The number of job openings in Minot is high and unemployment low, meaning there currently is a myriad of opportunities for job seekers.

“There’s some great positions out there, from entry level to management to what you’d call professional,” said Susan Ogurek, Job Service North Dakota manager in Minot. “A lot of employers are hiring.”

According to statistics supplied by jobsnd.com, approximately 80% of the job openings in Minot and the surrounding area require no training or are jobs in which the employers provide short-term on-the-job training. Employers often do not list wages in their job openings but jobsnd.com reveals that 36% of job openings in the Minot area pay $15-20 per hour, 26% $20-30 per hour and 27% $30 or more per hour.

“There’s a lot of opportunities in all types of industries, some great opportunities,” stated Ogurek. “We’re sitting in a pretty good economic situation here.”

September figures show the unemployment rate in Minot was a scant 1.9%. Ward County’s unemployment rate was placed at 2.1%. Ogurek said she prefers the low unemployment rate over the alternative because she knows employers “would like to have more job seekers.”

Minot’s Job Service is part of Region 2, which includes Ward, Mountrail, Renville, McHenry, Pierce, Bottineau and Burke Counties. Jobs posted by employers in Ward County alone totaled about 150 at the end of October. Additionally, said Ogurek, there’s an unknown number of jobs that are not listed with Job Service.

“There’s a lot of jobs that are not posted with us but handled internally,” said Ogurek. “If you are reliable and dependable a lot of companies are willing to train you. It may not be your forever job, but you never know once you get your foot in the door what opportunities there will be.”

An example of the jobs available in the Minot area comes from what the Job Service categorizes as office and administrative support positions. A year ago at this time 129 jobs were listed in that category. Most recently, said Ogurek, there was 194. There’s opportunities for job seekers in other areas as well.

Although precise numbers are not available, it is generally recognized that there is a demand for workers to fill retail job openings in Minot. Some retailers have recently staged job fairs in search of new employees.

When asked about a need for additional employees a spokesman for Minot’s Walmart would only say that, “We’re hiring.” Many major retailers, including several with Minot locations, list job openings on their websites. There’s ample full-time and part-time opportunities for job seekers in the region, especially during the holiday season.

“We had a job fair for United Parcel Service hiring for seasonal positions and had a great turnout,” remarked Ogurek. “This time of year so many retail establishments are hiring for the holiday season too.”

Ogurek encourages employers and job seekers to utilize jobsnd.com to track the labor market in the region. Many of the job reports on the site are updated monthly. There’s even an option to sign up for email updates. Also, said Ogurek, she encourages employers to “really expand who you might be willing to hire.”

“Job Service administers federal bonding programs, an insurance for the employer who hires a person who may not have the best past,” said Ogurek.

There’s also tax credit available for employers who hire people that fall within nine different categories.

“There’s some incentives out there to help everyone get back on their feet,” said Ogurek.

No matter what your situation, said Ogurek, there are certain qualities all employers are looking for. Foremost is a willingness to work and contribute to a business.

“The biggest thing is having that positive, teamwork attitude. That’s one thing you have complete control of,” said Ogurek.