8 Major Hiring Trends for 2008

Every year Career Builder surveys thousands of employers to get a sense of hiring trends.

The 2008 survey was completed in November through December 2007.

Here are the 8 major hiring trends from the survey results: (Keep in mind that some of these general trends might be affected to some extent in our changing economy)

1. 56% of employers expect to increase salaries on initial offers to new hires and 80% of employers plan to increase salaries for existing employees in 2008.

2. Employers are looking more favorably at flexible schedules for workers. Sixty percent of employers currently offer flexible schedules and almost 40% plan to provide more such flexible work arrangements in 2008.

3. More employers are using the internet to screen candidates. Currently about 45% of employers use online tools like search engines and social networks to find information about candidates.

4. Older workers are postponing retirement and staying in the workplace longer. As new college grads, you will have to be prepared to be in the workplace with multiple generations at the same time.

5. Employers are expressing greater need for bilingual candidates. 48% state that in addition to English, Spanish is the most in demand language. Consider options for bilingual training early in your career.

6. 31% of employers surveyed expect to be working with more freelancers and contractors in 2008. This may actually increase if employees are reluctant to make full time hiring decisions in an uneasy economy.

7. One of every ten employers expect to offer more special perks and bonuses such as company cars, stock options and free childcare in 2008.

8. 26% of employers are likely to provide more promotions and career advancement opportunities in 2008. This is important since more than half of workers state that a company's ability to offer career advancement is a major asset when they look evaluate job offers.

Read more about the 2008 hiring trends from Career Builder!