1) Bigger paychecks, say 80 percent of the survey respondents. Of those expecting to increase wages, 64 percent say it will be at least 3 percent, and 17 percent say 5 percent or more.

2) Flexible work arrangements are on the rise. Sixty percent of employers offer flexible work plans now — usually alternative schedules (shifted start and quit times), condensed work weeks or telecommuting, while 39 percent expect to offer some form of flex-time in '08.

3) Online candidate screening will grow, and not only the use of qualifying pre-application questions, but full-blown searching of social networking sites and search engine checks.

4) Retiree rehiring will increase as companies remain pressured from the loss of more experienced workers. Twenty-one percent say they are likely to rehire retirees from other companies in 2008; another 14 percent plan to provide incentives for workers at or approaching retirement age to stay on with the company longer. The numbers here aren't large, but this trend won't go away.

5) Recruiting diversity workers, especially workers bilingual in Spanish, will continue to be an important focus of recruiters. Survey respondents particularly noted Hispanic workers, women, African American workers and "mature" workers.

6) Freelance or contract hiring will continue to be a key part of the workforce mix, with 31 percent of employers anticipating a working relationship with freelancers or contractors this year.

7) Perks and benefits will receive more attention from companies wanting to remain competitive in attracting and keeping workers. In light of rising healthcare costs, nearly one-in-five employers (19 percent) report their companies plan to offer more comprehensive or better health benefits to employees in 2008. Ten percent plan to enhance or add perks such as bonuses, discounts, company cars, stock options, free childcare, educational reimbursement, transit passes and wellness programs.

8) One in four (26 percent) of the surveyed companies are likely to provide more promotions and career advancement opportunities in 2008, according to CareerBuilder. More than half of workers stated that a company's ability to offer career advancement is more important than salary, so employers are taking action to carve out career paths for employees.

Twenty-seven percent of workers say they are dissatisfied with pay, but 67 percent of workers reported they received a raise in 2007.

A quarter of the surveyed workers plan to change jobs within the next two years: 41 percent are leaving their jobs to find a position with better pay and/or career advancement opportunities; 8 percent are changing careers; 7 percent say they want to find a company where they would feel appreciated; 7 percent are retiring; and 5 percent plan to start their own business.

For more coverage on CareerBuilder.com's forecast, see A New Job for a New Year: 2008 Hiring Trends.

Resources

2008 Job Forecast
CareerBuilder.com, Dec. 26, 2007