2014′s Top Occupations and Metros for Temporary Employment Growth
CHICAGO, April 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ – Temporary employment has accelerated since the last recession, and new data shows that an upward trajectory will continue throughout 2014. According to CareerBuilder and Economic Modeling Specialists Intl. (EMSI), more than 2.9 million U.S. workers were employed in temporary jobs in 2013, jumping 28 percent since 2010 and outpacing the 5 percent growth rate for all jobs.
To help workers identify opportune areas for their job search, CareerBuilder and EMSI compiled a list of the fastest-growing occupations and metros for temporary employment in 2014. The study uses EMSI’s extensive labor market database, which pulls from over 90 national and state employment resources and includes detailed information on employees and self-employed workers.
Among occupations that pay in the middle-wage to high-wage range, and are expected to see the greatest percentage increase for temporary job growth in 2014 are:
| TOP OCCUPATIONS FOR GROWTH IN TEMPORARY EMPLOYMENT IN 2014 | TOTAL TEMP JOBS 2013 | TOTAL TEMP JOBS 2014 | % CHANGE 2013-2014 | MEDIAN EARNINGS PER HOUR1 |
| HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALISTS | 61,642 | 64,049 | 4% | $26.83 |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES | 90,215 | 93,041 | 3% | $14.70 |
| CONSTRUCTION LABORERS | 72,914 | 75,183 | 3% | $14.42 |
| ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS2 | 69,398 | 71,573 | 3% | $15.58 |
| REGISTERED NURSES | 56,233 | 58,000 | 3% | $31.48 |
| BOOKKEEPING, ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING CLERKS | 29,326 | 30,257 | 3% | $16.91 |
| MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR WORKERS, GENERAL | 29,260 | 30,183 | 3% | $16.93 |
| INSPECTORS, TESTERS, SORTERS, SAMPLERS AND WEIGHERS | 27,305 | 28,178 | 3% | $16.57 |
| HEAVY AND TRACTOR-TRAILER TRUCK DRIVERS | 23,760 | 24,527 | 3% | $18.37 |
| MACHINISTS | 22,460 | 23,182 | 3% | $18.99 |
| SALES REPRESENTATIVES, SERVICES, ALL OTHER3 | 22,300 | 22,984 | 3% | $24.45 |
| COMPUTER USER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS | 17,351 | 17,895 | 3% | $22.32 |
In a separate CareerBuilder and Harris Poll study, 42 percent of employers reported that they plan to hire temporary or contract workers in 2014, up from 40 percent last year. Of these employers, two in five (43 percent) plan to transition some temporary employees into full-time, permanent staff.
“Coming off of a hard-hitting recession, companies want more flexibility in their workforce to quickly ramp up and ramp down their businesses as needed. Temporary workers provide that flexibility,” said Eric Gilpin, president of CareerBuilder’s Staffing & Recruiting Group. “Temporary employment is growing across industries and metros, and providing great opportunities for workers to test-drive different work experiences and network with employers.”
The MSAs that employed at least 20,000 temporary workers in 2013 and are projected to have the greatest percentage increase for temporary job growth in 2014 are:
| TOP METROS FOR GROWTH IN TEMPORARY EMPLOYMENT IN 2014 | TOTAL TEMP JOBS 2013 | TOTAL TEMP JOBS 2014 | % CHANGE 2013-2014 | 2013 AVERAGE EARNINGS PER JOB |
| GRAND RAPIDS, MI | 25,336 | 27,465 | 8% | $21,822 |
| INDIANAPOLIS, IN | 35,053 | 37,382 | 7% | $28,026 |
| SEATTLE-TACOMA, WA | 35,971 | 38,090 | 6% | $53,068 |
| ORLANDO, FL | 24,175 | 25,512 | 6% | $30,625 |
| RIVERSIDE-SAN BERNARDINO, CA | 34,811 | 36,610 | 5% | $24,304 |
| MEMPHIS, TN | 27,757 | 29,247 | 5% | $24,742 |
| DETROIT, MI | 51,438 | 53,622 | 4% | $39,778 |
| PORTLAND, OR | 23,500 | 24,334 | 4% | $37,577 |
| CHICAGO, IL | 157,839 | 162,113 | 3% | $31,743 |
| LOS ANGELES, CA | 140,927 | 144,993 | 3% | $33,620 |
| DALLAS, TX | 102,938 | 105,362 | 3% | $33,624 |
| ATLANTA, GA | 74,303 | 76,530 | 3% | $36,496 |
1 Median earnings per hour covers anyone working in that occupation whether they are temporary or full-time, permanent staff
2 Full category name as defined by the BLS is Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
3 Sales Representatives, Services, All Other is a catch-all category that includes sales professionals who are not assigned to a specific category such as Insurance Sales Agents
