The 7 industries with the most job openings
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Updated Oct. 12, 2020: While it's not the best time to be looking for work, you still have options.
Not all industries are equal. Here are the industries with highest job opening rates.
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1. Professional & business services
Rate: 5.8% Number of openings: 1.3 million
Professional and business services cover a lot of occupations. Aside from having the most openings total, it also has the highest rate of openings. This sector includes white-collar jobs like accounting, architecture and scientific research. (Learn how one accountant makes her budget.)
2. Health care & social assistance
Rate: 5.6% Number of openings: 1.2 million
Whether times are good or bad, everyone needs health care, and hospitals, nursing care facilities and ambulance services are all hiring.
3. Accommodation & food services
Rate: 5.5% Number of openings: 835,000
This sector includes jobs that provide lodging and prepare meals. This includes businesses hotels, restaurants and bars.
4. Retail trade
Rate: 5.3% Number of openings: 888,000
Whether it's cars, furniture, electronics or really anything else, if you want to be in the business of selling stuff, there are plenty of possibilities available.
5. Real estate
Rate: 5.1% Number of openings: 124,000
With housing prices near an all-time high, it's a good time to be a seller. It's also a good time to look for work in the real estate business.
6. Transportation, warehousing & utilities
Rate: 4.8% Number of openings: 306,000
Until robot cars become a thing, the world needs people to move stuff from one place to the other, whether by air, rail, water or road.
7. Construction
Rate: 4.4% Number of openings: 347,000
Construction work can include building, additions, alterations or maintenance and repairs. The availability of this work can fluctuate with the economy, but there currently are plenty of jobs available. (Learn how jobs like these can affect your insurance rates.)
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Myles Ma
Senior Managing Editor
