Is the Job Market Getting Any Better This Year? Signs Say "Yes" For Entry-Level Job Seekers

The groundhog predicted an early spring, and while that remains to be seen, employment experts are predicting more job openings this year.

We're three months into 2011 and all signs are pointing to increased hiring and a better job market. The good news is that as businesses are starting to see an increase in profits, they are becoming more optimistic about their future and starting to hire again. The bad news is that, for the most part, the largest increase is in entry-level jobs. This isn't exactly great news for experienced job seekers, but for those who are looking to change career fields or new graduates, it is a good sign.

Just last week, Beyond, Inc. released their quarterly report, which is a survey of thousands of industry and local career sites. In the report, they are showing an increase across the board in the number of entry-level job openings. The largest number of openings were in Houston, New York and Los Angeles.

Additionally, the NACE Job Outlook for 2011 reported a similar gain in the availability of entry-level jobs. Their report, which surveys employers, showed that employers were planning to hire 13 percent more recent college grads this year than they did in 2010.

The gains in job openings can be seen in almost every industry, but the top 5 are:

1. Clerical and Administrative
2. Sales and Sales Management
3. Merchandising, Purchasing and Retail
4. Arts, Entertainment and Gaming
5. Customer Service

It seems that as businesses are coming out of the recession, they are starting to think about the rebuilding process, and that means rebuilding from the ground up. For the graduating class of 2011, it looks as though their prospects are going to be better than the grads in 2009 and 2010.

For the job seeker with more experience, honestly, this isn't a bad sign. In fact, it is a great one. An increase in entry-level jobs is a strong sign that the economy is growing. As it grows, and as more jobs start opening up, employees who have been stuck at a job they aren't happy with will begin the process of moving on to other opportunities and companies will begin looking for experienced leaders to head up their teams.

Also, even though the big news is in the number of entry-level jobs, the Beyond.com quarterly report showed gains in more than 70 percent of industries, in the number of job openings posted across the board. Their data suggests that the biggest number of job openings are in the Healthcare Industry, with Information Technology lagging behind in the number two spot. Accounting and Finance tied with Sales and Sales Management in the number three spot.

It is encouraging to see that gains are being made in lots of different industries. This reflects an overall recovery, rather than a short-term, industry specific employment surge. The news is optimistic and hopefully soon we will be seeing the unemployment rate dip below 9 percent.

So, if you have been thinking about making a change, or have given up on looking for a job, now is the time to dust off your resumes and give it another go. And, if you are looking for a job in the Philadelphia are, take a look at PhillyJobs for the best Philadelphia area job listings.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.