Austin/Albert Lea area employers are expect to hire at a steady pace during the third quarter of 2005, according to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

From July to September, 25 percent of the companies interviewed plan to hire more employees, while 14 percent expect to reduce their payrolls, according to Manpower spokesman Jason Sanborn.

Another 54 percent expect to maintain their current staff levels and 7 percent are not certain of their hiring plans.

“Hiring intentions for the Austin/Albert Lea area are similar to those reported in the second quarter when 20 percent of the companies interviewed intended to add staff, and 10% planned to reduce headcount,” said Sanborn.

“Employers are more cautious about hiring than they were a year ago when 27 percent of companies surveyed thought employment increases were likely and 3 percent intended to cut back.”

For the coming quarter, job prospects appear best in Wholesale/Retail Trade.

Education employers plan to reduce staffing levels, while those in Durable and Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing, and Services voice mixed hiring intentions.

Employers in Public Administration are unsure of their hiring intentions.

Hiring in Construction, Transportation/Public Utilities and Finance/Insurance/Real Estate is expected to remain unchanged.

The national results of the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey reveal that U.S. employers expect the stable hiring pattern they have reported since the beginning of the year to continue into the third quarter of 2005.

Of the 16,000 U.S. employers that were surveyed, 31 percent expect an increase in hiring for the third quarter, while 6 percent anticipate a decrease in employment opportunities.