Manpower: 4Q Jobs Outlook Steady

Milwaukee, WI, September 11, 2007—The nation’s employers plan to maintain a stable, yet cautious approach toward hiring in the final quarter of 2007, according to the seasonally adjusted results of the quarterly Manpower Employment Outlook Survey by Manpower Inc.

"It is not unexpected that U.S. employers have conservative hiring plans for the fourth quarter," said Jeffrey A. Joerres, chairman and CEO of Manpower Inc. "The market forces that impact hiring do not conclusively point toward growth or decline, and that is a likely contributor to the prudent hiring trends apparent in the survey throughout 2007."

Of the 14,000 U.S. employers surveyed, 27% expect to increase their workforces during the fourth quarter of 2007, while 9% expect to trim their payrolls. Fifty-eight percent expect no change in the hiring pace, and 6% are undecided about their hiring plans.

The seasonally adjusted survey results show that in the majority of industry sectors the hiring pace is expected to remain steady during the final months of 2007.

"Companies that deal with producing goods are struggling, but the service sector is doing very well," said Jonas Prising, president of Manpower North America. "We can clearly see this trend in the survey results, with services employers reporting the strongest hiring intentions for the fourth quarter, and those in the Manufacturing and Construction sectors coming in with weaker employment projections."