Summer Hiring to Hold Steady, According to CareerBuilder's Annual Job Forecast

CHICAGO, May 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The competition for summer gigs is expected to remain stiff this year as more workers use seasonal work to get their foot in the door for  long-term opportunities.  According to CareerBuilder's annual Summer Job Forecast, one-in-five employers (21 percent) reported they plan to hire seasonal workers this summer, on par with last year.  More than half (57 percent) of these employers said they will be considering some summer hires for permanent positions.  More than 2,800 hiring managers participated in the nationwide study, which was conducted from February 21 to March 10, 2011.  

"More than half of employers reported they treat summer jobs as extended job interviews," said Brent Rasmussen, President of CareerBuilder North America.  "Summer employment is a great way for workers to network, test-drive different career paths and earn permanent placement within an organization.  It's still a highly competitive hiring environment, so you want to make sure you apply early, highlight specific accomplishments in your resume and thoroughly research the company before the interview."  

What They'll Pay

More than half (58 percent) of employers reported they will pay $10 or more for their summer positions.  Thirty-one percent will pay between $8 to $10 while eight percent of employers will pay $20 or more.

Types of Summer Jobs

While retail and hospitality jobs most often come to mind in terms of summer employment, employers also plan to hire in the following areas:

• Office Support
• Customer Service
• Information Technology
• Engineering
• Research
• Landscape Maintenance
• Sales and Telemarketing
• Construction/Painting
• Camp Counseling

There's Still Time to Get Hired

While 35 percent of employers reported that they typically complete their summer hiring by April, 45 percent complete it in May while 20 percent will hire in June and beyond.  

Tips for Landing a Summer Job

Looking at a subset of Human Resource managers, one-third (33 percent) reported that they typically receive more than 100 applications for each summer job opening.  Nearly half (47 percent) receive more than 50 applications.  Rasmussen recommends the following tips to help you stand out from the crowd, based on what hiring managers said they want to see most from candidates:

1. Get specific about your accomplishments – 55 percent.  Provide examples of how you've contributed to previous organizations, quantifying results whenever possible.  If you're in high school or college, you can reference classwork or involvement in school or community organizations.  
2. Get a referral – 37 percent.  The hiring manager is much more likely to consider your application if someone within the organization has sent it to him/her.
3. Show you're knowledgeable about the company – 35 percent. Talk about something interesting you recently read about the company during the interview.  It underscores your enthusiasm for the job.  
4. Talk about long-term interest – 35 percent. If you're interested in a permanent position with the organization, inform the hiring manager up front.  It can set you apart as a serious candidate.
5. Submit a cover letter – 26 percent. Often overlooked, the cover letter enables you to showcase your communication skills, grab their attention and highlight your main selling points.
6. Remember to send a thank you – 24 percent. It shows follow through and enables you to further emphasize why you're the best candidate for the job.

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive© on behalf of CareerBuilder among 2,878 U.S. hiring managers (non-government) between February 21 and March 10, 2011 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset, based on their responses to certain questions). With a pure probability sample of 2,878, one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 1.83 percentage points, respectively. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.

About CareerBuilder®

CareerBuilder is the global leader in human capital solutions, helping companies target and attract their most important asset - their people. Its online career site, CareerBuilder.com®, is the largest in the United States with more than 24 million unique visitors, 1 million jobs and 40 million resumes. CareerBuilder works with the world's top employers, providing resources for everything from employment branding and data analysis to recruitment support. More than 9,000 websites, including 140 newspapers and broadband portals such as MSN and AOL, feature CareerBuilder's proprietary job search technology on their career sites. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), Tribune Company and The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI), CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the United States, Europe, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit www.careerbuilder.com.

Media Contact:
Jennifer Grasz
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SOURCE CareerBuilder