Working in the USA: demand for some professions is growing, while others are declining

The overall hiring rate in the United States rose 2,9% in August compared to July this year. But according to the latest release LinkedIn monthly hiring reportIt has not yet returned to pre-COVID levels in February 2020. However, in the suddenly booming travel and leisure sector, growth is faster.

The need for employment in the hotel and restaurant business is on the rise as Americans return to the habit of dining out and traveling for pleasure. LinkedIn data shows total recruitment in the leisure and travel industry has grown dramatically, up 51,4% from pre-COVID levels in February 2020. This is more than double the growth rate of the next fastest growing sector - transport and logistics - which grew by 22,7%.

The demand for workers is driven not only by business growth

The demand for hiring new workers in the post-image era is driven not only by business growth, but also by the exodus of many workers.

In the hotel and restaurant sectors, former chefs and waiters are "moving into completely different industries." So says Sekou Sibi, head of Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, a workers' rights advocacy group in New York. Seebee said: "Many are leaving for large corporations that can provide better wages and working conditions."

A total of 14 of the 24 industries monitored by the LinkedIn Economic Graph team reached hiring rates in August 2021 that exceeded the pre-COVID-19 hiring rate in February 2021. The most prominent were transport and logistics, software and corporate services (for example, accounting and consulting).

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In the transportation industry, airlines are struggling to recruit new staff as air travel is recovering from the extremely low levels of 2020. This is causing a sharp turn in personnel policy. In 2020, airlines were encouraging some employees to retire early.

Southwest Airlines aims to increase its workforce by 5200 by the end of this year, or 16%. As part of its effort to find more candidates, Southwest is offering its employees the equivalent of $ 300 in free airfare or concert tickets for every recommendation that leads to hiring a new employee.

Which spheres are growing and which are in decline

According to LinkedIn data, the hiring rate of new hires in the US as a whole in August 2021 was 2,8% lower than in February 2020. But in different industries, the situation is very different.

• Hospitality & Catering - Hiring rates changed between February 2020 and August 2021 + 51,4%
• Transport and logistics: + 22,7%
• Software and IT: + 15,6%
• Corporate services: + 14,2%
• Healthcare: + 8,7%
• Manufacturing: + 4,3%
• Finance: + 1,7%
• Retail: -3,4%
• Public administration: -11%
• Education: -15,1%

Growth and decline in indicators

On the other hand, hiring in education (-15,1%) and public administration (-11,0%) remains well below pre-COVID levels. Education has rebounded somewhat this year after significant cuts in 2020. The recruitment of civil servants did not suffer as much last year, but has not received much support since then.

Even with these zig-zag patterns, seven industries posted the fastest hiring growth since the start of the pandemic in August. This was noted by Guy Berger, chief economist at LinkedIn. Namely, arts, corporate services, energy and mining, equipment and networks, recreation and travel, software and IT services, as well as transport and logistics.

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Taking into account hiring data for August, three metropolitan areas have seen double-digit hiring growth rates since the start of the COVID era in February 2020. These are Nashville (+ 11,8%), Miami (+ 11,2%) and Austin (+ 12,2). Other strong positions include Atlanta (+ 8,8%) and Houston (+ 6,8%).

Hiring trends over the same 19-month period as a whole continue to plummet in Washington DC (-10,5%), Minneapolis (-7,9%) and the San Francisco Bay Area (-7,8%) ... Hiring has yet to fully recover in Seattle (-4,8%) and Detroit (-3,8%).