Six percent of CFOs plan to hire full-time accounting and finance employees during the third quarter of 2010, while 9% anticipate staff reductions. The majority of respondents (83%) in the Robert Half Financial Hiring Index said they do not expect to make changes to their personnel levels.

While the projected net 3% decrease is down slightly from the second- quarter forecast, 84% of CFOs said they are very or somewhat confident in their firms' growth prospects for the next three months, the same figure reported the previous quarter.

By region, the West South Central states should experience the most active hiring in the third quarter, survey results show. Twelve percent of CFOs anticipate adding full-time accounting and finance staff, and 6% plan to decrease personnel levels, yielding a net 6% of companies planning to hire in the next three months.

By industry, CFOs in transportation are most optimistic about their hiring plans for the third quarter, with a net 5% forecasting personnel increases. Hiring among manufacturing firms also is expected to outpace the national average, with a net 3% of executives in the sector anticipating adding staff.