Unemployment may be easing, according to a survey by CareerBuilder.com and Robert Half International Inc. Workforce Management reports that over half of employers plan to hire full-time employees in the next 12 months. Still, employers say it's difficult to find qualified candidates; the survey found 44 percent of resumes received by hiring managers were from unqualified candidates.

This difficulty finding qualified workers may translate to higher compensation for those who do make the cut. According to the survey, 61 percent of hiring managers said they would be willing to negotiate with highly qualified candidates.

Employers are looking to fill customer service, sales and technology spots first. Customer service was cited as the most critical function in an organization's success, followed by sales, marketing and technology.