According to a McKinsey & Company study, solar power is "a far more cost-competitive power source today than it was in the mid-2000s, when installations and manufacturing were taking off, subsidies were generous, and investors were piling in."

As installations continue to grow and costs drop, they predict that solar energy's market share in the utilities sector will continue to increase. Considering this news, we wanted to know what kind of impact solar energy growth has had on hiring for solar-related jobs.

According to WANTED Analytics data, hiring demand for solar jobs reached an all-time high, just in time for Earth Day. As of March 2014, there were 21,570 job ads posted online for solar-related positions, marking a 31% increase over the same time last year. Sales jobs were most commonly advertised, appearing in 5 out of 10 of the top spots.

Demand for Sales Representatives (wholesale and manufacturing) increased 249% YOY and First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers grew 204% YOY. Engineering, construction, and management occupations were also among the most sought after solar jobs.

Most Commonly Advertised Solar Jobs by Number of Ads

SOURCE: WANTED Analytics

Across industries and specializations, sales jobs score a 46 on our Hiring Scale. Our Hiring Scale score ranges from 1 to 99, with 99 denoting hardest-to-fill. When looking for sales talent with solar knowledge, recruiting conditions become significantly more difficult, scoring a 65 on average in the US. These jobs are most in-demand in the Cincinnati (OH) metro area. Despite high demand in this location, recruiting isn't likely to be more challenging, scoring a 41 on our Hiring Scale. However, Los Angeles is experiencing a similar level of demand as Cincinnati and conditions in LA are likely to be more difficult, scoring a 71 due to overall competition for talent on the West Coast. Recruiters in this area and other locations that are encountering difficulty recruiting can look to cities with lower Hiring Scale scores. Miami (FL), Jacksonville (FL), Atlanta (GA), St. Louis (MO), and Cleveland (OH) are experiencing lower demand and have more favorable recruiting conditions. Hiring Scale scores in these cities range from 29 to 36. Below are snapshots of the hiring demand and talent supply in these locations.

Cities with the Best Recruiting Conditions for Sales Jobs with Solar Experience

SOURCE: WANTED Analytics

Are you recruiting for candidates with solar experience? Leave a comment and let us know what you're experiencing!