3 in 10 U.S. employers plan to hire seasonal workers this summer: Survey

Leisure and hospitality, manufacturing, IT drive summer hiring expectations

Seasonal hiring expectations this summer mark a continued improvement over the years immediately following the recession, according to CareerBuilder’s annual Summer Jobs Forecast. Nearly three in 10 employers (29 per cent) in the United States report they plan to hire seasonal workers this summer. While unchanged from 2012, the number is significantly up from an average of 21 per cent from 2008 to 2011.

Employers in leisure and hospitality (47 per cent), manufacturing (34 per cent), information technology (34 per cent) and retail (33 per cent) are the most likely to hire seasonal help this summer, found the poll of 2,000 HR managers in the U.S. More than one-half (53 per cent) of all employers will complete their seasonal hiring in May or June.

“The summer forecast shows yet again that although the jobs recovery has been slow, employers are more confident today than they were three or four years ago,” said Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America. “Seasonal work — whether in retail or engineering — is also a good entry point into the labour force for jobseekers, as a vast majority of employers — 67 per cent — will consider summer hires for permanent positions.”

Wages

Two-thirds (66 per cent) of employers will pay their summer hires $10 (all figures U.S.) or more per hour — up from 64 per cent in 2012 and 58 per cent in 2011:

• $7.25-$9.99 (34 per cent)

•$10.00-$15.99 (46 per cent)

•$16.00-$19.99 (11 per cent)

•$20.00 or more (nine per cent).

Other in-demand summer jobs

While summer jobs are commonly associated with the retail and hospitality sectors, companies hiring summer workers in 2013 will be offering positions in a variety of support and technical positions:

• Office support (27 per cent)

• Customer service (22 per cent)

• Information technology (20 per cent)

• Engineering (18 per cent).

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