Employer survey suggests more hiring

A bit of good news for hungry job seekers: Hiring is about to pick up in the Twin Cities, according to the Manpower Group staffing firm.

The firm's most recent survey, released Tuesday, indicates that about 15 percent of 220 local employers said they plan to add jobs during the first quarter of 2012. Just 8 percent plan layoffs, according to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

The survey projects a net job growth of 7 percent, up from 4 percent in last year's survey.

"The Quarter 1 2012 survey results show slightly more optimistic hiring plans," said Manpower spokesperson Sunny Ackerman. "Employers are slightly more confident."

The local industries that were more likely to add jobs next quarter include manufacturers of durable and medical goods, transportation/utilities firms, wholesale/retail, information, financial activities, professional and business services, education and health services, leisure and hospitality, other services and even government.

Companies of all sizes and industry types are represented in the survey, officials said

Several independent checks around the metro area suggest that Manpower, a temporary hiring agency with 56,000 clients, might be on to something.

A fall survey announced Monday by RSM McGladrey found that 44 percent of 48 Minnesota manufacturers and wholesalers described their operations as "thriving." About 87 percent anticipated an increase in domestic sales in 2012 and 60 percent said they were "optimistic" about the new year. Non-manufacturing firms, such as St. Paul-based Bremer Bank, said they are in a growth mode, filling open positions and adding new ones.

U.S. Bank spokeswoman Nicole Garrison-Sprenger said the company increased employment in the Twin Cities by 3 percent, to 9,700, during the first 11 months of 2011. "We have seen some success in a number of our business lines and we think we are well-positioned for future growth," she said.

U.S. Bank's hires have come in the areas of wealth management, customer service and payment services.

A few clouds

But the Manpower survey also found some cause for concern. Twin Cities manufacturers of non-durable goods and employers in the long-troubled construction sector are bracing for layoffs in 2012.

Bob Bretwisch, Manpower's Minneapolis regional director, said his office is filling 150 openings for corporate clients here. More are on the hunt for temporary workers who might be able to stay with the company permanently. The jobs vary, from clerical to sales and customer service posts to light and medium industrial work.

While Bretwisch sees an improvement over last year, he noted that uncertainty on Wall Street and across Europe still weighs heavily on some employers' minds: About 6 percent of survey respondents in the Twin Cities said they "didn't know" about their hiring plans for 2012.

The trend of temporary-to-permanent hires has been reported by other companies, including employment giant Robert Half International. Temporary hiring is an important indicator of an improving economy, said Steve Hine, director of the Labor Market Information Office. Temporary hiring in Minnesota has been up for most months of 2011.

Minnesota's jobless rate is 6.4 percent, but 193,000 Minnesotans remain unemployed and indicate that they're actively looking for work. Nationally, unemployment fell to 8.6 percent in November, but 13.3 million Americans remain out of work.

"Minnesota's economy continues to recover from the Great Recession but the pace of expansion has been too slow to create a significant number of net new jobs and, in many respects, the Minnesota economy is still acting like one that is bumping along the bottom," said Scott Anderson, senior economist for Wells Fargo.

Manpower's national survey of 18,000 companies found that 14 percent plan to add jobs during the first quarter. Another 9 percent are planning layoffs, mostly to workers in manufacturing, construction, and government sectors. Employers planning hires tended to be transportation and utilities, information, financial and professional services, education and the leisure and hospitality sectors.

Dee DePass • 612-673-7725