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Dallas falls off list of America's best cities for job seekers

Dallas-Fort Worth failed to show up in this year's report.

Photo courtesy of Dallas CVB

Texas-based job search platform Indeed has released its report on the best cities for job seekers in 2018, and it revealed some interesting trends about the state's job market. Surprisingly, Dallas-Fort Worth is nowhere to be found on the list.

Noting that unemployment in the U.S. is at a 17-year low, making it easier for many Americans to find a job, Indeed asked four questions to determine the best cities for job seekers. These questions analyzed practical things like a city's job market but also intangible factors like quality of life. The company then scored the answers to calculate an "Indeed City Score."

The company's four key questions:

How favorable is the local labor market to the job seeker?
What’s the average salary, adjusted for cost of living?
How high do employers score for work-life balance in Indeed’s review database?
How high do employers score for job security and advancement opportunities in Indeed’s review database?

Indeed applied this framework to the 50 metro areas with the most open job listings on the platform. What the company found were some interesting trends, including a major shift in California cities rising to the top, while Texas cities tumbled down or even fell off the list entirely.

Though the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex came in at No. 24 last year, it failed to show up at all in this year's report.

Austin came in at No. 12 this year, the highest Texas city on the list, but a significant drop from its No. 4 spot in 2017. San Antonio appeared next, taking the No. 17 spot, only one below its 2017 ranking. And in a dramatic fall from its No. 9 rank in 2017, Houston ranked No. 25 this year, the lowest spot on the list.

Also noticeably absent from the top 25? The most populous city in the U.S. For the second year in a row, New York did not make the top 25 list for job seekers, as "the number of people moving out of New York has outpaced the people moving in" since 2010, the report says. "Rust belt" cities Detroit, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh also missed out on the top 25 as they continue to recover from recent job declines.

Coming in as the top city for job seekers this year is San Jose, California. The tech hub (everything from eBay to Adobe is headquartered there) scored a perfect 100 on the Indeed City Score. Rounding out the top five are: San Francisco (No. 2), Boston (No. 3), San Diego (No. 4), and Los Angeles (No. 5).

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Animal News

Dallas animal shelter invites residents to host a pet during holiday

DAS

Husky at Dallas Animal Services

Dallas Animal Services (DAS) is inviting the community to help bring pets “Home for the Holidays” by adopting or fostering during one of the shelter’s busiest times of the year.

DAS has achieved strong positive outcomes this quarter, including adoptions, foster-to-adopt placements, and underage foster placements, with 1,377 in October and 1,378 in November. The department is now working toward a December goal of 1,400 positive outcomes, with 588 completed so far this month.

“We are grateful for the support our community continues to show,” said Victoria Chittam Bennett, Assistant Director. “Every adoption opens a kennel for another pet in need, and the holidays are an especially meaningful time to welcome a new companion.”

This season, adopters will also have the chance to participate in the Friends of Dallas Animal Services (FODAS) 12 Days of Holiday Giveaways, fully funded and supported through donations from generous community supporters. For more information about this initiative, visit friendsofdas.org and watch out for announcements on social media.

Holiday staycations
Residents who may not be ready to adopt can still support DAS pets by participating in Silent Night Holiday Staycations, a short-term foster opportunity that gives dogs a relaxing break from the shelter during the holiday period.

Pickup dates are scheduled for December 20-21, with drop-off options on December 27-28 or January 3-4. Participants typically spend 1-3 hours at the shelter selecting a foster match, and contact with pets outside the home should be limited. Questions may be directed to DASFtA@dallas.gov.

“Holiday Staycations allow our dogs to decompress and show their personalities in a home environment,” said Amanda Earl, Assistant Director. “The insight we receive from these foster stays is invaluable in helping pets find permanent homes.”

DAS encourages the community to adopt, foster, volunteer, or share adoptable pets to help meet December’s lifesaving goals.
“Together, we can bring home the holidays for the pets relying on us,” said Director Paul Ramon.

For more information on adoptable pets, holiday programs, or ways to get involved, visit https://bedallas90.org/ or stop by the DAS Shelter at 1818 N. Westmoreland Rd.

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