1Q hiring planned by 6% of Providence-area CFOs

PROVIDENCE – Six percent of local chief financial officers plan to boost hiring of accounting and finance staff in the first quarter, while 82 percent plan no change in staffing, according to the latest Robert Half International Financial Hiring Index.
Nationwide, 9 percent of CFOs plan to add staff in the first quarter, 8 percent expect to pare workers and 82 percent plan no change, the staffing-services company added.
“Many companies are maintaining current staffing levels, waiting for evidence of a stronger economy before expanding the size of their teams,” said Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International (NYSE: RHI), which has been tracking U.S. financial hiring activity since 1992. “In the meantime, some employers are opting to bring in skilled accounting professionals on a temporary basis to help maintain productivity and ensure high-priority projects are completed.”
The U.S. report is based on telephone interviews, conducted by an independent research firm, of more than 1,400 CFOs nationwide. Local results are a two-quarter rolling average, based on interviews with 200 CFOs from a random sample of Providence-area companies with 20 or more employees, the firm said.
“Positions in demand include credit and collections specialists, who help firms manage credit risk and collect outstanding receivables; public accountants, who assist clients with their accounting, tax and audit needs; and staff and senior accountants, whom companies depend on to oversee fundamental – and indispensable – accounting functions,” Messmer said.
Robert Half International (NYSE: RHI), founded in 1948, provides accounting, finance and information technology staffing services through its Web site and more than 360 offices around the world. Its financial staffing divisions include Accountemps, Robert Half Finance & Accounting and Robert Half Management Resources. To learn more, visit www.rhi.com.