Summer Job Market Looks Bright on NC Coast

He said this year he started the looking for summer help in February, a month earlier than usual.

“We’ll have one or two guys in the kitchen here in the wintertime, and in the summertime I have eight or nine,” he said.

Senior economist Woody Hall said the upcoming seasonal job market created by the tourism industry looks promising.

“The economy is in a lot better shape than it was, growth is accelerating,” said Hall.

A report on 2013 figures stated that domestic and international traveler spending in North Carolina supported more than 200,000 full-time and seasonal jobs. That was a more than 2 percent increase from 2012. The food service sector provided more jobs than any other industry with nearly 90,000 positions.

But Hall said those opportunities don’t stick around long.

“This is only based on some anecdotal evidence, there is nothing out there in terms of exact numbers. I think that people who started looking earlier were pretty pleased with what they were able to find. They’re looking for something that doesn’t last more than three months and we’re able to accommodate those wishes right now,” said Hall.

But jobseekers likely won’t find many “help wanted” signs posted on doors. Many businesses said they’re posting their jobs on social media sites and Internet sites like Craigslist.

During the peak of the recession, Hall said it was not uncommon to have highly-skilled workers going after summer job opportunities. He predicted there will be less of the that this year.