Hiring at small businesses across the country is helping boost employment figures and pointing to signs of an economic rebound. It appears as if people with a variety of degrees on their resume may be able to find work in a number of industries, with job openings at the second-highest levels since the downturn in 2007, according to a survey of the National Federation of Independent Businesses. SurePayroll, an online payroll service, also reported gains in small business hiring, with more employers saying they expected to increase staff in 2012. Michael Alter, president and chief executive officer of SurePayroll, said that leading indicators suggest the new year will continue to make positive gains in small business hiring. "We saw caution in 2011, but the leading indicators suggest 2012 looks positive," Alter added. "Optimism is higher, 50 percent plan to hire and wages look to go up." Over the past year, small business hiring was up in all 35 metropolitan cities surveyed by SurePayroll, with the South outpacing the rest of the U.S. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that job opportunities for business administrative service managers are expected to grow by 12% through the end of the decade. |