Positive hiring forecast
Posted Jul 20, 2010 03:35:32 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Hiring continues to outpace staffing reductions, according to the latest survey by Robert Half International. The survey suggests 13% of executives plan to hire in this quarter compared to just 5% that anticipate cuts. The net 8% increase is down from the prior quarter’s forecast but 85% of respondents expressed confidence in growth prospects for their companies.
“This is a huge sign of optimism,” says Dianne Hunnam-Jones, President, Toronto District, Robert Half International. “Two quarters back-to-back of positive optimism from a hiring perspective certainly talks to an economy that is nicely coming out of the recession.” Robert Half’s second quarter survey showed a net 15% increase in hiring expectations.
Demand is being seen across several sectors, including accounting and finance, technology and advertising and marketing. “That was another surprise for us,” Hunnam-Jones indicates. “(To see) a nice increase in confidence as well as potential hiring (in the advertising and marketing sector).”
What did not surprise Hunnam-Jones was the recovery in the manufacturing sector which, along with finance, insurance and real estate, plans to do the most hiring of all industries surveyed. “It (manufacturing) was beaten up so badly over the last few years with the recession,” Hunnam-Jones explains. “(There were) deep cuts, lots of layoffs and production lines stopped. Suddenly now as consumer confidence increases and businesses start growing there’s more demand and it (manufacturing) is typically the first sector you see picking up quite nicely.”
Whether in recovery or recession, Hunnam-Jones says “soft skills” and the right “fit” with a company remain important. “Are you a good communicator, can you work well in a team? Those things are still very important as companies look for a specific skill set.” More than half of executives surveyed (51%) said it is challenging to find skilled professionals today.
Hunnam-Jones also suggests we’re beginning to see a “levelling off” of employment numbers after companies went through an initial wave of post-recession hiring. While hiring continues, she believes there’s a real analysis of the job market happening. “If it’s (hiring) not happening in the full-time sector it’s definitely happening in the temporary and project professional place.”
