Los Angeles Overview

Second to New York City in population, Los Angeles is renowned for its vibrant entertainment industry. However, other sectors, including trade, professional/business services, government and education/health services, are also important sources of jobs for the area’s 6.5 million workers. The Los Angeles job market is gradually improving as the region recovers from a significant real estate crunch and companies slowly stabilize their operations and recruitment plans.

Los Angeles Job Opportunities

The City of Angels is home to a mix of cultures, values and traditions. Hollywood not only powers the critical entertainment industry, but also helps attract millions of tourists each year to the area’s array of museums and other attractions.

Key industries driving employment in Los Angeles include trade, with a busy import/export business generated by its port location; professional/business services; and government. Over the past year, manufacturing employment has declined while information, tourism and education/health services employment has expanded.

Los Angeles Employment Trends

Evidenced by the area’s double-digit unemployment rate, Los Angeles is still facing a long road to recovery. After declining from 2008 through 2010, the number of employed in the Los Angeles area increased in the last six months of 2011. Online hiring -- while still well below average -- is improving at a leisurely pace.

Moody’s Analytics predicts jobs in Los Angeles will increase 1.2 percent between Q2 2012 and Q2 2013, below the 1.3 percent increase expected in the number of US jobs during that time.