HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Last year, jobs were hard to come by for many, especially for teens...
"You had cutbacks and a lot of those jobs were those teenagers would traditionally get. So, now those are all back open and they're desperate for people to come and work. So, I think for teenagers last summer was very unfortunate, I know for our younger, you know 16 and 17-year-olds. This year, there's really a lot of opportunity and then, of course for 18-year-olds there's, here in North Alabama, lots of manufacturing opportunities for 18-year-olds," said Workforce Development Director of the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber, Lydia Pennington.
But luckily for everyone...
"It's definitely a job seeker market, meaning there's lots of job opportunities, lots of employers here locally hiring. With it being a job seeker market, you have employers that are really willing to step up to the on-the-job training, also wages have really increased slightly so it's a great time for people that are looking for work," said Pennington.
Employers are offering more than just a job, many are offering extra incentives to bring people in.
"I've seen a lot of incentives. So, we have some manufacturers that, I saw one in particular that had a $1,000 sign-on bonus. Even fast-food restaurants are some that are, you know, even 3 to $500 and so, there's really money just to say, yes come work for you," said Pennington.
For those looking to find a job - Pennington shares three tips:
1. Have your resume ready, tailor it to the job that you want.
2. Connecting with people getting out there, setting up your LinkedIn account.
3. Just from the recent feedback from employers, set up your voicemail and check your voicemail.
Members of the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber say that if you're looking for a job, you'll be able to find one.
To visit the Chamber’s recruiting and job listing site that pulls in listings from Indeed, click here.