Can I find a Job in the Carolinas?

Whether we like it or not, our careers, professions, and livelihoods often define who we are and if you’re considering relocating to North Carolina or South Carolina that’s not going to change.

This holds whether you’re a young professional just getting started, or looking to move to the next level of your career, or a recent retiree with a wealth of knowledge and experience who wants to stay busy in this new phase of your life.

That being the case, I thought it would be good this week if we look at your job prospects if and when you decide to relocate or retire to the Carolinas.

When you think of jobs and the Carolinas, you may think of industries that have been historically dominant in the two states.  Agriculture (tobacco and cotton), manufacturing (textiles and furniture) and extractive industries (lumber and mining) have long been the sectors where most North and South Carolinian's made their livings.

However, over the last decade, Charlotte, NC became the second largest banking and financial center in the country and home to a large number of Fortune 500 companies while the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC “Research Triangle” area is nationally renowned for is high technology and life sciences research and manufacturing.

Booming places in South Carolina like Charleston, SC, Greenville, SC and Spartanburg, SC are still involved in textiles but a larger share of what they produce is now automotive parts, wind turbines, medical equipment, chemical products and BMW cars.

So what can you expect when it comes to finding a job in the Carolinas, and what industries are projected to see growth in the near future?

The current poor state of the economy has affected job prospects, and growth everywhere,  so you’ll need to do your homework and have a plan; update resumes, take stock of strengths and weaknesses, make new contacts and all that other good stuff you’ll need to sell yourself to a potential employer.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov), Employment Security Commission of North Carolina (www.ncsec.com) and South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (dew.sc.gov) websites are a treasure trove of information on local employment and workforce statistics.

In addition to the industries I mentioned earlier, a quick look at the job growth projections in both North and South Carolina show strong growth in at least three areas in the years to come.

1. Health and Education Services:  Demographic changes mean healthcare and healthcare support services are projected to boom in the Carolinas over the next decade.
2. Professional and Business services:  Managers, IT people, administrative assistants, engineers, scientists and other professionals are all highly in demand in the Carolinas.
3. Leisure and Hospitality:  Both North Carolina and South Carolina have large tourism industries and hospitality related service jobs continue to do well.

On a closing note, in April, Forbes magazine published its 12^th annual special report ranking the Best Places for Business and Careers.  Among the top 25 cities in the United States are Raleigh, NC, Charlotte, NC and Asheville, NC.

All together, the report includes 14 cities across North Carolina and South Carolina and I’m happy to say they are all on the Places of Value Best Places to relocate or retire to in the Carolinas list.  To read the entire Special Report go to Forbes Magazine.

In addition, INC magazine (July/August 2010) rated the economies in Raleigh and Greensboro, NC as "strongest", and Charlotte as "strong". Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston in South Carolina were all rated as "strong".

I hope this is helpful to you as you start your job search, and I look forward to hearing about that new job in the Carolinas.

About Bob Bencivenga

Bob Bencivenga is a professional site locator and location analyst for major corporations and has been researching the growth of NC and SC to find the Best Places to Retire or Relocate that are still affordable.

Visit his blog The Carolina Report and sign up for FREE updates by email,his FREE Affordable Best Places To Live Report and, get FREE Expert Advice on how to find Your Best Place to Retire or Relocate to in North Carolina and South Carolina, additional resources, and a lot more. Bob does not sell real estate.

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