Employment Is Slightly Up!

Employment is slightly up! What a great way to end the old year and turn the page to a new one. Overall, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. unemployment rate is down slightly, inching down 0.2% to 7.7%.

Over the previous 12 months, the temporary help industry has added an average of 15,200 jobs per month to the economy. It’s clear that employers are finding that temporary staffing is a practical way to complete projects on time and meet their budgets, without the commitment and burden of hiring full-time staff.

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 146,000 jobs in November. Professional and business services and healthcare accounted for 96,000 of those jobs, and nearly 42% of employment growth in professional and business services was due to creation of temporary help jobs. Each month since July, the economy has added an average of 158,000 jobs, which is 12,000 per month greater than the first six months of the year.

If you’re unemployed and looking for work, now may be a great time to put out your feelers for that new career. Companies whose 2013 budgets include funding for new hires are starting to interview now. So go out there and put your best foot forward!

Candidates, are you getting ready for a phone interview? Read these 12 tips to prepare.