Hawaii could almost change its state motto to "Help Wanted." "Now hiring" signs decorate storefront windows. Some companies entice with flexible scheduling. First Hawaiian Bank has doubled its hiring bonus to $500 besides offering gym memberships, tuition reimbursements and medical spending programs.
At 2.4 percent, Hawaii's unemployment rate for January, the most recent figure available, is the lowest in the country. The national average, which was 4.7 percent in January (2006), rose to 4.8 percent in February, according to the Labor Department.
In other words, it's a great environment for those seeking work on the islands, said Beth Busch, president of Success Advertising Hawaii, which organizes several job fairs each year.
Hawaii's unemployment rate is at its lowest level since January 1991, according to the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. There are only 15,300 people unemployed out of 645,700 in the total labor force.
No other state comes close to its unemployment rate. The next lowest are Florida and Virginia, at 3 percent each, while Mississippi has the highest jobless rate, at 8.4 percent.
But job hunters may want to think twice before relocating to Hawaii. Travel to anywhere beyond the islands is expensive, property values and rents are sky-high, and with a bustling economy and job market come worsening traffic, pricey lunch options and few places to get away from crowds of tourists.
On the other hand, businesses are willing to pay people higher salaries to compensate for the cost disadvantages of the island lifestyle.
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