Good news for the economy. A recent survey by CareerBuilder finds growing optimism from U.S. employers, signaling more hiring in the coming months.
The survey found that 34 percent of businesses plan to add full-time, permanent employees in the fourth quarter of the year, while 33 percent say they plan to hire seasonal workers.
Another encouraging sign of an improving economy comes from the retail sector, which is gearing up for the holiday season. Fifty-three percent of retailers say they plan to hire seasonal staff in the final quarter of the year, up from 43 percent who said the same last year.
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The third quarter performance this year was also a marked improvement over recent years. The survey found that 39 percent of employers added full-time workers to the payroll during that time period, a slight increase over 34 percent last year. Granted, 10 percent did report reducing staff — roughly the same percentage that did during the same time frame last year.
And in comparison to two years ago, the improvement is dramatic. In the third quarter of 2013, only 29 percent of firms reported adding staff and only 25 percent predicted hiring during the fourth quarter.
"Our study is reflecting a durability in the U.S. economy and labor market," said Matt Ferguson, CareerBuilder CEO. "Employer confidence is widespread and the strongest we've seen since 2006."
There's also some encouraging evidence that wages will increase for seasonal workers, who are often on the lower end of the pay scale. The poll found that 37 percent of seasonal employers plan to boost pay, with 72 percent paying at least $10 an hour and 19 percent paying at least $16 an hour.
The wage increases are brought on by a competitive labor market as well as by recent high-profile political initiatives to raise the minimum wage.
"Hiring will continue on an upward trajectory for both permanent and seasonal positions, with pay expected to improve over last year as companies keep pace with minimum wage hikes and compete more aggressively for elusive talent," Ferguson said.
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