[March 15, 2014]CHICAGO — In February, Illinois
employers advertised online for more than 210,700 individual job
openings, according to the independent Conference Board and the
Illinois Department of Employment Security. Eighty-five percent of
the advertisements were for full-time work.
The advertising reflects help-wanted activity for newly created and replacement
positions. The actual number of openings exceeds 210,700 because some
industries, such as construction, typically do not advertise online.
"These
help-wanted ads represent real opportunities for Illinois workers and show that
Illinois' economy is growing," said IDES Director Jay Rowell. "The dignity of
work is available to those who are prepared to succeed and who show employers
why their skills and work ethic will help a company grow."
Statewide, the five top advertised positions in February were truck drivers,
9,063; registered nurses, 4,732; retail salespeople, 4,186; first-line
supervisors of retail sales workers, 4,078; and marketing managers, 3,704. The
median hourly wage for an Illinois truck driver is $20.57; for a registered
nurse, $31.34; retail sales worker, $9.85; first-line supervisors of retail
sales worker, $17.03; and marketing managers, $48.78. Typically, the positions
include some benefits, such as health insurance, paid sick days and vacation.
Included in the data are more than 130,000 positions advertised on
Illinoisjoblink.com.
IDES operates the state's hiring board. Job seekers can build multiple resumes
to emphasize different skills and experiences. Business owners can use
keyword-matching technology to search resumes and find the best candidate.
Illinoisjoblink.com is free for workers and employers. It compares favorably
with private efforts that cost hundreds of dollars. No-cost HR recruitment
services for employers and workers are available at the website and at
877-342-7533.
Using
Illinoisjoblink.com to apply for jobs or record other work
search efforts can ensure ongoing eligibility for current and future
unemployment insurance benefits.
The Conference Board collects the data on the online help-wanted
ads. The Conference Board is a global, independent business
membership and research association. The data measures new,
first-time jobs listed online and jobs reposted from the previous
month on Internet job boards, corporate boards and smaller, niche
websites.
