May departures were 5.1 percent higher than the same month a year ago, when 99 CEO changes were recorded. This marks the third time this year CEO departures were higher than the corresponding month a year earlier.

Through the first five months of 2013, 507 CEO departures have been announced, which is virtually unchanged at .07 percent from the 511 tracked over the same period in 2012.

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To date, the nation’s employers have announced 219,560 planned job cuts in 2013.  That is down 11 percent from the 245,540 planned cuts announced in the first five months of 2012.

It is not unusual to see job cuts decline during the summer months.  In fact, May is historically the slowest job-cut month of the year, averaging 57,688 since 1993.  The next lowest job-cut month is June, according to Challenger records, which show it averaging 59,887 since 1993.  The overall average monthly total across all months since 1993 is 70,288.

The heaviest job-cutting last month occurred in the health care sector, where 4,886 job cuts were tracked.  That was up slightly from 4,268 health care job cuts in April and more than double the 2,353 announced in May 2012.  Overall, layoffs in health care are up 71 percent in 2013 to 20,867, compared to 12,177 in the first five months of 2012.  

Only two other sectors have seen bigger gains: media, where job cuts have increased 249 percent from 1,829 in the first five months of 2012 to 6,388 as of May; and the financial sector, which has seen job cuts increase by 103 percent from 17,284 in 2012 to 35,091 this year.

Largest Job Cut Increases

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“For young job seekers on break from high school or college, travel and leisure-related industries offer a wealth of employment opportunities.  While many employers have already hired the bulk of their seasonal workers by this point, it is still not too late to find openings, particularly for those who live near or are willing to temporarily relocate to popular travel destinations,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that employment and job openings in travel-related industries are already on the rise.  Employment in the leisure and hospitality industry has seen a net increase of 729,000 workers since February 1.  In April alone, food services and drinking establishments added nearly 202,000 new workers.

The relatively small scenic and sightseeing transportation industry, which employs an average of 27,000 to 28,000 workers each year, sees the bulk of its job gains in May and June.  Last year, these employers added 8,500 workers, which was down from a 2011 seasonal hiring gain of 12,200.

“Hopefully, more summer travelers this year will mean more opportunities among these tour operators.  Even if hiring does not pick up in this area, those seeking summer jobs should find ample openings.  If you consider a popular destination, like Orlando, there are not only the major theme parks, but there are water parks, beach-side hotels, t-shirt and souvenir shops, restaurants and bars, etc.  All over the country there are similar destinations with similar needs; just on a much smaller scale, such as Branson, Missouri or the Wisconsin Dells.

“One thing these places all have in common is that they typically experience high turnover.  So, if you have not found anything by mid-June, do not give up.  In fact, do not hesitate to return to employers where you already applied and were not hired.  Chances are good that one or more of the individuals they hired did not work out,” said Challenger.  “An increase in summer travel this year will mean that demand for workers will continue throughout the summer months.  So, if an employer loses a worker to two, they will need to replace them.”

Several recent reports indeed point toward increased travel this summer.  The trade group Airlines for America forecast that the number of passengers traveling on U.S.-based airlines will increase by one percent this summer.  That may not seem very impressive on the surface, but it means an extra 2.0 million passengers traveling by air between June and August, which will bring the total number of summer travelers to nearly 209 million.

While airline travel is expected to rise over the summer, it may get off to a slow start.  A just-release report from AAA, indicates that the number of Americans planning to travel at least 50 miles during the upcoming Memorial Day holiday is down ever-so-slightly from a year ago.  According to its forecast, Memorial Day travelers are expected to number 34.8 million, compared to 35.1 million a year ago.  Eighty-nine percent of these vacationing Americans will travel by car, while the number of those flying is expected to decline by eight percent.

However, the slow start to the summer travel season does not necessarily foreshadow a drop in overall travel.  A recent survey by Destination Hotels & Resort, a leading hospitality management company, found that 76 percent of summer travelers expect to take as many short trips as possible, compared to only 22 percent planning to take a more traditional, week-or-longer summer vacation.

“With Americans planning shorter but more frequent summer trips, popular destinations may experience a steadier stream of business this summer compared to ebbs and flows that revolve around major holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day.  This will boost the economies in these areas by maintaining a more consistent level of demand throughout the peak travel season,” said Challenger.

“The strategy of taking more short trips is not only driven by a desire to do and see more of what the country has to offer, but it is influenced heavily by workplace considerations.  The economy and job market are indeed improving and many workers are feeling more secure in their jobs.  While more workers are increasingly comfortable taking vacation time without fear of negative career consequences, many are still inclined to limit the time away from the office,” Challenger noted.

As for vacationing workers, Challenger said that while job security is improving, it is still recommended that they keep the lines of communication open with their employers.

“You don’t have to spend a part of every vacation day working, but you want to take your cell phone and laptop and make an effort to occasionally check in with the office.  If you are a team manager, stay in touch with your team members.  Make sure supervisors know your e-mail and cell phone number just in case you are needed,” said Challenger.

“As employers continue the shift toward retention mode, many will be eager to let workers enjoy vacations without interruptions from work, but make no mistake, your efforts to remain connected, even if unnecessary, will be appreciated and remembered.

“Technology has become so portable and so affordable that there really is no excuse anymore for not staying in touch.  Smartphones and tablet computers make it easy to stay connected anywhere with internet access,” he concluded.

“With 11.6 million Americans still unemployed as of April, it may be difficult for most to contemplate labor shortages.  However, it is important that not all of the unemployed reside where jobs are being created at the fastest rate and many lack the skills required to fill the openings that exist.  These two factors alone make skill shortages a reality right now for some employers,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

“As the economy continues to improve and more people find employment, labor shortages will only worsen; accelerated by an aging workforce that may not necessarily enter traditional retirement, but will alter their career path to the extent that it will prove disruptive to the companies that have employed them,” he added.

Challenger pointed to the latest jobs data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as evidence that it will become increasingly difficult for employers to attract and keep the best talent.  The April employment situation report showed that payrolls experienced a net increase of 165,000.  However, that figure from the BLS merely shows the difference between the total number of jobs added and the total number lost as a result of layoffs, terminations, retirements, people quitting, etc.  For the number of Americans actually hired in a given month, Challenger turns to the BLS job openings and labor turnover survey.

In March, the latest month for which data is available, the nation’s employers hired 4,259,000 new workers.  That was down from the previous month, when 4,451,000 Americans were hired.  However, the hiring levels tracked by the survey typically fluctuate significantly from month to month.  Overall, hiring levels have steadily risen since falling to a recession low in June 2009, when only 3,626,000 workers were hired during the month.

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April departures were 4.4 percent higher than the same month a year ago, when 90 CEO changes were recorded.

Through the first four months of 2013, 403 CEO departures have been announced, which is 2.0 percent fewer than the 411 tracked over the same period in 2012.

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April job cuts were 23 percent lower than March, when announced layoffs totaled 49,255.  They were 6.0 percent lower than the 40,559 planned job cuts announced in April 2012.  April represents the lowest job-cut month since last December, when 32,556 were tracked by Challenger.

Through the first four months of 2013, the pace of downsizing is virtually equal to a year ago.  Employers have announced 183,162 job cuts to date, which is only 0.27 percent lower than the 183,653 planned layoffs announced in the first four months of 2012.

“The economic slowdown that began late in the third quarter and is expected to turn into another summer slump has yet to result in increased or widespread downsizing.  The biggest concern is that consumers, who had been holding up the economy for so many months, are starting to scale back their spending as wages continue to stagnate,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Consumer spending was up 0.2 percent in March, due primarily to increased heating costs during the unseasonably cold month.  Spending in other categories, such as household goods, retail and restaurants declined in March, according to the Commerce Department.

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Continued employment gains across the economy, but particularly in lower-skilled, lower-paying hourly wage categories, are expected to benefit teenagers seeking jobs this summer, according to a new outlook released Thursday by global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.

While job-seeking teens are likely to face competition from recent college graduates, as well as those at the opposite end of the age spectrum, employment gains for 16- to 19-year-olds in May, June and July should surpass last year’s levels.

“There will definitely be more opportunities for teenagers seeking employment this summer.  Of course, it is still a competitive environment.  So, teens should not expect employers to come knocking on their door.  The search will require maximum effort, starting now, in order to have a position lined up before the school year ends,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Get the full outlook here.