“Only 39 percent of the companies plan to recruit in 2009, while 41 percent intend to maintain their current number of employees,” said Oana Botolan Datki, Country Manager of Consulteam, Mercer’s local partner.

Companies which plan to increase their staff come mostly from the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry, the service sector, and the insurance segment.

FMCG was one of the economic fields which registered a considerable personnel deficit in 2008, but also provided some of the best-paid jobs on the market. Sales employees were among employees with the highest salaries in this sector. According to the Mercer study, the average monthly income of a sales manager can amount to €4,000.