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CFOs, CIOs Expect Hiring Increases in Q1

December 14, 2011

Chief financial officers and chief information officers expect hiring to improve in the first quarter of 2012, according to surveys included in The Robert Half Professional Employment Report.

Twenty percent of the more than 1,400 executives interviewed for the Robert Half financial hiring index said they plan to add full-time accounting and finance employees, while 11 percent forecast staff decreases. The resulting net 9 percent increase is up four points from the fourth-quarter survey and represents the third consecutive quarter of sequential growth. The Mountain and New England regions are projected to see the most active first quarter hiring.

Meanwhile, financial recruiting is becoming more difficult, with 68 percent of executives reporting challenges, up from 59 percent in the fourth quarter and 41 percent in the third quarter.

Twenty percent of the more than 1,400 technology executives interviewed for the IT hiring index and skills report said they plan to expand their IT departments, while 10 percent expect cutbacks. This net 10 percent increase is up four points from the fourth quarter’s projections.

Eighty-eight percent of CIOs are confident in their companies’ growth prospects in the next three months. However, 73 percent say it’s challenging to find skilled professionals, up 7 points from the fourth quarter. Networking and IT security professionals, most in demand, also were the most difficult to fill.