Canadian employers are laying out the welcome mat for new hirings.Matthew Sherwood/The Globe and Mail
After months in which part-time jobs and self employment represented the bulk of job creation, a new survey points to a welcome trend toward increased professional hiring in Canada.
"Definitely the trend has changed over the year. In the first quarter of the year, just 10 per cent of executives expected to hire and 7 per cent anticipated staff cuts. For the fourth quarter of this year, 17 per cent are planning active hiring and just 2 per cent plan reductions," said Mike Gooley, regional vice-president of Robert Half Canada, which commissioned the survey of 1,000 executives in a range of industries.
Over all, 87 per cent of the executives said they are confident that their companies will grow between now and the end of the year.
"Locating the right candidates appears to have be more difficult than it has been all year, with 48 per cent of managers saying it's challenging to find professionals with the right skills today," Mr. Gooley said.
Executives in finance, insurance and real estate are most expansionist, with 31 per cent saying they expect to hire over the next three months.
About a quarter of those surveyed in transportation and retail said they plan to hire; 22 per cent in wholesale, and 13 per cent in business and professional services.
The weakest industry for growth is construction, with 6 per cent of executives expecting to take on staff and 5 per cent expecting to make cuts.
When asked to identify the type of staff who are hardest to find, many of the employers described the need for people who have a track record and experience using the latest technology and software.
"It's clear from the descriptions that candidates who are up-to-date with the latest in their field are in the most demand," Mr. Gooley said. Many of the jobs on the most-wanted list are in specialties. For example, in law they are in areas such as litigation and intellectual property.
While this might suggest that specialization is the key to landing jobs now, people who can highlight their transferrable skills and are willing to research specific needs in their industry will find more opportunities, he said.
"Because so many employers are saying they have difficulty finding candidates with all the skill and experience they want, it's important to do some research about the positions and specific technological qualifications are in demand. So, network to discover how your transferrable skills can fit a role [the employer]may be having difficulty filling," Mr. Gooley advised.
"If you don't have all the technical experience they require, at least be conversant with the requirements and highlight skills with examples of your ability to learn and adapt in the past," he added.
The survey also asked about year-end bonuses for employees and found that 62 per cent of the companies that gave bonuses last year will give as much this year, and 20 per cent said they will give higher amounts. However, that may not mean much for the majority of employees. Only 34 per cent of those surveyed said they gave bonuses last year.
IN-DEMAND JOBS
Advertising and marketing
User experience designers: Specialists in visual elements for online presentations.
Web designers: Especially creators of interactive websites.
Graphic producers: High demand for designers with expertise in Adobe Creative Suite 5.
Accounting and finance
Accounting managers: Analysts with experience in accounts payable and receivable are in highest demand.
Payroll administrators: Specialists should be able to establish and implement innovative policies.
Business systems analysts: Especially those who combine finance and information technology expertise.
Technology
Network administrators: Knowledge of cloud computing and virtualization required.
SharePoint developers: Client and intranet business-collaboration systems developers are highly sought after.
Desktop support professionals: Help desk and client-support staff, required on full-time as well as project basis.
Legal
Corporate law staff: Lawyers and support professionals with a broad background in business law.
Litigation specialists: Including associates, law clerks, paralegals and legal secretaries with backgrounds in labour relations and employment, commercial litigation and insurance defence.
Intellectual property experts: Includes lawyers and patent agents with experience in patent filings.
Source: Robert Half Canada survey of 1,000 Canadian executives