US Hiring Plans and Challenges 2024

Over half (57%) of hiring managers are recruiting for new roles, mostly to support company growth. Job openings remain high, and organizations are primed to move ahead with strategic initiatives. 

But there aren’t enough candidates for all open roles, fueling competition for top talent. While most managers take longer to hire now than a year ago, they risk losing out on potential employees and delaying projects if they don’t speed up. 

At Robert Half, we know talent. This report can help you navigate the nuances of today’s challenging labor market to make the best decisions for your company’s unique hiring needs. Schedule a walk-through with one of our talent solutions professionals today.

Job growth is slowing slightly amid lingering economic uncertainty — but still beating analysts’ expectations. The unemployment rate remains near historic lows, and fewer workers are quitting their jobs to pursue new opportunities.

Jul
2023 Aug
2023 Sep
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2023 Nov
2023 Dec
2023 Jul
2023 Aug
2023 Sep
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2023

Organizations of all sizes are hiring for new roles in the first half of 2024, especially midsize and large companies. However, 90% of managers report difficulty finding skilled talent — with over a third (34%) saying it’s very challenging. 

Hiring for
new roles Hiring for
vacated
roles Freezing hiring/
eliminating
roles Hiring for
new roles Hiring for
vacated
roles Freezing hiring/
eliminating
roles

Business
services Professional
services Manufacturing
& distribution Consumer
products Healthcare Finance &
insurance Information
technology Government Real estate Educational
services Business
services Professional
services Manufacturing
& distribution Consumer
products Healthcare Finance &
insurance Information
technology Government Real estate Educational
services

Entry-level Entry-level

Managerial Managerial

Director and above Director and above

Company growth Employee turnover Addressing
skill gaps Seasonal needs Recruiting top
talent from
layoffs Company growth Employee turnover Addressing
skill gaps Seasonal needs Recruiting top
talent from
layoffs

We know talent and want to help

Find skilled candidates and learn how to create a scalable staffing strategy. Schedule a walk-through

Hiring top choices
before competitors
do Finding people
with the required
skills Finding people
who align with
company culture Meeting
applicants’ salary
expectations Hiring top choices
before competitors
do Finding people
with the required
skills Finding people
who align with
company culture Meeting
applicants’ salary
expectations

Industry calculations are based on job postings provided by Textkernel. Positions are categorized into more than 450 job titles within Robert Half’s 2024 Salary Guide using a proprietary mapping methodology that employs state-of-the-art large language models. This dataset includes roles across the finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, administrative and customer support, human resources, and healthcare support professions. 

Sources: Current Population Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Jan. 5, 2024. Percentages reflect unemployment rates for select positions that were near or below the national unemployment rate at the end of the fourth quarter 2023. 

The Employment Situation — January 2024, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Feb. 2, 2024 

Job Openings and Labor Turnover — December 2023, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Jan. 30, 2024 

Surveys were developed by Robert Half and conducted by independent research firms. Results may not total 100% due to rounding or allowing for multiple responses. Respondents included executives, hiring managers and workers from small (20-99 employees), medium (100-999 employees) and large (1,000+ employees) businesses in private, publicly listed and public sector organizations across the United States.