Menlo Park - Chief financial officers expect increased hiring activity in the second quarter, according to a quarterly survey by Robert Half International (NYSE: RHI) of Menlo Park.
Seven percent of executives polled anticipate bringing in full-time employees and 2 percent plan reductions in personnel, the survey says. The net 5 percent increase is up two points from the first-quarter forecast. Fifty-five percent of CFOs who will be hiring say business growth is the driver.
"Companies are eager to take advantage of new business opportunities," says Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International. "Corporate growth, combined with the ongoing need to address regulatory and governance mandates, is resulting in demand for accounting and finance staff."
Mr. Messmer says talent shortages are affecting a growing number of specialty areas within accounting and finance. “Reflecting the competitive market for these professionals, candidates often receive counteroffers when they announce plans to leave their current firms," he says.
Hiring is projected to be strongest in the Southeast, according to the RHI survey. A net 9 percent of CFOs in that region expect to add accounting and finance employees in the coming quarter. Ten percent of respondents said they plan to bring in staff and 1 percent anticipate reductions.
The national poll includes responses from more than 1,400 CFOs from a stratified random sample of U.S. companies with 20 or more employees. An independent research firm conducted it.
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