On the other side of the coin we see government jobs in the dumper. Here in the Pacific NW King County is looking to cut 460 positions in 2011 and the City of Seattle has targeted 300 jobs for elimination. Fortunately for many these are unfilled authorized positions that have been left vacant due to the uncertainty of the economy.
Nationally there were 7,100 government jobs that were eliminated in August and September. This trend will likely continue into the new year. The example below is for only two jurisdictions, but I think it is being replicated in most communities to one degree or another.
In King County there was a ballot measure to increase the sales tax to support law, safety and justice. This encompasses cops, courts, jails, judges and the prosecutor's office. These functions of local government are now eating up 76% of the overall county budget. Since the electorate turned down that proposal--will the cuts be taken specifically to those government functions? I expect we are going to need to dig ourselves deeper in the hole before citizens complain about the levels of service that they are getting.
There will of course be a few jobs out there. For instance I saw where the Washington State Patrol is seeking to hire 60 new troopers. If you have some IT expertise you may even be in high demand depending on your skill set.
