Some Wisconsin Firms Struggle to Lure Candidates Over High Fuel Costs

By Pete Bach, The Post-Crescent, Appleton, Wis.

Jul. 1–The third-quarter hiring forecast and wage pattern look flat, according to a Milwaukee-area staffing and recruiting firm.

The view from QPS of Brookfield, based on a poll of more than 200 companies, illustrates a cautious “look before you leap” mentality amid talk of economic uncertainty, said Mark Immekus, executive vice president of QPS.

The survey showed that 39 percent of employers are looking to increase their staff, up slightly from the second quarter but down compared to the past two comparable quarters.

“That’s down pretty substantially,” Immekus said.

In the second quarters of 2006 and 2007, 50 percent and 51 percent of the responding companies, respectively, were forecasting staff increases.

Slightly more than half, or 53 percent, said wage rates will remain the same, a figure that compares with 56 percent for the year ago quarter. Forty percent anticipate wage increases, the same figure reported in 2007.

The survey comprised manufacturers, banks, printers, distributors and information technology firms throughout Wisconsin and Illinois.

Overall, weaker economic conditions plus rising costs for material and fuel were cited most often by firms for the slowdown.

The higher fuel prices seem to be hitting parts of Northeastern Wisconsin the hardest, places where people have farther to drive to and from work.

“We’re seeing some areas north of Green Bay really struggling to find candidates and workers. They’re just going to have to pay more,” Immekus said.

Miller Electric Mfg. Co., the Appleton-based maker of welding equipment, is in a hiring mode, giving employees first dibs for various openings.

The firm employs about 1,500 in the Fox Cities.

“We’ve been fortunate because of planning,” said Amy Blasewitz, senior human resources manager at Miller Electric. “Our senior managers are very good at making contingency plans and also planning for the future and ensuring to the best of their ability future growth for the company.”

Appleton-based Employment Resource Group, an executive search firm, isn’t in the market for the same talent as QPS.

But Sharon Hulce, the president of the firm, took a crack at the job picture when asked.

“From an executive search level, I would say salaries are still good,” she said. “But people aren’t throwing as much money as they did when we had a really robust economy and talent was incredibly difficult to find.”

Hulce said it remains difficult for their clients to find the exact fit for their needs.

“As the economy tightens they still need talent, but they need people with the exact competency to do the job which is open,” she said.

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