Truck Drivers and Retail Salespersons Continue to be the Most Sought-After Employees According to HWOL (Help Wanted Online) Data

 MONTGOMERY – Data collected and analyzed by the Alabama Department of Labor’s Labor Market Information (LMI) Division shows that the most online wanted ads were for retail salespersons, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, and registered nurses, with 6,583 ads placed for those occupations in February. Alabama online ads increased by 16% from January with 15,314 of those being new ads.

The Help Wanted Online (HWOL) data is compiled from all online job postings in the state, including those posted on the state’s free online jobs database,www.joblink.alabama.gov, and other sources; such as traditional job boards, corporate boards, and social media sites.

Retail salespersons earn a mean wage of $13.55 per hour, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn a mean wage of $19.99 per hour, and registered nurses earn a mean wage of $28.43 per hour.

Thirty-eight percent of job ads have salaries in the $50-79,000 range; 24% have salaries of $80,000 and above; 22% have salaries in the $30-49,000 range; and 16% have salaries of $30,00 or under.

“It’s encouraging to see 84% of the online job ads have wage ranges above $30,000 and more than half pay $50,000 or higher,” said Fitzgerald Washington, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Labor.  “These are good paying jobs that will benefit Alabamians.”

 The top three employers posting ads in February were: UAB Medicine (796), CVS Health (650), and McDonald’s (644). These were followed by Pizza Hut, Lowe’s, Baptist Health, Advance Auto Parts, Circle K, Jacob’s, and Domino’s to round out the top 10 employers with the most online ads.

The Healthcare Industry is the focus of this month’s in-depth analysis by the LMI division. The top 5 occupations with the most online ads are registered nurses, licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, nursing assistants, physical therapists, and personal care aides. In addition, 25% of those jobs only require a GED/High School diploma.

“We continue to see the importance of soft skills to employers,” continued Washington. “This is where our Career Centers come in. Alabama now has 50 Career Centers around the state that offer free services to jobseekers including job skill workshops, job searches, résumé preparation, and more.”

“We’d like to encourage anyone who needs a job, or wants a different job, to come into one of our Career Centers for assistance,” said Washington.  “Our trained staff can assist you in obtaining the career you want.”

A listing of Career Centers can be found at www.joblink.alabama.gov.

Media Release/Kelly Betts/Alabama Department of Labor