MOST companies are not currently looking to hire new employees.

Employers hope to maintain their existing staff members while trying to stay afloat during this difficult economy, according to a survey by CareerBuilder.com and USA TODAY, which questioned 2,500 hiring managers/HR professionals and more than 4,400 workers.

The survey took place in this year’s second quarter from February 20 through March 11, 2009.

Only 14 per cent of managers plan to increase the amount of full-time workers, which has decreased from 29 per cent during 2008’s second quarter. When it comes to reducing the employee count, 14 per cent of employers expect a decline in staff, while 64 per cent don’t anticipate any change.

“We’ll be looking for the market to stabilise over the next three to six months, when you’ll hopefully see job losses below 100,000 and eventually closer to zero,” said Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder.com. “Employers want to hold on to their talent and are taking measures to contain costs and bring in new revenue streams, so they can maintain their staff levels.”

CareerBuilder.com provides employment trends for both employers and job-seekers:

. Reduce benefits and perks. Thirty-one per cent of employers expect to trim benefit packages like health care coverage and bonuses.

. Search for top talent. Since hiring has decreased, more employers are making an effort to seek high performers for their staffs. Job candidates in sales, accounting, retail and customer service will most likely benefit the most.

. Push back retirement. Sixty per cent of workers over age 60 are postponing their retirement due to a loss in savings.

. Use skills in other industries. Sixty-nine per cent of managers would consider a candidate with transferable skills, even if he or she doesn’t have experience in the specific field.

. Consider relocation. Thirty-nine per cent of workers would think about moving to a new city or state for a job.

. Return to school. In order to be more profitable to employers, 21 per cent of workers plan to go back to the classroom for formal degrees, certificates and refresher classes.

– Creators News Service