Manpower North America

My first search for jobs was in Madison, WI, where I currently live. 11 jobs came up on this search. The first position is an auditor, which is distinct from the rest of the positions because it involves technical experience and knowhow (B.A. in business/accounting and/or CPA certification). The rest of the positions posted are general labor positions like assembly line workers, factory workers, truck drivers and call center representatives. The pay rates are quite competitive and most positions do not have definitive experience necessary or skills required. Most positions are temporary “with possibility of permanent employment”.

I then searched for jobs in my hometown, Chicago, IL. These (36) jobs were very much different to the Madison jobs in that many were clerical, sales and market analyst-based. The salaries were much higher too—up to $33/hr! These were pretty much all contract positions, with the exception of a few temporary. The positions had a wide variety of requirements, from diplomas to experience. Chicago’s Manpower page seemed to have a larger variety of jobs and better opportunities for those with the skills.

I then searched New York City, NY. This search brought up 31 results, with extremely similar results to Chicago. One thing I noticed was that pay rates were a bit higher, which is great since the cost of living in New York is much higher than that of Chicago or Madison. 

If I were living in New York or Chicago and having a really tough time finding a job I would definitely consider some of these sales or clerical positions. If nothing else, the pay is pretty good for many and it would be great experience for future opportunities.