/deed/newscenter/publications/trends/september-2025/jvs.jspA new Job Seeker Experience survey conducted by DEED, in partnership with workforce development organizations across Minnesota, is helping fill a gap in labor market information by sharing their experience of assisting people in finding jobs. Forty-two job counselors who help job seekers find employment in Central Minnesota from DEED, Central Minnesota Jobs and Training, Career Solutions and other organizations shared their insights in the most recent survey, which was completed in July. More than 300 responses were received statewide. This blog is the second in a series that will highlight various components of the survey.

Job counselors were asked which types of jobs have become considerably easier or considerably harder for their clients to get hired into compared to a year ago. Their responses provide valuable, ground-level insight into how hiring conditions vary across occupations in Central Minnesota – and how those trends compare to the state overall. Figure 1 shows some notable patterns in job searching.

Jobs That Are Easier to Get in Central Minnesota

A few categories clearly stand out as easier for job seekers in the region to get hired in:

• Food Service Workers (19% say easier to hire compared to last year)
• Healthcare Support Workers (15%)
• Cleaning and Maintenance Workers (12%)
• Production and Manufacturing Workers (9%)
• Drivers and Movers (11%)

These results closely mirror statewide findings. Food service, healthcare support and cleaning/maintenance roles consistently show strong hiring demand and numerous job openings, and Central Minnesota counselors report similar patterns.

Jobs That Are Harder to Get in Central Minnesota

Counselors also identified several occupations where job seekers are finding it significantly harder to get hired. The biggest challenges were reported in:

• Creative Professionals (11% say harder to get hired)
• IT and Math Experts (11%)
• Office Support Staff (11%)
• Sales Professionals (10%)
• Business and Finance Professionals (10%)

There were also a couple categories where Central was different from the state:

• Office Support Workers: More counselors in Central Minnesota say it's harder for clients to get hired (11%) and fewer say it's easier (2%) compared to statewide results.
• Food Service: Central shows even stronger "easier to get" responses (19% vs. 15% statewide), reinforcing the region's high demand in hospitality and food service.

Overall, the findings suggest that Central Minnesota's labor market continues to show strong demand in frontline, service and production roles, while more specialized occupations – particularly in office settings, IT, creative fields and management – are seeing tighter competition for available openings.

For more information about job market conditions in Central Minnesota, contact Luke Greiner at Luke.Greiner@state.mn.us.