The tight labor market and continued drive for good, experienced workers may push 1999’s starting pay levels higher than the salaries offered in 1998. A sample of the outlooks:
– Business hiring activity is expected to remain as strong in 1999 as it was in 1998, according to Manpower Inc.’s first-quarter employment outlook survey. A poll of 15,000 U.S. businesses found 23 percent planning to increase the size of their work force, 10 percent forecasting staff reductions and 63 percent expecting no change.
Finance, insurance, real estate and the service sector in general are expected to be employment growth leaders in the Midwest.
– Employers are forecasting a 10 percent increase in the number of jobs available to college graduates next spring, according to an annual survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
Last year’s prediction called for a 19 percent increase in job offers, so the 10 percent forecast is down from that, but it still represents a strong job market.
The poll found that the service sector is desperate for good workers of any background, but the market will pay those with technical skills — computer science and engineering degrees — most handsomely.
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On average, graduates should see a 4.8 percent increase in starting salary offers over 1998 levels. Information science grads are expected to do better than that, with average starting increases of 6 percent.
– Starting salaries in finance and accounting are expected to rise by an average of 4.7 percent, according to the salary guide from the full-time and temporary-staffing divisions of Robert Half and Accountemps. Budget and cost analysts with at least a year of experience should fare even better, with average starting pay increases of 6.5 percent.
– Average starting salaries in the administrative field should rise 4.8 percent, according to the OfficeTeam administrative staffing company. This is up from an average of 3.6 percent projected for 1998.
Demand for administrative professionals with word processing and spreadsheet experience is expected to be especially strong in the Midwest financial-services and health-care sectors.
– Legal-support professionals can expect average starting pay to increase 6.1 percent, according to The Affiliates, the legal staffing division of Robert Half International. Experienced legal secretaries may command average starting salaries that are about 10.8 percent higher than in 1998.