Fresno Manpower Job Survey | ABC30 Fresno

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By ABC30

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Fresno, Calif. The report by Manpower Employment Services puts Fresno in the top of the cities with the weakest prospects for job growth. At the top of the list is San Juan, Puerto Rico; Naples and Fort Meyers, Florida, Las Vegas, Nevada and Fresno round out the list.

The projection comes from predictions made by employers. The survey said nine percent of Fresno companies expect to add employees over the summer. 20 percent think they may cut their payrolls.

But, Diane Findely, of Fresno's Manpower office said employers don't seem to be following their own predictions. "The survey looks like that maybe it's going to be a sluggish start to this quarter, but we're actually seeing that we're getting more orders than we have in the last two quarters."

The biggest demand is for clerical and warehouse work.

Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin has made job creation a key goal. She doesn't agree with the survey and believes things are getting better. "Well, it's certainly tough out there as we know. That's from a lot of official data," said Swearengin, "I don't think their survey has a lot of weight. But I will say in the midst of this downturn I'm hearing almost every day from employers looking to hire." Swearengin said.

The latest figures from the state put Fresno's unemployment rate at a whopping 15.5%. Despite that, the Mayor believes jobs are out there, and Diane Findely of Manpower said she may be right.

"I think it's trickling up because that's what we're seeing. I know the numbers say it looks so weak but in the last seven weeks we've really seen an increase in our office."

Manpower said the best place to find a job in the next three months is Barnstable Town Massachusetts, followed by Anchorage, Alaska and Omaha, Nebraska.