MILWAUKEE, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- U.S. employers expect to end this year as they began, with steady hiring plans, an industry group said Tuesday.
The latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, conducted quarterly by Manpower Inc., said that 11 quarters of consistent survey results show that the job market in the United States is not prone to radical swings at this stage.
"Even the economic pressures of 2006, such as rising interest rates, energy costs and inflation, were not enough to rattle employer confidence. Employers are also experiencing difficulty in finding skilled people, which is contributing to the moderate hiring plans," said Jeffrey A. Joerres, chief executive of Manpower.
Of the 14,000 U.S. employers surveyed, 28 percent expect to add to their payrolls during the fourth quarter of 2006, while 8 percent expect to reduce staff levels. Fifty-eight percent expect no change in the hiring pace, while 6 percent are undecided about their hiring plans for September through December.
Manpower also said those looking for work are likely to find the strongest job prospects in the West, and the weakest hiring market in the Midwest.
