Hiring prospects for new finance or accountancy professionals seem positive after a quarter of companies surveyed in a global survey of human resources and finance managers said they expect to add staff this year.

Robert Half International’s fourth annual Financial Hiring Index, which surveyed 2,739 Human Resources and Finance Managers in nine countries found that companies in the Czech Republic (34%) and Italy (33%) are the most likely to expand their finance departments this year.

Accountants (26%) are in most demand in finance departments around the world, particularly in New Zealand and the Czech Republic.

Ian Graves, managing director continental Europe, Robert Half International, said: “Although the recruitment market is looking the strongest it has for years, the underlying message from our research is that companies are becoming very selective over potential recruits.

“With growth slowing in the US economy, we can expect the rest of the world to take a more cautious approach towards future recruitment but that does not appear to have impacted the market to date.”

The index covers plans for recruitment, shortage of positions, factors driving recruitment and impact of a company’s brand on recruitment.

The annual survey is carried out in Australia, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.