22 Percent Of Atlanta CFOs Say Their Companies Will Hire For New Positions In Next Six Months
Survey Finds Majority of Companies Experiencing Recruiting Challenges
ATLANTA, Sept. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Twenty-two percent of chief financial officers (CFOs) in the Atlanta area report their companies will be creating new jobs in the next six months, according to the Atlanta Professional Employment Forecast From Robert Half. Sixty-seven percent of finance executives said they will be maintaining personnel levels, adding staff only to fill vacated positions. Five percent of respondents will not be hiring, even to fill an open position, and6 percent plan to reduce staff levels.
The Professional Employment Forecast was developed by Robert Half, the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm, and conducted by an independent research firm. The local results are based on interviews with 100 CFOs from a stratified random sample of companies in the Atlanta area with 20 or more employees. Executives were asked about their hiring and business outlook, including plans to add professional-level employees, for example, staff in the accounting, human resources, administrative, legal, marketing and information technology fields.
CFOs were asked, "What are your company's hiring plans for full-time professional-level employees in the next six months?" Their responses:
| Expanding – adding new positions |
22% |
| Maintaining – only filling vacated positions |
67% |
| Freezing – not filling vacated positions or |
5% |
| Reducing – eliminating positions |
6% |
| Don't know/no answer |
1% |
| 101%* |
*Responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding.
View an infographic featuring the survey results.
"Since late in the first quarter, we have been hearing from hiring managers that demand is significantly outpacing the supply of skilled accounting and finance candidates," said Andy Decker, senior regional president for Robert Half in Atlanta. "Even employers that are finding candidates have missed out on hiring them due to a lengthy interview process or below-market salaries. Highly skilled candidates often receive multiple job offers, especially for roles such as financial analyst, business analyst, senior accountant and controller."
Recruiting Challenges
The survey results suggest organizations looking to expand and add staff may face difficulties. The majority of CFOs surveyed, 63 percent, said it is at least somewhat challenging to find skilled candidates for professional-level positions today.
Business Confidence
Executives are optimistic about their business prospects. More than nine in 10 (93 percent) CFOs expressed confidence in their company's growth potential for the next six months, with 43 percent of respondents saying they are very confident.
Spotlight on Salary Negotiations
In another sign the job market is heating up, many employers appear to be negotiating more frequently with top job candidates. Forty percent of respondents said they're more willing to negotiate salaries than they were 12 months ago, compared to just 9 percent who are less willing.
About Robert Half
Founded in 1948, Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm. The Menlo Park-based company has more than 340 staffing locations worldwide and offers online job search and management tools at roberthalf.com. For career and management advice, follow our blog at blog.roberthalf.com.
Note to editors: To speak with a local expert on employment trends in the Atlanta area, please contact Lisa Montagna at (727) 576-7717.
SOURCE Robert Half
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