Crain’s Chicago Business (01/20/12) Abraham Tekippe

The chief executives of some of Chicago’s largest staffing and outplacement firms say many employers in the area are hiring, but are being more selective about which applicants they select. “I don’t think (employers) are generally optimistic, but I don’t think they’re pessimistic; I think they’re being realistic,” says Tom Gimbel, chief executive of staffing firm LaSalle Network. “I call it cautious optimism.” Gimbel says he has seen both temporary and permanent hiring increases in recent months, adding that while he expects hiring to be “consistently inconsistent” throughout the year, overall he considers Chicago’s job outlook to be “very good,” especially in industries such as technology, logistics, and customer service.