Chicago CFOs Expect Increased Hiring In Next Six Months

Survey Finds 92 Percent of Chicago CFOs Confident in Company Growth Prospects

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Apr 02, 2015, 08:10 ET

CHICAGO, April 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The just-released Chicago Professional Employment Forecast from Robert Half indicates 11 percent of Chicago chief financial officers (CFOs) expect their companies to create new jobs in the next six months. This is up 2 points compared to the previous six-month period. Another 76 percent plan to hire for open roles.

CFOs were asked, "What are your company's hiring plans for full-time, professional-level employees in the next six months?" Their responses:

	Sept. 2014 – Feb. 2015	March – Aug. 2015*
Expanding – adding new positions	9%	11%
Maintaining – only filling vacated positions	79%	76%
Freezing – not filling vacated positions or creating new ones	9%	11%
Reducing – eliminating positions	2%	2%
Don't know/no answer	1%	1%
*Responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding.

"The intensified demand for highly skilled professionals is resulting in a shortage of accounting and finance candidates in Chicago, particularly within the real estate, manufacturing and professional services industries," said Marilyn Bird, district president for Robert Half in Chicago. "Companies are beginning to recognize the need to strengthen recruiting efforts to hire the most qualified candidates. Increasingly, firms are offering higher starting salaries, sign-on bonuses and nonmonetary perks, such as remote work opportunities."

Recruiting Challenges
Organizations looking to add staff may face difficulties, Robert Half's research shows. Sixty percent of Chicago CFOs surveyed said it's somewhat or very challenging to find skilled candidates for professional-level positions today.

Staffing issues remain a concern for companies. In a study by Protiviti and the Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Initiative at the North Carolina State University Poole College of Management, board members and senior executives cited the ability to attract and retain top talent as one of the top risks facing their businesses. The majority of respondents, 56 percent, felt it had a significant impact on their organizations.

Business Confidence
According to the Professional Employment Forecast, Chicago CFOs are optimistic about their companies' growth. Ninety-two percent of executives reported being somewhat or very confident in their companies' prospects for growth in the next six months. This is unchanged from the previous six months.

About the Professional Employment Forecast
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 reflect a two-period rolling average based on interviews with 200 CFOs from a stratified random sample of companies in the Chicago 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.

About Robert Half
Founded in 1948, Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm. The Menlo Park, Calif.-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.

Robert Half is also the parent company of Protiviti, a global consulting firm.

SOURCE Robert Half