The Tri-City jobs market is hot. These have the highest demand

The Tri-City unemployment remained at a record 4.6 percent low in August.

Low unemployment is good news for job seekers, particularly those with skills in demand, but it’s not so great for employers as the holiday season heats up.

The local rate is unchanged from July but is slightly lower than a year ago, according to figures released Tuesday by the Washington Employment Security Department.

Job gains in education, construction, retail, hospitality and manufacturing helped keep local residents employed, the figures show.

Only 6,513 people were actively seeking jobs in the Tri-Cities in August, the figures show. The year 2000 is the last time so few people were looking for work in the Tri-Cities.

Low unemployment has implications across the board.

Tri-City employers already are having a harder time filling professional positions.

The unemployment rate for those with college or higher degrees, and specialized skills, is less than 1 percent, bordering on zero in some occupations.

“It’s definitely a tight market, particularly for people with higher education and a skill,” said Ajsa Suljic, the state’s economist for the region. “Everybody is looking for the right skill match, the right attitude, the right personality.”

If the skill set is missing, employers can train people with the other qualities, Suljic said, but it takes time and a wider search.

Suljic said the spread is apparent in how long it takes to fill vacancies.

The average job posting is filled in 45 days. But for higher skilled posts, it can take 50 to 70 days, reflecting the need to recruit from outside of the area.

For people without jobs and thin resumes, the buzzing economy offers a chance to gain a foothold as the holidays approach.

Retailers will soon start filling seasonal positions, Suljic said, adding that it’s an opportunity to develop soft skills like arriving to work on time and interacting with the public.

Right on cue, UPS said Tuesday it would hire more than 1,600 for seasonal positions in the Tacoma-Seattle area.

Tri-City employment was up 600 retail jobs over the past year, as well as 400 in hospitality and 300 in food service.

Tri-Citians looking for a more immediate job can stop by the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick on Oct. 3 for Connect Tri-Cities.

Sponsored by Mission Support Alliance and TRIDEC, Connect Tri-Cities includes presentations by employers and help with resumes and job interview skills.

Todd Byers, human resources vice president for MSA, said the event is keyed to the future.

MSA, which employs 2,000 people in the Tri-Cities, is looking five to seven years out, when a significant portion of its workforce will be eligible to retire.

“We want people to know there are great opportunities at MSA and Hanford,” he said.

Statewide, unemployment stood at 4.1 percent, compared to 4.8 percent last year.

Elsewhere: Walla Walla (4.2%), Yakima (5.5%), Spokane (5%), Wenatchee (4%), Bellingham (4.4%) and Seattle-Bellevue-Everett (3.3%)

This story was originally published September 25, 2018 at 5:25 PM.