The number of job openings in the Washington area continues to increase, according to hiring managers, staffing firms, government agencies and economists.

Officials at the D.C. Department of Employment Services, the Maryland Governor's Workforce Investment Board, and the Virginia Employment Commission report that tens of thousands of new jobs have been added across the region since the beginning of the year.

In April alone, for example, Northern Virginia added more than 14,000 jobs; the District added nearly 5,000 new jobs, and Maryland added nearly 13,000 new jobs.

Numbers Heading in the Right Direction

The numbers are heading in the right direction. Since the Great Recession bottomed out a year ago, the Washington area has been adding new jobs -- slowly at first, but more rapidly during the first four months of the year.

The numbers confirm the month-to-month trend we see at HireStrategy. We have developed a new HireStrategy Index of Regional Employment (HIRE), which serves as a barometer of hiring in the Washington area.

The index measures job openings and actual interviews with candidates and employers across the region. The index measures levels of activity across a range of fields, including technology, finance and accounting, sales, and administrative and human resources at more than 300 private companies, government agencies, educational institutions and not-for-profit organizations.

Strong Demand for These Positions

• Software Developers
• Cleared Technical Professionals
• User Interface Developers
• Federal Sales Executives
• Software Architects
• Staff & Senior Accountants with government contracting experience
• Pricing Analysts and Contracts Administrators
• Network Engineers
• Auditors and SEC Reporting Specialists
• Executive Assistants, and Commercial Sales
• Representatives (both Inside Sales Representatives and Account Executives).

A HIRE number below 300 reflects a depressed economy; one ranging from 300 to 374 reflects a recession; one ranging from 375 to 399 reflects an economy transitioning into or out of a recession and, finally, a number of 400 and above reflects an economic expansion.

As the accompanying charts shows, the Index reached a low point in June of last year, showing a reading of just under 300 points. The number increased slowly during the third and fourth quarters of last year: from a level of 300 to a level of 350.

On the Verge of a Sustained Expansion

The picture has improved markedly since the beginning of this year, climbing from about 360 in January to nearly 400 in March and April, indicating that the recovery is underway and we're likely on the verge of a sustained expansion.