Although Canadians may not have much luck in keeping New Year’s resolutions, that luck may change if they’re job searching. The latest Robert Half International Financial Hiring Index indicates that financial executives will continue to hire through the first quarter of 2007, but at a slower rate than the last quarter of 2006.

The survey includes feedback from more than 270 chief financial officers(CFOs). The CFOs represented a random sampling of companies with 20-plus employees across Canada. An independent research firm conducted the survey, which was developed by Robert Half International.

Of the CFOs surveyed, 5% said they intend to increase their accounting and finance staffs, whereas 3% said they expect to reduce their number of employees. The other 91% are not anticipating any change in their hiring.

Of the 5% who expect to hire in the accounting and finance areas, 67% stated business growth as the reason. This was up from 52% in the fourth quarter survey. And 23% of the financial executives surveyed stated that increasing workloads are the reason to look at hiring more staff.

Of the various industries, the finance industry is forecasted to have the most active hiring in the first quarter. And 20% of finance industry executives surveyed plan to hire staff, while none of them anticipate any employee cutbacks.

To comment on this story email brooke.smith@rci.rogers.com.