Austin Job Postings Report February 2017
Posted on 03/08/2017 by Kwee Lan Teo
AUSTIN JOB POSTINGS REPORT FEBRUARY 2017
AUSTIN - ROUND ROCK - SAN MARCOS MSA
(JANUARY 14, 2017 to FEBRUARY 13, 2017)
austinchamber.com/jobpostings
INSIGHTS
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Approximately 38,100 Available Job Postings during the monthly reporting period, a decrease of 5,700 postings compared to the same period last year.
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Largest year-to-year decreases in the Computer and Mathematical Occupations, Sales and Related Occupations, followed by Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations.
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Several companies recently announced new location or expansion plans in the Austin MSA, involving about 180 jobs. The list includes Coast Flight Training, Heartland Acoustics & Interiors, Purple, Oowisio, World First and YouEarnedIt.
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The Austin MSA reported an annual job growth rate of 1.9% or 18,800 net new jobs in December 2016, down from 2.0% or 19,500 net new jobs in November 2016, according to the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) and the U.S... Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Job growth in the Austin area is slowing. Austin’s job growth has dropped from 3rd place in July 2016 to its current 25th place among the 50 largest U.S. metro areas.
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Education and health services added the most jobs (3,100 or 2.7%) in the past year - while the fastest growing industry was financial activities (4.8% or 2,600 jobs).
The following job market report is designed to provide insight into current employer demands, skills and occupations in the Austin MSA.
TOP JOB POSTINGS
The chart and table below lists the available unique ads in major occupation groups from January 14, 2017 to February 13, 2017, a mid-monthly timeframe closely associated with federal jobs numbers.

Source: The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine ® (HWOL)
Major Occupational Groups | Ad Volume | Year-to-Year Percentage Change | Year-to-Year Difference |
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Computer & Mathematical Occupations | 6,975 | -15.80% | -1,304 |
Office and Administrative Support Occupations | 4,267 | -9.80% | -465 |
Healthcare Practitioners & Technical Occupations | 3,852 | -7.00% | -291 |
Sales & Related Occupations | 3,804 | -16.50% | -750 |
Management Occupations | 3,503 | -10.00% | -389 |
Business & Financial Operations Occupations | 2,547 | -6.80% | -186 |
Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations | 1,877 | -23.40% | -572 |
Transportation & Material Moving Occupations | 1,546 | -17.40% | -325 |
Installation, Maintenance & Repair Occupations | 1,443 | -5.60% | -86 |
Construction & Extraction Occupations | 1,101 | +1.40% | +15 |
Others (13) | 7,159 | -15.60% | -1,324 |
Total (23) | 38,074 | -13.00% | -5,677 |
Source: The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine ® (HWOL)
There were approximately 38,100 Available Job Postings during the February 2017 monthly reporting period, a decrease of about 5,700 Available Job Postings compared to February 2016. About 7,000 or 18 percent of the Available Job Postings during the February reporting period fell under Computer and Mathematical Occupations.
Other occupational groups not reflected in this report that account for another 3,900 Available Job Openings are Architecture and Engineering Occupations (3%), Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations (3%), Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media Occupations (2%) and Healthcare Support Occupations (2%), representing approximately 10% of Available Job Postings. About 51% of all posted jobs are New Job Postings.
According to the Texas Workforce Commission, the Austin MSA reported an unemployment rate of 3.2% or 35,500 unemployed in December 2016, an increase of 2,800 unemployed compared to December 2015.
The Austin metropolitan area added 18,800 net new jobs, or 1.9%, in the 12 months ending in December, according to Friday's release of payroll jobs numbers by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). December appears to continue (numbers are preliminary) a drop-off in Austin’s rate of job growth that began in August or, arguably, earlier.
Approximately 65% of unemployment insurance (UI) claimants that are actively seeking a job in Travis County have less than an associate's degree, according to Workforce Solutions Capital Area.
MONTHLY AD TRENDS
The line chart below shows the monthly total volume of online ads posted in the Austin - Round Rock - San Marcos MSA from February 2013 through February 2017.

Source: The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine ® (HWOL)
Note: The data for February 2017 would be the sum of all posted ads from January 14, 2017 to February 13, 2017. This reference period is aligned to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) unemployment job search time period to provide a more accurate comparison of labor supply and labor demand.
The total number of Available Job Postings was 35,350 in February 2013 and have risen to 38,100 in February 2017.
TOP 20 JOB POSTINGS
The chart below lists the top 20 unique available job postings in the Austin – Round Rock – San Marcos MSA from January 14, 2017 to February 13, 2017.

Source: The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine ® (HWOL) and Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015
Office Clerks-General, Management Analysts, Pharmacy Technicians and Radiologic Technologists all saw a 60 or more year-to-year increase in postings.
Computer Systems Analysts, First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Web Developers, Computer User Support Specialists, Software Developers-Applications, Registered Nurses and Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers saw a 150 or more year-to-year decrease in postings.
TOP 20 JOB POSTINGS AND HIRING DIFFICULTY
The chart below lists the top 20 unique available job postings and its hiring difficulty in the Austin – Round Rock – San Marcos MSA from January 14, 2017 to February 13, 2017.

Source: Wanted Technologies and the Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Hiring Scale views the difficulty-to-fill indicator on market conditions. It calculates a score for each position that the employer is trying to fill. Several factors affect the hiring scale score that include the supply of available candidates, the overall demand for employers for people in the position, the location, the occupation, local unemployment rates, job site source, offered pay level, etc. The Hiring Scale scores jobs from 1 to 99 based on their projected difficulty-to-recruit.
The Austin MSA has a higher hiring difficulty for Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners, Management Analysts, Maintenance and Repair Workers-General, Sales Managers and Registered Nurses when compared nationally. Computer Systems Analysts, Computer User Support Specialists and Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers are easier to recruit here when compared nationwide.
TOP 20 TECH JOB POSTINGS
The chart below lists the top 20 unique available job postings under Computer and Mathematical Occupations in the Austin – Round Rock – San Marcos MSA from January 14, 2017 to February 13, 2017.

Source: The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine ® (HWOL) and Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015
The Computer and Mathematical Occupations saw 1,300 less Available Job Postings compared to the same period last year. Computer Systems Analysts, Web Developers, Computer User Support Specialists, Software Developers-Applications and Network and Computer Systems Administrators saw 130 or more decrease postings, when compared to February 2016.
TOP 20 TECH JOB POSTINGS AND HIRING DIFFICULTY
The chart below lists the top 20 unique available job postings and its hiring difficulty under Computer and Mathematical Occupations in the Austin – Round Rock – San Marcos MSA from January 14, 2017 to February 13, 2017.

Source: Wanted Technologies and the Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Hiring Scale views the difficulty-to-fill indicator on market conditions. It calculates a score for each position that the employer is trying to fill. Several factors affect the hiring scale score that include the supply of available candidates, the overall demand for employers for people in the position, the location, the occupation, local unemployment rates, job site source, offered pay level, etc. The Hiring Scale scores jobs from 1 to 99 based on their projected difficulty-to-recruit.
Companies such as Amazon have seen a 100 or more year-to-year increase in postings under this category. The top five employers posting in this category with the largest year-to-year increases in postings are Amazon, ACCENTURE, Visa, Deloitte and the Texas Office of the Attorney General.
The Austin MSA has a slightly higher hiring difficulty for mid-level (3-7 years) talent than junior (0-2 years) and senior (8+ years) in this occupational category. The Denver-Aurora-Broomfield MSA has a higher hiring difficulty in this occupational category compared to the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos MSA.
TOP 20 HEALTHCARE JOB POSTINGS
The chart below lists the top 20 unique available job postings under Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations in the Austin – Round Rock – San Marcos MSA from January 14, 2017 to February 13, 2017.

Source: The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine ® (HWOL) and Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2015
Pharmacy Technicians, Radiologic Technologists and Physical Therapists saw 40 or more year-to-year increase in postings while Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses both saw a larger decline.
TOP 20 HEALTHCARE JOB POSTINGS AND HIRING DIFFICULTY
The chart below lists the top 20 unique available job postings and its hiring difficulty under Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations in the Austin – Round Rock – San Marcos MSA from January 14, 2017 to February 13, 2017.

Source: Wanted Technologies and the Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Hiring Scale views the difficulty-to-fill indicator on market conditions. It calculates a score for each position that the employer is trying to fill. Several factors affect the hiring scale score that include the supply of available candidates, the overall demand for employers for people in the position, the location, the occupation, local unemployment rates, job site source, offered pay level, etc. The Hiring Scale scores jobs from 1 to 99 based on their projected difficulty-to-recruit.
Companies such as Austin Medical Center, St. David's Medical Center and the North Austin Medical Center have seen a 100 or more year-to-year increase in postings under this category. Most of the year-to-year increases in this occupational category are for Pharmacy Technicians and Critical Care Nurses though the demand for Pharmacy Technicians is easier to fill in our region. Compared nationally, the Austin MSA has a higher hiring difficulty for Dental Hygienists.
TOP HARD SKILLS IN DEMAND
The table below lists the top hard skills in demand for the available jobs in the Austin – Round Rock – San Marcos MSA from January 14, 2017 to February 13, 2017.
Top 20 Hard Skills in Demand by Employers | Required Skill by Volume | Year-to-Year Difference |
Top Related Skills (If 30% or more of the skill also reflects other required/optional skills) |
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Java | 2,430 | -341 | Python |
Quality Assurance (QA) | 2,070 | -761 | |
Linux | 1,817 | -403 | Java, Python, UNIX |
Structured Query Language (SQL) | 1,792 | -527 | Java |
Bilingual | 1,663 | -381 | |
JavaScript (JS) | 1,538 | -229 | Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Java, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), jQuery, Structured Query Language (SQL) |
Python | 1,507 | -172 | Java, Linux, Practical Extraction and Reporting Language (PERL), C/C++ |
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) | 1,349 | -468 | Salesforce CRM SFDC |
Quality Control | 1,241 | -15 | |
Technical Support | 1,162 | -383 | |
Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) | 1,142 | -89 | Java |
Salesforce CRM SFDC | 1,064 | -166 | Customer Relationship Management (CRM) |
Pediatrics | 1,055 | +22 | Geriatrics |
Software as a Service (SaaS) | 1,048 | -52 |
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C/C++ | 1,003 | +202 |
Java, Python, Linux, Practical Extraction and Reporting Language (PERL), C# |
UNIX | 957 | -194 | Linux, Java, Practical Extraction Reporting Language (PERL), Python |
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) | 940 | -215 | JavaScript (JS), Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), jQuery, HTML5, Java, C# |
C# | 932 | -241 | Java, Microsoft .NET Framework, JavaScript (JS), ASP .NET, C/C++, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Structured Query Language (SQL) |
Geriatrics | 924 | +230 | Pediatrics |
Scrum Agile Methodology | 911 | -88 | Java, JavaScript (JS) |
Source: Wanted Technologies
Skills in Demand provides a real-time view of skills currently in demand by employers. For example, of the available jobs posted from January 14, 2017 to February 13, 2017, 2,430 job postings required “Java” as a skill and 30% or more of those 2,430 job postings also had other required/optional skill(s) such as “Python".
Hard skills that are not on this list but have seen an increase of 100 or more postings are Agile Software Development, Blueprints, C/C++, D Language, Forklifts, Full Stack Frameworks, Geriatrics and Medical-Surgical Nursing.
TOP CERTIFICATIONS IN DEMAND
The table below lists the top certifications in demand for the available jobs in the Austin – Round Rock – San Marcos MSA from January 14, 2017 to February 13, 2017.
Top 20 Certifications in Demand by Employers | Required Certification by Volume | Year-to-Year Difference | Top Related Certifications (if 30% or more of the skill also reflects Other required/optional skills) |
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Driver's License | 4,798 | -548 | |
Certified Registered Nurse (RN) | 3,746 | +545 | Basic Life Support (BLS) |
Basic Life Support (BLS) | 2,803 | +994 |
Certified Registered Nurse (RN), Advanced Cardiac |
Commercial Driver's License (CDL) | 1,701 | +715 | |
Certification in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) | 1,369 | -71 |
Certified Registered Nurse (RN) |
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) | 1,120 | +273 |
Certified Registered Nurse (RN), Basic Life Support (BLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) |
Occupational Safety & Health Administration Certification (OSHA) |
956 | -46 | |
Continuing Education (CE) | 919 | -45 | |
HAZMAT |
765 | +16 | Commercial Driver's License (CDL) |
Food Safety Programs (HACCP) | 671 | -195 | |
First Aid Certification | 462 | -155 | Certification in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) |
Certified in Nursing Administration (CNA) |
456 | +77 |
Certified Registered Nurse (RN), Certification in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Basic Life Support (BLS), Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Patient Care Technician (PCT), Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) |
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) | 423 | 0 | |
Certified Public Accountant (CPA) |
399 | -53 | |
Board Certified (BC) | 383 | +73 | |
Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) | 371 | -28 | Certified Registered Nurse (RN), Basic Life Support (BLS), Certification in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Patient Care Technician (PCT), Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Certified in Nursing Administration (CNA) |
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) | 349 | -17 | Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Certified Registered Nurse (RN), Basic Life Support (BLS), Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course (ENPC) |
Project Management Professional (PMP) | 339 | -118 | |
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) | 326 | +13 | Certified in Nursing Administration (CNA), Certified Registered Nurse (RN), Basic Life Support (BLS), Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN), Patient Care Technician (PCT), Certification in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) |
Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) | 305 | +90 | Certified Registered Nurse (RN), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) |
Source: Wanted Technologies
Certifications in Demand provides a real-time view of certifications currently in demand by employers. For example, of the available job postings from January 14, 2017 to February 13, 2017, 3,746 job postings required “Certified Registered Nurse” as a certification and 30% or more of those 3,746 job postings also had other required/optional certification(s) such as “Basic Life Support (BLS)”.
Certifications that saw an increase of 100 or more postings are Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT), Basic Life Support (BLS), Certified Registered Nurse (RN), Commercial Driver's License (CDL), Patient Care Technician (PCT) and Pharmacy Technician.
TOP EMPLOYERS
The table below lists the employers in the Austin - Round Rock - San Marcos MSA that posted available unique ads from January 14, 2017 to February 13, 2017.
Employer | Ad Volume |
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IBM | 1,201 |
DELL | 807 |
Ascension Health | 732 |
HCA - The Healthcare Company | 581 |
ACCENTURE | 377 |
The University of Texas System | 335 |
Austin Medical Center | 330 |
Deloitte | 308 |
Robert Half International | 278 |
Amazon | 270 |
Randstad | 261 |
St. David's Medical Center | 253 |
Scott & White | 247 |
Apple, Inc. | 211 |
Compass Group | 202 |
The Dollar General | 200 |
North Austin Medical Center | 196 |
Austin Independent School District | 195 |
Apex Systems, Inc. | 177 |
Hyatt | 169 |
Source: The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine ® (HWOL)
Austin Medical Center, IBM, Amazon, St. David's Medical Center, The Dollar General, Amazon, North Austin Medical Center, Massage Envy and Round Rock Medical Center are the employers that have seen increase of more than 100 job postings year-to-year.
Source: The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine ® (HWOL) Program (with data collection by Wanted Technologies)
Related Categories: Education and Talent