Manpower: Valley job outlook improving

PHOENIX -- Valley companies are less likely to lay off workers this fall, according to a Manpower Inc. study.

Manpower's survey of 18,000 employers nationwide found that about 15 percent of Valley businesses plan to hire more workers in October, November and December, while only 9 percent plan to cut payrolls.

Melanie Holmes with Manpower said, "If you're unemployed, it's not bad news, but it's also not fabulous news. And I think the unemployed should continue doing what they're doing. You need to be applying for jobs, you need to be networking, you need to be doing all the things you've been doing to look for work."

Local job prospects appear best in durable-goods manufacturing, information, financial activities, professional and business services, and leisure and hospitality.

"Wholesale and retail trade and the mining sectors plan an increase of 13 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010, and those are the strongest industries that we surveyed," said Holmes.

She said housing construction will continue to be weak and that's not good news for Arizona, which has been hit harder in that area than most other states.