Looking for work? There are more than 7,000 available jobs in the Cape Fear

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Finding a job can be tough, and finding the right job can be even tougher. But according Karl Zurl with NCWorks, thousands of jobs are out there in the Cape Fear.

Zurl is the Southeast Regional Operations Director with the Department of Commerce and Workforce Solutions. He said according to NCWorks, the Cape Fear region includes New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, and Columbus counties.

“In January alone there were over 7,700 jobs that were posted online,” said Zurl.

These positions range from no experience required to years of experience necessary. But there are some trends in the work field according to Zurl.

“What’s key to probably realize is that many of those jobs now require more and more post secondary credentials,” Zurl said.

That doesn’t necessarily mean you need a four year degree. Two-year degrees, one year certificates, apprenticeships and trade programs are all ways to get the education you need to be a more competitive candidate for any position.

“Pursuing some kind of credential post high school is becoming more and more important,” Zurl said.

In our area, there are a lot of jobs in retail, health care, and food service and accommodation. But again these position runs the gamut from lower skilled positions to highly skilled.

So how do you go about getting one of the thousands of positions available locally?

“One of the skill areas that is very prevalent in the job postings that I mentioned is interpersonal skills,” Zurl said. “It’s being able to work in a team environment, communicate effectively, problem solve or deal with conflict. Those skills show up over and over in some of the job interviews.”

Last week there were several job fairs in our area for jobs both in food services and health care. Folks looking for employment came out with resumes in hand. But the jobs being offered aren’t always the right jobs for individual job seekers.

“The experience was very great, however the positions offered are not really in my field,” said David Campbell, a job seeker in the Leland area. “But I’m always open minded, and I left my resume hoping if something arises, that’s suitable for me, but at the moment the positions being offered are not really suitable for me.”

Which brings us to resume gaps. Is it better to keep your resume filled with positions, even when looking for a job, or is some time off ok here and there? Zurl said it depends on the circumstances. If you are taking time off for personal reasons such as raising a child or taking care of a family member, it’s ok to have holes in your employment history. He said if you can logically explain the time off, employers will likely understand. However, if you are struggling to find the job or career of your dreams, Zurl said it is sometimes better to take a position you might see as “below you” to keep working.

NCWorks has career centers in all four Cape Fear region counties. They provide opportunities to meet with career counselors to talk about your future as well as plan for it. They can help with resumes and improving skills and even meet with employers. For more on how to get help finding a job click here. 

You can also get help through local community colleges. If you are unemployed, under employed, or know you are about to lose your job, you can qualify for FREE career readiness and human resources development courses. The courses help folks enhance their skills, understand the market, and get connected with support services to get jobs.