Companies Plan to Hire More in 2012
Continuing a three-year trend, employers plan to hire more full-time employees with an emphasis in the technology and revenue-producing fields, according to a survey by CareerBuilder. The surveyed group, consisting of 292 HR professionals, revealed that IT is the top sector employers are recruiting for this year, making up for 37% of open positions. “Even as the global economy continues to struggle, Canada is expected to add jobs at a steady pace in 2012,” said Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America. “Our survey data and increases in job postings on Careebuilder.ca indicate that companies will hire in functional areas that support the efficiency of their business, such as IT, engineering, and administrative positions.” According to the survey, 34% of Canadian employers plan to hire full-time, permanent employees in 2012. Employers expect on using temporary and contract workers to supplement their staff, while anticipating on offering half of those workers permanent positions.
HRReporter.com – Jan. 3, 2012
Small Business Confidence Rises in December
According to a survey, Canadian small-business owners were more optimistic about improved performance in December. The “business barometer,” an index survey from The Canadian Federation of Independent Business, showed a score of 65 out of 100, up from 63.7 in November. “The business barometer index has historically hovered between 65 and 70 when the economy is expanding,” federation chief economist Ted Mallett said. “The return to ‘near normal’ is seen as good news for Canada’s economic performance, which had lately been constrained by uncertainties in foreign markets.” According to the federation, scores greater than 50 indicate most businesses are expecting improvements in their performance during 2012. Alberta had the highest score at 73.6 and Nova Scotia rounded out the spectrum at 55.6.
Financial Post – Jan. 4, 2012
Canadian Consumer Confidence Up from Two-Year Low
Consumer confidence about the global economy rose in the fourth quarter from a two-year low, according to a survey by Nanos Research. The Nanos Economic Mood Index rose 2.3 points to 107.4 from the past three months, according to the report by the Ottawa-based company. About 19% expect the economy to be stronger within the next six months, up from 16%. And, 8% fewer consumers feel it will be weaker in the coming months. “The pessimism Canadians have in terms of the future of the economy has lessened,” said Nik Nanos, president of Nanos Research. According to the poll, 52% of Canadians surveyed feel their job is secure, while a Bank of Canada survey showed the opinion on hiring for 2012 rose from 38 to 45%.
Bloomberg – Jan. 9, 2012
17,500 Jobs Added in December, but Jobless Rate Up
Canada added 17,500 jobs in December, yet unemployment rose a tenth of point to 7.5%, according to data from Statistics Canada. Most of the new jobs added were part-time positions, making economists believe the post-recession hiring surge has ended. “With employment rates moving up and only modest gains in employment, that clearly provides further reason for the Bank of Canada to hold interest rates at current stimulative levels,” said Paul Ferley, the Royal Bank of Canada assistant chief economist. In December, 43,100 part-time jobs were added, while full-time employment fell by 25,500. In October and November, 72,600 jobs were lost, 37,100 of them full-time. Though the recent dip in new jobs, Canada has outperformed the U.S. during the recession and has recovered a large amount of jobs lost during the financial crisis.
Reuters – Jan. 6, 2012
Hiring Trends Increasing for Administrative, Commercial Jobs: Express Survey
The hiring outlook for North America continues to remain steady for administrative and commercial jobs, according to a recent survey conducted by Express Employment Professionals. Hiring for the first quarter of 2012 is expected to be the strongest in the commercial and light industrial sector, with 30% planning new hires. As well, 27% plan to fill positions in “other” sectors, including healthcare, customer service, food service, general labor maintenance, medical/dental/nursing, and sales. Additionally, 15% plan to hire for accounting and finance, 12% expect to add marketing jobs, 11% will hire for engineering positions, and 8% plan to add information technology specialists. Express surveyed nearly 17,000 current and former clients across the United States and Canada. When considering new hires, employers who responded to the Hiring Trends survey are looking closely at work ethic, integrity, attitude, and credible work history.
Express – Dec. 27, 2011
December 2011
Employment in Canada rose slightly by 18,000 in December. Unemployment rose 0.1% to make the average rate 7.5%. The largest declines in employment were seen in the finance and construction industries, while the manufacturing and professional services posted the largest gains. View the most recent employment report from Statistics Canada.
Major Industry Employment:
• Construction: - 12,800
• Manufacturing: + 30,400
• Natural Resources: + 2,400
• Finance, Insurance, Real Estate & Leasing: - 14,500
• Professional, Scientific & Technical Services: + 16,100
• Educational Services: + 1,500
• Information, Culture & Recreation: + 5,400
• Accommodation & Food Services: - 2,800
• Public Administration: + 2,600
Employment Trends is a publication of Express Services, Inc., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. © 2012.