Earlier this month Robert Half International released its Financial Hiring Index for the third quarter of 2008, which showed that there will soon be an increase in Washington, D.C. accounting jobs.

The Index showed that a net 7 percent of chief financial officers (CFOs) in the area are planning to add to their existing of staff numbers.

Of the CFOs surveyed, 11 percent said that they plan to hire accounting and finance professionals before the fourth quarter. Another 4 percent stated that they expect to decrease the number of people employed by them in this sector.

Although the resulting 7 percent increase in the number of CFOs planning to hire in the D.C. area means that there will be more accounting jobs, the expectation of new positions is down 3 points from the previous quarter. Despite this, this industry is doing better in the D.C. metro area than it is elsewhere in the country. The third quarter hiring estimation shows that the city is above the national average by 7 points.

“While the job market has become more competitive in a number of fields, demand for skilled accounting and finance professionals is holding steady,” Mac Messmer, CEO and chairman of Robert Half International, recently stated. “In fact, for many key positions, it remains a challenge to find experienced candidates.”

To get the results of the Index, 200 local CFOs were randomly selected and asked to comment on their plans for hiring and firing in the coming quarter. All of those who participated worked in offices that had 20 or more employees. In order to determine industry expectations nationally, 1,400 CFOs were polled. The survey, which was developed by the company, was conducted by an independent research firm.

Robert Half, which is the world’s largest staffing services corporation specializing in accounting and finance, has been following the industry’s hiring expectations since 1992.

Labels: Washington D.C. accounting jobs