Hiring Outlook for 2012 Remains Cautiously Optimistic | St. Louis Job News & Opportunities

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Home Depot Kicks Off Recruiting for 70,000 Spring Season Associates
ST. LOUIS, MD, (SLFP.com), January 12, 2012 - The Home Depot has announced it has begun recruiting to fill more than 70,000 seasonal positions as it prepares for spring, the company's busiest selling and hiring season.

"Just as the Christmas rush and holiday hiring ends for many retailers, we begin recruiting for spring seasonal associates to help customers during our busiest selling season," said Tim Crow, executive vice president for Human Resources. "And a seasonal job at The Home Depot can often lead to a regular position if you're passionate about customer service."

In fact, about half of The Home Depot's 2011 seasonal hires stayed on in permanent positions as cashiers, sales associates, lot associates and garden associates, to name a few.

Job seekers can begin applying online now at www.Careers.HomeDepot.com. Hiring will begin ramping up over the next several weeks on a market-by-market basis, based on the needs of individual stores and as spring climates begin to approach.

Temporary and Contract Hiring to Increase in 2012
ST. LOUIS, MD, (SLFP.com), January 8, 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
Occupational or Physical Therapist
Speech Language Pathologist

Industrial
Maintenance Technician or Mechanic
CNC (Computer Numerical Control) Machinist

Information Technology
Java or .Net Developer
Network Engineer

Office-Clerical
Administrative Assistant
Customer Service Representative

Professional-Managerial
Business Analyst
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."

Unemployment Rate Continues to Improve
ST. LOUIS, MD, (SLFP.com), January 8, 2012 - In response to a one-month gain of 200,000 jobs and a drop in the unemployment rate to 8.5%, U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan (MO-3) issued the following statement:

"This month's improved unemployment report - on top of last month's gains - is good news, but we can't let up now. Not with overall unemployment still at 8.5% and jobless rates for some minority groups as high as 16%.

"As I said last month, Congress must stop wasting time on ideologically-driven bills that don't create jobs, and take real action now. That means a full year-long extension of the middle-class payroll tax cut and a comprehensive jobs plan based on what we know works: investment in transportation infrastructure and manufacturing."