The economic climate for those searching for jobs is on an upswing, according to a recent survey.
The American Management Association has released a study that shows that job elimination and downsizing dropped to their lowest levels of the decade, with U.S. companies creating twice as many jobs as they wiped out in the 12 months ending in June 1997.
AMA's data reveals that 73 percent of 1,168 firms reported creating new jobs.
Based on that and the increasing need for executive recruiting firms which specialize in matching professional communicators with corporations, this is truly a healthy time for those in PR.
Other results of the study were:
- On average, surveyed firms created 110 new jobs, while eliminating 57, and grew their payrolls by 6.9 percent, compared with 6.1 percent in the previous 12 months;
- 54 percent experienced a net workforce increase in the 12-month timeframe;
- Salaried professionals and technicians took 22 percent of the newly created jobs - managers and supervisors 16 percent;
- Of the jobs eliminated, 14 percent belonged to salaried employees and technicians and 32 percent to managers and supervisors; and
- For the first time since 1992, a majority of eliminated jobs belonged to hourly wage earners (55 percent) and 62 percent of the newly created jobs were hourly.
(AMA, 212/903-8052)