November was a very busy month here at Berman Larson Kane (https://www.jobsbl.com). We started a new training class for recruiters, attended several HR/Staffing conventions, several staff sat for certification credentials and we launched a new employee retention practice. November has been a whirlwind month for the betterment of our job-seekers and hiring authorities alike.
The temperature of national staffing industry was very optimistic at the NAPS (http://www.recruitinglife.com) annual convention held in San Antonio, Texas. Attendance was high, education classes were full, social events were upbeat and the mood of the recruiters was off the charts with optimism. So if this was the sole barometer 2008 looks like hiring will continue across many industries. However, my person skepticisms do not accept this body as a good prediction of the future but is a great predictor of the immediate pass. So my take from 5 days in Texas? 2007 was a good year for many staffing firms and the group is optimistic for 2008, believe me this is no guarantee, this more of a reactive group than a proactive hiring authority.
As for the HR conventions attended. This group of professionals appears to be moving towards a level hiring pace for 2008. With the primary concern of attracting and retaining the best talent. Also the HR side of the bench is optimistic that they are increasing their corporations’ awareness of their value and in HR wording…”HR is getting invited to the Strategic Dinner Table with a higher Frequency”. Again if convention attendance is an indicator the job creation numbers should continue to grow through 2008.
One of my observations from both the HR & Staffing conventions is that a higher percentage of participants are completing certification programs. Demonstrating a higher level of professionalism and the importance of performance within these industries. On the Staffing side NAPS (http://www.recruitinglife.com) introduced a Firm Certification credential that will assure hiring companies of a quality service. I believe this is a trend that will be the future of the staffing industry.
So my bottom line prediction is that December will see surprisingly good job creation numbers. Which makes no sense considering the concern of retailers predicting a weak holiday season, layoffs in the financial sectors continuing to increase as a result of the sub-prime crisis and of course the price of gas in the $100/barrel range. Go Figure? Then again I could be wrong!