CareerBuilder Forecasts Cautious Hiring Plans in 2014

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puzzle pieces Employers are being cautious in 2014, especially due to debt issues in Washington.  According to CareerBuilder’s annual forecast, just 24 percent of companies reported that they will add full-time, permanent employees in 2014, a drop of two percentage points from 2013.  Around one in four employers (23 percent) said they will hire at a slower rate or will completely refrain from hiring until the debt ceiling is resolved in the first quarter.

“The general sentiment shared by employers whom CareerBuilder talks to every day is that there will be a better job market in 2014,” Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder, said. “What we saw in our survey was reluctance from some employers to commit to adding jobs until the outcomes of debt negotiations and other issues affecting economic expansion are clearer. As these stories play out and employers find their footing in the New Year, there is greater potential for the average monthly job creation in 2014 to exceed that of 2013.”

The national survey of more than 2,000 hiring managers and human resource professionals also found that although 24 percent of employers expect to hire full-time, permanent staff, one in ten are still undecided about their recruitment plans. Another 13 percent plan to decrease their staff, a jump of 9 percent from last year, while 54 percent anticipate no change.

The survey showed that STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) jobs will be in demand with more than one in four employers (26 percent) planning to create jobs in these areas over the next 12 months.

According to the data, hiring managers plan to hire more staff (full-time, permanent employees) for:

  • Sales – 30 percent
  • Information Technology – 29 percent
  • Customer Service – 25 percent
  • Production – 24 percent
  • Administrative – 22 percent
  • Engineering – 17 percent
  • Marketing – 17 percent
  • Business Development – 17 percent
  • Accounting/Finance – 15 percent
  • Research/Development – 13 percent
  • Human Resources – 10 percent

View the full report here.

By Shala Marks