According to Beyond.com, small businesses – the backbone of America – accounted for more than 50 percent of hiring in Q2 2009

PHILADELPHIA — August 4, 2009 — Beyond.com, Inc., the world’s largest network of niche career communities, today released its Second Quarter 2009 Career Trend Analysis and Industry Outlook Reports, which provide a unique insight into the overall employment market by leveraging Beyond.com’s network of top-tier industry, local and specialty web sites. Among other key findings, the report revealed small businesses with fewer than 50 employees accounted for more than 50 percent of hiring in Q2 2009.

According to Beyond.com, the top three industries for online job postings for small businesses in Q2 2009 included Information Technology (11.8 percent), Healthcare & Medical (9.5 percent) and Human Resources (6.7 percent). In addition, the report showed that nearly 75 percent of all job postings in Q2 were for candidates with zero to three years of experience. Some of the top job titles posted by small companies for candidates with less than three years of experience were Registered Nurse, Software Developer and Sales Manager. This trend is a welcome encouragement for new graduates and less experienced professionals who have been frustrated by few opportunities and stiff competition from more experienced professionals over the past several quarters.

Much of today’s daily financial news reports focus on how the economy has impacted corporate America, when in reality large corporations make up less than 50 percent of jobs in America, according to the Small Business Association. Traditionally, job seekers start their job search by identifying and targeting large employers in their area, but with more than 50 percent of job postings coming from companies with fewer than 50 employees in Q2, the small business sector may offer the best opportunity for employment.

“While many monster-sized companies in ‘corporate America’ are on the sidelines as far as hiring is concerned, small businesses are showing positive signs of growth and hiring due to their ability to react quickly to market trends,” said Rich Milgram, CEO of Beyond.com, Inc. “It is a terrific sign that the small and entrepreneurial businesses across the country are minimizing layoffs and beginning to hire again, although the true measure of the end of the recession will be when corporate America reengages in growth opportunities, starts creating new jobs and gains the confidence to take an opportunistic approach to their business.”

To view the complete Career Trend Analysis Report and Industry Outlook Reports, please visit http://www.beyond.com/Media/QuarterlyReports.asp.

About Beyond.com, Inc.
Beyond.com is the world’s largest network of niche career communities, providing access to thousands of top-tier industry and local web sites. Our career search services and networking tools enable job seekers and employers to create targeted connections across thousands of online communities. We deliver a one-of-a-kind recruitment solution that provides the targeted exposure of a specialized job board, reinforced by the breadth and volume of a larger career network. Beyond.com was named to Inc. Magazine’s prestigious ‘Inc. 500’ list and is a Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. (NYSE: SFE) portfolio company. www.Beyond.com.