San Francisco Bay Area CFOs Reveal Hiring Plans For Next Six Months

Survey Finds 94 Percent of Executives Are Somewhat or Very Confident in Their Companies' Growth Prospects

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Apr 02, 2015, 08:10 ET

SAN FRANCISCO, April 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The just-released San Francisco Bay Area Professional Employment Forecast from Robert Half indicates 15 percent of San Francisco Bay Area chief financial officers (CFOs) expect their companies to create new jobs in the next six months. Another 74 percent of executives 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	16%	15%
Maintaining – only filling vacated positions	77%	74%
Freezing – not filling vacated positions or creating new ones	7%	9%
Reducing – eliminating positions	0%	2%
Don't know/no answer	0%	0%

"San Francisco Bay Area businesses are looking to attract top candidates in a variety of ways. Professionals at various levels are in high demand, particularly those skilled in accounting, finance, administration and technology," said Sharon Black, senior district president for Robert Half in the San Francisco Bay Area. "Many companies are focused on recruitment and retention, as firms in the financial services, technology and healthcare sectors, as well as mid- to late-stage start-ups, continue to lock down the most in-demand candidates. Highly skilled job seekers are typically weighing multiple offers and receiving competitive compensation packages."

Recruiting Challenges
Organizations looking to add staff may face difficulties, Robert Half's research shows. Fifty-six percent of San Francisco Bay Area 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, San Francisco Bay Area CFOs are optimistic about their companies' growth. Ninety-four percent of executives reported being somewhat or very confident in their companies' prospects for growth in the next 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 San Francisco Bay 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