More than two-thirds of respondents to a Bernhart Associates survey say they plan to add to their staffs by the end of June. What’s more, the number of direct marketers with hiring freezes has dropped for the first time in a year. A steady rise in the number of companies with hiring freezes began a year ago, according to president Jerry Bernhart, peaking at 38% in the company’s winter 2002 survey.
Also encouraging is that just 3% of respondents plan to cut staff in the next three months, compared with 11% this past fall. On the other hand, most hiring in the direct marketing industry will take place in the noncatalog sectors.