CHICAGO, January 5, 2012 – More than a third (35 percent) of American companies are operating with smaller staffs than before the recession. To keep pace with market demand, many are turning to staffing and recruiting companies and temporary workers. Thirty-six percent of companies will hire contract or temporary workers in 2012. This is up from 34 percent for 2011, 30 percent for 2010, and 28 percent for 2009. Of the companies hiring temporary or contract workers this year, 35 percent have plans to hire them on a permanent basis.
The survey, which was conducted by Harris Interactive from November 9 to December 5, 2011, included more than 3,000 hiring managers and human resource professionals across industries and company sizes.
Recruitment for temporary jobs will begin right away for some companies – 27 percent of companies will hire temporary or contract workers in Q1 2012.
“Temporary jobs from staffing and recruiting firms are playing an increasingly important role in the economic recovery,” said Eric Gilpin, president of CareerBuilder’s Staffing & Recruiting Group. “Our studies have pointed to a rise in these positions post-recession as companies address growing market needs. Employers are relying on temporary and contract workers to support leaner staffs, and in many cases, will transition those workers to permanent roles.”
Based on data from CareerBuilder’s Supply & Demand Portal, the following are examples of staffing and recruiting positions currently in demand:
Health Care
1. Occupational or Physical Therapist
2. Speech Language Pathologist
Industrial
1. Maintenance Technician or Mechanic
2. CNC (Computer Numerical Control) Machinist
Information Technology
1. Java or .Net Developer
2. Network Engineer
Office-Clerical
1. Administrative Assistant
2. Customer Service Representative
Professional-Managerial
1. Business Analyst
2. Marketing Assistant
“Staffing and recruiting firms are on the front lines when it comes to sourcing talent for businesses of all sizes and across all sectors. Candidates will find good pay, flexibility, opportunities to change careers, valuable skills training, and a bridge to permanent employment,” said Richard Wahlquist, president and CEO of the American Staffing Association. “We’ll see more employers and job seekers making connections in the New Year.”
Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive© on behalf of CareerBuilder among 3,023 hiring managers and human resource professionals (employed full-time, not self-employed, non-government) between November 9 and December 5, 2011 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset, based on their responses to certain questions). With a pure probability sample of 3,023, one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 1.78 percentage points. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.
About CareerBuilder
CareerBuilder is the global leader in human capital solutions, helping companies target and attract their most important asset - their people. Its online career site, CareerBuilder.com®, is the largest in the United States with more than 24 million unique visitors, 1 million jobs and 40 million resumes. CareerBuilder works with the world’s top employers, providing resources for everything from employment branding and data analysis to recruitment support. More than 9,000 websites, including 140 newspapers and broadband portals such as MSN and AOL, feature CareerBuilder’s proprietary job search technology on their career sites. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE:GCI), Tribune Company and The McClatchy Company (NYSE:MNI), CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the United States, Europe, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit www.careerbuilder.com.
About the American Staffing Association
The American Staffing Association is the voice of the U.S. staffing industry. ASA and its affiliated chapters advance the interests of staffing and recruiting firms of all sizes and across all sectors through legal and legislative advocacy, public relations, education, and the promotion of high standards of legal, ethical, and professional practices. ASA members provide the full range of employment and work force services and solutions, including temporary and contract staffing, recruiting and permanent placement, outplacement and outsourcing, training, and human resource consulting.
CareerBuilder Media Contact
For all media inquiries and interview requests, contact:
Jennifer Grasz
(P) 773-527-1164
(E) jennifer.grasz@careerbuilder.com