(The Center Square) – When it comes to hiring workers, employers in Washington state have it pretty good. That’s according to a new report released by WalletHub.
The personal finance website compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia based on the rate of job openings for both the latest month and the past 12 months in order to determine its state rankings.
Washington ranked No. 46 overall on the list – the higher the number, the fewer employers seemed to grapple with bringing people on board – with a job openings rate for the last month of 5.5% and a job openings rate for the past 12 months of 5.72%.
WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez delved into the Evergreen State’s top-10 ranking.
“Washington employers have the 6th smallest hiring struggle,” she said in an email to The Center Square. “The job opening rates for both the latest month and the last 12 months are among the lowest in the country, standing at less than 6%. This indicates that Washington employers are potentially adapting to the current trends in job requirements that people seek nowadays, such as schedule flexibility and more competitive wages.”
Patrick Connor, the Washington state director for the National Federation of Independent Business, said there is still a way to go to get back to normal.
“Washington’s Main Street family-owned shops and restaurants are open for business and looking for good employees,” he told The Center Square in an email. “Jobs are plentiful for those willing to show up on time, work hard, and improve their skills on the job.”
He continued, “While this most recent WalletHub study allows us to say we’re less bad than most other states in terms of workplace vacancies, our state and every other is still far from full employment. Workers should view this as an opportunity to advance in their current position or find one with another employer that is a better fit. And, when looking for job opportunities, remember Main Street is hiring!”
Washington bested its Pacific Northwest neighbors in WalletHub’s study, with Oregon ranked No. 41 and Idaho ranked No. 21.
Per the report, the 10 states where employers struggle the most to hire are:
1. Alaska
2. Colorado
3. Georgia
4. New Mexico
5. Montana
6. Louisiana
7. Wyoming
8. Delaware
9. West Virginia
10. Maryland
The 10 states and state designate where employers struggle the least to hire are:
51. New York
50. New Jersey
49. District of Columbia
48. Connecticut
47. California
46. Washington
45. Indiana
44. Hawaii
43. Michigan
42. Texas
