Atlanta Job Market Poised for Promising Growth

Hundreds of people move to Atlanta each day, making it one of the fastest growing cities in the country. Affordable housing, world-class entertainment and a vibrant, robust economy are just a few of the reasons so many decide to call Atlanta home. Often called the Economic Engine of the Southeast, Atlanta is a great place for job-seekers who desire rewarding careers with results-driven, dynamic companies that offer competitive salaries and opportunities for advancement.

Job-seekers in Atlanta have a choice between working for large, Fortune 500 firms with widespread brand recognition or small and mid-sized companies built on hard work, dedication and a zealous entrepreneurial spirit. Atlanta proves to be a great place to do business regardless of the company's size or industry. The city ranks third in the nation among cities with the most Fortune 500 headquarters just behind New York and Houston and 27 companies on the Fortune 1000 list call Atlanta home. The Home Depot, The Coca-Cola Company, UPS, and Cox Communications are just a handful of the Fortune 1000 companies that are headquartered in Atlanta.

In addition to mega ventures, many small and mid-sized companies operate out of Atlanta. The city offers phenomenal opportunities for entrepreneurs. The Small Business Association offers a wealth of workshops and resources and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Atlanta Development Authority readily assist business owners who need help raising capital critical to their start-up. Additionally, Atlanta's cost of living makes it a more feasible metropolitan area to start a business than most and dozens of organizations offer support and a wealth of resources.

Combined, Atlanta businesses total nearly 140,000 and employ 2.3 million people. According to the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, over 60,000 jobs were created in the city in 2006 and economists expect that trend to continue. In fact, Atlanta is expected to be the third largest job generator over the next decade, a forecast that presents limitless opportunities for Atlanta area job-seekers. The Economic Forecasting Center at Robinson College of Business of Georgia State University is one of the leading sources for information on employment statistics for the Atlanta area. In a recent report released by the center, statistics showed that Georgia's employment level will grow by 1.5% in 2007, 2.0% in 2008 and 2.3% in 2009. Specifically, the study showed that Atlanta could expect to gain 48,200 jobs in 2007 and more than 60,000 jobs in 2008 and 2009.

Although the forecasts are promising, that doesn't mean the city won't face any challenges. Every booming market is likely to face downturns at some point. Economists have expressed concern that upcoming closings of auto plants, military bases and anticipated mergers and acquisitions of several large companies such as Georgia-Pacific, Scientific-Atlanta, BellSouth and Russell Corporation will affect Atlanta's economic landscape adversely, including the job market. However the city's strong, diverse industry base will hopefully help ease the blow.

The list of Atlanta's top employers spans numerous industries and it's the diversity of the Atlanta job market that serves as a major contributing factor in keeping the area's unemployment rate consistently lower than the national average. For job seekers facing hardship in the market, a number of area organizations including the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Department of Labor work to organize job fairs, professional development events, training and other opportunities which prove to be invaluable to job seekers and instrumental in landing positions with leading Atlanta companies.

Despite ups and downs, Atlanta consistently proves that it's one of the country's leading business hubs. The city placed in the top 10 for both Business 2.0's "Ten Hot Cities for Job Growth" and Expansion Management's "America's 50 Hottest Cities for Business Expansion & Relocation." Additionally, a number of incentive programs offered by local government are huge factors in not only attracting major companies in the area but retaining them as well. Both the city's track record and measures to promote future growth assure residents and job-seekers that employees in Atlanta have a bright future in store.

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