FORT MYERS, Fla. - The job forecast in Southwest Florida is about to get worse. According to a new survey Fort Myers and Cape Coral rank number one with the weakest job outlook in the country.

The national employment company, Manpower conducted the survey. The survey ranks the areas with the strongest job outlooks and the weakest.

In addition to Fort Myers-Cape Coral, six other Florida cities are among the weakest job markets in the country.

"It's really been pretty rough out there," said Debbie Warner.

Warner is one of the thousands of people in Southwest Florida out of job.

"You got to keep on going. You can't give up," she said.

Even though she canvasses the want ad's and freshens up the resume, still she has hard time landing work.

"This is the toughest situation I've seen in 25 years in this business," said Jim Wall.

Wall is a director at Southwest Florida Workforce Development Board. He works to bring more jobs and job training to our area, but it's hard.

"Southwest Florida is not a very good job market," Wall said.

According this new survey by Manpower, he's right.

Fort Myers-Cape Coral ranks number one for the weakest job outlook in the country.

Naples and Marco Island rank third.

The survey shows only 12% of companies in the area plan on hiring more employees.

28% intend to cut staff.

59% plan to maintain their current workforce.

1% were uncertain.


Helpful tips:
- Be flexible. Re-invent yourself: look at jobs in different industries, move if you have to.
- Be versatile. Sell yourself: explain why you are the best candidate for the job.
- Most importantly, network. Join professional groups and other organizations.

Kathy Ulrich is Director of Human Resources for J.Lodge, which is a national company with headquarters in Fort Myers. Her company is hiring. To land a job with her, she says research and selling your abilities is key.

"Do you homework. Find out what this job is about and what do I have that fits that," Ulrich said.

Here's some good news. Some of the labor groups we talked to say things will at some point turn around for the better.

The states with strongest job outlook are Washington, Alaska, and Texas.