RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – The Triangle area still has plenty of job opportunities, with data showing that 50 of the top local companies are hiring, according to data tracked for TechWire’s exclusive jobs report. These companies have more than 2,300 job openings collectively.
And hundreds of people are ready to seize the opportunities. Despite all the talk about tech layoffs and a cooling economy, demand for talent remains. So much so that companies are actively recruiting.,
Several of the top 50 companies, including MetLife, Infosys, and Relias, are participating in a virtual job fair on Wednesday hosted by NC TECH.
According to Andrea Fleming, Director of Talent and Workforce Development for NC TECH, 360 job seekers are registered, which is well ahead of attendance figures for the 2022 events.
“Past events have had more than half of attendees register the day prior and the day of the event, so we expect this number to grow,” Fleming told WRAL TechWire.
This is the first of two Tech Job Expos that NC TECH will host this year.
Job seekers have to look harder in Triangle; openings drop for 5th straight week
“With layoffs in the tech sector, our event provides a unique opportunity for job seekers to connect directly with recruiters about specific job openings,” said Fleming. “This an opportunity for NC TECH to serve as a convener between our member companies in need of talent and those navigating a job search, with real-time conversations.”
Fleming also shared that the vision for the event is to connect employers and NC TECH members with “quality talent.”
“There are a lot of great people with in-demand skills looking for a new role,” said Fleming. “Before the tech layoffs that started in late 2022, finding the right talent was a challenge. This issue is not going away. The demand for tech talent will continue, even after the headlines around layoffs and economic uncertainty. Talent will still be a key currency for success.”
North Carolina-based First Citizens Bank will also participate in the event. First Citizens made headlines last month after acquiring Silicon Valley Bank. The bank is hiring more than 90 positions in the Triangle, according to the bank’s website.
The job openings at the Top 50 list contrast with the recent federal jobs report numbers, which indicate that the US labor market is cooling off. The federal jobs report numbers, released Friday, showed just 236,000 jobs added in March. This marks the first time in 12 months that the jobs report came in below expectations.
And while weekly jobless claims data had previously shown little impact from mass layoffs, a report released from the Department of Labor on Thursday included significant revisions and seasonal adjustments that better reflect the labor market dynamics since the pandemic.
Despite the mixed signals in the labor market, the hiring trends in the Research Triangle Park area suggest that certain industries and regions are still experiencing growth and opportunity.
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NC TECH survey says the state’s tech leaders are feeling optimistic
According to NC TECH’s latest Pulse survey, the state’s tech leaders are feeling optimistic.
Fleming said the survey results were “more positive than many recent headlines about tech employment.”
When survey respondents were asked how they perceived the past quarter for North Carolina’s technology sector broadly, 45% said “good” or “great” and 42% said “ok.”
Q1 Leadership Poll, “How do you perceive the past quarter has been for North Carolina’s
technology sector broadly?” | NC TECH
When asked about hiring, 66.5% of the survey respondents indicated that their company is hiring or planning to hire.
The virtual job fair will run from 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM on Wednesday, April 12. Registration is free and open to anyone. Potential employers pay a fee to host a virtual “table.”
Learn more on the NC TECH website.
Who’s hiring in the Triangle?
The latest edition of TechWire’s exclusive jobs report shows a fifth consecutive drop in the total number of local job listings—to the lowest total number of postings for 2023 and a 23% drop from this time last year.
But the 50 companies in the Triangle that are tracked for TechWire’s weekly jobs report are hiring; the companies have more than 2,300 job openings collectively.
Here’s a snapshot of who’s hiring on the list of the Triangle’s top 50 employers:
