News 12 First at Five, December 11, 2009

AUGUSTA --- At Augusta Staffing Associates, Robert Kelly is working hard to get some qualified people into the right jobs. And a new survey says, that's about to get a little easier.

"Instead of having something just temporary, it's gonna be more long term," says Kelly, staffing specialist at Augusta Staffing Associates. "And they're building on to their company, which is a good sign of growth."

According to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, of the Augusta companies surveyed, fifteen percent are looking to hire more employees, and only eleven percent plan to downsize, with the rest keeping their workforces the same size.

"It is a risk," Kelly says. "It was a risk to lay them off at first, and now it's a risk to bring them back.

For Lisa Murray, who has taken her job search to the agency, she hopes it's a risk companies are willing to take.

"The way the economy is and the recession is, it's definitely important," she says about finding a job. "You never know how long it's gonna take."

With more companies looking to hire, that means more choices in the types of jobs you can apply for. Kelly says they work with applicants to assess their interests, in hopes of not only finding them a new job, but getting them started on a new career path.

"It's the type of jobs that have changed a little bit," Kelly says. "That survival mindset, that was looking for a job. You go back to saying 'if you like what you do, you'll never work a day in your life'...that's a career."

He says it will mean more full time jobs, and a chance to go after your real interests. He offers this advice:

"Hit the streets right now," he says. "Don't let the holidays be a down time for you."

Kelly stresses there are all kinds of jobs out there in many different fields, but people just don't know about them.

News 12 has compiled a list of agencies and resources to help get you started on your job search. You can access it by clicking the link below.