Roles in the Professional-Managerial and Technical-IT job sectors are commanding higher rates. Light Industrial levels have been flat in 2012 and Office-Clerical bill rates have declined modestly over the past five months.
The specific titles experiencing higher rates suggest that businesses are spending to drive growth. In the Professional-Managerial job sector, skills in marketing, graphic design, training and purchasing are in demand, judging by higher hourly rates.
Rising Technical-IT sector rates show investment in innovation. After several years of little upward rate movement, Tech-IT rates have risen more than three points in the past six months. The nature of the titles rising most quickly is instructive: Specialized Technical Consultants, Software Testers and Engineers.
All regions are seeing rate increases. Temporary labor bill rates rose in each of the four geographic regions in August. In the South the rise has been continuous since the start of 2012.
Midwest rates show a rebound. In July the Midwest region tied its lowest historical IQNdex level. The August value jumped 1.8 percent, led by bill rate increases in the IT and Professional-Managerial job sectors.