Private sector foresees little growth in jobs for 2013

Costa Rican employers are pessimistic about new job creation in the first quarter of next year.

A study released Tuesday by consulting firm Manpower found that only 23 percent of employers expect to increase staff in the first quarter of 2013. However, only 8 percent of respondents anticipates staff reductions in this period.

The Expected Net Recruitment (the percentage of hiring minus the percentage of layoffs), is 15 percent, and the sectors that show better growth possibility are manufacturing and service.

Compared to the first and last quarter of this year, the expectation is for a decrease of 3 to 5 percentage points, the study says.

Cartago is the province that will create fewer jobs in early 2013, with 5 percent employment growth expected, while Heredia has most positive outlook, at 22 percent.

Employers in the manufacturing and services sectors report the most optimistic hiring expectations for the first quarter of 2013, with a trend of 19 percent.