Although some organizations have had to lay off employees and implement hiring freezes in response to the recession, many Chicago associations continue to fill new and vacant positions in spite of it, according to a new survey from the Association Forum of Chicagoland. The CEO Employment Survey asked 101 Forum CEO members about current hiring practices in their associations. It found that while 26 percent of associations have conducted a reduction in force (RIF) during the past six months, nearly three-quarters of them (74 percent) had not. What's more, only 12 percent of associations expect a future RIF.
Likewise, only 22 percent of associations have implemented a hiring freeze in response to the economy; 78 percent, on the other hand, have avoided hiring freezes and therefore continue to recruit when they have positions to fill.
While the survey suggests job stability for a majority of association professionals, it also indicates limited job opportunities for those currently seeking employment, as just 22 percent of organizations said they currently have open positions. Job prospects are most limited for executives and most promising for managerial staff, according to the survey, which also found:
- 27 percent of associations reporting an RIF have eliminated executive-level positions, while 20 percent with open positions are currently filling executive posts;
- 46 percent of associations reporting an RIF have eliminated managerial positions, while 66 percent with open positions are filling them;
- 42 percent of associations reporting an RIF have eliminated programmatic positions, while 49 percent with open positions are filling them;
- 58 percent of associations reporting an RIF have eliminated administrative and support positions, while 40 percent with open positions are filling them.