The economy isn’t doing too well, but that hasn’t hurt the hiring picture for Yellow Pages and local search sales pros, according to YP veteran Ken Clark, who put out an interesting promo for his recruitment firm, Hawthorne Executive Search.

Clark says hiring via Hawthorne is up 25 percent in 2008. Publishers continue to expand in both print and local search, with SEO/SEM experts in especially high demand, as well as community managers.

Churn at pure local search adverting providers remains high, adds Clark. But that doesn’t necessarily mean sales slots are quickly filled. He notes that candidates can’t sell houses to relocate, they can’t pay for gas for jobs that are farther from home, they run away from uncertain entrepreneurial opportunities, and they see all the negative industry press.