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Jobs in Alaska
Finding a good job in Alaska can be easy for some and extremely difficult for others. The differences in success or failure in a job search often come down to timing to the job search and the skills of the applicant. Those with "in demand" skills will be able to find work readily available throughout the year. These hot careers in Alaska include healthcare professionals, ie nursing, radiologists, and nutritionalists. Those with technical training in IT, automotive, and electronics will also find a job search short and rewarding. Those with less called for occupations will want to time their search for the hiring season. In the tourism industry most of the hiring decisions take place between January and March with jobs typically running May to September. For other jobs the best time to find work may be during the height of the summer when the labor pool is at its smallest and competition from local workers is less. If you are considering working in Alaska Tourism industry you may want to add some less traditional skills to your resume such as CPR or EMT and a foreign language. Those working with the public might want to prepare with a course in botany and wildlife biology.
A few job links to get you started
Alaska Job Bank - Available openings throughout Alaska.
Alaska State Jobs - State agency jobs in Alaska.
Fishing Jobs - Information on fishing and seafood jobs in Alaska and surrounding waters.
Healthcare Jobs In Alaska - Current opening in the healthcare field in Alaska for permanent and temporary workers.
More Healthcare Jobs Available - This is another source for Healthcare jobs in Alaska. They also have informaiton on job openings in the lower 48.
Hotel Jobs Available - Jobs in the hotel industry. Openings throughout the US including Alaska.
IT Jobs - IT positions in Alaska and the lower 48.
Teaching Jobs in Alaska - Jobs for teachers. Information and links to school districts throughout Alaska.
USA Government Jobs in Alaska - Federal job openings in Alaska. Search by job, location, or pay grade.
Every year thousands of people inquire about working and living in Alaska. This is a short guide to job opportunities in Alaska. Alaska has adequate numbers of qualified people to fill most jobs. A Caution: Exercise caution when you see books or ads that guarantee "big money jobs" in Alaska. Many simply offer names of companies and require you to find your own job. The information provided is often inaccurate. Companies outside Alaska calling themselves the Alaska Employment Service (or something similar) and offering employment services for a fee are not associated with the State of Alaska, Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Employment Services Program. Before you come to Alaska: You should have a round trip ticket and cash or credit card resources ($2,000 for temporary and $3,000 for permanent work) to live on while looking for work. Many who arrived short of cash encountered serious hardship and shattered dreams. Public assistance programs cannot be counted on by persons relocating to Alaska without adequate funds. Homesteading is not available now. The climate and unpredictable summer weather generally discourage camper or tent living for extended periods. You cannot travel through Canada without showing customs officials cash and/or credit cards that are good in Canada. Prepare first: The Internet and vacationing in Alaska are two great ways to learn about the state, and explore job opportunities. Your public library is another resource. Alaska newspapers and magazines report on the economy, industries, housing, food costs, and weather, and they advertise jobs. Vacationing: Alaska is vast, stretching thousands of miles in all directions, with starkly contrasting climate zones, breathtakingly beautiful scenery, abundant wildlife, and Native peoples with rich cultures. It presents abundant and varied recreational opportunities. No wonder it is a prime tourist destination! So come for a visit, savor the flavor of various communities, experience the weather, and check out the job scene. Visit employers and job sites. Internet: Myths and misinformation about Alaska are rampant. Study maps. Get the facts. Extensive information is available on the Internet. Research time can provide you with a realistic view of the current job market (it's no longer the wide open market of pipeline days) and direction in locating a job. Learn about the climate, the cost of living, read about our cities, towns and rural villages, and where the jobs are (and aren't.) Several sites on the Internet list job openings. Read the classified ads in the Anchorage Daily News and Juneau Empire. Check out America's Job Bank. A few shortage occupations with the State of Alaska are open to applicants from out of state. If you find a job vacancy to your liking, negotiate with the employer via phone, e-mail or fax, and you may land a solid job offer before coming to Alaska. Job Market Overview: Alaska ranks 20th among the states in per capita income. Cost of living comparisons are imprecise, but one study ranks Kodiak, Juneau, Fairbanks and Anchorage among the survey's 10 most expensive cities to live in. Unemployment in Alaska is above the national average. The employment growth rate is slow, below one percent. All in all, recent economic growth has been slow. Where the jobs are: At the turn of the century in Alaska, most job opportunities are in the services sector, (where average wages are relatively low.) Hotels and lodging places, amusement and recreation services, business and social services, and health care are pacesetters in expected services job growth. Recruitment is active for seasonal summer seafood processing jobs. In the summer, there are labor shortages in some occupations. In Anchorage, the transportation sector is growing. There are opportunities for teachers, (especially with certain specialties) in the rural villages, known as "the bush." Many openings are for seasonal employment. And where they are not: Due to falling production, oil and gas industry employers have been laying off workers, and further layoffs are expected. Employment in state and local government is in a downward trend. Mining companies have been curtailing operations. Urban school districts have more teacher applicants than positions and rarely hire from out of state. The timber industry is much reduced from earlier years. There is no factory work in Alaska. The fishing industry has experienced dramatic declines in harvests in some species and areas. Competition for federal jobs is keen: for information, contact an Office of Personnel Management in your state. What? No roads? The highway system in Alaska is very limited. Juneau, Ketchikan and other Southeast communities are accessible by air and water only. Vast areas of interior and northern Alaska are reached by air, and may be supplied by summer sea shipments. The high cost of air travel and supplies shipped by air has dramatic impacts on the cost of living. Anchorage: Alaska's largest city, with a population of 264,937 on the shores of Cook Inlet, is the hub of the Anchorage/Matanuska-Susitna region in South central Alaska. Anchorage has the most job openings and a relatively reasonable cost of living. The Kenai Peninsula: The cities of Kenai, Soldotna, Seward and Homer have populations between 3,000 and 7,000. This is a popular recreation area. Seasonal work in tourism or seafood processing may be available. Kodiak Island, off the tip of the Peninsula, has a large seasonal fishing industry. Valdez: The terminus of the Alaska Pipeline on Prince William Sound, east of Anchorage, has a stable economy where tourism is taking up the slack from the oil industry. Fairbanks: The state's second largest city has long, warm summer days and long, cold winters with temperatures of minus 50 degrees. The population of the Fairbanks North Star Borough is 84,000. Fairbanks is home to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and government is a major employer here. Juneau: The state capital has a population of 30,000. State government is the largest employer, and tourism is a source of seasonal employment. Apartment rental prices in Juneau are among the highest in the nation, averaging $950 for two bedrooms without utilities. (Add first and last month's rent and deposit. Western and Northern Alaska: These areas are mainly off the road system. In the north, winters are severe, and the sun makes only brief appearances. Midsummer days have no nightfall. Villages outside the hub communities of Nome, Kotzebue and Barrow often have difficulty finding qualified professional and technical employees. The western Alaska towns of Bethel and Dillingham are sometimes in need of qualified medical, city government and education professionals. Food and other purchases in the bush can cost twice their price in urban areas, and amenities are scarce. Living conditions can more closely resemble those in the third world than other parts of the U.S. Successful living in these areas requires the ability to adapt to an indigenous culture in which the rules are unwritten.
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