Thirty-five percent of American companies are maintaining a smaller work force than before the recession, and in an effort to remain competitive, 36 percent of employers are expected to use staffing and recruiting companies to hire temporary workers in 2012.

This figure has grown from 34 percent for 2011, 30 percent for 2010 and 28 percent for 2009. Among the respondents planning to hire temporary or contract workers in 2012, 35 percent expect to hire them on a permanent basis. Twenty-seven percent of respondents plan to hire temporary or contract workers in the first quarter of 2012. 

"Temporary jobs from staffing and recruiting firms are playing an increasingly important role in the economic recovery," says Eric Gilpin, president of CareerBuilder's staffing and recruiting group. "Our studies have pointed to a rise in these positions post-recession as companies address growing market needs. Employers are relying on temporary and contract workers to support leaner staffs and in many cases, will transition those workers to permanent roles."