The future is looking bright for job seekers as 40% of companies surveyed by CareerBuilder plan to hire full-time employees during 2017. With that growth, there are some key hiring trends to watch for this year.
CareerBuilder’s annual job forecast projects 2 in 5 employers are planning to hire full-time employees while 3 in 10 plan to hire part-time staff. Temporary and contract hires are expected to increase significantly as well. The national survey conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of CareerBuilder, also suggests better wages, soft skills emphasis, and text message communication are areas of focus for 2017.
Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder says:
Three in four employers reported that they are in a better financial position than they were a year ago, which is instilling more confidence in adding people to their payrolls. Following a divisive election season, employers are entering the New Year with a watchful, yet optimistic approach. One of the key challenges for employers will be bridging the talent gaps within their own organizations by either offering better wages or by helping to re-skill and up-skill workers.
With increased hiring plans, there are some key trends CareerBuilder suggests job seekers be aware of:
- Pressure for Higher Wages
- Higher Demand for Soft Skills
- Text message communication via employers and candidates
- Desired social media savviness
- Investing in training
With new hiring trends comes fields of interest. Of the employers who plan on increasing full-time staff, there are a few areas that will be in higher demand for recruiting purposes:
- Information Technology – 28 percent
- Customer Service – 27 percent
- Production – 26 percent
- Sales – 25 percent
- Administrative – 24 percent
There are also some regions with a more promising hiring outlook. With 44% of employers in the West saying they plan to hire full-time, permanent employees, this region has the most confidence in hiring efforts for 2017. The Northeast experienced the largest gains in hiring full-time staff, at 42%, which was up from 30% in 2016. While the South has a projected 3% increase over 2016, the Midwest isn’t expected to see much change.
Below is the infographic via CareerBuilder for the full annual jobs forecast for 2017.
