Q2 employment prospects looking good

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Survey / Poll
Manpower Inc. has a vested interest in the jobs market, and looking ahead to the Q2 2013, it sees “measured but optimistic” plans on the hiring front – and that includes all states and metropolitan markets.


Manpower actually had a pretty good Q1 2013 projection of +12, and came close to matching it with a +11%. It is the product of results indicating 18% of those surveyed are looking to add employees against 5% expecting to cut positions, resulting in +13%, and then seasonally adjusted to +11%. The result is also up 1% from Q2 2012’s +10%.

All states and Metropolitan Statistical Areas are in positive territory ranging from +23% to +3%. And the 5% looking to cut staff marks the lowest result in more than ten years going back to Q3 2000.

“Quarter over quarter our data reports slow and steady hiring projections, which is good news compared with the hiring downturns we experienced several years ago,” said Jonas Prising , ManpowerGroup president. “The main priority for employers today should be to refine management methods to build winning teams so they have the right people in place when the economy takes off again.”

Prising added, “As the economic tailwinds of the housing, banking and auto industries continue. The considerable growth of the Construction sector is a reflection of continued progress and employers are responding to this as outside momentum gives them more confidence to push their plans forward.”

Here is the outlook by employment sector:

* Leisure & Hospitality (+24%)
* Professional & Business Services (+18%)
* Wholesale & Retail Trade (+15%)
* Mining (+14%)
* Nondurable Goods Manufacturing (+14%)
* Transportation & Utilities (+14%)
* Information (+13%)
* Durable Goods Manufacturing (+12%)
* F inancial Activities (+11%)
* Construction (+10%)
* Other Services (+9%)
* Education & Health Services (+7%)
* Government (+7%).

RBR-TVBR observation: As we expected, we are starting to see the early 2013 consumer pessimism that many believed to be an aftermath of the financial cliff stalemate start to evaporate, and reports like this one from Manpower illustrate why – despite dysfunction in Washington, there are ample signs that the economy is finally starting to pick up at least a little steam.

However, the latest stalemate over the sequester has the potential to slam on the brakes. Instead of using a scalpel to manage a still delicate economic balance, Washington has taken a meat cleaver approach. And although perhaps some believe the meat cleaver is exactly the proper instrument, we’ll believe that when we see it. Stay tuned.