Top worst cities to job hunt

Vaslui and Mehedinti – highest unemployment rates

According to July stats, unemployment in Vaslui and Mehedinti jumped to 11.9%, over 4% above the countrywide average. Compared to June, jobless rate dropped from 12.1% to 11.2% in Vaslui while in Mehedinti, it increased by 6% in July.

“If I were to choose a job, I would first conduct a historical research of the city. I wouldn’t move for example in Vaslui where it was constantly registered the highest unemployment rate over the past years, which means that the city wasn’t taken into consideration for any type of investment by any Romanian or foreign company. I wouldn’t make to many hopes in finding a job in any city in Mehedinti county, the county with the second highest unemployment rates or in the southern cities, for example in Teleorman,” said Florin Ochiana, HR operations manager with recruitment company Lugera & Makler.

This year’s layoffs in the private sector have lifted unemployment rates to 6.3% in July, after reaching 6% a month earlier.

The total number of people on the unemployment rolls exceeded 572,000 at end-July, according to National Agency for Labor Force (ANOFM).

In September 2008, when the financial crisis set in, there were a total of 350,000 jobless countrywide, and the unemployment rate stood at around 4%.

Top cities with the highest unemployment rates also lists Alba county (10.4%), Dolj (9.8%), Teleorman (9.7%), Galati (9.5%), Hunedoara (9.2%), Covasna and Ialomita (9.1%) and Gorj (8.9%).

The counties with the lowest jobless rates are Ilfov (1.7%), Bucharest (1.8%), Timis (3.7%), Constanta (4.0%) and Bihor (4.5%).

Cities with small population shouldn’t be on top of jobseekers list either.

“First of all, under current economic conditions, I would advise the candidates looking for a job to avoid small cities. Small cities in Moldova region to be avoided are Vaslui, Roman, Botosani, Adjud, Tecuci, and Marasesti. It is also difficult to find a job in cities such as Focsani, Galati, Braila. Other cities a job seeker shouldn’t consider are Craiova, Targu Jiu, Targu Mures, Alba Iulia, Resita, Tulcea, Baia Mare, Targoviste or Slatina”, says Catrinel Meicu, HR consultant at Von Consulting.