What Industries are Big in Georgia?

Georgia’s job market is still relatively strong despite the unstable economy. If searching for jobs in the state, start by looking at the department of labor’s resources to identify top industries. Search for roles that you fit, utilize free career resources local companies offer, and network.?

By Brandi Fowler

Keep an eye on the job growth forecast if you are considering moving to Georgia or are looking for a new role there.??

Georgia made a comeback from job loss in 2020, ranking No.7 on MoneyGeek’s 2022 list of top U.S. cities for job seekers. Despite a possible looming recession, “the decline in Georgia’s GDP [gross domestic product) is expected to be small relative to recent recessions and the decline predicted for the U.S. economy,” UGA Today reported.?

And certain industries are still growing.?

As of November 2022, trade and transportation, professional and business services, and education and health services were the biggest industries in the state, said Georgia Department of Labor communications specialist Liz Rivera-Brown.?

“We've seen a lot of job growth over just the 2022 year,” Rivera-Brown said. “As of November, we were at just over 4 million for the year in job growth in the state. We've seen a lot of growth in a lot of different areas. And the jobs are there for people in all sorts of [industries].”

Atlanta-based career and vocation coach Marielle Thomas said she would tell job seekers looking for Georgia jobs to be diligent and pay attention to complementary resources that local companies offer.?

“Don't give up, but [also] do your homework,” Thomas said. “A lot of these companies are offering free classes. Google has all of these amazing free classes around technology. So even if you are not a technological person, you didn't go to school for computer science, you still can get a really good job.?

“So, take advantage of all of that. If you want to get into the tech space, Atlanta Tech Village is a really great place because you can meet people. They do a lot of things with women, and I've seen several women of color over there as well. That's a big piece of who's missing in technology, so they want to help build that pipeline too.”?

Thomas also said various organizations in Georgia help you with your resume, or clothes for an interview, like Dress for Success.

The Biggest Industries and Jobs in Georgia

In addition to searching for Georgia jobs on LinkedIn and other job search sites, pay attention?to the Georgia Department of Labor’s ‘Hot Careers to 2030’ lists to help keep track of the?fastest-growing jobs and sectors in the state.

Hot Careers to 2030 ranks jobs by fast job growth, above-average wages, and at least 100 expected annual job openings.

For specific jobs, "general operations managers ranked the highest [for projected job growth] in Georgia,” Rivera-Brown said.?“Following that, registered nurses, accountants, auditors, market research analysts, HR specialists, management analysts, financial managers, food service managers, and paralegal legal assistants. And then, finally [for] the top 10, industrial machinery mechanics.”

The top sectors for jobs as of November 2022 are health care, retail trade, accommodation and food services, local government, and administrative and support services.?

Thomas said she has also seen an increasing number of companies hiring for data analytics and FinTech positions.

“We have a lot of companies here that are leaning into that space,” Thomas said. “Georgia and more specifically Atlanta is becoming the hub for FinTech. The others are information technology, data analytics, and the cybersecurity space. I know we're seeing a lot of layoffs in the tech world. A lot of them though are recruiters, sourcers, things of that nature.?

“But in Georgia, data analytics especially is becoming a very hot industry. We’re starting to see data analytics [in] business schools [more]. So, they're preparing them to have that business acumen and technology piece.”

The entertainment industry is also growing, Thomas said.?

“A lot of filming is happening in Georgia,” Thomas said. “Literally all of us who work downtown, we can't really go anywhere because there's always something going on. A movie, some television show. People are [also] bringing their studios to Atlanta.?

“Atlanta's becoming Hollywood. Tyler Perry opened his billion-dollar studio. But there are some other studios that are coming to Atlanta as well since we have quite a few sound stages. So that's bringing a lot of jobs and opportunities for people to thrive in those spaces.”?

The Highest-Paying Jobs in Georgia

The Hot Careers to 2030 list revealed that the highest-paying and fastest-growing jobs are post-secondary health specialty teachers, general operations managers, registered nurses, and accountants, Rivera-Brown said. Health specialties, lawyers, medical scientists, etc., landed in the six-figure salary range.?

“For the ones where we're seeing the most growth, general operations managers, for example, pay approximately $118,000,” Rivera-Brown said.?

Thomas, who serves as Candler School of Theology’s director of career services, said she has seen recent college graduates land high-paying jobs in data analytics and FinTech.

“I just got to Emory in September, but before that, I was in the business school at Georgia State,” Rivera-Brown said. “We were having companies who were hiring hundreds upon hundreds, and [they were] trying to fill those positions.

“We struck up a partnership with Mercedes-Benz because they brought the headquarters here, and they were looking for students in the data analytics field.?

“I had one student when I was at Georgia Tech, and working with computer science students, and he got six figures with a $20,000 signing bonus.”

Network to Help Land a Job Within the Big Industries in Georgia?

Start networking once you identify jobs that you match in the fastest-growing/highest-paying industries in Georgia.?

Reach out to professionals for virtual 15-minute coffee chats to learn more about what they do, engage on posts they share on LinkedIn and other social networking sites, and find ways to connect with them.??

Career coach Jasmine Escalera, Ph.D., told LinkedIn News job seekers should think about networking as community building.?

One way to do that is to attend events companies host. Thomas said she has seen businesses do that in Atlanta to provide information about the company to job seekers.?

“You can get face time with people,” Thomas said. “Because it is also who you know. So if you could make those connections, that's really great. And I've noticed a lot of companies are starting to do that more with casual, virtual types of events, just to educate people about what they do. If it's a company you're interested in, that's the route to go.”

Top Takeaways

What Industries are Big in Georgia?

• As of November 2022, trade and transportation, professional and business services, and education and health services were the biggest industries in Georgia.?
• The highest-paying and fastest-growing jobs in the state are post-secondary health specialty teachers, general operations managers, registered nurses, accountants, lawyers, and other health-related positions.?
• Keep an eye on the Georgia Department of Labor’s Hot Jobs and Hot Careers to 2030 to identify top industries.?
• Network and attend company events that are in the top industries in Georgia. Also, utilize free career resources in the state.?