Unemployment by sector: how profession makes all the difference

A drying up of jobs, however, did not hit all sectors equally, as some flexed their muscles while others shriveled up and held back on hiring. According to many human resources experts speaking to Today's Zaman, unemployment and firms' appetite for workers was not distributed equally among all sectors, but instead concentrated on specific positions, professions and sectors.

Despite how frightening the unemployment figures may seem, those shifting directions to the correct sectors and positions are not facing as difficult a situation as pure numbers may imply.

According to data from the Turkish Employment Organization (İŞKUR) and private employment bureaus, there is a serious reinvigoration of the retail sector, where firms are looking for salespeople and store managers. In addition, telecommunications, information technology, call centers, private security, tourism firms and banks are hiring at full speed with no sign of easing up. Human resources experts are saying that the increase in hiring has almost reached pre-crisis levels.

According to Yusuf Azoz, general manager of the Web site Kariyer.net, a career Web site much like Monster.com, the information technology and telecommunications sectors, along with Turkey’s well-known textile sector, is experiencing some revitalization as firms in these sectors are posting listings on these sites. The latest “employment index” by the site confirmed Azoz’s statements. It showed that the number of listings for these sectors had reached pre-crisis levels in December and was now surpassing them. The construction and tourism sectors, according to Azoz, are also showing some signs of movement.

In the crisis period the sectors most significantly reducing the number of job ads were the entertainment and art sectors along with the automotive sector. Real estate, manufacturing, research, educational consulting and architecture along with product management and development saw great decreases in the number of ads listed. The number of total ads decreased by 25 percent in 2009 compared to the previous year. Deniz Ceylan Kılıçlıoğlu, general manager of Yenibiris.com, another career builder Web site, stated that despite the economic crisis, the retail and wholesale sectors along with health and information technology are always looking for new workers. She stated the top five listings were as follows: sales representatives, customer representatives, sales associates, secretaries and supervisors. When looking at it from a sectoral perspective, the food, textiles, education, construction, tourism and health sectors are the top sectors looking for new employees. According to Kılıçlıoğlu, the best applicants are applying as consultants, teachers, cashiers, secretaries and technicians.

Alpa Consulting General Manager A. Zühre Sarı stated that marketing and customer relations specialists are needed in nearly every sector and in every department. “What follows after marketing and sales is information technology and computer programming, along with trade experts, sales engineers, accountants, qualified workers for the service sector, civil engineers, technicians and lastly designers,” Sarı said, adding, however, that because of the economic crisis many firms are hiring people but having them work in multiple departments, “so many firms are looking for qualified individuals with experience in marketing, sales, information technology and social media.”

Ambition may not necessarily be a good thing

DD Management Center Project Coordinator Ahmet Nedim Erdemir stated that there are many recent graduates who have the perception that they will become an upper-level manager in the company within four to five months of arriving. He said their unrealistic expectations mean they frequently leave jobs after a few months in search of another, more fulfilling position, adding that this was inhibiting the professional development of new graduates. “Workers who can suppress their high expectations will be able to hold on to their positions and will excel quickly.” He also added that there is a high turnover rate in sectors such as retail and sales, where the concept of human resources has yet to fully develop. According to Erdemir, the tiring tempo, work hours, competition and low wages mean workers switch jobs on a much quicker basis. “Firms need to motivate their workers with wages and incentives. Legislation needs to help regulate working hours in this sector and [improve] present work conditions.”

Sarı also called on the government to help human resources firms find work. She labeled several sectors as requiring government intervention. In the service sector, Sarı said an employment support package is desperately needed. She also called for four-year universities to make internships and training programs a requirement in the last two years of a student’s university career. On the topic of universities, she said research and development activities should be supported and that the number of technoparks should increase. Moreover, she said that a “Ministry of Employment” needs to be created that would bring together the business world, İŞKUR and the Small and Medium Industry Development Organization (KOSGEB). Reflecting the views of many in the business world, she called on the Ministry of Education to solve the political issues holding back vocational education.

When looking at sector-based statistics from the Turkish Statistics Institute (TurkStat), it is obvious that health workers and private security firm workers have an easier time finding jobs. The lowest unemployment rate is among health workers. In 2009, out of the 373,000 individuals receiving an education in the health sciences, only 15,000 were out of a job. For lawyers, the unemployment rate was 4.3 percent. Private security guards have an unemployment rate of 16 percent, relatively small compared to that of social workers, with 31.3 percent. Graduates of the arts had 24 percent unemployment, while transportation workers had 21 percent. Twenty percent of specialists in the computer sciences are jobless.

Youth unemployment still a heavy burden

According to TurkStat, one out of every four youths is unemployed. Unemployment is the highest for high school graduates, with 18 percent. For graduates of vocational schools and universities, the unemployment rate is 13.5 percent. The situation for those without a high school diploma is getting worse every year, growing from 10.8 percent in 2007 to 13.9 percent in 2009.The sector most affected by the economic crisis was the industrial sector, which shrank by 6.8 percent, resulting in 286,000 individuals losing their jobs in the manufacturing industry. According to the data, the industry’s share of total employment fell by 1.5 percentage points. In agriculture 238,000 individuals lost their jobs, while this figure was 149,000 in the service sector. TurkStat states that 50 percent of all employment is secured in the service sector, with agriculture following it at 24 percent and industry at 19 percent.

Globally, the unemployment picture is not much better. The International Labour Organization’s (ILO) unemployment report stated that 27 million people lost their jobs in 2009. In North America, Japan and Western Europe, 12 million people lost their jobs, whereas Asia, Africa and the Middle East did not witness significant changes in their unemployment rates. The ILO also expects unemployment to be high this year and expects that 3 million people will either lose their jobs or will not be able to find one.