Honolulu area employers expect to hire at "a healthy pace" during the third quarter of 2006, according to the recent Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, a quarterly survey that measures employers' intentions to increase or decrease their workforces.

Still, Honolulu companies have "weaker hiring intentions" and are "less positive about hiring" than they were in the second quarter, said Manpower representative Reeve Weiner. Only 30 percent of companies interviewed plan to hire between July and September, compared with 37 percent in the second quarter.

In the 2005 third quarter survey, no companies planned to reduce their workforces, and the same went for last quarter. This time, however, 3 percent of the surveyed employers expect to reduce their payrolls. Meanwhile, 47 percent expect to maintain their current staff levels and 20 percent are uncertain of their hiring plans.

Job prospects for the coming quarter appear best in non-durable goods manufacturing, transportation and public utilities, wholesale and retail trade, and finance, insurance and real estate. Hiring in durable goods manufacturing, construction, education and public administration is expected to remain unchanged. Services employers "voice mixed hiring intentions," according to the survey.

Mike Pietsch, CEO of Wahoo's Fish Taco, says the restaurant has been searching constantly for skilled applicants since its opening in January.

"Keeping us properly staffed is difficult because the job market is so tough," he said. The current full- and part-time staff of 40 is expected to grow, however, as students look for summer jobs.

The Honolulu job market matches pretty well with the rest of the nation. Of the 16,000 employers surveyed nationwide, 31 percent expect to add to their payrolls between July and September, while 6 percent expect to reduce staff levels. Additionally, 57 percent of U.S. employers expect no change in the hiring pace, while 6 percent are still undecided.

Reach Christine Terada at cterada@honoluluadvertiser.com .