Chicago manufacturing jobs could increase

Posted on May 20, 2012

Job creation is picking up, especially in Chicago, where manufacturing jobs might increase.

There is a swell in seasonal hiring, according to a new survey from Careerbuilder.

The annual Summer Job Forecast found that three in 10 (29%) U.S. employers plan to hire workers for the summer, up from 21% in 2011 and an average of 22 percent over the past four years.

Employers in the following industries are expected to lead seasonal hiring:

Manufacturing: 45%(plan to add summer workers)
Hospitality: 44%
Retail: 34%
Finance: 31%

Seventy-one percent of employers hiring this summer said they’ll be considering some hires for permanent positions. And 39% of employers said they’re less likely to hire someone who isn’t interested in working beyond summer.

A majority (64%) of employers will pay their summer hires $10 or more per hour – up from 58 percent last year. Twenty percent will pay more than $16 per hour; 29% will pay $8 to $10.

While 42% of employers report that they typically complete their summer hiring by April, 38 percent complete it in May and 19% will hire in June and beyond.

“Confidence is up among the employers we most closely associate with summer hiring,” says Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America. “This is good news for job seekers, as seasonal work can often lead to full-time opportunities. A majority of employers told us they consider a summer position an extended job interview. The forecast is also a strong indicator that the job market will continue to strengthen as we come closer to the second half of 2012.”