June 04, 1999
STEADY GROWTH FOR ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS INDUSTRIES

(Cleveland, Ohio) – New hire projections for executive, professional and sales workers in the electrical and electronics industries are consistent with the near record high projections from the second half of 1998, according to the latest hiring survey conducted by Management Recruiters International, Inc. (MRI), a subsidiary of CDI Corp. (NYSE: CDI).

Of the executives surveyed who have responsibility for hiring in the electrical and electronics industries, 55.2% plan to increase staffs over the next six months, down by only .2 of a point from the second half of 1998. Another 35.9% plan to maintain their current staff sizes, down by 1 point, and 8.9% plan decreases, up by 1.2 points.

By comparison, of the 5,606 executives polled for all industries, the national average for projected new hires is 53.2%. 38.4% plan to maintain, and 8.4% plan to reduce staff sizes. Overall, new hire projections during the first half of 1999 remain among the highest ever recorded in the eighteen-year history of the survey.

Allen Salikof, president of MRI, commented, "Although hiring projections for the chemical industry have dropped slightly, the numbers are still significantly high. There was a time when 40% was incredibly optimistic, but the economy has been so strong that it almost seems average. We’re still seeing a solid showing."

Ongoing National Survey

This is the 42nd in an ongoing series of polls conducted by Management Recruiters International, Inc. (MRI). The survey was conducted under the guidance of the Professional Management Foundation, in accordance with the professional and ethical standards of the American Marketing Association and the Marketing Research Association. A summary of the findings is available free of charge from MRI, 200 Public Square, 31st Floor, Cleveland, OH 44114, Attention: Karen Bloomfield, 800-875-4000; ksb@mricorp.mrinet.com.

Management Recruiters International, Inc., is the world’s largest search and recruitment organization with more than 750 offices worldwide. Based in Cleveland, MRI has billings in excess of $400 million and places 30,000 people in jobs annually. MRI is a subsidiary of Philadelphia-based CDI Corp. (NYSE: CDI). CDI increases the productivity and competitiveness of its Fortune 1000 customer base through customized technical, information technology, professional and administrative staffing and outsourcing solutions. CDI revenues totaled $1.5 billion in 1997.