MONTGOMERY — Data collected and analyzed by the Alabama Department of Labor’s Labor Market Information Division shows that the most online wanted ads were for heavy and tractortrailer truck drivers, registered nurses, and retail salespersons, with more than 6,600 ads placed for those occupations in September.

The Help Wanted Online (HWOL) data is compiled from all online job postings in the state, including those posted on the state’s free online jobs database, www.joblink.alabama.gov, and other sources; such as traditional job boards, corporate boards, and social media sites.

There were 41,636 online ads this month, of those 17,897 were new ads.

Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn a mean wage of $19.83 per hour, registered nurses earn a mean wage of $27.88 per hour, and retail salespersons earn a mean wage of $12.92 per hour.

“Six of our top ten most sought after positions have average hourly wages of more than $20 an hour,” said Fitzgerald Washington, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Labor. “These are professional, highly paid positions. Employers are looking to hire qualified employees and bolster the economy.

“Additionally, as we gear up for the upcoming holiday season, we will see an even larger increase in hiring as employers gear up for increases in sales traffic.”

Although retail salespersons continue to be one of Alabama’s most sought after employees, this occupation will begin to increase even more during the holiday season.

Every September, retailers begin to hire to support heavier receipts of merchandise and displays. Retail sales positions are expected to increase 6.8 percent from 2014-2024 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ projections.

The top three employers posting ads in September were: UAB Medicine (606), Community Health Systems, Inc. (522), and St. Vincent Health System (505).

Forty-three percent of all online ads are less than 30 days old, and another 33 percent of all ads are less than 90 days old.

“We’d like to encourage anyone who needs a job, or wants a different job, to come into one of our Career Centers for assistance,” said Washington. “Our trained staff can assist you in obtaining the career you want.”

A listing of Career Centers can be found at www.joblink.alabama.gov.