Changing employment practices
Since 1980, hiring practices have been changing. Employees who start in the mail room can no longer expect to move up through the company to management. Instead, many companies hire workers from outside the company at all levels, seeking an exact match of skills and abilities needed for the work at that specific time.
Turnover rates, the number of positions in a firm that were held by a different worker over a period of time, have never returned to the 1998 levels. In 1998, 7.8% of jobs had a replacement worker during a 3-month period. In 2007, the turnover rate is over 9% each quarter.

Source: US Census Bureau Quarterly Workforce Indicators
Detailed Tables on Industries and Occupations



Sources: 1970, 2000, 2005-2007: US Census Bureau; 1980 + 1990: Minnesota Population Center, NHGIS
Occupations of Philadelphia County Residents Aged 16 and over
|
|
2005-2007
|
|
Management, business, and financial
|
10.7%
|
|
Professional: Computer and mathematical
|
2.1%
|
|
Professional: Architecture and engineering
|
1.1%
|
|
Professional: Life, physical, and social science
|
1.2%
|
|
Professional: Community and social services
|
2.7%
|
|
Professional: Legal
|
1.6%
|
|
Professional: Education, training, and library
|
5.9%
|
|
Professional: Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media
|
1.8%
|
|
Professional: Heathcare practitioner and technical
|
5.8%
|
|
Service: Healthcare support
|
3.8%
|
|
Service: Protective service
|
3.8%
|
|
Service: Food preparation and serving related
|
5.6%
|
|
Service: Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance
|
4.6%
|
|
Service: Personal care and service
|
3.6%
|
|
Sales and related
|
9.0%
|
|
Office and administrative support
|
18.1%
|
|
Agricultural workers
|
0.1%
|
|
Fishing, hunting, and forest
|
0.01%
|
|
Construction and extraction
|
4.1%
|
|
Installation, maintenance, and repair
|
2.5%
|
|
Production
|
5.6%
|
|
Transportation and material moving
|
6.1%
|
Source: US Census American Community Survey 2005-2007
