News

By Bill Esler, Editor in Chief -- Graphic Arts Online, 2/8/2009 1:10:00 PM

The biggest development in the printing industry over the last 12 weeks has been layoffs. Dozens of firms have downsized, or closed outright, throwing workers onto the street. Also on the rise is the pace of "mass layoffs," the legal term for a worker reduction affecting 50 or more people—an action that requires formal advance written notice, usually 60 days, to state employment authorities.

So it may come as a surprise that there are still dozens and dozens of jobs being advertised for printing and related graphic communications employment. The industry employs about 1 million workers, and had been running a shortfall of about 60,000 jobs annually—a mix of retirements and expansions. As the industy contracts, the expansion factor lessens in significance for job creation. But retirements and other departures still happen; so workers must be replaced.

Major locations for jobs available online include www.Monster.com and www.careerbuilder.com, to name two national sites, and www.craigslist.com. Craigslist has city-specific sites, at which you search for jobs, and then use a keyword, "printing," to narrow the offerings. Atlantic printing jobs search results look like this. At the Chicago version of Craigslist online classifieds, a Hong Kong-based package printing firm posted a help-wanted ad Feb. 6 seeks a Chicago-based project coordinator. "Looking for a candidate with two of the following skill sets: Packaging knowledge, Graphics, Project Management, Print Production. THIS IS NOT A DESIGN POSITION," it emphasizes. If you are itnerested, contact jackie@jupitergroup.com

Other jobs listed at Craigslist include a sales position (with a target of $2 million in sales, bring clients once a month to the plant, telecommuting is okay) based in the Northeast for an "expanding sheet fed and web printing firm with exceptional graphic design chops," and a "Mailing Technician" at Chicago lettershop First Class Inc. Respond to jobs@firstclassinc.com

A quick search through a few other Craigslist city sites finds a prepress technician opening posted Feb. 3 at a firm in Northwest Suburban Seattle, "previous experience in either offset printing business or service bureau preferred." And in Dallas, "If you have left Merrill, Bowne or RR Donnelley, and have an existing book of business…Vintage Filings is willing to pay you" for referrals. employment@vfilings.com

At the mega-job sites, Careerbuilder and Monster.com, searching on the term "printing" turns up positions ranging from bindery supervisor (posted by a placement firm in Monroe Township, NJ) to a mechanical engiener at a label printing firm in Virginia, to an $11.11 per hour printing press assistant in Marengo, IL. Likewise at Careerbuilder.com, which lists 6,132 jobs under the search term printing, 11 of them at Quad/Graphics, despite the fact it recently announced layoffs.

Another approach is temporary placement, useful for management and employees in uncertain times. Boston-based Semper International, one of the leading placement firms in the graphic arts and printing industry, has expanded its focus to include creative and business operational areas with broadened flexible staffing options to its core customers, printers and pre-media shops. The company has also recently expanding into video gaming placement.

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