The Pacific Northwest is becoming one of the trendiest hot spots for Millennials and Gen Z’ers.
Seattle is just about the biggest city in the area. Of course, if you want to set up a home in the beautiful northwestern corner of the United States, you’ll need to make sure you can earn a living.
Keep reading to find out how to make your job search in Emerald City a bit easier.
Why is Seattle a great place to work?
The largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest of America, Seattle is a lush portside city.
Because of its ideal location nestled between mountains and the ocean, Seattle is time and time again voted as one of the most desirable places to live in the USA.
Both Forbes and The Seattle Times ranked Seattle as the second fastest-growing city in the USA as of 2018, coupled with it placing the 11th largest metropolitan economy in the US, and praising the city for creating a fruitful job market.
Compared with other metro areas of similar size, Seattle has one of the healthiest job markets, and Seattle residents earn 12% more than the typical American.
According to The Bureau of Labour Statistics, Seattle also boasts a high average wage, with the figures sitting at $35.74 for Seattle, compared to $27.07 for the rest of America.
Naturally, this improved hourly rate adds up over the course of the year. According to US News, Seattleites bring home, on average, an impressive annual $68,460 compared to their fellow Americans who earn, on average, $53,490.
What are the main benefits of working in Washington?
Lush green natural areas, world-class skyscrapers, great food, and more! Check out our top 3 picks for why Seattle is a great place to live and work.
Compensated overtime
Overtime is something that employees all over the world are all too familiar with.
In many places, overtime goes unpaid, leaving individuals working more for less. However, the state of Washington has recently finalized an update to the overtime salary thresholds. These are expected to increase steadily over the next 8 years. By 2028 it is expected that an additional 260,000 workers will be able to apply for overtime if they work more than 40 hours a week.
Family Benefits
One of the greater bonuses of working in Washington state is the Paid Family and Medical Leave program (PFML). This statewide mandatory insurance program provides paid family and medical leave to eligible employees.
It goes without saying that this is a great incentive to working in Washington. No more will you have to choose between caring for yourself or a loved one, or working.
Simply fill out the application form and you are good to go – so long as you are eligible that is.
For more information on this, visit the University of Washington website.
Goodbye Income Tax
One of the best parts about working in Washington is the lack of income tax. This means that whatever you earn, you keep. Because of this, the state becomes a nexus of growth, meaning that Washington and similar states are better at creating jobs and attracting young, educated, workers within state lines, as well as drawing others from across the USA.
In short, this means that there are job opportunities aplenty in the city of Seattle.
Over the past decade, the American Legislative Exchange Council claims that states without a personal income tax have continually outshined states with the highest personal income taxes in population growth, job creation, and tax revenues.
How do I find a great job?
To most, finding a job can sometimes feel like deciphering an ancient puzzle that leads to treasure. These days, however, there are so many options for those looking to find their calling. Gone are the days of circling ads in the daily newspaper, replaced with online applications and platforms such as LinkedIn.
A great way to find a job is to look at city-focused sites. So, for example, if you are living in or want to move to Seattle, simply search for Seattle-focused job websites. This way, you will be taken more seriously than if you had found the job through one of the large, national databases.
This will also allow you to dive right into your desired field. For example, if you were looking for a technology job in Seattle, you could try Built-in Seattle.
These websites may not be as easy to find, but hiring managers will appreciate your dedication.
If, however, the problem isn’t so much the searching, but rather your resume and cover letter, and your confidence in their ability to secure your employment, then perhaps you should reach out to companies who specialize in career consultation.
Leo & Loy is one such company.
Where can I find a pro resume writing service?
Just a simple search online will garner you a plethora of results. So why don’t I save you the inevitable hours of scrolling and introduce you to Leo & Loy?
Leo & Loy is a female-owned, full-service outplacement and career consulting firm. Based out of San Diego, this company works with job seekers from all over the country and has quickly made a name for itself.
Whether you are looking for resume writing services or coaching, Leo & Loy offers an array of services, making themselves indispensable to job hunters everywhere. Not only that, but they also have services for executives and companies.
One of the great things about Leo & Loy is that their firm uses SmatchMatch technology that matches every customer with a qualified member of their team with comprehensive experience in their client’s chosen industry.
How does it work?
Before you dive into the nitty-gritty, you first need to take a look at what the company has to offer.
Once you have chosen from their various packages and paid, you will then receive an email connecting you with a member of their team best suited to work with you.
Will hiring resume writing services to work on my credentials help me land a job?
Our resume and cover letters are the gatekeepers to that perfect job.
For most of us, writing a resume can feel like pulling teeth. We spend hours agonizing about the best way to say something, or how best to highlight our best attributes. After all, we are going up against hundreds of other candidates and we want to give ourselves the best chance possible at landing that dream job.
To top it all off, job-seeking, on top of being frustrating and stressful, is incredibly time-sensitive. Every day that you fret over your resume, is a potentially lost position.
So, it stands to reason that if we trust ourselves writing a resume despite having little knowledge in the current market and the ins and outs of an industry, then we should trust an expert even more.
Leo & Loy is proof of this. Despite only starting their business in 2020, this career coaching company has become a fast favorite among job seekers and companies alike.
When looking at reviews for their resume services, it was clear that Leo & Loy hires only the best to be a part of their team, and the results of their hard work give the applicant not just confidence, but career opportunities.
A previous customer claimed that “I can now be confident that my resume will stand up against the best of them and my skills have been appropriately highlighted!” and this is just one of the many testimonials you can find on their website.
Whether you are fresh out of college or in the middle of a career transition, adding a carefully curated and well-written resume and cover letter to your job application couldn’t be a bad thing.
Who is hiring in Seattle?
As I said before, the city of Seattle has a hot and lucrative job market. No matter who you are, or where your expertise lie, you will be able to find job opportunities.
However, there are certain areas where the job market is bursting.
Right now, technology and marketing-specific opportunities are aplenty, with 1 in every 6 people employed within Seattle founding jobs in one of these areas.
Other areas that are in high demand are software developers, cybersecurity analysis, and technical writers.
And let’s not forget that the city of Seattle is home to many companies, such as Amazon, Starbucks, and Microsoft to name a few.
With such a fresh and vibrant job market, hiring a resume writer to craft the perfect job application is the perfect way to make you stand out to employers.
What are the main things to keep in mind while looking for a job?
1 – You are only as good as your resume
Many people, myself included, have all been in the position where we throw a semi-decent resume at hiring managers and hope and pray that it will be enough to secure ourselves an interview because that’s where we shine.
But in this ever-competitive world, opportunity is afforded to those who put their best foot forward and do the hard work. Meaning that our resumes need to be airtight. So, consider taking a resume writing course or looking up resume services, such as the ones Leo & Loy offers to guarantee you that ever-important interview.
After all, your resume is essentially your first impression, so make it a good one!
2 – Where is your desired field thriving?
There’s little point in looking to work at a tech start-up if your city doesn’t have any, or has a history of failed attempts. Instead, do some research and find the best place to start your career. Look at each job posting carefully, taking note of the location.
If, for example, most tech jobs are based out of Seattle, then consider if you want the position enough to relocate.
3 – Take care of yourself
Job searching is frustrating, stressful, and can quickly lead to burnout.
To avoid this, take a step back, take a deep breath, and try and pinpoint what has caused the burnout.
Are you on a tight deadline? Does your resume leave much to be desired? Are you afraid of interviews?
Once you have found the source of stress, it will become easier to tackle. Perhaps the answer is taking a few days away from job searching and doing something you enjoy instead. Or perhaps it’s turning to career consultants like Leo & Loy for a consultation to help you with your resume and/or cover letter, and to collaborate with you to find job opportunities.
Let the job search begin!
Whether you are in Seattle or New York, searching for a job is hard work. So don’t be afraid to ask for a little help along the way and give yourself the best chance of landing that perfect job!
