There’s some good news for job-seekers; a burst of hiring in December pushed the nation's unemployment rate to its lowest level in nearly three years. The labor department said Friday that employers added a net 200,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate fell to 8.5 percent. So what does this mean in Chicago? Joining with some insight was Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder.
Haefner said the trend for hiring has been good in Chicago, as well, and the top areas adding jobs are retail, customer service, accounting, sales, finance and health care.
Haefner brought some examples of relevant job titles for the new year and what they are making. A customer service representative makes an average salary of $29,314. A medical assistant makes an average salary of $37,571. A computer software engineer makes an average salary of $97,581. A network systems and data communications analyst makes an average salary of $48,316. A retail salesperson makes an average salary of $25,557.
Haefner also gave us some advice about what hiring managers want to see. She said you should keep your resume fresh in spite of unemployment, showcase awards and quantify results. When you apply for a job, Haefner said you should research the company and show them you know their industry.
