Chief financial officers (CFOs) foresee a net 14 percent increase in the
hiring of accounting and finance professionals in the third quarter of 2000,
a gain of five percentage points from the second quarter forecast, according
to the just-released Robert Half International Financial Hiring Index.
Sixteen percent of CFOs surveyed said their firms plan to expand their
accounting and finance departments in the next three months and only 2
percent anticipate personnel reductions. Eighty-one percent of executives
expect no change in staffing activity.

The national poll includes responses from 1,400 CFOs from a stratified
random sample of companies with 20 or more employees. It was conducted by an
independent research firm and developed by Robert Half International Inc.,
the world's largest staffing services firm specializing in the accounting,
finance and information technology fields.

"The significant increase in hiring expectations for the third quarter
reflects continued business expansion nationwide," said Max Messmer,
chairman and CEO of Robert Half International. "Both start-ups and more
established companies require accounting professionals to analyze their
current financial performance and help position their firms for long-term
competitiveness."

Accounting and Financial Hiring -- By Region

CFOs in the Middle Atlantic (New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania) states
anticipate the strongest employment gains in the third quarter. Twenty-two
percent of executives expect to add accounting and finance personnel and 2
percent foresee cutbacks, for a net hiring increase of 20 percent. "The
region's manufacturing and finance, insurance and real estate sectors are
expanding," Messmer said. "Firms in these industries are in particular need
of employees skilled at managing financial transactions, including accounts
receivable and payable professionals and staff accountants."

Financial executives in the Pacific (Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon,
Washington) states are also optimistic about hiring activity in the next
three months. Twenty-two percent of executives plan to expand their
accounting and finance departments and 3 percent forecast reductions, for a
net 19 percent increase in hiring. "Business growth is strong throughout the
region, creating a need for financial talent at all levels, from payroll
clerks and collections staff to cost accountants and accounting managers,"
Messmer said.

The West South Central (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas) region will
also see staffing growth above the national average, according to the
survey. Seventeen percent of CFOs anticipate adding accounting and finance
staff and none foresee a decline.

Accounting and Financial Hiring -- By Industry

The business services (includes advertising, personnel, repair and
recreation services) and finance, insurance and real estate (FIRE) sectors
forecast the strongest employment growth in the third quarter.

Twenty-six percent of CFOs at business services firms plan to add accounting
and finance personnel and none foresee cutbacks. In the FIRE industry, 27
percent of executives project staff expansion and 2 percent expect a
reduction, for a net hiring increase of 25 percent.

Staffing activity is also forecast to exceed the national average in the
manufacturing sector, where CFOs anticipate a net 17 percent increase in
hiring, and in the construction industry, where executives foresee a net
hiring increase of 15 percent.

-- Article courtesy of Robert Half International Inc., which has more than
270 locations in North America, Europe and Australia, and offers online job
search services at http://www.rhii.com.