By CityTownInfo.com Staff
August 29, 2009
Job seekers may very well be encouraged by a new survey which indicates that a majority of employers plan to hire within the next year.
The Associated Press [from an article originally located at http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/08/25/business-business-and-professional-services-us-staffing-sector-survey_6813892.html] and Reuters [from an article originally located at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32555681/ns/business-careers/] report that the study, conducted by staffing company Robert Half International and CareerBuilder, found that 53 percent of the employers surveyed expect to hire full-time workers in the next 12 months, while 40 percent will hire contract, temporary or project professionals. Additionally, 39 percent of the employers indicated that they will hire part-time employees.
"Companies already are identifying the key skill sets they will need in new hires to take advantage of the opportunities presented by improving economic conditions," explained Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International, in a press release. "Firms that cut staffing levels too deeply may need to do significant rebuilding once the recovery takes hold."
The study, called The Employment Dynamics and Growth Expectations (EDGE) Report, was based on a survey of more than 500 hiring managers and 500 workers conducted from April 30 to May 31, 2009.
Respondents said that hiring will take place first in technology, customer service and sales once the economy rebounds. Some other areas where they expected to see more hiring were marketing/creative, business development, human resources and accounting/finance. Nearly a third of hiring managers said they expected to offer jobs to staff-level professionals, while 28 percent said they will hire entry-level workers.
In another piece of positive news, 61 percent of employers surveyed said that they would be open to negotiating higher salaries for qualified candidates. In addition, 40 percent said they would increase pay in order to retain valuable workers.
"As businesses look to the future, they also have to consider how tough decisions made during the financial crisis have impacted job satisfaction and loyalty of their current staff members," noted Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder, in a press release. "Fifty-five percent of workers plan to make a career change, seek out new employers or go back to school once the economic recovery is underway. In addition to competitive pay and benefits, showing a committed investment in the professional development of employees will play a key part in retaining critical talent."
