job market predictions

Poll Results: What are Your Job Market Predictions?

By Job Journey on Friday, January 6, 2017

A new year brings a lot of excitement with it—including setting New Year’s resolutions or goals to make the most of the year ahead.

In December, we asked our Movin’ On Up readers what they predict the job market will look like in 2017, and the responses were very encouraging! A total of 28% of respondents said the job market was looking up for the new year, and they are definitely getting a job offer or promotion this year. Twenty-five percent aren’t as enthusiastic about the job market, but feel that it’s good enough to test the waters and see what’s out there for them.

Other results include:

Buckle down everybody! Things are going to get worse before they get better — 23%
I’m staying where I am. I don’t expect things to get better — 10%

In addition, 14% of readers selected “other” and cited the following reasons:

Not this year. Next year will be better.
No job for me yet.
Expect another great depression or recession.
Mixed emotions.
Continued upward movement in the short term, then down.

Start Networking

For those who are ready to get a job offer or promotion in 2017, the first of the year is a great time to start networking with your end goal in mind. Since a lot of people are just returning from holiday vacation, take the time to pick up the phone or send a handwritten letter to your professional contacts and ask them to lunch. Then, you can catch up and let them know you are interested in making a career change in the near future.

Also, consider joining local professional organizations this year. This could be a great opportunity to expand your professional circle and make some new friends along the way.

What are your job market predictions in 2017? Let us know in the comments below!

Reader Surveys

Poll: What Are Your Job Market Predictions for 2017?

By Job Journey on Wednesday, November 30, 2016

The year is almost over, which means it’s time to reflect on 2016 and look forward to a new year.

Last year, we asked Movin’ On Up readers what they predict the job market will look like in 2016, and 34% believed the market would be stable enough to try for a new job, followed by 25% who thought the market would get worse before it got better. Readers who were confident they’d get a job offer in 2016 made up 18% of respondents, and 11% planned to stay where they were in their career paths.

This year, we want to know if your expectations have changed. Do you think the job market will grow, remain the same, or plummet? Do you feel the same way as our readers did last year, or did your year affect your outlook on 2017? Let us know by voting in our poll!

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Reader Surveys

The Results Are In: What Are Your Job Market Predictions for 2015?

By Job Journey on Friday, January 9, 2015

As 2014 wrapped up, we asked Movin’ On Up readers to reflect on the year by sharing their predictions for the job market in 2015. It’s a question we’ve asked for several years in a row, and the results have been anything but consistent.

Three Years of Results
This year, the majority of readers (35%) answered that the job market is “good enough to test the waters and see what else is out there for me.” In 2014, 35% of readers decided that “things are going to get worse before they get better,” while 35% of readers selected “I’m definitely getting a job offer or promotion this year” in 2013.

This trend suggests that 2013 was a year of hope for many job seekers who had an optimistic outlook after the Great Recession. In 2014, however, those hopes were dashed as job seekers may have shifted to a negative outlook on the job market. This year, it seems that job seekers are taking a more neutral stance. While the market is improving, the majority of readers believe it’s strong enough to up their job seeking efforts in 2015.

Other responses to this year’s poll included 27% of readers who decided that “things are going to get worse before they get better,” 17% of readers who reported “I’m definitely getting a job offer or promotion this year,” and 11% who chose “I’m staying where I am. I don’t expect things to get better.”

Additionally, 9% of respondents selected the “Other” option in our poll and left responses including:

“I’m still in school, so I’m waiting to get a different job.”
“Structural income problems in America need addressing.”
“Expect to stay unemployed.”

Predictions for the New Year
As we enter 2015, many people are testing the job searching waters. And according to MarketWatch, it may be a good time to do so. “Businesses are already responding,” the website reported in a recent study of the U.S. economy. “Job openings in November [2014] hit the second highest level in 14 years. In another telltale sign, people are quitting jobs at the fastest rate in five years. Research shows that people who quit one job for another typically do so because they are offered higher pay.”

Prepare for Your Job Search
If you’re one of those job seekers who is hopeful enough to send your resume around or even try for a career change, make sure you’re prepared to reach your goal. For an additional boost to your efforts, check out these recent Movin’ On Up articles:

And don’t forget about the “New Year, New Job” online event hosted by Express Employment Professionals on Wednesday, Jan. 21. For more information about the event, click here.

Do you notice any trends in the past three years’ poll results? Do you think the job market is on its way up? Let us know in the comments section below!

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

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