We asked companies whether they intend to make hires in the coming year. Many do. We also asked what they are looking for in prospective employees. Here is what some of them said:

Global Tax Management Inc., Radnor

 We look for self-motivated, self-starters - almost entrepreneurial in nature. We have a few technical positions currently open, and plan on adding more midyear.

First Financial Group L.L.C., Bala Cynwyd

 We will grow again this year, adding 35 hires to our firm as financial-services representatives. Our firm's culture is corporate, but not stuffy! We're looking for college-educated men and women, with sales experience, who are high-energy, outgoing, and motivated to succeed. Essentially, we look only for the "cream of the crop!"

Legacy Planning Partners, Plymouth Meeting

[The company is a financial-planning firm.] We're looking for people who are entrepreneurial, have excellent communication skills, are a cultural fit with the company, and exhibit technical competency (formal training). We believe that we will add as many as 50 full-time advisers over the next five years. This, of course, will require us to hire additional staff to support the advisers' efforts.

Martin Banks, Philadelphia

We are always on the lookout for smart people who have experience in the legal field or specifically workers' compensation and Social Security disability fields. We are in a growth spurt as we recently experienced a firm split.

Almac Group, Souderton

We look for people with communication skills as well as job-specific skill sets in the industry. IT and project-management skills are essential.

FMC Corp., Philadelphia

We are looking for prospective employees to have greater global experience, multilingual skills, and the ability/skills to operate remotely.

Edmund Optics, Barrington

We're looking for natural leadership skills, proven ability to multitask, and team spirit. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are a huge must! With our increasing sales we are growing more than ever and just recently added six people to our team. We hope to continue our success, which would create additional positions.

KenCrest Services, Philadelphia

We look for hardworking individuals who can be passionate about the unique field we are in. We always have jobs posted on our employment page.

Philadelphia Corporation for Aging

We are constantly looking for college graduates with liberal-arts backgrounds who are interested in social work and helping others. At the moment we have a specific need for bilingual care managers.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

A few examples of the many clinical career paths we offer include physicians, nursing professionals, radiology technicians, research lab specialists, pharmacists, and speech consultants. Additionally, Children's Hospital offers career opportunities for accountants, customer-service representatives, supply-chain professionals, nutrition specialists, environmental services staff, and many other administrative roles. In 2010, we had more than 1,600 staff members join the organization, and we expect to have a similar level of opportunity this year.