Latest CareerBuilder Press Releases

Nearly One-Third of Workers Plan to Holiday Shop Online While at the Office, CareerBuilder’s Annual Survey Reveals

CHICAGO, November 24, 2009 - Cyber Monday, a term coined by the National Retail Federation for the first Monday after Thanksgiving, is likely to be a busy day for Internet use in the office. Thirty-two percent of workers plan to holiday shop online this season, up from 29 percent last year, according to CareerBuilder’s annual survey. While employers tend to be more lenient around the holidays, experts caution workers to be aware of their company’s electronic communications policies as employers have reported monitoring Internet and email use and instituting stricter policies in regard to social media. The survey included more than 3,100 employers and 4,700 workers nationwide.

"The Internet provides fast and convenient access to virtually any resources you need, but you want to make sure you’re leveraging those resources during personal time that is allotted to you during the workday, such as your lunch hour," said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resource

Nearly a Quarter of Employers Rate Their Organization’s Employee Morale as Low, Finds New CareerBuilder Survey

CHICAGO, November 17, 2009 - Workers have navigated increased workloads, longer hours and strained resources during this recession. Some of these challenges have taken their toll on workplace morale. A new CareerBuilder survey of more than 2,900 employers reveals that nearly a quarter (23 percent) rate their organization’s current employee morale as low. Additionally, 40 percent of workers report that they have had difficulty staying motivated at work in the last year and a quarter (24 percent) do not feel loyal to their current employer. The survey was conducted between August 20 and September 9, 2009.

"Low morale levels are an unfortunate side effect of this recession," said Jason Ferrara, vice president of corporate marketing for CareerBuilder. "As a result, employers are taking measures to help address negative workplace sentiment and motivate their employees. Whether it’s through stepping up communication, offering more employee recognition programs or providin

CareerBuilder Survey Reveals the Most Unusual Requests or Suggestions Hiring Managers Received

CHICAGO, November 11, 2009 - Hiring managers nationwide took some time to bring levity to the workplace in a new CareerBuilder survey. More than 2,900 shared the most memorable requests or recommendations they have received in the office suggestion box. Responses included:

Request to allow people to change clothes in their cubicles.

Request to add a tanning bed to the break room.

Request to put beer in the vending machine.

Request that jail time be covered under family medical leave.

Request to institute bikini Fridays.

Request to only be required to work during daylight hours because employee is scared of the dark.

Request for a special smoking area for medical marijuana.

Request that the HR person wear nicer shoes.

Request for more time off to pursue side business as a clown.

Request to replace his desk with a futon so employee could lay

Staffing Firms to See Slight Uptick in Permanent Placements in Q4, Finds CareerBuilder's Staffing Supply and Demand Outlook

CHICAGO, November 10, 2009 - An encouraging sign for overall U.S. employment, utilization of staffing firms for permanent placements is also expected to increase in the 4th quarter compared to more cautious expectations over the last three months. Just over 10 percent of hiring managers expected to use a staffing or recruiting firm to help them search for permanent employees in the 4th quarter, compared to only 9 percent during the 3rd quarter. CareerBuilder’s quarterly Staffing Supply and Demand Outlook, which tracks current and projected use of staffing firms by employers and job candidates, is pointing to more activity in healthcare, technical and contract hiring for staffing firms. The study included over 5,200 hiring managers and over 9,000 workers.

"As companies begin to shift their focus from cost containment to growth, they are evaluating their existing talent pool and filling any gaps with top performers that are essential in driving their businesses f

Employers Report Impact of Economic Stimulus Funding on Hiring in New CareerBuilder Survey

CHICAGO - November 10, 2009 - More than 3,100 private and public sector hiring managers weighed in on the effect of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on their business performance. Twenty-three percent of all employers reported that their organization experienced an increase in business in the third quarter tied to the economic stimulus program while 77 percent did not. Both employers who received funding and those who did not receive funding reported they have added employees this year as a result of the economic stimulus program. The survey was conducted nationwide across industries.

Six percent of respondents reported that their organizations received direct funding from the economic stimulus program. Of these employers, more than one-third (36 percent) plan to recruit new employees in the fourth quarter. Forty-two percent reported they have already hired new employees this year as a result of receiving funding. Top areas for hiring included:

Workers Share Which Halloween Characters Their Bosses are Most Like in CareerBuilder Halloween Survey

CHICAGO, October 27, 2009 - Think you need to head to a haunted house to get spooked this Halloween? Think again - some workers report that you don’t even have to leave work to get your fill of fright. According to CareerBuilder’s Halloween survey conducted among more than 4,000 workers, nearly one-in-five (18 percent) workers describe their workplace as scary.

Some workers think their workplace is scary because their bosses bear a strong resemblance to famous Halloween characters. When asked which popular characters best reflect their boss’s behavior, workers said the following:

Glenda the Good Witch, liked and respected by all - 20 percent

The Wolf Man, is fine one minute, howling the next - 11 percent

The Invisible Man, never around - 10 percent

Casper the Friendly Ghost, eager to help, but often misunderstood - 9 percent

Dracula, constantly sucking the life right out

Nearly One-in-Five Employers Plan to Hire Seasonal Workers This Year, Finds CareerBuilder Survey

CHICAGO, October 21, 2009 - The outlook for seasonal hiring in the fourth quarter of 2009 is projected to be similar to 2008, according to a new CareerBuilder survey. Eighteen percent of hiring managers plan to hire seasonal workers to meet business needs associated with the holidays and end-of-the-year wrap-ups, on par with 17 percent in 2008. At the same time, competition for holiday work is heating up. In addition to unemployed workers pursuing seasonal employment, 12 percent of employed workers plan to take on a seasonal job to help make ends meet. The survey, "Seasonal Hiring 2009," was conducted from August 20 to September 9, 2009 and included over 2,900 hiring managers across all industries nationwide.

Popular Seasonal Positions
Seasonal positions may prove to be the break job seekers are looking for as three-in-ten (31 percent) hiring managers indicate they are likely to hire a seasonal worker for a full time position. The most popular pos

One-in-Five Employers Report That Missing Open Enrollment Costs Workers More than $1,000 in Out of Pocket Expenses

CHICAGO, October 14, 2009 – As the open enrollment season comes into full swing, experts encourage workers to pay particularly close attention to benefit elections this year to help offset financial challenges brought on by the recession. One-in-four workers (25 percent) reported that they don’t pay attention to benefit changes, figuring the same benefits would roll over from the previous year or feeling that the whole process is too confusing. Fifteen percent of hiring managers estimate more than 10 percent of their employees miss annual open enrollment deadlines each year on average. The survey, completed in September, included more than 2,900 hiring managers and more than 4,000 workers nationwide.

How Much Money Do Workers Stand to Lose?
Human resource managers warn that failing to participate in open enrollment can have negative consequences on one’s pocketbook. One-third (34 percent) of h

More Than A Quarter of Employers Think More Employees are Calling in Sick with Fake Excuses Due to Stress Tied to the Recession, Finds CareerBuilder’s Annual Survey

CHICAGO, October 8, 2009 - While the cold and flu season serves as a primary culprit in workplace absences, the economy may be a factor as well this year. CareerBuilder’s annual survey on absenteeism shows nearly one-third (32 percent) of workers have played hooky from the office this year, calling in sick when they were well at least once. Twenty-eight percent of employers think more employees are absent with fake excuses due to increased stress and burnout caused by the recession. The nationwide survey included more than 4,700 workers and 3,100 employers.

While the majority of employers said they typically don’t question the reason for an absence, 29 percent reported they have checked up on an employee who called in sick and 15 percent said they have fired a worker for missing work without a legitimate excuse. Of the 29 percent of employers who checked up on an employee, 70 percent said they required the employee to show them a doctor’s note. Fifty-two percent ca

Job and Internship Hunting Myths Busted in Survey by New CareerBuilder Site, CareerRookie.com

CHICAGO, October 7, 2009 - Looking for an internship or a job after graduation, but think there’s none out there? CareerRookie.com, a division of the nation’s largest online job site, CareerBuilder.com, busts common myths many college students believe about the current hiring environment in a recent survey of more than 200 college students nationwide.

Myth #1 - No one is hiring.
Forty-four percent of respondents said they feel that there aren’t any organizations that are hiring right now.

Fact

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