Recruiters React To Market Turmoil

Posted by Jim Stroud

August 31, 2007

www.execunet.com - August 30, 2007 - Despite recent volatility in the financial markets, the executive search industry has maintained a positive outlook for the employment market. With summer coming to a close, ExecuNet’s Recruiter Confidence Index (RCI) cooled in August, however, a majority of recruiters are expecting a double-digit increase in assignments received from clients during the next three months.

Introduced in May 2003, the Recruiter Confidence Index is based on a monthly survey of thousands of executive recruiters conducted by ExecuNet (www.execunet.com), the executive career and business networking organization. Independent analysis of the RCI has confirmed it is a leading indicator for the executive search industry.

According to August’s survey of 134 executive recruiters, 55% are confident or very confident the executive employment market will improve during the next six months - down from 69% one month ago.

Confidence In The Executive Employment Market
Next Six Months
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Recruiters’ short-term confidence was also lower, as 65% are confident or very confident the employment market will improve in the next three months - down from 74% in July. Despite this drop, 87% of executive search firms expect at least a 10% increase in the number of assignments received from corporate clients in the three months ahead.

“While the volatile swings on Wall Street and mixed economic data have not gone unnoticed by recruiters, pent up demand continues to spur growth for executive search firms,” says Mark Anderson, President of ExecuNet. “From our vantage point, businesses outside of the financial services industry are not apprehensive about hiring top talent.”

To keep pace with the executive employment market’s growth, 50% of all search firms reported plans to add more professional staff during the next three months. In the previous three months, 38% of all firms increased their staff.

ExecuNet, the executive career and business networking organization, provides exclusive access to high-level business connections for professionals, confidential six-figure job listings, expert advice and proprietary research while helping corporate and search firm recruiters find qualified executive candidates. Founded in 1988, ExecuNet helped transform the executive recruiting industry by launching the first website designed to bring senior-level professionals and search firms together in a cooperative, confidential environment to understand how to meet their human capital needs.

Based in Norwalk, Connecticut, ExecuNet is a recognized authority in executive recruiting trends and proprietary employment market research. For more information, visit www.execunet.com.

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