I hope you’re doing well.　 I wanted to get back in touch and let you know a little about what’s going on the Houston job market these days.　It seems that Houston is doing much better than the data from last year revealed. We actually added 3500 more jobs in 2011 than initially released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. At this point Houston has recovered all the jobs lost during the recession. I have also read several articles that reference Houston　having　more demand for Accountants than any other city in the U.S (check out this article: http://wp.me/puDjI-jX　). I can certainly attest to the fact that Q1 was a very busy quarter for us and Q2 is not slowing down. Not only is Houston doing very well, but our other offices across the nation are also experiencing more jobs and a tighter candidate market.　 If you’re considering a move, now’s the time to dust off that old resume and get back in touch. If you’ve got any new updates on your search, I’d love to hear about them!Stay tuned for my next newsletter in June.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/dianedelgadolemaire (I accept all invitations)

Local Statistics:

• National / Houston Unemployment rate:　8.9% / 7.2%
• Houston’s recession officially ended in November　’11 when we recouped all　lost jobs since the peak in December 2008.　 Houston remains the 1st of the nations largest 20 metro areas to emerge.
• From Feb ’11 to Feb ’12 Houston created 93,400 jobs.　 This represents a 3.7% increase.　 This ranks 1st in Texas metro areas.
• Trade records abound – for the 6th consecutive month, the Galveston Customs District reports a record value of $269B
• Auto sales on the rise – Looks like people are spending money on cars again.　 36.8% increase YTD.
• Foreclosures are down 12.6% YTD
• Price of Oil:　$103.57 (last year $109.57)
• Oil Rig Count:1979 (last year 1782)
• Industries hiring:
• Services, Exploration & Production, Manufacturing, Service Companies, Oil & Gas Field Services. Healthcare & Hospitality
• Positions in demand:
• Senior and Staff Accountants,　Financial Analysts, Internal Auditors, Public Accounting, Operational Accounting Managers, Treasury, International Ta
• Industries not hiring or flat: Telecommunications, Government, Real Estate, Financial