Houston Jobs

Houston, Texas is an amazing city. For one thing, it's just plain huge - driving from the northernmost edge of the Houston city limits to the southernmost edge takes nearly a full hour on the highway.

For another thing, Houston is the energy capital of the world. The oil and natural gas industries that made Houston wealthy continue to fuel the economy today, while renewable energy sources like wind and solar are becoming significant contributors to the Houston market. Five of the six supermajor energy companies call Houston home, and Houston is also the base for the leading builders of oilfield equipment.

Houston Job Market is Diverse

In addition to energy, Houston has hands in the manufacturing, aeronautics, transportation, and space center industries. With ports in the Gulf of Mexico (the main Port of Houston ranks first in amount of tonnage handled and second in total cargo), major medical centers, and the second-most (behind New York) number of Fortune 500 headquarters within the city limits, you would think that job opportunities are everywhere.

But to use the oft-quoted words from Apollo 13, "Houston, we've had a problem." The economic downturn has affected Houston as it has the rest of the country, and as the jobless rate increases, so does competition for the best jobs. Construction projects are still going strong, but the recession has depressed the energy sector.

Regardless of which industry you pursue, Houston job seekers face significant competition for the best jobs. The good news is that Houston didn't feel the effects of the recession until mid-2009 (later than the rest of the country) and is expected to recover more quickly than other areas.