Executives expect hiring in professional fields to continue rising in the second quarter but at a slower pace than projected for the first quarter, according to a new Robert Half survey shows.

In fact, a net 2 percent of respondents plan on bringing in full-time staff during the second quarter, which is a decline from 10 percent last quarter. Another 89 percent of respondents do not plan to make any changes in hiring activity, marking an increase from 78 percent during the first quarter.

Still, 91 percent of respondents say they are somewhat or very confident in their companies' growth prospects in the second quarter, representing a growth of four points from the first-quarter survey. Sixty-one percent of respondents say they are having trouble finding skilled employees. The survey also finds that 5 percent of respondents plan on hiring additional staff while 3 percent expect work force reductions.