2014 Hiring Trends Send Job Seekers Mixed Messages

Although certain portions of the 2014 employment market are expected to be hampered by continued economic uncertainty, job seekers may have a number of reasons to rest easy. With demand for employees on the rise in many industries, firms anticipate implementing an array of tactics to ensure that they are able to take on the manpower they need, regardless of the overall market’s predicted trajectory.Some sectors throughout the United States are experiencing growth, as demand for their services is expanding. Typically, in these cases, companies encountering greater consumer need for their offerings would increase their production, which often requires additional staff members. While a number of fearless firms have no issue driving their operations and hiring permanent full-time employees to get the job done, others are hesitant to do so.According to Business News Daily, these careful companies are refraining from recruiting professionals until the federal government debt ceiling issue is sorted out during the first fiscal quarter. Until that problem is resolved and any consequences potentially stemming from it quell, some companies plan to slow or completely stop hiring permanent personnel.Despite this reluctance that some firms have when it comes to adding employees to their teams for indefinite periods of time, companies are nevertheless in need of larger staffs to help them accommodate rising demand. For this reason, a share of organizations are now resorting to alternative hiring measures, which has upped the odds of job seekers securing employment.Contract work to riseThe Patch revealed that even though recruiting for permanent positions may be taking a downturn, temporary contract work could become a promising option for companies and applicants alike. As businesses encounter rising demand for specific services, they may be looking for quick solutions to any staff shortfalls by taking on employees for limited increments of time.By designing short-term projects that address companies’ most immediate needs, businesses can employ the right number of professionals that they require at a given moment without having to commit to them past the allotted time frame. This means that firms have more flexibility with their staffs. They can adjust the number of representatives as needed and avoid wasting resources by hiring personnel whose services they do not need in the long run.In light of this kind of job creation, professionals may discover numerous employment opportunities with contracted work. Although moving from project to project may not be for everyone, there are numerous benefits that come along with this type of employment that people may find appealing. For instance, a certain level of independence is associated with contracted jobs, as these workers are technically their own bosses.Additionally, completing a variety of projects may enable individuals to gain experience in different fields, learning new skills and forming connections with companies. Because of this, contractors could strengthen their networks and expand their credentials, which would help them in future job searches.Companies pull out all the stops for skilled applicantsThe exception to this 2014 trend away from full-time permanent employment is with positions requiring professionals with specialized skills. As more companies implement highly sophisticated technologies throughout their operations, the demand for employees who can handle these solutions and manage them effectively is increasing significantly. In spite of this rising need, there is only a limited number of job candidates who boast the desired requisites. As a result, firms could be encountering a skills gap, wherein they cannot pin down enough applicants with the right qualifications.This phenomenon has left some businesses with job vacancies. Consequently, these organizations could be scrambling to meet demand with a skills shortage. If they do have jobs filled with specialized employees, these businesses are likely to do everything possible to retain them. In the cases where they are still searching for these candidates, recruiters are going to great lengths to attract skilled applicants.Given the dire need that many firms have for these staff members, job seekers boasting valuable competencies could face favorable odds of securing employment – and highly paid work, at that. In order to compete with other companies and win over the talent they require, organizations could be offering salary increases to qualified prospects.