Manpower Inc. Annual Talent Shortage Survey Reveals Sales Representatives, Skilled Trades People and Technicians Top Most Wanted List Globally

Manpower Inc. Annual Talent Shortage Survey Reveals Sales Representatives, Skilled Trades People and Technicians Top Most Wanted List Globally

April 05, 2007

41% of employers worldwide struggling to find qualified job
candidates

    MILWAUKEE, April 5 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN) released today the results of its
annual talent shortage survey, revealing that 41 percent of
employers across the globe are finding it more difficult to
fill jobs, specifically openings for sales representatives,
skilled manual trades people and technicians, which are
in-demand technical workers in the areas of
production/operations, engineering and maintenance.  The
company surveyed nearly 37,000 employers across 27
countries and territories as a follow-up to its 2006
survey, to determine which positions employers are having
difficulty filling this year due to lack of available
talent. 

    (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060221/CGTU012LOGO )

    "Our data for 2007 reflects the ebb and flow in
the demand for talent within the global labor market, as
companies and governments seek ways to alleviate talent
problems due to demographic shifts, immigration and other
issues," said Jeffrey A. Joerres, Chairman & CEO
of Manpower Inc.  "For example, the percentage of
German employers who are having difficulty filling
positions has fallen dramatically from last year, which is
a result of positive government labor market reform. 
However, labor market flexibility and skills shortages will
continue to be a challenge for employers in Germany." 

    For 2007, sales representatives are listed as the most
difficult to fill position in the United States, Japan,
Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, New Zealand, Ireland and
Peru. Similarly, skilled manual trades workers are at the
top of the employer's wish list in Germany, the UK, Canada,
Australia, Spain, Sweden, Italy, Belgium, Austria, France
and Switzerland.

    "As was the case last year, companies worldwide
continue to require experienced sales staff to fuel revenue
growth," said Joerres.  "Skilled manual trades
workers such as electricians, carpenters, plumbers and
masons also remain in short supply, particularly in Europe,
where many countries are easing this shortage by sourcing
foreign talent."

    The survey also revealed employer requirements for IT
staff and administrative assistants/personal assistants in
2006 have been surpassed by other in-demand positions such
as accounting and finance staff and laborers, which refers
to non-skilled manual labor positions.

    "The absence of skilled IT staff from our Top 10
list by no means indicates that these positions are no
longer in demand. Rather, companies are getting more
sophisticated about workforce optimization strategies and
how they use a combination of outsourcing, in-sourcing, on-
and off-shoring and automated technologies, which can help
them better manage their talent requirements," said
Joerres.

    The top 10 jobs that employers are having difficulty
filling in 2007 compared to 2006 are (ranked in order):

    2007 Hot Jobs                          2006 Hot Jobs 
    1.  Sales Representatives              1.  Sales
Representatives  
    2.  Skilled Manual Trades              2.  Engineers 
    3.  Technicians                        3.  Technicians 

    4.  Engineers                          4.  Production
Operators 
    5.  Accounting and Finance Staff       5.  Skilled
Manual Trades 
    6.  Laborers                           6   IT staff 
    7.  Production Operators               7. 
Administrative Assistants/PAs 
    8.  Drivers                            8.  Drivers 
    9.  Management/Executives              9.  Accountants

    10. Machinists/Operators               10.
Management/Executives 

    The complete results of Manpower's talent shortage
survey can be downloaded at
http://www.manpower.com/ResearchCenter .

    Showing the most changes of any region compared to last
year are the Americas, with four new positions entering the
top 10 list of hardest jobs to fill.  Most interesting is
that the U.S. bucks the trend: teachers are the second
hardest position to fill in the United States, however, the
profession does not appear in the top 10 elsewhere in the
region. On the other hand, production operators do not rank
in the U.S. top 10, but are the hardest position to fill in
the region as a whole.

    Of the countries and territories surveyed in Asia
Pacific, IT positions are now easier to fill except in
India, Japan and Taiwan, where talent shortages are still
evident in this sector. In China's competitive labor
market, laborers catapulted to rank as the second-most
difficult job to fill after not being ranked in the top 10
only one year ago. Demand for laborers also increased in
Australia and Japan in 2007, where demand for these workers
ranks fourth and eighth, respectively, after failing to make
an appearance on the 2006 top 10.

    The best place to be for workers in the skilled manual
trades, such as carpentry, welding and plumbing, is in
Europe. These positions are ranked as the first or
second-most difficult job to fill in all countries surveyed
in the region, besides Ireland. Also significant is the
increase in availability of nurses and production operators
across the region, but this is offset by greater shortages
of technicians and engineers.

    "It is the shortage of specific skills and
competences required in industrialized, emerging and
developing economies such as India and China which is most
concerning.  And when demand outstrips supply like this, we
can expect salaries and compensation to rise," said
Joerres.

    Today's survey announcement coincides with the
publication of the Manpower White Paper, Confronting the
Talent Crunch: 2007, updated since its original publication
in 2006.  The white paper highlights the growing talent
shortages around the world and what businesses, government
and individuals should be doing to adapt their human
resource strategies.

    "Demographic shifts and economic factors are
causing more shortages in the workforce which could
ultimately threaten the engines of world economic growth
and prosperity. Governments and employers need to counter
the effects of these shortages by improving training,
adopting strategic migration policies, encouraging
economically inactive people to enter the workforce and
inducing older people to stay working longer,"
concludes Joerres.  

    Visit http://www.manpower.com/ResearchCenter for a copy
of the Manpower white paper.  

    Note to editors

    Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN) surveyed nearly 37,000
employers across 27 countries and territories in late
January to determine the extent in which talent shortages
are impacting today's labor markets. To obtain the full
Manpower Talent Shortage Survey results, click on the
following link: http://www.manpower.com/ResearchCenter .

    In this survey, skilled manual trades refers to a broad
range of job titles that require workers to possess
specialized skills, traditionally learned over a period of
time as an apprentice. Examples of skilled trades jobs
include: electricians, carpenters, cabinet makers,
masons/bricklayers, plumbers and welders.  Technicians
include primarily production/operations, engineering and
maintenance.

    About Manpower Inc.

    Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN) is a world leader in the
employment services industry; creating and delivering
services that enable its clients to win in the changing
world of work. The $18 billion company offers employers a
range of services for the entire employment and business
cycle including permanent, temporary and contract
recruitment; employee assessment and selection; training;
outplacement; outsourcing and consulting.  Manpower's
worldwide network of 4,400 offices in 73 countries and
territories enables the company to meet the needs of its
400,000 clients per year, including small and medium size
enterprises in all industry sectors, as well as the world's
largest multinational corporations. The focus of Manpower's
work is on raising productivity through improved quality,
efficiency and cost-reduction across their total workforce,
enabling clients to concentrate on their core business
activities. Manpower Inc. operates under five brands: 
Manpower, Manpower Professional, Elan, Jefferson Wells and
Right Management.  More information on Manpower Inc. is
available at http://www.manpower.com .


    For more information, please contact:   

     Britt Zarling 
     Manpower Inc.
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]