JOBS

Arizona employers still hiring amid high state unemployment rate

Russ Wiles
The Republic | azcentral.com
Pearl Interactive Network, TTEC Holdings and JC Penney are some of the companies that are looking to hire hundreds of Arizonan workers.

Arizona's unemployment rate remains higher than the national average, yet the Phoenix metro area is still creating jobs at a healthy pace. Employers continue to add staff in the Phoenix area, including these:

Pearl Interactive Network

Pearl Interactive Network is looking to hire 725 seasonal workers at its new Tempe call center, with employment to run from Oct. 1 through July 1, 2020. Some jobs will be full-time over that period, and others will be part-time.

The company focuses on program management, contact-center staffing and telehealth services. It is especially seeking veterans, military spouses and Native Americans. The Tempe center will offer positions ranging from customer-service representatives and supervisors to workforce site specialists and trainers.  

"We help federal and state governments, as well as commercial organizations, fulfill their missions by connecting them to their most valuable asset — people,” said Merry Korn, Pearl's president and CEO, in a prepared statement.

For more information and to apply online, go to pinsourcing.com/jobs.

TTEC Holdings

TTEC Holdings, a customer-service technology company, announced plans to hire more than 200 full time employees at an upcoming job fair.

Open positions include customer-experience associates, sales representatives, licensed health-insurance agents and social media marketing strategists, including Spanish-bilingual customer representatives.

The job fair takes place July 10 at three TTEC locations in Phoenix and Tempe, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Many candidates will have on-site interviews and same-day job offers.

For a full list of locations and positions, visit ttec.com/careers.

JC Penney

JC Penney planned on hiring up to 275 seasonal employees in the Phoenix metro area.

JC Penney announced plans to hire up to 275 seasonal employees in the Phoenix metro area. Available positions range from cashiers to beauty consultants. Seasonal associates receive merchandise discounts and flexible holiday schedules.

The company also is seeking experienced stylists in its salon program. Salon stylists enjoy perks including artistic training, health benefits for full-time stylists, paid time off and 401(k) eligibility.

Prospective candidates can apply for positions in stores at JC Penney "applicant kiosks" or online at jobs.jcp.com, searching for “seasonal” jobs.

Uneven employment indicators

Arizona's unemployment rate in May, the most recent figure, was 4.9%, compared to 3.7% in June for the U.S. overall. Yet recent local job growth remains favorable.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics said metro Phoenix had one of the highest growth rates among large metro areas over the 12 months through May, adding 66,500 net new jobs over that period.

Gov. Doug Ducey hailed the report as a sign that "Arizona’s pro-business policies, low taxes and light regulations are delivering more job opportunities and bigger paychecks for Arizona workers."

That said, job growth appears to be slowing nationally. The U.S. has generated an average of 172,000 net new jobs each month so far this year, down from 223,000 over the same stretch in 2018.

Also, layoffs appear to be rising. U.S.-based employers announced plans to cut 140,577 jobs from their payrolls in the second quarter, according to global employment consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The latest numbers are down 26% from the 190,410 cuts announced in the first quarter, but they're 34% above the 104,800 announced reductions in the second quarter of 2018.

Reach the reporter at russ.wiles@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8616.