Detroit Hiring Market Now One Of Nation’s Hottest

Reporting Matt Roush


Detroit MSA, Detroit-Warren-Livonia Metropolitan Statistcial Area, Grand Rapids, hiring, Manpower Inc., Manpower Quarterly Employment Outlook Survey
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — The Detroit-Warren-Livonia Metropolitan Statistical Area will be one of the strongest job markets in the country in the July-through-September third quarter, according to the quarterly Employment Outlook Survey from the Milwaukee, Wis.-based temporary help firm Manpower Inc.

From July to September, 27 percent of Detroit-area employers interviewed plan to hire more employees, while only 5 percent of employers expect to reduce staff. Another 68 percent expect to maintain their current work force levels.

That yields a Net Employment Outlook — the number that plan to add staff minus the number who plan to cut — of plus 22 percent. That’s the fifth best of any region in the nation.

“The employment forecast for the third quarter is considerably healthier compared to the second quarter of 2012 when the Net Employment Outlook was 10 percent,” said Manpower spokesman Eric Jones. “Employers also expect significantly improved employment prospects compared with one year ago when the Net Employment Outlook was 3 percent.”

For the coming quarter, job prospects appear best in the Detroit area in construction, manufacturing (both durable goods and non-durable goods), transportation and utilities, wholesale and retail trade, financial activities, professional and business services, leisure and hospitality and other services.

Employers in education, health services and government plan to reduce staffing levels, while hiring in information technology is expected to remain unchanged.

The other individual market Manpower tracks in Michigan, Grand Rapids-Wyoming, also showed strong numbers, though not as strong as Detroit and a bit weaker than a year ago.

From July to September, 22 percent of the companies interviewed plan to hire more employees, while 4 percent expect to reduce staff. Another 70 percent expect to maintain their current workforce levels and 4 percent are not certain of their hiring plans. This yields a Net Employment Outlook of plus 18 percent.

“The employment forecast for the third quarter is stable compared to the second quarter of 2012 when the Net Employment Outlook was 17 percent,” said Manpower spokeswoman Jill Momber. “Employers expect diminished employment prospects compared with one year ago when the Net Employment Outlook was 24 percent.”

For the coming quarter in the Grand Rapids area, job prospects appear best in construction, manufacturing (both durable and non-durable goods), transportation and utilities, wholesale and retail trade, financial activities, professional and business services, education, health services, leisure and hospitality, and other services. Employers in government plan to cut staffing levels, while hiring in IT is expected to remain unchanged.

In Michigan overall, 26 percent of the companies interviewed plan to hire more employees, while 5 percent expect to reduce their payrolls. Another 67 percent expect to maintain their current staff levels and 2 percent are not certain of their hiring plans. This yields a Net Employment Outlook of plus 21 percent.

That’s up from plus 13 percent in the second quarter and plus 15 percent a year ago.

Nationally, of the more than 18,000 employers surveyed in the United States, 21 percent expect to add to their workforces, and 6 percent expect a decline in their payrolls during the third quarter. Seventy-one percent of employers anticipate making no change to staff levels, and the remaining 2 percent of employers are undecided about their hiring plans. When seasonal variations are removed from the data, the Net Employment Outlook is plus 11 percent, similar to the second quarter 2012 Net Employment Outlook of plus 10 percent.

The next Manpower Employment Outlook Survey will be released Sept. 11 to reflect hiring expectations for the fourth quarter.

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey’s United States results are based on interviews with 18,000 employers located in the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, which includes the largest 100 Metropolitan Statistical Areas based on number of business establishments. The mix of industries within the survey follows the North American Industry Classification System Supersectors and is structured to be representative of the U.S. economy.