GeoSearch Tracks U.S. Geospatial Employment in Q3 2012
Summary:
A survey of companies that employ geospatial works reveals U.S. organizations’ current and future hiring plans.
Richard Serby, president of GeoSearch, presented the finding of a geospatial employment trends survey at GIS in the Rockies in September. Eighty U.S. employers participated. The data were gathered September 18 – 21, 2012.
The Survey Participants (n=80)
Type:60% commercial small to mid-size companies20% city/county public agencies9% state agencies7% colleges and universitiesRemainder - “other”
Size:90% fewer than 100 geospatial employees4.5% 101 – 200 geospatial employeesRemainder: more than 200 geospatial employees
The Findings
Hiring Plans31% hiring in 2012 and 201322% hiring in 201324% not sure about hiring in 201323% not hiring in 2013
Changes in Hiring24% hiring is lower than past two years40% hiring is about the same as past two years32% hiring is higher than past two years
Prediction for Geospatial Employment22% predict lower job growth in 201340% predict about the same rate of growth in 201332% predict that job growth will increase in 2013
Job Categories55% will hire GIS Technicians (0-4 years experience)44% will hire GIS Specialists (5+ years experience)41% will hire GIS Software / Web Developers21% will hire Sales / Marketing / Account Executives18% will hire Business Development Managers15% will hire LiDAR Technicians14% will hire Photogrammetrists12% will hire Remote Sensing Technicians12% will hire Project / Program Managers
TakeawaysWhen looking at these data be sure to remember that the sample size is but 80 companies in the United States, the vast majority of which have fewer than 100 employees and are commercial. That does not reflect the actual distribution of geospatial jobs in the U.S.; those are primarily in the public sector.The future looks bright with more than half of respondents expecting to hire in both 2012 and 2013 or just 2013.Nearly 75% of employers describe hiring as on par with or higher than the past two years.Nearly 2/3 predict job growth will stay the same or rise as compared with the last two years.The three top job categories to be filled are all technical: technicians, specialists and GIS software/Web developers.
Richard Serby adds:
We have seen the geospatial employment market gradually improve for the past two years. National presidential campaigns cause a pause in hiring. We predict that hiring activity will accelerate once we get past the November elections. December and the 1st quarter of 2013 should be reasonably active and a good sign for job seekers.
