By Mark Somerson – Managing editor, Columbus Business FirstDec 12, 2019, 8:01am EST Updated 3 hours ago
Columbus is the top city in the Midwest and No. 2 in the nation for finding a job in the new year, according to a ranking from Forbes.
The ranking is based on Milwaukee-based staffing firm ManpowerGroup’s Employment Outlook Survey, which examines hiring plans of employers in America’s 100 most populated metropolitan areas.
Chattanooga, Tennessee, claimed the No. 1 spot with an employment outlook of 34%. Forbes said much of that city’s hiring outlook is tied its leisure and hospitality sector.
Overall, the 2020 report shows a net employment outlook of 19% for the first quarter, which is a 1% decrease from the first and last quarters of 2019.
The report says the highest likelihood of finding employment is in the South, with the Midwest coming in second.
Cincinnati was tied for No. 8 in the ranking with Wichita, Kan.; Portland; Phoenix; Omaha, Neb., and Cleveland. Dayton came in at No. 9.
Forbes said 18% of the population in Columbus works in professional and business services – the most popular sector for employment in the city.
“A hub for small and big businesses alike, the Accelerate Columbus and Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Initiative programs have cultivated an entrepreneurial environment, one that has landed Columbus among the Kauffman Foundation’s top metro areas for startups three years in a row,” Forbes said.
“In addition, jobs growth and downtown office incentives have attracted some of the area’s largest employers, among them JPMorgan Chase and Nationwide.”
To see the full ranking, click here.