USA employment has been characterized by flux for the past two decades, as companies hire and fire to adjust to economic conditions. This practice is expected to continue. The hardest hit by employment cuts have been the telecom, technology, airlines, tourism, and media/advertising industries. On the other side of the coin are industries like health care and certain segments of information technology, which can’t find enough qualified employees to fill open positions.

After more than 20 years of corporate layoffs and employment downsizings, USA workers have learned that the days of employer-employee loyalty are long gone. Many USA employees know to keep their skills marketable and their résumés updated. According to a recent survey of employers by the Society for Human Resource Management, a trade association, annual voluntary employee-turnover is 17 percent. Large employers (5,000-plus employees) report an average annual voluntary turnover rate of 25 percent.

This is just a sample of what you'll find in the complete USA guide.