Jobless claims are again on the rise, returning last week to levels not seen since November 2009. Meanwhile, the national unemployment rate remains at a historically high 9.5%, and analysts foresee more layoffs as the economic recovery stalls. Many job seekers are desperate for the secret to beating out competition and landing those now-rare positions. The answer may be as simple as the old saying: location, location, location.
Job-search site Juju.com compiled a ranking of the best cities in the U.S. to find a job. The researchers compared the number of job seekers in each of the largest 50 cities in the country, provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), with the number of job openings per city from its comprehensive database. The result? A pocket guide to an increasingly complicated market.
10 Best Cities To Find A Job
Coming in at No. 1, Washington, D.C., is the best place in the country to secure a job. The city’s unemployment rate (6.4%) is lower than the national average, and the plethora of public sector jobs insulate it against the weak private economy. With 1.18 candidates for each opening, the odds of landing a job here are in your favor. Juju.com Vice President Brendan Cruickshank believes D.C. takes the top slot largely because local government and private defense companies there have been less likely to hold layoffs. Cruickshank also notes that the nation’s capital hosts solid growth industries like health care and education, which are hiring.
Full story: Best Cities To Find A Job – Forbes.com