Joe.Coombs

Savvy recruiters know that even in periods of elevated unemployment, there are no guarantees that they’ll land the perfect candidate for their open positions. In fact, many would argue that they have to work even harder to land top talent when faced with soft labor market conditions and the disparities between the workforce skills that are available and the skills that are needed to fill available jobs.

A year ago, many conversations about labor market growth came with a caveat: “It will depend on the election.”

While that contest has been settled, not much has changed for job seekers. As it was in early 2012, uneven economic conditions are still what weigh most on the U.S. labor market engine. Nonfarm payrolls grew at about the same monthly rate in 2012 as they did in 2011, and, currently, there is no hard evidence that jobs will be created at a quicker rate in 2013.

Interview by Joseph Coombs, SHRM Workplace Trends and Forecasting Specialist

Many workplaces today include members of four or five different generations. What advantages and potential challenges does this scenario present for HR professionals?

Politicians, pundits and job market experts alike frequently cite “uncertainty” as a root cause for weak hiring.

Yes, employers are uncertain about the U.S. economy. They’re also skittish about future tax policy, government spending, oil prices, the Middle East, China’s reduced rate of growth and just about any other aspect of domestic and global affairs that can affect their business. The upcoming presidential election just adds to the anxiety.

SHRM's Workplace Trends and Forecasting Specialist, Joseph Coombs, interviews Bruce Tulgan, founder of Rainmaker Thinking. 

Despite continued job growth, little change is expected in jobless rate  

The Great Recession and subsequent slow-growth recovery have brought renewed attention to the “haves vs. have-nots” argument. And while some of us are probably tired of hearing how much better the wealthiest 1 percent is faring over the other 99 percent of our population, it’s time to acknowledge that a similar discrepancy is playing out in the U.S. labor market.

Is the U.S. job market finally starting to thaw, or is this déjà vu?

Remember 2011’s strong start? From February to April 2011, U.S. employers created an average of 239,000 jobs per month. Then from May to July 2011 that rate fell by two-thirds; only an average of approximately 78,000 jobs per month was added during that time frame, according to data tallied by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).