Non-Academic Employment Trending Up

A survey by CareerBuilder, one of the larger career/recruiting companies, reveals “stronger employment trends” in 2011, and it is echoed by a number of positive employment reports in various local Business Journals (see below).

While the figures are not extraordinary, with only 24% of employers surveyed saying they plan to hire full-time, permanent employees in 2011, they are at least on the up side for a change. Only 13% anticipate hiring part-time employees, but 34% plan to hire temporary and/or contract workers.

The top 10 “functional” areas (across all industries) for hiring are, in order:  sales, information technology, customer service, engineering, technology, administrative, business development, marketing, research/development and accounting/finance.

More employers in the West plan to hire in 2011 than those in the Northeast, followed by those in the central US and South.

Here are some of the positive articles I’ve seen recently, thanks to the Business Journal regional editions.

• Optimism creeps into forecast Sacramento Business Journal  01/06/2011
• 10 jobs in most demand in 2011 Triangle Business Journal  01/02/2011
• More employers expect to hire in 2011 Sacramento Business Journal  01/02/2011
• Hiring outlook rises for 2011 Baltimore Business Journal  12/29/2010
• Hiring picture brightens for 2011 Wichita Business Journal  12/29/2010
• Careerbuilder report optimistic on hiring Dallas Business Journal  12/28/2010
• Industries Seeing the Biggest Pickup in Hiring CNBC.com 30/12/2010

Be of good cheer in the New Year!