CFOs Report On Second Quarter Hiring Plans
Majority of Companies Expect No Change in Accounting and Finance Staff Levels
MENLO PARK, CA -- A net 2 percent of chief financial officers (CFOs) interviewed for the Robert Half
International Financial Hiring Index predict decreases in accounting and finance personnel in the second quarter
of 2009, with most (86 percent) executives reporting a desire to maintain current staff levels for the next three
months. Five percent of respondents indicated they plan to add full-time employees while 7 percent expect
staff reductions.
The Robert Half International Financial Hiring Index is based on telephone interviews with more than 1,400
CFOs across the United States. It was conducted by an independent research firm and developed by Robert Half
International, the world’s first and largest staffing services firm specializing in accounting and finance. Robert
Half has been tracking financial hiring activity since 1992.
“Businesses are increasingly reluctant to hire in the current environment, choosing instead to maintain staff
levels until they see definitive signs of an improving economy,” said Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of
Robert Half International. “Companies that are hiring are more selective because they can be -- there is a larger
pool of skilled applicants available. As a result, employers are taking extra time to identify and hire the best
available person for each open position.”
Even with higher unemployment rates, however, some financial executives continue to report difficulty finding
highly skilled professionals for certain functional areas. Twenty-five percent of CFOs interviewed cited
accounting positions as the most difficult to fill, and 19 percent said they experience the greatest challenges
when hiring for finance roles.
Accounting and Finance Hiring -- By Region
CFOs in the West South Central states expect the most hiring activity in the second quarter. A net 4 percent of
CFOs in the region project additional hiring of full-time acc