In a recent analysis conducted by personal finance experts at Wealth of Geeks, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has unveiled that the professional and business services sector currently ranks second in the number of job openings in the United States.
The BLS data, seasonally adjusted for September 2023, indicates a total of 9.553 million job openings across all industries in the US. This figure marks a decline from September 2022’s 10.854 million job openings but shows a notable increase from the 9.497 million openings reported in August 2023.
Job Openings by Industry
- Education and Health Services: 1,931,000
- Professional and Business Services: 1,632,000
- Leisure and Hospitality: 1,414,000
- Trade, Transportation, and Utilities: 1,397,000
- Government: 983,000
- Financial Activities: 647,000
- Manufacturing: 627,000
- Construction: 431,000
- Information: 160,000
- Mining and Logging: 35,000
Let’s take a closer look
The education and health services sector leads with an impressive 1.931 million job openings. Noteworthy positions in this industry include registered nurses, nursing assistants, and healthcare managers, with competitive average salaries.
Following closely is the professional and business services sector, boasting 1.632 million job openings. Roles such as administrative assistants, accountants, and lawyers are in demand, offering attractive average salaries.
Leisure and hospitality secures the third position, with 1.414 million job openings. From event managers to servers and hotel managers, a variety of roles are available with corresponding salaries.
Other industries with significant job openings include trade, transportation, and utilities; government; financial activities; manufacturing; construction; information; and mining and logging.
Michael Dinich, a spokesperson for Wealth of Geeks, emphasised the importance of understanding industry trends in the current job market. Despite the overall decrease in job openings compared to September 2022, Dinich expressed optimism, noting a promising upward trend from August 2023.
For individuals contemplating a career change or seeking new opportunities, these insights provide valuable guidance in navigating the dynamic landscape of the contemporary job market.
Amelia Brand is the Editor for HRreview, and host of the HR in Review podcast series. With a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory, her particular interests within HR include employment law, DE&I, and wellbeing within the workplace. Prior to working with HRreview, Amelia was Sub-Editor of a magazine, and Editor of the Environmental Justice Project at University College London, writing and overseeing articles into UCL’s weekly newsletter. Her previous academic work has focused on philosophy, politics and law, with a special focus on how artificial intelligence will feature in the future.
