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Employers Maintain Upward Trend in Hiring Confidence for Q1 2013

According to a survey by  the Manpower Group,  U.S. hiring decision makers predict a slightly increased hiring pace is expected for Quarter 1 2013. After seasonal variations, the Net Employment Outlook for Quarter 1 2013 is +12%, a 1 percentage point increase from Quarter 4 2012 and slightly elevated from +9% during the same period last year.
This quarter’s research concludes:

  • Strongest First Quarter Outlook in Five Years: The Quarter 1 2013 Net Employment Outlook is the strongest first quarter data collected since 2008.
  • Improvement in Retail Sector: The Wholesale & Retail Trade industry anticipates an increase in hiring in Quarter 1 2013. Often, after seasonal hiring, there is a decline in hiring plans at the start of a new year.
  • Positive Trend in Northeast and West: Employers in the Northeast and West anticipate increases in hiring in Quarter 1 2013. Compared to this time last year, employers in the Northeast indicate a 4 & increase, while employers in the West expect to increase hiring by 7 %.

Of the more than 18,000 employers surveyed, 17 % expect to add employees in Quarter 1 2013, while 8 % expect a decrease in workers, resulting in a Net Employment Outlook of +9%. When seasonally adjusted, the Net Employment Outlook becomes +12%. Seventy-two percent of employers expect no change in their hiring plans.

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About the Author:

Deborah Brown (Debbie) founded Atlanta based D&B Consulting, Inc. in 1993 to provide executive career and leadership coaching, and executive career transitions and outplacement services to organizations and individuals. She is a Master Practitioner of the MBTI personality assessment and a Certified Social + Emotional Intelligence Coach® through the Institute of Social + Emotional Intelligence® of Denver, Colorado. Debbie earned the SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources) certification.