Chief financial officers in Detroit and Philadelphia plan the most hiring in the next six months, each with 25 percent planning to add new professional-level positions, according to new professional employment forecasts from Robert Half. CFOs in Houston followed with 24 percent planning to add staff. At the other end of the spectrum, only 9 percent of Chicago-area CFOs plan to add professional-level positions.

The Robert Half survey asked CFOs: “What are your company's hiring plans for full-time professional-level employees in the next six months?” The percentage of CFOs who responded they are expanding/adding new positions include:

• Atlanta: 22 percent
• Boston: 17 percent
• Chicago: 9 percent
• Cincinnati: 16 percent
• Cleveland/Akron/Canton: 15 percent
• Dallas/Fort Worth: 19 percent
• Denver: 19 percent
• Des Moines: 17 percent
• Detroit: 25 percent
• Houston: 24 percent
• Los Angeles: 20 percent
• Miami/Fort Lauderdale: 23 percent
• Minneapolis/St. Paul: 17 percent
• New York City: 22 percent
• Philadelphia: 25 percent
• Phoenix: 15 percent
• Salt Lake City: 20 percent
• San Francisco Bay Area: 16 percent
• Seattle/Tacoma: 18 percent
• St. Louis: 13 percent
• Washington, D.C.: 17 percent

The professional employment forecasts were developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. The local results are based on interviews with 100 CFOs from a sample of companies in the area with 20 or more employees.