Job Candidates have ‘The EDGE’
 
If you’ve attempted to hire additional staff recently, you know it can be quite a challenge. In fact, nine out of 10 employers surveyed by our company said it is equally or more difficult to locate qualified candidates today compared to a year ago. But how do job seekers view the market? Do they recognize their advantage? To gain a better understanding of how both employers and job applicants see the current hiring environment, Robert Half International and CareerBuilder.com recently conducted a third annual study on employment and compensation trends, the results of which are detailed in the Employment Dynamics and Growth Expectations (EDGE) Report. Following are some key findings from the study:
 
Fifty-eight percent of workers said they are more likely to negotiate a better compensation package today compared to 12 months ago. (This is a noteworthy increase from 2006 when only 29 percent of respondents said they would try to negotiate a more lucrative offer.)  
 
More than half (55 percent) of employees polled said their compensation has increased over the last 12 months, compared to 45 percent last year.
 
The top perks that workers said would cause them to choose one job over another were flexible schedules (65 percent), telecommuting options (33 percent), employee stock purchase plans (33 percent) and on-site fitness facilities (31 percent).
 
Put simply, workers today are experiencing the upside of a tight labor market, particularly for professional-level positions and roles requiring advanced technical skills.
Given the current competitive climate — especially for internal auditors — it is critical that organizations place significant emphasis on their recruitment and retention strategies. To keep pace with competitors, companies should increasing compensation to attract and keep top performers, in addition to offering appealing programs and arrangements that aid work-life balance.
 
This article is provided courtesy of Robert Half Management Resources, North America’s largest consulting services firm providing senior-level accounting and finance professionals on a project basis. For further information, visit Robert Half Management Resources’ website at www.roberthalfmr.com or call 1-888-400-7474.