For jobseekers who are actively looking for employment in the State of Connecticut, the labor market can still be very challenging when trying to find gainful employment. According to the recent Labor Situation – State of Connecticut report released by the Connecticut Department of Labor – Office of Research, the State still needs to add an additional 17,000 non-farm jobs to the Connecticut economy to be in a post-recession “employment expansionary phase” which would put the State at a 1,713,000 job level.

One resource that can help jobseekers to accelerate their job search is by using the Connecticut Department of Labor’s What’s Hot! What’s Not! – State of Connecticut Occupations in Demand tool. This gives jobseekers valuable insight about what jobs are trending now, what jobs are on the decline, and how the future looks by occupation in Connecticut.

The top ten occupations that are “hot” across all job functions are Insulation Workers, Mechanical, Interpreters and Translators, Genetic Counselors, Helpers–Electricians, Home Health Aides, Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners, Diagnostic Medical Sonographers, Personal Care Aides, Physical Therapist Assistants, and Pipelayers. The average annual salary range for these positions is from $26,251 to $81,665.

Regarding the first ten occupations listed that are in decline and are “not so hot” across all job functions are Print Binding and Finishing Workers; Travel Agents, Prepress Technician and Workers; Data Entry Keyers; Postal Service Clerks; Printing Press Operators; Word Processors and Typists; Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic; Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators; and Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic. The average annual salary range for these positions is from $30,046 to $53,582.

By using this Occupations in Demand tool, jobseekers can also quickly see insightful occupation profile information that includes job descriptions, qualifications, salary information by region, and links to a jobs database that lists companies who are hiring and have posted jobs right now.

As for what occupations are the highest paying, with the most open positions, and have the largest employers, this information, too, is available.

Written by Alicia Sakal for Examiner.

Photo by Alan Cleaver, Flickr.com