227,000 Jobs Added in February But Unemployment Rate Sticks at 8.3%.

Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 227,000 in February, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 8.3 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment rose in professional and businesses services, health care and social assistance, leisure and hospitality, manufacturing, and mining.

Household Survey Data

The number of unemployed persons, at 12.8 million, was essentially unchanged in February. The unemployment rate held at 8.3 percent, 0.8 percentage point below the August 2011 rate. Continue Reading

Planned Layoffs Virtually Unchanged in February

The number of planned layoffs remained virtually unchanged in February, as U.S. employers announced workforce reductions totaling 51,728 during the month, down slightly (3.3 percent) from the 53,486 layoffs recorded in January, according to the latest job-cut report released Thursday by global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.

Last month’s total was up 2.0 percent from a year ago, when employers announced 50,702 job cuts in February. Overall, the pace of downsizing is up 18 percent over last year, with 105,214 job cuts announced through the first two months, compared to 89,221 during the same period in 2011.

What may stand out most about 2012 job cuts so far is not the number of layoffs, but the source. Last year, job cuts in the first two months were dominated by the government sector; a trend that would continue throughout 2011. Through the first two months of 2012, job cuts have been concentrated in consumer products and transportation.

Consumer products firms lead all others in job cuts, having announced 16,320 this year, up 351 percent from the 3,621 announced at this point a year ago. The second-ranked transportation sector has seen job cuts increase 616 percent from 2,211 a year ago to 15,835 in 2012. Together, these two sectors account for 32,155 job cuts or 30.6 percent of the year-to-date total. Continue Reading

Economy Added 216,000 More Jobs in February

Employment in the U.S. nonfarm private business sector increased by 216,000 from January to February on a seasonally adjusted basis. The estimated advance in employment from December to January was revised slightly upwards to 173,000 from the initially reported 170,000. Employment in the private, service-providing sector rose 170,000 in February, and employment in the private, goods-producing sector increased 46,000 in February. Manufacturing employment increased 21,000.

Employment on large payrolls — those with 500 or more workers — increased 20,000, and employment on medium payrolls — those with 50 to 499 workers—rose 88,000 in February. Employment on small payrolls — those with up to 49 workers — rose 108,000 that same period. Of the 108,000 jobs created by small businesses, 18,000 jobs were created by the goods producing sector and 90,000 jobs were created by the service-producing sector. Continue Reading

Intern Hiring Expected to Increase 12% This Summer

Employers expect to hire more college students for summer internships this year, according to a new study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). Employers taking part in NACE’s 2012 Internship & Co-op Survey report plans to increase internship hires by 8.5 percent over last year and nearly all expect to pay their interns.

“This reflects the focus of these internship programs,” says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director. “Employers taking part in the survey use their internship programs to feed their full-time hiring efforts; as a result, they pay their interns to ensure the best talent pool possible.” Continue Reading

Average Oil and Gas Professional Earns $80,458

Wages and confidence are surging in the global oil and gas industry, according to the annual Salary Guide produced by Hays Oil & Gas and Oil and Gas Job Search. The Salary Guide, based on over 14,000 respondents worldwide, reveals an industry generally brimming with confidence despite widespread concerns over the global economy.

Employer confidence has seen a large increase with 26.7 percent extremely positive about the current market: up from just 9.7 percent in 2011. Three quarters of all employers expect staffing levels to increase in the next 12 months. Matt Underhill, Managing Director of Hays Oil & Gas, comments: “There has been a distinct move to employ permanent staff rather than contractors for many oil companies, which displays an outlook that suggests the industry is on a firm footing. However, conversely there is still great demand for contractors due to a raft of major projects coming on board and new regions increasingly using contractors. With the upward progression of contractor rates throughout 2011, the signs are positive as we enter 2012.” Continue Reading

Internship Hiring Projected to Increase 8.5%

A new survey indicates that U.S. employers are expected to greatly increase their hiring of college students for internships this summer. Intern hiring is expected to increase 8.5 percent from last year while co-op hiring is expected to jump by 7.5 percent. Continue Reading

Inability of Unemployed to Relocate One of Biggest Obstacles to Economic Recovery

After rising to its highest level in nearly two years during the first half of 2011, the percentage of job seekers relocating for new positions dropped to a near record low to finish out the year. The latest data provides further evidence that one of the biggest obstacles to economic recovery could be the lack of mobility among the nation’s unemployed.

Over the last two quarters of 2011, an average of just 7.5 percent of job seekers finding employment relocated for their new positions. That is down nearly two points from an average relocation rate of 9.4 percent in the first two quarters of the year. It was slightly lower than the same period in 2010, when 7.7 percent of job seekers relocated for new positions. Continue Reading

Seasonal Hiring and Job Applications Both Increase

The United States eQuest Employment Index showed continued positive movement in the recruitment space moving forward to 102.44 from 102.03. This gain was achieved in November with strong hiring in the retail and additional season positions. The additional job posting were accompanied by an increase in applicant traffic which somewhat slowed the index growth.

Outside of the retail industry the number of new job requisitions was spread across a wide span of industries in the US demonstrating continued consistency of minimal but steady growth. The healthcare industry again showed the strong growth in both regions through the month with a significant increase in overall job postings. Production and manufacturing-based industries continue to occupy the bottom of the Employment Index driven by a continued lack of a significant number of new positions being added to the marketplace. Geographically, states with the highest hiring demand in November were Idaho, New Mexico and Arizona while Missouri, Mississippi and Alabama showed the lowest demand indices. Continue Reading

Holiday Hiring Strongest Since 2007

Holiday retail hiring, which remained flat in October, surged last month as employment in the sector increased by 423,500 in November*. That is the largest November employment gain since 465,400 workers were added in 2007, according to the latest analysis of non-seasonally adjusted data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics by global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.

The 423,500 seasonal workers added to retail payrolls last month was up 27 percent from a year ago, when retail employment grew by 332,700 in November. It is nearly double the 213,500 retail workers added in November 2008, at the height of the recession. Continue Reading

U.S. Economy Gains Whopping 206,000 Jobs in November

ADP today reported that employment in the U.S. nonfarm private business sector increased by 206,000 from October to November on a seasonally adjusted basis. The estimated advance in employment from September to October was revised up to 130,000 from the initially reported 110,000.

The increase in November was the largest monthly gain since last December and nearly twice the average monthly gain since May when employment decelerated sharply. Continue Reading