among younger individuals means that they are entering their chosen career relatively early in their work life. This, in turn, can create better “matches” between workers and employers, decreasing the likelihood of worker turnover.

What types of programs have proven effective in helping unemployed individuals find work?

In my experience, retraining programs geared toward structurally unemployed individuals are the most effective. Structural unemployment occurs when there is a mismatch between the skills required for available jobs and the skills of unemployed individuals. This mismatch happens when labor markets evolve due to external factors, like technological innovation or changes in the competitive landscape. While there is no “magic bullet” to guarantee the effectiveness of a retraining program, successful programs tend to share the following features:

• Flexible and innovative training approaches -- programs that incorporate accelerated coursework, integrate work-based and classroom-based instruction, bridge programs can be very effective, and link course requirements in ways that accumulate skills along a specific career pathway show promise for low-skilled workers and workers who are retraining for a new occupation.
• Close alignment between training and the real-world job -- participants are more likely to be successful in finding post-training employment if the skills they developed during training are immediately and directly transferrable to the job.
• Joint engagement of employer and/or industry with the training program -- direct involvement in curriculum design, development of courses, delivery and teaching of courses, and provision of worksite internships greatly increase the likelihood of post-training employment.
• Coordination of education, training and support services strategies -- the most successful training strategies for lower-skilled individuals and those individuals with multiple barriers to employment take holistic approach and integrate across workforce development agencies, schools and community colleges, human services agencies, and employment services providers.

Peter Cappelli George W. Taylor Professor of Management and Director for the Center for Human Resources at The Wharton School from the University of Pennsylvania

What is your prediction for the job market in 2018?

As far as we can see, the world economy seems to be in much better shape than possibly in two decades. That includes the U.S., so it looks to be a continued good year for jobs.

What impact will the current administration’s policies have on job growth?

Employers don’t like uncertainty, and this administration hasn’t been good on that dimension. The macro economists expect the tax cuts, if they come as predicted, to have little effect on job growth; it is demand that causes companies to hire, not corporate tax rates.

What fields are expected to grow the most in the coming years?

The fastest growing are expected to be largely unskilled jobs, especially home healthcare.

Which are the most common mistakes job seekers make when seeking employment?

These days it’s thinking that someone is going to see your application if you simply submit it online.

What types of programs have proven effective in helping unemployed individuals find work?

The most cost-effective one is job hunting skills. The least cost-effective is retraining, in part because it is hard to know what skills will ultimately be in demand and because what employers value is experience, not job retraining programs.

Should unemployed people be required to do something in order to earn their unemployment benefits? If so, what?

Unemployment insurance isn’t welfare. It’s paid for by tax contributions from employers and employees, one only gets it if they are laid off and not fired for cause. An employer’s tax contributions for unemployment insurance go up when they lay off more people, so the system is designed to discourage them from doing it.

Christine Neylon O'Brien Professor of Business Law for the Carroll School of Management at Boston College

What is your prediction for the job market in 2018?

Some of the new tax bill is designed to be positive for business and that could trickle down to more investment in the U.S. and thus more jobs, so I hope that jobs will be more plentiful in 2018. There should be more money available to corporations, due to lessened taxes, and also an advantage for corporations to invest in capital projects. That will help them reduce their tax bills over the short term rather than over the long term.

What fields are expected to grow the most in the coming years?

It seems that there is potential for an increase in manufacturing projects back to the U.S., which should encourage more money to be invested and job growth in the U.S. I should think engineering will grow as well as construction, and probably the tech industry and finance and accounting jobs.

What impact will the current administration’s policies have on job growth?

Some of the current administration’s positions on labor and employment are decidedly retro, as the latest turnarounds on positions taken under the Obama administration have shown, but the public engagement in the “#metoo” movement might require politicians to incorporate a more enlightened approach to the handling of regulation (or the lack thereof) in employment. As I teach my students in the Carroll School of Management, most of us will be employees for most of our lives, so it is very important to understand the employee perspective as well as the management perspective. There is definitely an advantage to keeping employees happy and productive and a big part of that is being fair and transparent, following the rules, paying people well and treating others as we would like to be treated.

Recent evidence suggests fewer people are moving across state lines in search for work -- why do you think this is and what can be done to increase geographic mobility?

Perhaps more people are content where they are and with more jobs available, they choose to stay where they are if they seek job promotions. Many young (as well as older) people put a premium on quality of life rather than simply getting ahead in their careers. With more couples having two careers than in the past, less are likely to uproot. Hiring policies that take the whole family unit into account might increase employment mobility.

Which are the most common mistakes job seekers make when seeking employment?

One mistake job seekers make is not researching the company enough. Another is not looking at the hiring company or recruiter’s point of view. What can the applicant offer to the company rather than the other way around. Make sure the resume is designed to illustrate career goals that match the position.

What types of programs have proven effective in helping unemployed individuals find work?

I think this is an area where there should be a safety net for those laid off from employment, and training programs for those with disabilities in particular who need some support in the form of job coaches, or grants to encourage trying to return to work without immediate loss of other benefits.

Should unemployed people be required to do something in order to earn their unemployment benefits? If so, what?

Presently, those collecting unemployment must show that they are seeking other like positions in order to retain benefits. This is a productive requirement in that it keeps the benefit receiver applying for other jobs.

David Bjerk Russell Bock Chair of Public Economics and Taxation at the Claremont McKenna College

What is your prediction for the job market in 2018?

The economy seems strong, but I think uncertainty is also high. The unemployment rate has fallen about as low as it can go, so there may be hope that wages will finally start to respond and creep up. However, a stock market plunge or rash decisions coming from the current administration do not seem out of the question, which may substantially change the state of the job market.

What impact will the current administration’s policies have on job growth?

Unemployment cannot fall much more, but strong consumer confidence and the tax plan may prompt some employers to want to increase output. While this could stimulate some wage growth, the present administration is the wild card. If Trump does end up pushing through anti-trade and protectionist policies, aggregate demand may fall leading to a fall in demand for labor. Moreover, constraints on immigration may push many immigrants, including skilled immigrants, to other countries like Canada. Research by my colleague William Lincoln and Harvard Business School Professor William Kerr has actually shown that increases in skilled immigration to the United States have increased demand for American skilled workers. Because of that, it seems plausible that restricting such immigration can decrease demand for American skilled workers.

What fields are expected to grow the most in the coming years?

If we are considering the American economy, it seems that high skilled jobs that revolve around relatively geographically centralized regions are likely to thrive. Wall Street finance, Silicon Valley tech, Hollywood entertainment -- the global reach of these sectors appears to see little bounds. However, such markets are limited to a very small part of the labor force. For others, anything that is difficult to outsource to foreign countries seems the best bet. This would include quality service and sales professionals. Such positions require strong personal and relationship building skills that are very hard to replicate in any other way. Creative and skilled entrepreneurs also seem to be finding success. Creating a unique product in the age of Amazon may prove sustainable. The growth of craft breweries, custom furniture shops, and other locally produced goods appears to be an area of growth post-great recession.

Recent evidence suggests fewer people are moving across state lines in search for work -- why do you think this is and what can be done to increase geographic mobility?

Moving is hard on families and only makes sense if opportunities are really better somewhere else. While this is often true for very high skilled workers, it isn't clear that this is true for less skilled workers. Moving to a new place for a job that isn't even as good as your previous one doesn't seem like a very good bargain. One thing the government can do is help lower these moving costs. While the social costs of moving are always high, financial costs could be lessened. For example, it would have been nice to see the new tax plan make moving expenses tax deductable. Instead we got taxes on tuition benefits and University endowments, making it more expensive for Americans to improve their skills.

Which are the most common mistakes job seekers make when seeking employment?

I think one mistake is that individuals focus on the top end of an industry rather than what is going on in the rest of the industry. For example, while American computer technology is a thriving sector, I do not think it necessarily makes sense for a typical college student to study computer coding. While studying comp sci at Cal Tech or MIT may lead to lucrative jobs in Silicon Valley, those who are not at the vanguard of these areas and cannot get into the handful of these top jobs will end up competing against very highly skilled and lesser paid coders from India and other countries. I think college students are best served by ensuring they obtain a variety of skills, including working with data and statistics, but also writing and other forms of communications skills.

What types of programs have proven effective in helping unemployed individuals find work?

Not many. Re-training workers is hard. I think the best thing that workers can be is flexible. Flexible about trying to gain new skills, but also about what types of jobs they will consider and with respect to moving to where jobs are. Admittedly, this is hard; picking up and moving to a new place and re-starting a career can be quite traumatic for many families.

Should unemployed people be required to do something in order to earn their unemployment benefits? If so, what?

No. Unemployment insurance is meant to be a bridge for an unemployed worker to search for a new job and/or develop new skills. Putting restrictions on what can be done while receiving such benefits is likely to do more harm than good. Sure, some unemployed may "abuse" the system, but the vast majority simply need time to find a good sustainable match again. Requiring them to do training or fill out lots of paper work is costly administratively and doesn't clearly help them find a better match long-term.

Kurt Kraiger & Eric Leftwich Professor of Psychology for the Department of Psychology at the Colorado State University, respectively Business Development Officer at jobZology

What is your prediction for the job market in 2018?

Eric Leftwich - The outlook for the 2018 job market looks to remain positive. The biggest challenge in 2018 will be connecting quality jobs to appropriate talent pools that can fill them. Unemployment figures will still be low across most sectors but the market needs to find a balance, ensuring that we have people employed for the right job, not underemployed, and using their appropriate passions and talents in the work they choose to do. It won’t be enough for companies to just post their jobs. They are going to have to seek out the type of employee they want and market to them in order to attract, hire, train and retain them.

What fields are expected to grow the most in the coming years?

Eric Leftwich - Technology, software, and healthcare will continue to remain the trifecta of high growth fields in 2018. However, as traditional tech and healthcare sector jobs continue to beckon underemployed workers to retrain and join the ranks seeking a better life, I am excited by the emerging digital badge programs that offer certifications beyond these fields. These programs are designed to quickly educate people for new mods of well-paid trade work and offer a promise to steer people to more sustainable lives in fields where they will invent, create, build and support things alongside computer automation and new tech.

The light and power industry in the US will lose approximately 30% of its skilled workers in the next 5 years. What use is solar or wind energy if we don’t have the infrastructure to support it? This newly educated trade industry that will break out in the coming years as workers is ready to take these re-tooled positions. I only hope the accelerated economy and the newly approved tax cut and incentives will have the impact we expect sooner than 2019.

Kurt Kraiger - We will also continue to see growth in "green jobs," although these are generally mainstream jobs repurposed, e.g., installing solar panels instead of back decks. A lot of has been written about the declining value of a college degree, and despite being a university professor as my "day job," I tend to agree. Employers are increasingly looking to hire for discrete skills (e.g., programming) than broader degrees. Looking out five to ten years, we should see an increasing number of existing jobs replaced and significantly augmented with automation and artificial intelligence. However, we will also see a redefining of so-called "blue-collar jobs" and movement of jobs from manufacturing to healthcare and services.

Recent evidence suggests fewer people are moving across state lines in search for work -- why do you think this is and what can be done to increase geographic mobility?

Eric Leftwich - The nature of information and service industry has allowed the workforce to find jobs near or even in the home. While this has had a very positive impact on the quality of life for the American worker, in some ways it has diluted the equitable pay scales that were prevalent in the 80’s and 90’s. This is part of the equilibrium that needs to occur as people make decisions about their financial future and sustainable work lives. It won’t be until we see the re-emergence of manufacturing centers that people will be forced to explore true geographical change as they make decisions about their work lives and futures.

Kurt Kraiger - I'm not sure that reduced geographic mobility is a bad thing; for example, sociologists who study the family structure might argue that keeping families and communities together outweighs job mobility. However, as Eric notes, it will be increasingly easy for job seekers to find meaningful work online, investigate alternative living situations, and make decisions that optimize their ability to balance employment and life/family needs.

Which are the most common mistakes job seekers make when seeking employment?

Eric Leftwich – It saddens me to know that people will take a job just for a paycheck. While I certainly understand it, we all know it creates compounding problems in the general economics of the employment market. Low job satisfaction, poor employee retention, lack of work place engagement, losses in productivity, poor product development and bad services all lead to unstable businesses. No matter the work, each job seeker needs to better understand their personal needs and drives for workplace happiness beyond the monthly paycheck. Job seekers need to pursue work that allows them to craft a day that intersects with their passion, purpose and skills. Not understanding this intersection of need is the gravest mistake a job seeker can make as they explore various jobs, vocations and even careers they will seek.

Kurt Kraiger - I can understand the pressure to start earning a paycheck, but job seekers often will accept a job offer knowing it's probably a bad fit for them. The economy has certainly turned again over the past few years, and it's not difficult to drive around major metropolitan areas without seeing "now hiring" signs everywhere. If someone has to take a job for the paycheck, they are compounding their mistake by not having a viable Plan B. What is it that they would really find interesting to do? What skill training would they need? Can they commit to the job in front of them, but also commit to themselves (and probably their family) that they won't settle, but that they will establish a plan and a timeline to move into more meaningful work?

What types of programs have proven effective in helping unemployed individuals find work?

Kurt Kraiger - I am a proponent of the informational interview. It's hard for many of us to outright ask for a job, particularly one that may feel above our background and skills. In the informational interview, the job seeker finds one of the jobs they would really like to do, and sets up a 30-minute informational interview with a current incumbent. The job seeker can articulate at the outset that they would like to one day hold that job, and seek advice on training and preparation, and also who else they should speak to. After a couple of these, the interviewee may be able to connect them to someone who is actually looking to hire someone in that role.

Eric Leftwich – The unemployed are best served when engaged in programs that include modules for self-discovery, vocational pathway modeling and gap analysis, outlining required education, training and job coaching. This holistic approach is the right way to guide people to sustainable work lives and not just get people jobs. Really great programs exist within colleges, trade schools, workforce centers and even non-profits across the U.S.

Methodology

In order to determine the best job markets in the U.S., WalletHub compared 182 cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across two key dimensions, “Job Market” and “Socio-economics.” We assigned a heavier weight to the former, considering the fact that factors in that category most heavily influence a job seeker’s decision in terms of relocation for employment.

We then evaluated the two dimensions using 26 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for job seekers.

Finally, we determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its total score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample. In determining our sample, we considered only the city proper in each case, excluding cities in the surrounding metro area.

Job Market – Total Points: 80

• Job Opportunities: Double Weight (~7.62 Points)Note: This metric was calculated as follows: Number of Job Openings (per Number of Population in Labor Force) – Unemployment Rate.
• Employment Growth: Double Weight (~7.62 Points)Note: This metric measures the rate of annual job growth adjusted by the working-age population growth.
• Monthly Average Starting Salary: Full Weight (~3.81 Points)Note: This metric was adjusted for the cost of living.
• Unemployment Rate: Double Weight (~7.62 Points)
• Underemployment Rate: Full Weight (~3.81 Points)
• Industry Variety: Full Weight (~3.81 Points)
• Employment Outlook: Double Weight (~7.62 Points)Note: This metric is based on the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.
• Job Security: Full Weight (~3.81 Points)Note: This metric was calculated as follows: (Number of Employees in 2016 – Number of Employees in 2015) / Number of Employees in 2015.
• Job Satisfaction: Full Weight (~3.81 Points)
• Retirement Access & Participation: Full Weight (~3.81 Points)Note: This metric considers only employer-based retirement plans.
• Access to Employee Benefits: Full Weight (~3.81 Points)Note: This metric measures the share of employees with private health insurance.
• Presence of Work-Share Programs: Full Weight (~3.81 Points)Note: This binary metric measures the presence or absence of state programs that allow employers to temporarily reduce work hours of employees instead of laying them off during economic downturns.
• Full-Time Employment: Full Weight (~3.81 Points)Note: This metric measures the number of part-time employees for every 100 full-time employees.
• Access to Internships: Full Weight (~3.81 Points)Note: This metric measures the number of internships per total civilian population aged 16 to 24 in the labor force.
• Apprentice-Trainee Jobs as Share of Total Jobs Posted on Glassdoor.com: Full Weight (~3.81 Points)Note: Apprentice-trainee jobs refers to on-the-job training.
• Share of Workers in Poverty: Full Weight (~3.81 Points)Note: This metric measures the percentage of employed residents whose incomes are below the poverty line.
• Disability-Friendliness of Employers: Full Weight (~3.81 Points)Note: This metric measures the percentage of persons with disabilities who are employed.

Socio-economics – Total Points: 20

• Median Annual Income: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)Note: This metric was adjusted for the cost of living.
• Average Work & Commute Time: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)Note: This metric measures the average length of a workday and the average commute time.
• Transit Accessibility of Workplace: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)Note: This metric measures the number of jobs accessible by a 30-minute transit ride per total civilian workforce.
• Housing Affordability: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
• Annual Transportation Costs: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
• Safety: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)Note: This metric measures the crime rate.
• Family-Friendliness: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Places to Raise a Family” ranking.
• Dating-Friendliness: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Cities for Singles” ranking.
• Recreation-Friendliness: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Cities for Recreation” ranking.

 

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, Council for Community and Economic Research, Indeed, Center for Neighborhood Technology, The Pew Charitable Trusts, National Conference of State Legislatures, Glassdoor, ManpowerGroup, Chmura Economics & Analytics, Chegg and WalletHub research.

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