St. Louis CFOs Report Second-Quarter Hiring Plans

ST. LOUIS, March 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Fourteen percent of chief financial officers (CFOs) in the St. Louis area expect to add new professional-level positions in the second quarter, according to the St. Louis Professional Employment Forecast from Robert Half. Another 69 percent said they will not be adding new positions but will fill roles that open in the next three months. Fifteen percent of respondents will not be hiring, even to fill an open position, and 2 percent plan to reduce staff levels.

The Professional Employment Forecast was developed by Robert Half, the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm. The survey was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on interviews with more than 100 CFOs from the St. Louis area at companies with 20 or more employees who were asked about their hiring plans for professional-level positions in the coming quarter.

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

"There is a general sense of optimism within businesses in the St. Louis area about the strong local economic climate, and their plans to hire additional staff reflect that positive outlook," said Melinda Alison, regional vice president for Robert Half in St. Louis. "As companies look to hire, professionals with highly specialized skills, such as data analysis, are increasingly in short supply -- particularly in the financial services, healthcare and manufacturing industries."

Founded in 1948, Robert Half International, the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm, is a recognized leader in professional staffing services. The company's specialized staffing divisions include Accountemps, Robert Half Finance & Accounting and Robert Half Management Resources, for temporary, full-time and senior-level project professionals, respectively, in the fields of accounting and finance; OfficeTeam, for highly skilled office and administrative support professionals; Robert Half Technology, for information technology professionals; Robert Half Legal, for legal personnel; and The Creative Group, for interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals. Robert Half International has staffing and consulting operations in more than 400 locations worldwide. Find more information at roberthalf.com, and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/roberthalf.

Note to editors: To speak with a local expert on employment trends in the St. Louis area, please contact Meghan Lockhart at (206) 749-0960.

SOURCE Robert Half International