According to recent research by OI Partners-Venturion,:
QUALITIES EMPLOYERS ARE SEEKING IN NEW WORKERS:

Related experience in their industries: (chosen by 77% of survey respondents)

Team-oriented: 71%

Customer-focused: 63%

Track record for achieving employer’s goals: 62%

Work smart: 60%

Work hard: 56%

Can add value in indirect non-financial ways: 46%

Can make immediate impact on bottom line: 39%

TYPES OF WORKERS BEING HIRED:

General operations: 67%

Sales: 40%

Information technology: 35%

Administration: 30%

Finance: 26%

Human resources: 16%

Legal: 7%

WAYS EMPLOYERS ARE HIRING WORKERS:

Recruiting through LinkedIn more often this year than 2010: 44%

Posting more jobs on their company websites: 36%

More frequently using employee referrals: 32%

Using more contract and temporary-to-permanent workers: 25%

Using local candidates more often: 22%

Using Facebook more to recruit workers: 19%

HOW QUICKLY HIRING DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE:

About the same amount of time as last year: 63%

Taking longer to hire employees: 32%

Taking less time to hire workers: 5%