Indiana Jobs Info

Regional and state unemployment rates were little changed in February. Twenty-nine states recorded unemployment rate decreases, 8 states posted
rate increases, and 13 states and the District of Columbia had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-nine states and
the District of Columbia registered unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, while only one state experienced an increase. The national
jobless rate was unchanged from January at 8.3 percent but was 0.7 percentage point lower than in February 2011.

In February, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 42 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 8 states. The largest over-the-month
increase in employment occurred in Ohio (+28,300), followed by Texas (+27,900) and New York (+24,700). The largest over-the-month decrease
in employment occurred in Nevada (-12,800), followed by Georgia (-8,300), Oregon (-6,400), and Kansas (-5,700). North Dakota experienced the largest
over-the-month percentage increase in employment (+1.3 percent), followed by Alaska and Wyoming (+0.7 percent each). Nevada experienced the largest
over-the-month percentage decline in employment (-1.1 percent), followed by New Hampshire (-0.6 percent). Over the year, nonfarm employment increased
in 43 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 7 states. The largest over-the-year percentage increase occurred in North Dakota
(+6.8 percent). The largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment occurred in Wisconsin (-0.6 percent).

Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)

The West continued to record the highest regional unemployment rate in February, 9.6 percent, while the Midwest again reported the lowest
rate, 7.5 percent. Over the month, the Midwest and South experienced statistically significant unemployment rate changes (-0.2 percentage
point each). Over the year, the West registered the largest of three measurable rate changes (-1.0 percentage point), followed by the Midwest
and South (-0.9 point each). (See table 1.)

Among the nine geographic divisions, the Pacific continued to report the highest jobless rate, 10.2 percent in February. The West North Central
again registered the lowest rate, 5.9 percent. Two divisions experienced statistically significant unemployment rate changes over the month:
the East North Central (-0.2 percentage point) and South Atlantic (-0.1 point). Eight divisions had measurable unemployment rate declines
from a year earlier, the largest of which occurred in the East South Central (-1.4 percentage points). No division recorded an unemployment rate
increase from February 2011.

State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)

Nevada continued to record the highest unemployment rate among the states, 12.3 percent in February. Rhode Island and California posted the next
highest rates, 11.0 and 10.9 percent, respectively. North Dakota again registered the lowest jobless rate, 3.1 percent, followed by Nebraska,
4.0 percent. In total, 23 states reported jobless rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 8.3 percent, 6 states and the District
of Columbia had measurably higher rates, and 21 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.
(See tables A and 3.)

Mississippi and Nevada experienced the largest over-the-month unemployment rate declines in February (-0.5 and -0.4 percentage
point, respectively). Five other states also had statistically significant rate decreases: Illinois, Indiana, Montana, and North
Carolina (-0.3 percentage point each) and Florida (-0.2 point). The only significant rate increase was recorded in New York (+0.2 percentage
point). The remaining 42 states and the District of Columbia recorded jobless rates that were not measurably different from those of a month
earlier, though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes.

Michigan registered the largest jobless rate decrease from February 2011 (-1.9 percentage points), followed by Alabama (-1.7 points). Nineteen
additional states reported smaller but also statistically significant declines over the year. The remaining 29 states and the District of
Columbia recorded unemployment rates that were not appreciably different from those of a year earlier. (See table B.)

Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)

In February, 17 states recorded statistically significant over-the-month changes in employment, 13 of which were increases. The largest statistically
significant job gains occurred in Ohio (+28,300), Texas (+27,900), and New York (+24,700). The largest statistically significant decline in
employment occurred in Nevada (-12,800), followed by Oregon (-6,400) and Kansas (-5,700). (See tables C and 5.)

Over the year, 28 states experienced statistically significant changes in employment, all of which were increases. The largest increase occurred in
Texas (+273,900), followed by New York (+141,300) and California (+127,300). (See table D.)

______________
The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for February is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, April 10, 2012, at
10:00 a.m. (EDT). The Regional and State Employment and Unemployment news release for March is scheduled to be released on Friday, April
20, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).

Table A.  States with unemployment rates significantly different
from that of the U.S., February 2012, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------
                State                |          Rate(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States (1) ...................|           8.3
                                     |
Alaska ..............................|           7.1
California ..........................|          10.9
Delaware ............................|           7.0
District of Columbia ................|           9.9
Florida .............................|           9.4
Georgia .............................|           9.1
Hawaii ..............................|           6.4
Iowa ................................|           5.3
Kansas ..............................|           6.1
Louisiana ...........................|           7.0
                                     |
Maine ...............................|           7.1
Maryland ............................|           6.5
Massachusetts .......................|           6.9
Minnesota ...........................|           5.7
Montana .............................|           6.2
Nebraska ............................|           4.0
Nevada ..............................|          12.3
New Hampshire .......................|           5.2
North Carolina ......................|           9.9
North Dakota ........................|           3.1
                                     |
Oklahoma ............................|           6.0
Pennsylvania ........................|           7.6
Rhode Island ........................|          11.0
South Dakota ........................|           4.3
Texas ...............................|           7.1
Utah ................................|           5.7
Vermont .............................|           4.9
Virginia ............................|           5.7
Wisconsin ...........................|           6.9
Wyoming .............................|           5.4
--------------------------------------------------------------
   1 Data are not preliminary.
   p = preliminary.

Table B.  States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from February 2011 to February 2012, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                |          Rate         |
                                |-----------|-----------| Over-the-year
             State              |  February |  February |   change(p)
                                |    2011   |  2012(p)  |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ........................|     9.3   |     7.6   |      -1.7
California .....................|    12.0   |    10.9   |      -1.1
Connecticut ....................|     9.2   |     7.8   |      -1.4
Florida ........................|    10.8   |     9.4   |      -1.4
Georgia ........................|     9.9   |     9.1   |       -.8
Kansas .........................|     6.9   |     6.1   |       -.8
Kentucky .......................|     9.8   |     8.7   |      -1.1
Maine ..........................|     7.9   |     7.1   |       -.8
Michigan .......................|    10.7   |     8.8   |      -1.9
Minnesota ......................|     6.7   |     5.7   |      -1.0
                                |           |           |
Missouri .......................|     8.9   |     7.4   |      -1.5
Nevada .........................|    13.6   |    12.3   |      -1.3
Ohio ...........................|     8.9   |     7.6   |      -1.3
South Carolina .................|    10.5   |     9.1   |      -1.4
South Dakota ...................|     5.0   |     4.3   |       -.7
Tennessee ......................|     9.5   |     8.0   |      -1.5
Texas ..........................|     8.0   |     7.1   |       -.9
Utah ...........................|     7.3   |     5.7   |      -1.6
Vermont ........................|     5.9   |     4.9   |      -1.0
Washington .....................|     9.5   |     8.2   |      -1.3
Wisconsin ......................|     7.6   |     6.9   |       -.7
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
   p = preliminary.

Table C.  States with statistically significant employment changes from
January 2012 to February 2012, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              |   January   |   February  | Over-the-month
           State              |     2012    |    2012(p)  |    change(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alaska........................|     328,600 |     330,800 |       2,200
Arizona.......................|   2,427,900 |   2,436,900 |       9,000
Delaware......................|     418,200 |     420,300 |       2,100
Iowa..........................|   1,484,800 |   1,493,500 |       8,700
Kansas........................|   1,356,000 |   1,350,300 |      -5,700
Kentucky......................|   1,813,400 |   1,821,400 |       8,000
Massachusetts.................|   3,225,700 |   3,234,800 |       9,100
Nevada........................|   1,133,500 |   1,120,700 |     -12,800
New Hampshire.................|     632,400 |     628,900 |      -3,500
New York......................|   8,758,700 |   8,783,400 |      24,700
                              |             |             |
North Dakota..................|     407,700 |     412,800 |       5,100
Ohio..........................|   5,119,300 |   5,147,600 |      28,300
Oregon........................|   1,623,200 |   1,616,800 |      -6,400
Pennsylvania..................|   5,700,900 |   5,717,600 |      16,700
South Carolina................|   1,845,800 |   1,854,100 |       8,300
Texas.........................|  10,710,900 |  10,738,800 |      27,900
Wyoming.......................|     286,700 |     288,700 |       2,000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
   p = preliminary.

Table D.  States with statistically significant employment changes from
February 2011 to February 2012, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              |   February  |   February  | Over-the-year
           State              |     2011    |    2012(p)  |    change(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona.......................|   2,396,300 |   2,436,900 |      40,600
California....................|  14,057,200 |  14,184,500 |     127,300
Colorado......................|   2,240,100 |   2,288,900 |      48,800
Florida.......................|   7,235,600 |   7,307,900 |      72,300
Georgia.......................|   3,869,900 |   3,905,100 |      35,200
Indiana.......................|   2,824,300 |   2,862,100 |      37,800
Iowa..........................|   1,476,300 |   1,493,500 |      17,200
Kansas........................|   1,332,000 |   1,350,300 |      18,300
Kentucky......................|   1,786,800 |   1,821,400 |      34,600
Louisiana.....................|   1,906,100 |   1,947,200 |      41,100
                              |             |             |
Maryland......................|   2,538,100 |   2,585,100 |      47,000
Massachusetts.................|   3,207,700 |   3,234,800 |      27,100
Michigan......................|   3,911,800 |   3,980,600 |      68,800
Minnesota.....................|   2,669,800 |   2,705,300 |      35,500
New Jersey....................|   3,841,500 |   3,892,100 |      50,600
New York......................|   8,642,100 |   8,783,400 |     141,300
North Carolina................|   3,915,400 |   3,962,400 |      47,000
North Dakota..................|     386,600 |     412,800 |      26,200
Ohio..........................|   5,074,100 |   5,147,600 |      73,500
Oklahoma......................|   1,532,100 |   1,574,700 |      42,600
                              |             |             |
Pennsylvania..................|   5,677,600 |   5,717,600 |      40,000
South Carolina................|   1,826,500 |   1,854,100 |      27,600
Tennessee.....................|   2,642,100 |   2,692,200 |      50,100
Texas.........................|  10,464,900 |  10,738,800 |     273,900
Utah..........................|   1,194,200 |   1,226,700 |      32,500
Virginia......................|   3,672,200 |   3,709,600 |      37,400
Washington....................|   2,807,300 |   2,844,500 |      37,200
West Virginia.................|     749,800 |     762,600 |      12,800
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
   p = preliminary.

• Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Technical Note
• Table 1. Civilian labor force and unemployment by census region and division, seasonally adjusted
• Table 2. Civilian labor force and unemployment by census region and division, not seasonally adjusted
• Table 3. Civilian labor force and unemployment by state and selected area, seasonally adjusted
• Table 4. Civilian labor force and unemployment by state and selected area, not seasonally adjusted
• Table 5. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by state and selected industry sector, seasonally adjusted
• Table 6. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by state and selected industry sector, not seasonally adjusted
• HTML version of the entire news release

The government of Indiana has taken action on attracting private sector jobs in recent years with several new plants opening, but it did not stop there and has made government jobs more available. To do this, the government developed the State of Indiana Job Bank. This program, started through the Indiana State Personnel Department (SPD), is an online database listing almost all of the state government jobs publicly available at the time.

The appealing thing about the Indiana Job Bank is that it includes all types and all levels of jobs. It is not unusual to log in and see a lifeguard job for a state pool on one page, and a chief pharmacist position at a state hospital on the next page. There are comprehensive search and filtering functions, so you will not see jobs that do not interest you if you search correctly. Continue Reading

Even during slow economic times, there is always hesitancy to cut resources from education. Because of this,  Indiana education jobs are a good place to focus your search. There is no shortage of schools in the state, and there might be more opportunities than you normally think of when it comes to schools. Before you start searching, however, there are a few preliminary steps that must be taken care of if you want to have the best chance of success. Continue Reading

Indiana is one of the leading states in the nation for higher education. Between South Bend, Bloomington, West Lafayette, and many other college towns, there is a wide range of jobs brought into local economies by these institutions. For those willing to work in a variety of industries, these college towns present many opportunities.

Continue Reading

Indiana Employment Statistics

There are various places on the Internet where a person can look up Indiana employment statistics. These include the websites of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development and the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Unites States Department of Labor. Information on employment in Indiana is important for job seekers, employers, educators, and economic developers.

For job seekers, data on employment statistics in Indiana are important for information on career assistance, the occupations, the labor force, and Indiana Career Connect. For employers, employment statistics data are vital with regards to demographics, area profiles, income and wages, employer’s services, and education. For economic developers, the data on employment are essential with regards to education, economic indicators, demographics, area profiles, industry, income and wages, labor force, and occupations.

And important source of information on employment statistics in Indiana is the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. LAUS is a statistical program that computes the annual and monthly average estimates for employment, labor force, unemployment and unemployment rate for several areas. Labor force is the sum of the employed and the unemployed. These areas include states, census regions and divisions, metropolitan divisions, metropolitan areas, combined areas, micropolitan areas, counties, small labor market areas, cities, and county equivalents.

Projections on employment and the unemployment rate are also important for federal programs that provide certain benefits. These include the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, Workforce Investment Act, Public Works Program, Food Stamp limitation waivers, Labor Surplus Area Designation Program, and the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program.

What are the best jobs in Indiana after manufacturing? Research done at the beginning of the century suggests that potential employees avoid planning a career in the area of manufacturing. Projections ranged from 2002 to 2012, and suggested a decline in all areas of manufacturing of between 12 and 69 percent. In the year 2009, this has proven to be an accurate prediction.

The projected increase in job creation has been in the lower level job arena.  These include retail sales, customer service representatives, fast food, cashiers, and custodians.  These jobs require few or no skills at the time of application and are well suited for those who are just getting out of high school and don’t intend to go on to college.

For those who do plan to attend college, these stepping stone jobs are a good way to make additional income during the college years, but focus should be on receiving a doctoral degree.  The fastest growing jobs available are as postsecondary teachers, which is at the top of 30 other positions that will require the same degree.

According to the US Bureau of Labor, the 10 fastest growing jobs available that require a bachelor degree are:

• Network Systems and Data Communications,
  
• Analyst
• Computer Applications Software Engineer
• Personal Financial Advisor
• Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor
• Financial Analyst
• Forensic Science Technician
• Computer Systems Analyst
• Database Administrator
• Computer Systems Software Engineer
• Network and Computer Systems Administrator.

Indiana is going digital and the best jobs available are reflecting this.  Even in this arena the best jobs include starting out at entry level, going to school part time and receiving an associates or bachelor degree and moving up within the company. Many companies are willing to pay for this additional education, especially if you prove to be valued employee at the entry level.

The economy has put a real pinch on the number of jobs available across Indiana.  This has caused an even greater hardship on those who have been convicted of a felony and are now available to return to the job market. With the increased competition from the non-felon community, and the strike against the ex-felon, the Indiana job search must be refined.

When performing the job search, an ex-felon needs to keep in mind that he or she will need to work in a place where they can prove that they are reformed.  This is accomplished most often when working side by side with the owner or general manager of the business.  Thus it would make sense to seek out small companies.

You will also want to look for employment in jobs where your felony conviction has no bearing on the type of work involved.  For instance, if you were convicted of neglect of a dependent, you should not apply for  work in a daycare, nursing home, or school.  Likewise, you will be hard pressed to find work in a convenience store, or retail establishment if you were convicted of robbery.

One of the best bets for the male felon, and many females as well, are jobs that involve construction.  Not only will the ex-felon be able to prove that they are worthy of the job, they can and will progressively gain skills in the field that may assist them in future jobs.  Perhaps eventually the ex-felon will then be in a position to start and run their own company using the skills they have acquired.

What Indiana jobs are available? Are they good jobs that lead to careers or are they low paying jobs that will just help you get by? What type of Indiana jobs are you looking for exactly? That’s the question you need to ask yourself.

This series of posts will deal with the Indiana jobs that are available and how that relates to you. The jobs can be out there, but if you’re not prepared to get a good job, you’re not ready to go the distance and improve your life.

If you follow the news, you know that jobs are scarce all over the country. The good news is that there are good Indiana jobs available, quite a few actually. Sometimes it’s all about knowing how to look for them, and more importantly how to land them.

This blog will help you (step by step) to find the best of the Indiana jobs available. If you’re ready to take hold of your career and move forward in life, now’s the time to take action. You won’t get anywhere sitting down and doing nothing.

The fact that you’re here reading this blog is a good sign, though. It means you have initiative. And that’s important when you want to find a good job – in Indiana or anywhere else in the country for that matter.

If you have questions or concerns about finding a job in Indiana, leave a comment below. It’s free and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible to see if we can help you land the job of your dreams right here in Indiana.