Released on: September 4, 2008, 5:57 am

Press Release Author: Mary Waldron

Industry: Marketing

Press Release Summary: According to a survey conducted by International
Communications Research in Media, PA, and a 2008 employment and growth report by
Robert Half International and CareerBuilder.com, employees and employers are
reporting equal challenges in the job market.

Press Release Body: The reports state that companies are having a hard time trying
to recruit eligible employees, especially in the fields of technology and
accounting, while job seekers are wary of losing their low-paying jobs in the tough
market, even though they have to cope with rising inflation. EmploymentCrossing, the
leading job board in the US, agrees that the current job market is not doing any
favors for either employers or employees.

\'\'Yes, it is true that the job market has plunged into dire straits and that all
employers, recruiters, and job seekers are having a tough time making ends meet,\'\'
says A. Harrison Barnes, the CEO of EmploymentCrossing. \'\'EmploymentCrossing is
trying its best to increase its job count and has succeeded to some extent in the
past few weeks. The need of the hour is to accelerate that growth even more.\'\'

The study conducted by the two companies, which encompassed 500 recruiters and 500
workers, revealed that nearly 60 percent of hiring managers say the shortage of
qualified workers is more acute, while six out of 10 employers reported that about
25 percent of applicants who are trying to land a job are unskilled in their field.

The other factor that is adding to the chaos is spiraling energy costs. 29 percent
of managers said rising gas prices and commuting expenses have negatively affected
their ability to attract skilled candidates, many of whom want to commute less to
the office. At the same time, 63 percent of professionals are said to be more
inclined to negotiate higher compensation levels than a year ago. Additionally,
keeping older employees has become a concern for many employers. Some might be
offered reduced work schedules as an alternative to retirement, others might be
offered mediocre jobs, and the rest were likely to be offered consulting
arrangements.

\'\'The job market has definitely hit a new low this year, but there is a solution to
every problem,\'\' says Barnes. \'\'EmploymentCrossing is focusing on several US states,
especially the hard-hit ones, and believe it or not, has been successful in its
endeavors. Over the week, the job site has managed to post more than 150,000 active
new jobs in US itself. What’s most important for job seekers today is to search for
jobs in the right places, as times have changed drastically.\'\'

According to Barnes, the top job types out of the 2 million jobs listed on
EmploymentCrossing’s websites are:

* Managerial jobs (204,522 jobs)
* Healthcare jobs (217,076 jobs)
* Information technology jobs (156,975 jobs)
* Engineering jobs (116,541 jobs)
* Accounting jobs (78,891 jobs)

\'\'With a highly trained team of researchers who personally screen each and every job
posted on EmploymentCrossing’s portals, EmploymentCrossing seeks out, edits,
approves, and tracks an elite collection of jobs on an ongoing basis,\'\' Barnes says.
\'\'EmploymentCrossing is not for everyone — we are exclusive and private, and only
members have access to our job-opening research.\'\'

Web Site: http://www.employmentcrossing.com

Contact Details: Mary Waldron, Editorial Coordinator
EmploymentScape
626-243-1821
maryw@employmentcrossing.com