The Labor Department on Friday gave us a glimpse of where the most hiring occurred in August.
Although the unemployment rate dropped only slightly to 6.1 percent (5.6 percent for all military veterans and 8.1 percent for post-9/11 veterans), an estimated 142,000 jobs were added last month. Here’s who was hiring, according to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Professional/Business Services added 47,000 jobs in August and a total of 639,000 over the past year. In August, 8,000 people got hired in management, 23,000 in administrative and support services, 3,000 in architectural and engineering services and 3,000 in management and technical consulting services.
Health Care grew by 34,000 jobs, including 7,000 at hospitals, 8,000 at physicians’ offices and 9,000 in social assistance.
Leisure/Hospitality continued to hire in August with 22,000 added in food services and drinking places. This sector has hired a total of 289,000 over the last year. Employers in this industry need managers with leadership experience – ideal for many transitioning service members.
Construction added 20,000 workers in August, including 12,000 with specialty trade contractors and 7,000 in building construction. This industry has averaged 18,000 new jobs each month over the last 12 months.