There has been a slight fall in hiring intentions for the first three months of 2014, with the quarterly Hudson Report on Employment Trends dipping 2.9 points compared to the final quarter of last year. The previous reading marked a five-year high for the New Zealand index, which is unlikely to leave analysts too concerned. Almost two-thirds (60.3 per cent) of employers questioned said they intend to keep staffing levels steady over the coming three months. Despite a rise of 3.3 percentage points, this nevertheless represents a slight fall in hiring intentions - a situation Hudson believes represents caution in the market. "The employment market remains tight, so employers' ability to find the people and skill sets they need, and take advantage of the more confident economic conditions will be critical to getting ahead in the next 12 months," indicated Roman Rogers, executive general manager of Hudson in New Zealand. He noted many employers will also be hesitant to commit to increasing their headcount, especially with one eye always on the performance of the Australian economy. Hiring intentions in the South Island emerged as the strongest of all regions, as almost half (49 per cent) of employers plan to take on more staff in the near future. Meanwhile, the construction, property and engineering sector emerged as the industry with the strongest hiring intentions. No matter what sector your business is operating in, making sure your staff are properly trained is essential for the smooth running of a company. As a result, when recruiting into administrative roles, you might want to offer basic training in business accounting software and any other systems used within your organisation. Hudson revealed a number of roles are currently in high demand, including project managers, quantity surveyors, contract managers and those with civil engineering skills.