According to analysis of a proprietary dataset of more than one million U.S. job postings, including 100,000 Robert Half placements, hiring within the customer support job market remained vibrant and competitive in 2023, with over 682,000 new job postings in customer service and call center functional areas. The role of customer service specialist accounted for a third of all category postings or around 273,000 positions. Customer experience specialists, account managers and customer service managers also enjoyed a notable increase in job opportunities. Despite over 2.8 million Americans employed as customer service representatives, the substantial volume of job postings underscores the ongoing challenge of attracting top talent within this sector.
What about the admin job market? Unemployment rates among administrative assistants, executive assistants and office managers dipped well below the national average, coming in at 2.1%, 2.2% and 2.0%, respectively.
The government sector made significant strides in bolstering its administrative and customer support workforce. Compared to the previous year, government entities doubled their hiring in this segment, adding 17,000 administrative assistant positions over the last 12 months. The professional services sector wasn't far behind, hiring over 21,000 new customer service roles.
Work-life balance doesn’t feature highly in admin and customer support hiring trends. Only around a quarter of positions offered flexible work arrangements, including just 12% that provided hybrid schedules. They may be missing an opportunity. As more employers require more in-person time, companies that can offer adaptable work schedules, including flexible scheduling or hybrid or fully remote options, are particularly poised to distinguish themselves in the talent market.
The Demand for Skilled Talent report by Robert Half is an authoritative source providing essential insights into employment trends. This report has offered a deep dive into the U.S. hiring landscape for over a decade, spotlighting challenges and strategies to attract and retain talent. It explores what employees seek in their careers, identifies common recruitment errors and suggests solutions. The report spans finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, administrative and customer support, and human resources, proving crucial for business leaders and managers.
