Northern Kentucky Cincinnati Career Change Resource

You are not alone if you are considering a career change. On average, 22% of workers in the United States have considered changing careers, while 30% of people aged 18 to 39 considered doing so. That means that one in every three U.S. workers under the age of 40 has considered changing jobs recently. Now if you live in the Northern Kentucky-Cincinnati area you are in luck because there are opportunities aplenty for you to consider a career change and this is the ultimate resource to help you do just that!
You are not alone if you are considering a career change. On average, 22% of workers in the United States have considered changing careers, while 30% of people aged 18 to 39 considered doing so. That means that one in every three U.S. workers under the age of 40 has considered changing jobs recently. Now if you live in the Northern Kentucky-Cincinnati area you are in luck because there are opportunities aplenty for you to consider a career change and this is the ultimate resource to help you do just that!

The cities of NKY, which are anchored by Florence, Covington, and Newport in Boone, Kenton, and Campbell Counties, respectively, offer a perfect lifestyle complemented by a strong economy and a plethora of higher education institutions, offering endless opportunities for a career change.

If that isn't enough, we also have access to Cincinnati's big-city amenities, such as professional sports teams, the arts, festivals, museums, and a vibrant job market.

In case you are still sitting on the fence when it comes to a career change consider this: according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average person will change jobs five to seven times during their working life. The average worker holds up to ten different jobs before the age of 50, and this number is expected to rise even more in the coming decades.

But before we get started on your career change, let’s briefly look at Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati as places of opportunity.

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Northern Kentucky - Cincinnati and the opportunity for a career change

Northern Kentucky, including Greater Cincinnati, has more Fortune 500 headquarters per capita than New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles. 

On the north side of the Ohio River, the Greater Cincinnati Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which includes seven Northern Kentucky counties, is home to nine regulars on the Fortune 500 list. In Kentucky, five additional members generate $10 billion in annual revenue.

Northern Kentucky, after Louisville and Lexington, is the third-largest metropolitan area in the United States Commonwealth of Kentucky, and its cities and towns serve as the de facto "south side" communities of Cincinnati, Ohio. 

This NKY-Cincinnati metro area is covered by four main counties and a key city each with great economic potential. 

These are:

  1. Cincinnati, Hamilton County, OH
  2. Florence, Boone County, KY
  3. Covington, Kenton County, KY
  4. Newport, Campbell County, KY

If you are considering a career change these counties provide a lot of potential and we have covered each county in detail below. 

We have also compiled a list of the top employers and industries in each key city of each county for your reference by rating, size, and Fortune 500 standing. This will help you locate any area where you are interested in changing your career.

In addition, the job market in each county varies slightly, and to help you make an informed decision we have covered each county from this aspect as well.

Cincinnati, Hamilton County, OH

City background

Cincinnati is a one-of-a-kind destination. You can not only see everything on the Cincy side, but also the other 40 cities in the Cincy / NKY area and three states. Northern Kentucky is made up of 37 cities, which is why they refer to themselves as Northern Kentucky or NKY.

Cincinnati is an award-winning city:

  • Cincy was named one of the "50 Best Places to Travel in 2021" by Travel + Leisure.
  • It is one of the top 100 places to live according to Livability.
  • Cincy is the third best city in the United States for beer lovers.
  • It is ranked as the second best city for street art by USA Today.

More about Cincinnati: Things to do, places to visit

Economic snapshot of Cincinnati

Cincinnati has an unemployment rate of 4.9%. The US average is 6.0%. Cincinnati has seen the job market increase by 0.8% over the last year. Future job growth over the next ten years is predicted to be 29.8%, which is just shy of the US average of 33.5%.

More about Cincinnati’s economy: Tax rates, income and salaries

Job market in Cincinnati

Minimum Wage: $8.8

Average Salary in Cincinnati, OH:

Table for Average salaries in Cincinnati, OH
Table for Average salaries in Cincinnati, OH

Current Jobs In Cincinnati, OH: Here are some current job openings in Cincinnati

Top employers in Cincinnati

According to Zippia, here is the list of the best rated, biggest in size and top ranked on Fortune 500 employers in the Cincinnati area.

Table of Top employers in Cincinnati
Table of Top employers in Cincinnati

Top industries hiring in Cincinnati

  • Chemical Manufacturing
  • Consumer Goods Manufacturers
  • Telecommunications
  • Financial Services
  • Transportation/Trucking/Railroad
  • Financial Services
  • Legal Services
  • Medical Devices Manufacturers
  • Environmental Services
  • Retail
  • Hospitals and Health Care Services
  • Technology

Career resources in Cincinnati

Here are some resources that might be useful if you are looking for new career opportunities

OhioMeansJobs Cincinnati - Hamilton County connects job seekers and employers. They are able to create a more skilled and better-trained workforce by bringing together business, government, and the community into a collaborative unit.

The City of Cincinnati is always looking for talented and service-oriented people to join our team and help us provide the best possible service to our citizens. If you want to work for the City of Cincinnati, please look through our current job openings and apply for one.

The chamber of commerce at Cincinnati serves as a strong advocate for its 4,000 member companies and their more than 300,000 employees. They are committed to growing the region's talent, and the Chamber is on a mission to help transform the region into the hottest city in America by harnessing the power of Cincinnati's unique offerings, implementing a regional vision, and incorporating intentional inclusion in everything they do.

Indeed claims to be the world's most popular job site, with over 250 million unique visitors each month. Indeed prioritizes job seekers by providing free access to search for jobs, post resumes, and research companies. They have a dedicated page for jobs in Cincinnati.

Glassdoor provides insights into the employee experience based on millions of company ratings and reviews, CEO approval ratings, salary reports, interview reviews and questions, benefits reviews, office photos, and more, combined with the latest jobs.

Florence, Boone County, KY

City background

Florence, Kentucky is the state's second-largest city and one of its fastest-growing communities. When driving down I-75, you can't miss the famous "Florence Y'all" Water tower! 

Florence is conveniently located along the interstate and next to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), close to all the fun things to do, great places to eat, and local secrets available in the NKY/Cincy region while also enjoying the relaxed lifestyle of the Kentucky countryside.

More about Florence: Things to do, places to visit

Economic snapshot of Florence

Florence has a 4.3 percent unemployment rate, while the average in the United States is 6.0 percent. The area’s job market has grown by 1.9 percent in the last year. Future job growth is expected to be 40.0 percent over the next ten years, which is higher than the US average of 33.5 percent.

More about Florence’s economy: Tax rates, income, and salaries

Job market in Florence

Minimum Wage: $7.25

Average Salary in Florence, KY:

Table for Average salaries in Florence, KY
Table for Average salaries in Florence, KY


Current Jobs In Florence, KY: Here are some current job openings in Florence

Top employers in Florence

As per Zippia, here is the list of the best, biggest, and top-ranked Fortune 500 employers in the Florence area.

Table of Top employers in Florence, KY
Table of Top employers in Florence, KY

Top industries hiring in Florence

  • Financial Services
  • Automotive Manufacturers
  • Chemicals Manufacturers
  • Health Care Services
  • Industrial and Commercial Products Manufacturers
  • Electromedical and Control Instruments Manufacturing
  • Food & Beverages
  • Human Resources
  • Internet Software & Services
  • Software Development
  • Plastic Fabrication

Career resources in Florence

Some useful resources if you are looking for new career opportunities in the Florence area

The Chamber of Commerce’s dedicated page for Florence. It will show you all the current job openings in the city and nearby regions.

The Boone County website has job opportunities listed as well. It county contains three incorporated cities: the City of Florence, the City of Union, and the City of Walton. Natural beauty, a rich history, a strong economy, visionary leadership, and wonderful people characterize Boone County.

Kentucky Career Center is the region's leading workforce development network, connecting employers with qualified workforce talent and job seekers with career opportunities.

At the NKY Chamber, there is something for everyone. Does your small business need customers? Does your larger business need help solving problems or assistance finding employees? Are you a non-profit agency that needs help building community relationships? The Chamber has programs, events, advocacy initiatives, marketing opportunities, and award-winning publications to meet your needs.

The NKADD is a collaboration of local leaders and staff dedicated to educating and empowering communities by providing quality services in Workforce Development in serving the counties of Boone, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, Owen, and Pendleton in Northern Kentucky.

Zip recruiter is an online job search site that has a dedicated page for Florence, KY. Make sure to check it out.

Covington, Kenton County, KY

City background

Covington is located in the center of Kentucky, between Florence and Newport. It's also only a short walk from downtown Cincinnati.

Covington's history is replete with firsts. John G. Carlisle, a Covington politician, was one of the co-creators, along with E.H. Taylor, of the Bottled in Bond Act, which guaranteed high-quality bourbon for the first time in U.S. history. And in Covington, John R. Roebling got the idea for the Brooklyn Bridge.

More about Covington: Things to do, places to visit

Economic snapshot of Covington 

Covington has a 5.2 percent unemployment rate. The average in the United States is 6.0 percent. Over the last year, the job market in Covington has grown by 1.9 percent. Future job growth is expected to be 36.9 percent over the next ten years, which is higher than the US average of 33.5 percent.

More about Covington’s economy: Tax rates, income, and salaries

Job market in Covington

Minimum Wage: $7.25

Average Salary in Covington, KY:

Average Salaries in Covington, KY
Average Salaries in Covington, KY

Current Jobs In Covington, KY: Here are some current job openings in Covington

Top employers in Covington 

Covington in Kenton County also has a vibrant economy fueled by employers, some of which are listed here by best rating, size and Fortune 500 rank.

Table of top Employers in Covington, KY
Table of top Employers in Covington, KY

Top industries hiring in Covington

  • Chemicals Manufacturers
  • Machinery Fabrication
  • Broadcast Media
  • Health, Wellness and Fitness
  • Internet Software & Services
  • Nursing and Residential Care
  • Brewery
  • Investment Service
  • Local Government
  • Hospitality

Career resources in Covington

Some useful resources if you are looking for new career opportunities in the Covington area

The Chamber of Commerce’s dedicated page for Covington features all the local business with links to their websites. Most company websites have hiring opportunities on the front page.

The local city government page has job listings for public office positions.

If you are interested in Government jobs, there are quiet a few on the Kenton County Careers page

Indeed has a dedicated page for jobs being offered in the city of Covington. Check it out to see what is available.

SimplyHired also has a dedicated page for jobs being offered in the city of Covington. They update it regularly.

There are several job openings in Covington which can be viewed at GlassDoor's.

More job postings from the city

Newport, Campbell County, KY

City background

Newport, Kentucky, was founded in 1795 and has a rich history as well as tons of modern development packed into 3.5 square miles. 

It's no surprise that visitors enjoy finding things to do in Newport, which is home to premier area attractions such as the Newport Aquarium, Newport on the Levee, PromoWest Pavilion at Ovation, Bridgeview Box Park, Hofbrauhaus, and BB Riverboats. 

The city's riverfront area offers a breathtaking view of the Cincinnati skyline and hosts a variety of festivals and events throughout the year.

More about Newport: Things to do, places to visit

Economic snapshot of Newport 

Newport has a 4.4 percent unemployment rate. The average in the United States is 6.0 percent. The job market in Newport has grown by 2.0 percent in the last year. Future job growth is expected to be 39.2 percent over the next ten years, which is higher than the US average of 33.5 percent.

More about Newport’s economy: Tax rates, income, and salaries

Job market in Newport 

Minimum Wage: $7.25

Average Salary in Newport, KY:

 for Average Salaries in Newport, KY
Average Salaries in Newport, KY

Current Jobs In Newport, KY: Here are some current job openings in Newport

Top employers in Newport 

Campbell County offers a variety of employment opportunities in Newport for career change. Some of the employers are listed here by best rating, size and Fortune 500 ranking.

Table of Top employers in Newport, KY
Table of Top employers in Newport, KY

Top industries hiring in Newport 

  • Pharmaceutical
  • Food & Beverages
  • Energy Sector Manufacturing
  • Information Technology and Services
  • Local Government
  • Car Rentals
  • Social and Rehabilitation Services
  • Facilities Maintenance Services
  • Restaurants and Bars
  • Manufacturing

Career resources in Newport 

Some useful resources if you are looking for new career opportunities in the Newport area

The Chamber of Commerce’s dedicated page for Newport features all the local business in the city with links to their websites. Most company websites have job opportunities listed in a separate section.

Indeed has a dedicated page for jobs being offered in the city of Newport. They refresh the page with new postings regularly so check it out for opportunities.

SimplyHired’s dedicated page for the city of Newport.

If you are looking for job opportunities for a career change do visit the GlassDoor’s dedicated page for the city of Newport, Kentucky

More job postings from the city of Newport.

Final Word

The Northern Kentucky- Cincinnati area is ideal if you are considering changing careers. More than 1.1 million people work in the region, with nearly 190,000 of them being professionals. Accounting and finance, computer and information technology, human resources, purchasing and procurement, and media are among the top professional occupations in the area. 

The region is perfectly positioned to support its key industries, which include automotive and aerospace manufacturing, financial services, food and flavor, life sciences, and logistics technology, thanks to a competitive business climate, infrastructure, and deep talent pools.

A short-term job training program may be exactly what you need to get started in a new and rewarding career field.

While you could drop your job, and apply to university to do a 4-year bachelor's degree or a 2-years master's program, most of us don’t really need to invest so much time and money to switch to some good-paying careers.

If you want to change careers, look into the above-mentioned short-term job training programs. You may find that these are the best skills to learn for career change and a rewarding new job!

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