Wait until next season

U.S. employers plan to add to their payrolls in the third quarter, according to two recent surveys.

Staffing firm Manpower polled 16,000 U.S. employers about job prospects at their firms. The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey shows that 30% plan to add to their payrolls during the third quarter, which represents one of the largest year-over-year increases in the survey’s history.

Another 59% of respondents foresee no change in staffing, while 6% anticipate job cuts. The remaining 5% are unsure about their hiring expectations for the late summer months.

“In our second quarter survey, U.S. employers reported the strongest employment outlook since early 2001. The fact that employers expect to hire at the same pace in the third quarter suggests that they continue to feel confident about the sustainability of demand for their products and services. This is good news for job seekers across the country,” Manpower Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Joerres says.

According to the Manpower survey, the best job prospects for the third quarter exist in the construction, manufacturing, mining, services and retail industries.

A separate survey from job site CareerBuilder.com also shows employer optimism about the third quarter. Based on 1,400 responses, the survey shows that 44% of hiring managers expect to do most of their recruiting between July and September. Respondents say the new positions are needed to expand operations, increase sales and productivity, and improve customer service.

“The rebound in the U.S. economy is creating an acceleration in hiring and the recent uptick in job creation is expected to continue,” CareerBuilder.com President and CEO Matt Ferguson says.

For more information about the CareerBuilder survey, including a look at job satisfaction and regional hiring, go to https://www.careerbuilder.com/share/AboutUs/PR/surveys.htm. For the Manpower report, go to https://www.manpower.com/mpcom/VisualLibraryMEOS.jsp?quarterID=53&articleid=373