According to the results of the most recent, often-cited survey by Manpower, most U.S. employers anticipate no change in hiring in Quarter 4, 2009 from Quarter 3.
In the press release that announced the survey, Manpower’s Chairman and CEO Jeff Joerres said “The hiring intentions of U.S. companies continue to be sluggish. While there are areas within the U.S. which are showing an uptick, we have yet to see the robust hiring intentions that would indicate a full labor market recovery.”
Manpower surveyed over 28,000 employers in 200 Metropolitan Statistical Areas and across 13 industry sectors, regarding their hiring intentions in Q4 2009 compared to Q3. Of those employers,
- 12% anticipate increasing staff levels
- 14% expect to reduce staff levels
- 69% anticipate no change in hiring
- 5% are undecided about hiring
Subsequently, the net hiring outlook is -2%. When seasonally adjusted for events that impact employment numbers, it amounts to a -3% net hiring outlook, the worst since Manpower started the survey in 1962.
The national unemployment rate unexpectedly jumped up from 9.4 to 9.7 percent in August, its highest level in 26 years. However, job losses were considerably fewer than earlier in the year, indicating that the job-loss pace is at least slowing.
Manpower’s survey indicated that employers in the following sectors expect to decrease hiring October-December. The percentages enclosed in parenthesis indicate the net hiring outlook.
- Construction (-10%)
- Government (-8%)
- Information (-5%)
- Durable Goods Manufacturing (-8%)
- Nondurable Goods Manufacturing (-3%)
- Mining (-9%)
- Other Services (-1%)
- Transportation & Utilities (-9%)
Employers in the following sectors expect to increase hiring October-December.
- Education & Health Services (2%)
- Financial Activities (1%)
- Leisure & Hospitality (2%)
- Professional & Business Services (3%)
- Wholesale & Retail Trade (7%)
The survey results for the Wholesale & Retail Trade sector indicate that holiday hiring to accommodate Christmas shoppers is likely to be slower than in the past.
Employers in the four U.S. regions in which they were surveyed anticipate a considerably weaker net hiring outlook compared to a year ago.
- West (-3%)
- Midwest (-2%)
- South (0%)
- Northeast (-4%)
If you’ve lost your job through a layoff or suffered a reduction in work hours, then you might be eligible for full or partial unemployment compensation through the state unemployment office in your work state. You might also have the right to continue your employer-provided health insurance coverage through COBRA.
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Manpower, a global leader in employment services, publishes such surveys quarterly. For the most recent quarterly surveys about hiring in the U.S. and other countries as well, visit Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.
