The report marks the 12th straight quarter that more than 20 percent of companies surveyed said they plan to add to their staffs. But it would be the second straight quarter in which the predicted rate of hiring has fallen.

It is too early to tell whether the national dip in hiring intentions will turn into a trend, said Jonas Prising, president of Manpower North America. Companies on the whole still seem to be stable, he said.

"They are not having extensive hiring plans, but they're also not engaging in extensive layoffs," Prising said.

For the coming quarter, Manpower said job prospects look good in mining, construction, manufacturing, transportation/public utilities, finance/insurance/real estate, education, services and public administration. Employers in wholesale/retail trade voiced mixed hiring intentions.

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Contributing: Associated Press

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