Maybe it doesn’t qualify as a boom. But a new report shows that many direct marketing companies are hiring again.

Of the 544 firms polled this month by Bernhart Associates Executive Search, 46% plan to add staff in the first quarter. That percentage was 30% in Q4 of 2009.

In addition, only 7% are planning layoffs, and 26% are maintaining hiring freezes (down from 45%).

Granted, it’s a new year with new budgets—the new hiring may not reflect a serious change in the economic climate from last quarter. But Jerry Bernhart, principal of Bernhart Associates, argues that “all of our major indicators are showing significant improvement.”

The hiring is especially brisk on the supplier side, with 60% of the vendors planning to add head count. B2C marketers, perhaps because they suffered deeper job cuts last year, are more likely than their B2B counterparts, to be making new hires. Of the agencies surveyed, 37% are in a hiring mode.

The skills most in demand? Analytics, Internet marketing, sales, creative, technology and campaign management, in that order.

“We’re seeing some newer job categories emerge,” Bernhart said. “A couple of companies will be looking for senior-level social media strategists and online video experts.”

The obstacles to hiring? Lack of qualified candidates for some positions, uncertainty about new business and the growing cost of benefits.