NEW YORK (AP) -- It's not only tough to find a job in the current environment, it's tough to fill one too.

That's the conclusion reached in a study done for staffing and consulting firm Robert Half International Inc. and job search Web site CareerBuilder.com.

On a one-to-five scale, the study found workers rated the level of challenge in finding a job at 3.56, while employers rated finding qualified candidates at 3.47.

"A dual hiring environment seems to be taking shape," said Max Messmer, chairman and chief executive of Robert Half International. "Job seekers in some fields are competing aggressively for open positions, giving employers the edge in those segments of the hiring market." Meanwhile, in fields such as technology and accounting, there is a shortage of skilled professionals. "These in-demand workers may not be willing to leave secure positions unless firms extend very attractive job offers."

The survey, called The Employment Dynamics and Growth Expectations Report, found 59 percent of hiring managers cite a shortage of qualified workers as their biggest recruiting challenge. At least a quarter of the applicants who contact them are not qualified, six out of 10 employers told surveyors, while 31 percent said more than half are not qualified.

Rising energy prices are having a negative impact, the survey found, as 29 percent of the employers said fuel price spikes and commuting expenses hurt efforts to find qualified people.

Employers also said workers born between 1979 and 1999 -- so-called "Generation Y" -- are the most difficult to recruit, with issues regarding high expectations around pay, career advancement, flexible schedules and overall work environment part of the equation.

If they find qualified workers, 65 percent of hiring managers said they are willing to negotiate salary, while 19 percent are very willing. On the employee side, 63 percent of those surveyed said they were more likely to try to negotiate a better compensation package with a new employer than they were last year, compared with 58 percent last year.

And it's not just salary that's important. Nearly three-quarters of employees surveyed said the availability of flexible schedules may cause them to choose one job over another, the survey said.

Flexible schedules were also on the top of the list of measures employers are willing to take to retain employees, along with funding for additional training, increasing salaries and offering telecommuting options.

Companies also said they are concerned about retaining employees nearing retirement age as baby boomers begin leaving the work force. Reduced work schedules, "bridge" jobs and consulting arrangements are among the efforts employers are likely to offer.

The survey interviewed more than 500 employers with involvement in hiring decisions and more than 500 employees who no such involvement.

Robert Half International is based in Menlo Park, Calif., Chicago-based CareerBuilder.com is owned by Gannett Co. Inc., Tribune Company, The McClatchy Company and Microsoft Corp.