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CareerBuilder - 2009 hiring down, but not out

December 30, 2008

Fewer employers plan to add staff in the New Year compared to 2008, according to CareerBuilder.com's 2009 job forecast survey of private-sector hiring managers and human resources professionals released today.

Fourteen percent of employers said they plan to add full-time staff in 2009, according to this year's survey, down from 32% in last year's.

"The job market of 2008 suffered as the U.S. economy weakened and entered into a recession," said Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder.com. "Looking ahead, recruitment levels are expected to be lower in the new year, but employers are not out of the mix completely; instead they're taking 'a wait-and-see' approach to hiring."

More employers also plan to reduce staff levels in 2009, with 16% saying they will make reductions compared with 8% in last year's survey.

Hiring expectations are strongest in the South where 18% of employers plan to add full-time staff. The Northeast had the fewest employers planning to add full-time staff, 11%, and the most planning staff decreases at 19%.

The industry with the most employers planning to add staff was information technology with 28% planning to add full-time workers. It was followed by professional and business services with 23% of employers planning to add full-time staff.

The survey also found that while 23% of employers will have their hiring budgets decreased, 12% planned to increase their recruitment spending with staffing firms and recruiters.

CareerBuilder.com's survey questioned 3,259 hiring managers and human resource professionals at private-sector companies between Nov. 12 and Dec. 1.