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Job outlook for employment service specialists in the United States
Are employment service specialist jobs in demand?
Employment service specialist job and salary trends over time
Employment service specialist jobs over time
Employment service specialist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 135 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 135 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 137 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 133 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 130 | 0.00% |
Average employment service specialist salary over time
Employment service specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $39,514 | $19.00 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $38,525 | $18.52 | +3.9% |
| 2023 | $37,086 | $17.83 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $36,393 | $17.50 | +4.1% |
| 2021 | $34,954 | $16.80 | +3.2% |
Employment service specialist jobs by state
Most common states for employment service specialists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 132 | 19% |
| 2 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 106 | 14% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 923 | 13% |
| 4 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 381 | 12% |
| 5 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 221 | 12% |
| 6 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 164 | 12% |
| 7 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 105 | 12% |
| 8 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 587 | 11% |
| 9 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 151 | 11% |
| 10 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 116 | 11% |
| 11 | Delaware | 961,939 | 108 | 11% |
| 12 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 299 | 10% |
| 13 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 105 | 10% |
| 14 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 728 | 9% |
| 15 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 551 | 9% |
| 16 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 367 | 9% |
| 17 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 178 | 9% |
| 18 | Alaska | 739,795 | 67 | 9% |
| 19 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 576 | 8% |
| 20 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 293 | 8% |
Most common cities for employment service specialists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewiston | 1 | 3% | $42,348 |
| 2 | Pittsburgh | 2 | 1% | $38,544 |
| 3 | Portland | 1 | 1% | $42,669 |
| 4 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $48,520 |
Employment Service Specialist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of employment service specialist experts
Saint Xavier University
Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP)
University of Maryland Global Campus
University of California, Los Angeles
Virginia Community College System
Michigan State University
American University
ETSTech-Ops
David Parker LL.M. Human Rights Law, LL.M. National Security Law, JD, MBA, CFE
Associate ProfessorSaint Xavier University
Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
What general advice would you give to an Employment Service Specialist?
David Parker LL.M. Human Rights Law, LL.M. National Security Law, JD, MBA, CFE: Critical thinking and problem-solving, Technological literacy / digital literacy, Resiliency, stress tolerance and flexibility, Creativity, originality and ideation, Emotional intelligence & interpersonal skills, and Curiosity and active/continuous learning.
Dr. Tammy Manko Ed.D.
DirectorIndiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP)
Career and Professional Development Center, Academic Affairs
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Employment Service Specialist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Tammy Manko Ed.D.: We'll see an increased need for change management and agile responses. We'll also see an increase in the number of interviews being conducted virtually. More workplaces will conduct onboarding virtually and use flexible and hybrid work schedules, more specifically those including work-from-home or virtual work, at least temporarily, if not more permanently. We will see continued hiring and organizational growth, despite concerns from many regarding the job market. All industries will experience an increased need for upskilling and reskilling of employees. Technological skills will be in high demand and so will human skills, such as emotional intelligence, negotiation, nonverbal communication, collaboration, and change agility.
Dr. Francine Blume Ph.D.
Assistant Vice PresidentUniversity of Maryland Global Campus
Career Development Office
What skills stand out on Employment Service Specialist resumes?
Dr. Francine Blume Ph.D.: Skills that stand out depend on the field, but you always want to point out your tech skills, language skills and especially "soft" skills, such as communication and initiative.
For tech skills, you can demonstrate proficiency by citing certifications. For language skills, be as accurate as you can regarding proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking. For soft skills, make sure they are evident in the descriptions of your accomplishments and duties. Don't just say, "I have strong problem-solving skills and I learn fast." Anyone can say that, but you should quantify your experience and skills to demonstrate those soft skills.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Employment Service Specialist job market given the pandemic?
Hassan Akmal: It's a time to pivot. More students - now than ever, are being forced to reskill, upskill, and explore new industries. The jobs of the future are being created now, and we will see much more career transitioning - a decrease in longevity, an increase in project-based work and micro internships, more side hustles, more careers over a 30 to 40 year runway, and finally, more careers at the same time.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Employment Service Specialists to find work opportunities?
Hassan Akmal: Due to remote opportunities, the playing field has widely opened up. You can essentially work for almost any organization from where you are at the moment, at least for the time being. This actually increases the number of opportunities for you, as before, if you were out of state, you may have not been considered. That being said, there are still hot spots. They include: Top Metro Areas for Sociologists Source: 2019 Occupational Employment Statistics and 2018-28 Employment Projections, Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS.gov
Celeste J. Hall
Career Coach Training Specialist Facilitating Career Development InstructorVirginia Community College System
How do you envision technology impacting Employment Service Specialists in the next 5 years?
Celeste J. Hall: School Counselors and Career Specialists will need to continue to hone their skills with technologies that help them connect to students in the virtual environment. They will need to learn to apply helping skills to virtual platforms and use verbal interactions when they may have been able to read body language pre-pandemic. They will need to reach out to students through e-mail or text, and learn how to make and post videos to provide information and to demonstrate processes. School and counseling websites will need to be upgraded to include more information and ways to connect with counselors and career specialists.
Ethical considerations will need to be applied to the virtual world. Student privacy, crisis interventions, and student engagement are issues that need to be considered with the use of digital and virtual platforms.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Employment Service Specialists in the next 5 years?
Dr. Phil Gardner Ph.D.: During the quarantine, we had strong demand for both interns and graduates - there were many programs at MSU that had many internships canceled due to covid. Americans now realize the importance of our food industry and supply chain as we all saw shortages in the stores - food production is essential. Areas such as poultry, swine, dairy and meat industry are winning the student recruitment battle because of competitive salaries. The demand for talent in production ag has been strong. We also have a few contract research organizations recruiting for study technicians. I predict that the trend of more animal science jobs than interested students will continue in the future.
Employers are offering jobs if students are doing a great job in their internship. MSU also had two-year programs offered through our Institute of Ag Technology, last fall. We had a first-year student get offered an internship in the fall with Kalmbach in Ohio, halfway through his summer internship, and he was offered a job. Because his courses are now online this semester, he is staying in Ohio, starting his new job, and finishing up his classes online.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Employment Service Specialists in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Phil Gardner Ph.D.: Technology - Data Science - the ability to interpret trends of data tracked in livestock production and then to prescribe changes in management. This is also huge in crop production.
Automation - in animal care and food processing to lower demand for human labor because there are shortages.
What general advice would you give to an Employment Service Specialist?
Raina Gandhi: First impressions matter and will stay with you, so remember to bring your most professional self to work, maintain a positive attitude, and put in the hours. When you make mistakes, learn from them.
Also, take the time to get to know your colleagues and workplace norms, make sure you understand how performance is measured, and don't be afraid to ask for feedback. As you get comfortable with your role, look for ways to take on additional responsibilities to expand your skillset and build your reputation within the company.
You may not land your dream job right away, but this first job is critical for building your experience and gaining transferrable skills. Stay current in your field by reading articles, subscribing to email newsletters, and following relevant people and companies on LinkedIn
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Employment Service Specialists to find work opportunities?
Nola Pearce: Depending on your chosen career scope, there are opportunities across the United States - urban, suburban, rural. If you have a wide range of interests and career experience, geographic possibilities are endless. If you are very specific within an industry, material, or application, there are pockets of locations that might be better than another. I recommend that you reach out to professionals within the industry or profession that you have interest in.