Beantown Web presents a series of Special Reports on the prospects for work for Web technology professionals in 2008.
- Part 1 focuses on big-picture hiring trends for 2008
- Part 2 focuses on non-entry level skills in demand in 2008
- Part 3 focuses on information technology skills in demand for 2008
- Part 4 focuses on non-technical skills in demand for 2008
Part 2
" . . . it will be a solid start to the year when it comes to hiring in the United States," according to the
Chairman & CEO of Manpower Inc.Of the U.S. employers surveyed by Manpower, nearly twice as many expect to add to their payrolls (22%) as to reduce staff levels (12%) during the first quarter of 2008.
" . . . hiring plans are relatively stable from three months ago and just slightly softer compared to last year at this time," according to the President of Manpower North America. "You might say that employers are getting one less latte a week -- but they are still going to the coffee shop regularly."
Results are based on interviews with more than 14,000 public and private employers in 460 market areas across the U.S. Among survey participants, those in Northeast are least optimistic.
While the hiring trend in the Northeast has a downward bias, it remains positive.
If you have the IT Skill Sets that Manpower Professional is currently experiencing a demand for, feel free to contact them at one of their Massachusetts offices:
- Boston
- Southborough
Access a press release from Manpower for details of their survey summarizing projected hiring plans by U.S. employers in the first quarter of 2008.
Part 3 of this 2008 Job Forecast will focus on IT skills in demand in 2008.
Leadership Skills in Demand
“The shortage of skilled executives who are being groomed to succeed existing ones is real and it may threaten the ability of many firms to achieve their long-term strategic objectives,” according to a representative of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
According to an online survey of 526 executives, the five most significant future challenges facing companies regardless of size, location or industry were:
- Succession Planning
- Recruiting and Selecting Talented Employees
- Engaging and Retaining Talented Employees
- Providing Leaders with Skills to be Successful
- Rising Health Care Costs
A press release is available for review from the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM).
Conclusion
If you are seeking a new opportunity in 2008, organizations will likely respond to your inquiry if you can demonstrate that you are a talented employee. While talent means different things to different people, consistent, above-average work results will help you stand out from your peers and potential competition.
In addition, demonstrating that you have leadership potential and can move up in the organization can open doors in organizations that are concerned about developing future leaders.
It is no coincidence that business leaders are gravitating toward business books that focus on developing talent and leadership. The current BusinessWeek Best Seller List is populated by books written by experts who provide answers to help solve the five challenges listed above.
Reading books that business executives read can help give you an edge in the next interview. If you are looking for guidance in developing your business skills, check out upcoming Beantown Web issues that will offer reviews of BusinessWeek Best Sellers, starting with Launching a Leadership Revolution.
