Thursday, December 28, 2006

7 Hiring Trends for 2007

About 40 percent of some 2,600 hiring managers recently said they plan to increase their number of full-time, permanent employees in 2007, according to results in this week's CareerBuilder.com's “2007 Job Forecast.” Another 40 percent expect no change in their head counts, and 8 percent are expecting job eliminations, said the online job site. So keep an eye out for the following hiring trends in the new year.

Going into 2007, the U.S. workforce is likely to see employers become more competitive in recruitment and retention efforts, according to results this week of a survey of some 2,600 hiring managers by online job site CareerBuilder.com. This is evident in higher salaries, better training and career advancement opportunities, and more flexible work cultures.

1) Bigger paychecks
Eighty-one percent of employers report their companies will increase salaries for existing employees, and nearly half of employers (49 percent) expect to increase salaries on initial offers to new employees.

2) Diversity recruitment
Nine percent plan to step up diversity recruiting for African American job candidates, while 8 percent will target female job candidates. Half of employers recruiting bilingual employees say English/Spanish-speaking candidates are most in demand in their organizations.

3) More flexible work arrangements
Work/life balance being a major buzzword among U.S. employers, 19 percent of employers say they are very or extremely willing to provide more flexible work arrangements for employees such as job sharing and alternate schedules. Thirty-one percent are "fairly willing."

4) Rehiring retirees
As some employers express concern over the loss of intellectual capital due to a large number of so-called Baby Boomers approaching retirement, one in five employers plan to rehire retirees from other companies or provide incentives for workers approaching retirement age to stay on with the company longer.

5) More promotions
As the perceived lack of upper mobility within an organization is a major driver for employee turnover, 35 percent of employers plan to provide more promotions and career advancement opportunities to their existing staff in 2007.

6) Hiring overseas
Companies continue to drive growth by entering or strengthening their presence in global markets. Thirteen percent of employers report they will expand operations and hire employees in other countries in 2007.

7) Better training
In light of a seeming shortage of skilled workers within their own industries, employers are looking for transferable skills from other industries. Seventy-eight percent report they are willing to recruit workers who don't have experience in their particular industry or field and provide training/certifications needed.

"Of the tech recruiters surveyed, 48 percent said they would be adding positions in 2007, 10 percent said they would be decreasing posts, and the remaining said they were unsure or expected no change," said CareerBuilder spokeswoman Jennifer Sullivan.

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Source: Thomasnet.com (David Butcher)

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