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TORONTO, Oct. 23, 2012 /CNW/ - According to the newly released 2013 Salary Guides from Robert Half International, Canadian starting salaries for technology positions in the coming year will show the largest increases among all fields researched -- an average of 4.5 per cent. Administrative and office support professionals are expected to see base compensation rise by 3.9 per cent, on average, and accounting and finance professionals can anticipate a boost of 2.2 per cent.

"Demand for specialised talent continues to persist within many professional occupations, including technology and accounting," said Lara Dodo, a Canadian regional vice president of Robert Half. "As many in-demand positions remain hard to fill, companies need to offer competitive compensation to attract the best employees."

Dodo added, "Staying current on compensation trends can be challenging for busy managers, but our 2013 Salary Guides are a valuable tool organisations can use when recruiting and planning for the upcoming year."

Robert Half has been publishing salary data since 1950. Following is an overview of hiring trends identified in the 2013 Salary Guides:

Accounting and Finance

Starting salaries are expected to rise an average of 2.2 per cent for accounting and finance positions in the coming year, with a particular need for financial analysts who can support growth opportunities, as well as staff and senior accountants. In the healthcare industry, financial professionals with knowledge of health informatics and those who maintain and provide financial data, are being hired to handle initiatives related to the collection of electronic medical information. In financial services, there is demand for risk and compliance professionals who can interpret evolving regulatory requirements.

Technology

Base compensation for information technology professionals is expected to increase an average of 4.5 per cent in the coming year. Mobile applications developers will see the highest increases (an average of 9.0 per cent), as companies look for people to help them build business using mobile media. Network engineers, business intelligence analysts, and senior IT auditors also are in demand.

Administrative and Office Support

Salaries for administrative professionals are anticipated to rise an average of 3.9 per cent in 2013. Employers are refilling some roles and creating new ones to ready themselves for future growth. Positions in demand include executive assistants and customer service representatives. Above-average salary increases also are projected for select administrative positions in the healthcare industry and in human resources.

About the 2013 Salary Guides

The newly released Salary Guides include:

-   2013 Salary Guide from Robert Half for accounting and finance
        (www.roberthalf.ca/salarycentre)

    -   Robert Half Technology 2013 Salary Guide (www.rht.com/salarycentre)

    -   OfficeTeam 2013 Salary Guide (www.officeteam.com/salarycentre)

Salary calculators that can be used to determine average starting salaries in several local markets can be accessed via the links above. The guides also are available at www.rhi.com/SalaryGuides.

Since 1950, Robert Half has produced Salary Guides to offer business owners, hiring managers and professionals information on prevailing starting salaries in their geographic areas and insight into the latest employment trends. Companies consult the annual guides to determine appropriate compensation for accounting and finance, technology and administrative professionals at all levels.

Information in the guides is based on the thousands of job searches, negotiations and placements managed each year by Robert Half's staffing and recruiting managers, along with the company's ongoing surveys of executives. Continuing or ongoing salaries are not reported because many external factors -- such as seniority, work ethic, job performance and training -- impact the salaries of full-time professionals as work histories develop.

About Robert Half International

Robert Half International has more than 350 staffing locations worldwide and offers online job search services on its divisional websites, all of which can be accessed at www.roberthalf.ca. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/RobertHalf_CAN.

SOURCE: Robert Half Canada