career DEVELOPMENT
Executives Weigh In On First-Quarter Hiring Outlook
T
en percent of executives interviewed for the Robert Half Professional Em-
ployment Report (
http://www.roberthalf. us/per) said they plan to increase the num- ber of full-time employees in professional occupations in the first quarter of 2011, while 5 percent anticipate declines. The resulting net 5 percent¹ increase in expect- ed hiring activity is down one point from the fourth-quarter 2010 forecast. More than half (51 percent) of execu-
tives said it is at least somewhat challeng- ing for their companies to find skilled pro- fessionals, a four-point increase from the previous quarter. Optimism among execu- tives also rose: 88 percent of respondents said they had at least some confidence in the growth prospects for their companies, up from 86 percent in the fourth-quarter survey.
Key Findings
„ A net 5 percent of executives plan to add professional-level staff in the first quarter of 2011.
„ More than half (51 percent) of respondents² said it is challenging to find skilled professionals today.
„ Eighty-eight percent of executives said they are at least somewhat confident in their organizations’ ability to grow in the first quarter, including 40 percent who are very confident. „ Businesses in the West South Central³ states project the most hiring activity, with a net 13 percent of execu- tives from this region planning to add professional-level staff in the first quarter.
„ Companies in the professional services industry expect the most active hiring in the first quarter, with a net 7 percent of executives anticipating staff additions.
„ The legal field is again expected to see the strongest hiring, with a net 30 percent of respondents planning to increase staff levels. The Robert Half Professional Employ-
ment Report is the first quarterly execu- tive survey of its size and scope to focus exclusively on professional-level hiring. The survey is based on telephone inter- views with more than 4,000 executives from a variety of fields4
throughout the
United States about their hiring plans and general level of optimism regarding the upcoming quarter. “Many companies operating with re-
duced staff levels are bringing in rein- forcements to relieve their overworked teams,” said Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International. “While some firms are backfilling positions out of necessity, businesses also are hiring to ac- commodate anticipated growth in 2011.”
Professional-Level Hiring -- By Region
Executives surveyed in the West South
Central states predict the strongest hiring activity, with a net 13 percent of hiring managers planning to add staff. “Led by the manufacturing and oil and gas sectors, companies in the West South Central are beginning to dedicate more of their bud- gets to hiring needs,” Messmer said. “Firms in the region also report above- average confidence in their growth pros- pects.”
38 PROFESSIONAL WOMAN’S MULTICULTURAL MAGAZINE
CELEBRATING 11 YEARS OF DIVERSITY
WWW.PROFESSIONALWOMANMAG.COM
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