More than 60 percent of employers reported they want to hire in the New Year, according to a survey by global outplacement and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
Forty-two percent of employers stated they ramped up hiring in 2017 and expect to continue adding workers in 2018. Another 4 percent reported slow hiring in 2017 with plans to significantly hire workers in the New Year, and 12 percent want to hire workers but are having trouble finding those with the skills needed for the job.
“The lack of skilled workers is a real concern for employers who are looking to expand operations in the New Year. The best prospects for jobs in 2018 tend to be found in technology, healthcare, and finance. These careers are highly skilled professions the typically require college degrees or specialized training,” said Andrew Challenger, Vice President of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
Another 4 percent of employers plan to bring on more temporary workers in 2018. Meanwhile, 20 percent of employers expect hiring to remain slow in 2018 due to soft demand, and eight percent will decrease hiring in the New Year.
“Often, employers look to temporary workers to fill open positions. A person in this situation may want to give us a call to get advice on how to turn that job into a full-time position,” said Challenger.
Ten percent of employers reported that they had other plans than the responses given, including that they had hired for future needs in 2017 and would not be hiring in 2018 or that they will hire as much as they typically do in 2018.
