Category Archives: Jobs

Job market improving for college grads

Job prospects for new college graduates are the best they’ve been in years, global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. says in a report released today.

Competition for entry-level positions will be tough, but companies are hiring again.

“Entry-level hiring has not returned to pre-recession levels, but this year’s graduates should find markedly improved job-search conditions. Colleges and universities around the country are reporting increased on-campus recruiting and surveys of employers indicate more graduate hiring, as companies rebuild their bench-strength after massive layoffs during the downturn,” Challenger, Gray CEO John A. Challenger said in a news release.

Continue reading →

Teens face tough summer job market

It’s going to be another tough summer for the teen job market this year.

Outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. projects little improvement from summer 2010 when the number of teen jobs increased by 960,000 from May through July, a 17.5 percent drop from 2009 and the lowest summer job growth since 1949.

The 3.3 million teens employed last July was the lowest since 1959, Challenger, Gray said in its annual teen employment outlook.

Despite the dismal forecast, parents can cling to the hope their kid’s job hunt will be successful.

Continue reading →

Manpower report: 2Q job creation looking good

In another sign that businesses are feeling better about the recovery, job creation in the second quarter in metropolitan Knoxville and across the country will rise, global staffing firm Manpower Inc. reported today.

“Employers in all 50 states report positive hiring intentions and 33 out of 50 states anticipate considerable increases,” according to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

In Knoxville, 18 percent of the area employers surveyed said they plan to add staff from April to June, while only 6 percent reported plans to cut jobs, for a net gain of 12 percent of employers planning to add jobs, Manpower reported.

Continue reading →

Record year for job creation in Roane

110510crete12.mc14009.jpg The numbers are in and 2010 was a banner year for job creation in Roane County. Employers added a net increase of more than 1,100 jobs last year, according to the 2010 Roane Alliance Annual Report.

“These are record-setting numbers,” Leslie Henderson, President and CEO of The Roane Alliance said in a press release. “Some of these are coming from earlier lay-offs, but hundreds and hundreds of them are newly created this year. The increases are seen across the board, from many different sectors, and they are net increases, as only a handful of employers from our industrial guide reporting any losses at all – totaling this year only about 30.”

Continue reading →

Improving economy produces less risk-taking

The economy is improving, but few unemployed managers and executives are willing to start their own firms or relocate to take a new job, says the lastest job market analysis by global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

In fact, the firm says it is precisely because the economy is getting better than so few job seekers are willing to risk starting their own businesses.

This seems a bit counterintuitive. I would think the improving economy would be a good time for job seekers to take a chance. But Challenger CEO John Challenger offers this explanation:

Continue reading →

Free job search advice for unemployed

Unemployed workers anywhere in the U.S. can get free job hunting advice next week.

Global outplacement consultancyChallenger, Gray & Christmas plans to hold its 25th annual job search call-in on Dec. 27 and Dec. 28.

From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST, job seekers can call 312-422-5010 and speak to a job search counselor.

Continue reading →

Holiday hiring off to strong start — permanent jobs still weak

People looking for retail work during the holidays, will find prospects are the best they’ve been in years.

So says global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc.

Challenger says its analysis of Labor Department data shows that the holiday hiring season is off to its best start since 2006 and seasonal job growth should exceed 600,000 for the first time since 2007.

Continue reading →

Increased holiday hiring expected

Recent announcements by Toys ‘R’ Us, Kohls and other retailers indicate holiday hiring will be significantly improved this year, says global consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.

Last year, temporary holiday hiring was up 54 percent as retail payrolls nationwide saw a net increase of 501,400 workers in October, November and December.

Retailers are expected to add even more holiday jobs this year.

Continue reading →

Increased suit sales = more jobs

Are increased profits by suit retailers a sign that hiring is about to pick up?

Sounds like an off-beat analysis, but according to the @Work blog better-than-expected earnings by clothing retailers indicates that jobless workers are updating their wardrobes to prepare for job interviews.

Continue reading →

Survey: modest 4Q hiring gains in Knox, nation

Hiring in metropolitan Knoxville in the fourth quarter should improve compared to a year ago, but job gains will be modest, according to the latest survey by Manpower Inc.

Fifteen percent of Knoxville area employers said they plan to add jobs in the fourth quarter and 8 percent plan to redue staff levels, according to the 4Q Manpower Employment Outlook Survey released this week.

A year ago, 12 percent of aera employers who responded said they planned to increase staffing and 11 percent planned to decrease staffing.

Continue reading →