If you’re looking to switch your job, you might be in luck — over half of Canadian companies will be hiring aggressively in the first half of 2023.
According to a survey done by business consulting firm Robert Half, 51% of businesses plan to add permanent positions and 65% are hoping to add contract positions.
Robert Half conducted the survey between October 20 and November 2 last year, and only companies with 20 or more staffers were included in it.
All the managers surveyed had hiring responsibilities in departments such as finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, administrative, and customer support.
CNW Group/Robert Half Canada
Of 1,149 managers surveyed, 51% said they were going to hire for new permanent roles. Just six months ago, only 40% of them planned to do so. An additional 42% are expecting to fill vacated positions.
“Managers in administration and customer service (62%) and marketing and creative (60%) have the greatest full-time staffing needs,” Robert Half’s report revealed.
Only 1% of companies said they were eliminating positions this year, and 6% were going to freeze hiring altogether. Compared to the last six months of 2022, these numbers have lowered by 1% and 2%, respectively.
On average, nine out of 10 managers said they experience difficulty finding skilled, talented professionals. Plus, on average, it can take up to 14 weeks to hire for a position, which might explain the need for an early start this year. In 2021, it took only around eight weeks to complete the same task.
Most companies, the study found, hold four rounds of interviews on average to assess a candidate.
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Companies’ Plans for Hiring Permanent Staff |
|||
|
First Half 2022 |
Second Half 2022 |
First Half 2023 |
|
|
Hiring for new roles |
49 % |
40 % |
51 % |
|
Hiring for vacated positions |
45 % |
50 % |
42 % |
|
Freezing hiring |
5 % |
8 % |
6 % |
|
Eliminating positions |
1 % |
2 % |
1 % |
“The start of the new year is an especially robust time for hiring, as new projects begin and headcount budgets are confirmed to support fresh business goals,” Robert Half Senior Managing Director David King said. “Employers should be prepared to offer competitive salaries, perks, and benefits to attract and retain top talent in this continuing tight labour market.”
If you’re hoping to line up some interviews, here’s what employers are looking for, aside from your main skill set:
- Timeliness and professionalism during interviews
- Knowledge of the company
- Passion for the company’s mission
Though assessing a candidate properly is a long process, King notes that drawn-out hiring processes can also be “an obstacle in securing top talent, who may lose interest or accept another offer if the timeline is not streamlined.”
“Companies need to balance efficiency with the due diligence required for a successful hire,” he concluded.
After a huge surge in mass layoffs across the world, news of more aggressive hiring plans in Canada comes as a relief.