Increased Unfilled Positions Indicates Hiring Plans Remain High

Companies Looking to Fill Higher-Level Accounting, Finance and IT Positions in 2015

CHICAGO, Illinois (Dec. 23, 2014) — More companies are reporting an increased number of open accounting, finance and IT positions, signifying recent gains in business and a healthy work climate, according to a published study by search, staffing, and management resources firm, BRILLIANT.

The Brilliant™ Q1 2015 Accounting, Finance and IT Hiring Forecast produced in conjunction with Dr. Richard Curtin, Director, Surveys of Consumers at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) includes data collected between Nov. 11, 2014, and Nov. 25, 2014, from close to 300 human resources professionals and hiring managers.

The research shows 30 percent (up from 28 percent last quarter) of companies in the study reported vacant accounting/finance positions, and 37 percent (up from 33 percent) reported unfilled IT positions. The majority of companies reported one to three unfilled accounting/finance positions while 14 percent stated their IT staff had at least four positions open.

“While the majority of companies expected their hiring plans to remain unchanged in the coming year, most planned a constant (high) number of new hires,” explains Dr. Curtin. “Given companies in recent years needed to replenish their staffs from the downsizing that occurred during the Great Recession, the fact that hiring has remained unchanged at that same higher rate is good news.”

Economic Improvement Continues
Nearly half of the study participants (48 percent) indicated that the overall economic position of their company had improved during the past year, up from 36 percent at the same time last year. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) anticipated continued economic growth in the year ahead, significantly above 43 percent reported in the same quarter last year.

Types of Unfilled Positions
20 percent of study participants reported their open positions were mainly in corporate accounting roles such as financial analysts, staff accountants and internal auditors. For unfilled IT positions, it was evenly split between database administration (13 percent) and network administration (13 percent).

Temporary and Contract Professionals
15 percent of study participants said their companies were planning to increase the number of temporary or contract accounting/finance professionals from what they were already utilizing, and 18 percent planned to increase the hiring of temporary or contract employees for IT — in the coming year.

“This signifies that many companies have the confidence and budgets to invest in projects,” says BRILLIANT CEO James Wong, CPA (Inactive). “Overall, the data provides solid evidence that companies are expecting growth in the number of new hires during the year ahead.”

About the Brilliant™ Accounting, Finance and IT Hiring Forecast
Since 2012, BRILLIANT, along with Dr. Richard Curtin, Director, Surveys of Consumers, at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, publishes a quarterly report analyzing the hiring trends and economic factors affecting the accounting, finance and IT professions.

About BRILLIANT
BRILLIANT is a search, staffing and management resources firm specializing in the accounting, finance and IT professions. The BRILLIANT name and logo come from the Chinese translation for the sun and the moon and when combined create a heightened awareness or a brilliant state of mind. BRILLIANT uses that awareness to meet the expectations of it clients, candidates and colleagues. To learn more, call 312.582.1800, visit www.BrilliantFS.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+.

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