TAHLEQUAH — When local resident Patricia Kosterlistzkey left her lucrative job as a child care program manager, she thought she’d take a couple of months off, regroup, and find a new, less-stressful career.

“It took over a year to find a new job,” she said.

Despite having a teaching degree, Kosterlistzkey was turned down for job after job, with prospective employers citing overqualification as a reason for not hiring her.

“I didn’t want to teach,” she said. “I wanted to find a nice clerical job. But it took a long time.”

A recent report in the Wall Street Journal indicated the jobless rate in 39 states and Washington, D.C., fell in June. But Oklahoma was not among those.

According to recent state employment statistics, Cherokee County has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Northeast Oklahoma – 4.1 percent – compared to a statewide rate of 6.8 percent.

Workforce Oklahoma Tahlequah Center Manager Ron Venters said while Cherokee County isn’t necessarily gaining ground in improving employment rates, it’s not losing, either.

“Our unemployment numbers are gradually decreasing,” said Venters. “Cherokee County certainly is looking better than some of our surrounding counties. I think that can be attributed to the fact that based on the total workforce here, we have a lot of people who are willing to commute.”

Venters said the local Workforce office remains busy, serving approximately 1,400 clients per month.

“We work with clients on training, job searches and unemployment benefit issues,” he said. “We try very hard to direct people to alternative careers that have longevity, jobs that are in demand. It may not mean a complete career change, but some simple changes to enhance a trade or skill.”

Venters pointed out that health care and green manufacturing jobs continue to grow in demand in this area.

The Cherokee Nation is arguably one of the largest employers in the area, providing jobs to many area residents.

“During the past 90 days, the Cherokee Nation has opened 125 jobs,” said Michael Botello, Cherokee Nation Human Resources Group Leader. “Applications varied by position, with some jobs getting as few as one applicant, and others getting as many as 167 applicants. As of today, Cherokee Nation has more than 3,500 employees, with nearly half of those positions being in the health care field.”

Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director David Moore said the fact that Tahlequah has one of the lowest unemployment rates makes this area attractive to newcomers. He also offered advice for those who may be seeking employment locally.

“If a person were moving here today and wondered about job growth opportunities, I would say there are three main avenues,” he said. “The first would be construction, which continues to grow here. We see a need for craftsmen and those who work in trades, such as plumbers, electricians and woodworkers.”

Moore said the second area for growth is in retail outlets. According to www.projectionscentral.com, long-term occupational projections in this area are the most promising, with an annual average job openings of 2,160 across the state through 2016.

“The Tahlequah area continues to expand in the area of retail outlets. Anyone with retail experience – anything from jewelry stores to car lots – would have good job prospects here,” he said. “Also, anything in the tourism industry would be good. Entrepreneurs in that area would have an opportunity to be successful.”

Moore believes in the old adage “necessity is the mother of invention,” particularly when it comes to business success.

“In down economic periods, entrepreneurship grows,” he said. “Sometimes not by choice, but from necessity. Often, adversity leads people to their passion. People who are passionate about what they do end up generally being successful.”