New Job Forecast for Q4

Surveys

September 30th, 2008
By CareerBuilder blogger in Surveys
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Today, CareerBuilder.com and USAToday released our job forecast for the fourth quarter of 2008.

The forecast? More of the same, as the economic slowdown continues.

23 percent of companies we surveyed said they would add to their work force, while 10 percent indicated they’d REDUCE headcount.

Some of the emerging trends that are affecting workers:

- Nearly one-in-ten workers have assumed a second job this year to make ends meet. Another 24 percent are thinking about it.

- Workers are reluctant to launch an active job search due to the economic uncertainty. 38 percent of workers have projected that they’ll stay at their current jobs for at least a year, while 41 percent say that they plan to stay with their present employers until they retire.

- Workers who are considering a career change are making themselves more marketable. 26 percent of workers we surveyed are returning to school to obtain a degree, certification or other training.

Our press release is here, and you can also check out an article in USAToday about the survey results. (As noted in the article, Gannett, the owner of USAToday, also has an ownership stake in CareerBuilder.com.)

And lastly, we’ve got to note: These results were compiled prior to the turbulent events of the last several days.