Recruiting is back! OK, we have all attended conferences and meetings over the past few years and the attendees put on brave faces. The comments were about how it took more time and effort to do a similar level of placements. There were even those quoting a percentage reduction in volume down from peak years of recruiting results. “I’m off 30 percent,” or “We did 60 percent of our prior best year in 2010.” Well, things have changed!
I attended the first global recruiting conference since the summer of 2008 where the optimism and results were all positive. This was the NPA Global Recruiting Conference in Savannah, Georgia. Everyone had many split placements they were working. Recruiting and recruiting associations have made the shift from a “client-driven” market to a “candidate-driven” market in the last year. Some positive signs that indicate the market has shifted:
- Recruiters are talking about the ability to increase fees to clients.
- Recruiters are more regularly asking for a retainer, an engagement fee, or progress payments during the search.
- Candidate shortages are a topic of conversation and concern.
- Recruiters and their clients are looking for talent from countries other than their home country… recruiting internationally and cross-border placements are becoming more common.
- Recruiters are discussing tools to evaluate the best job openings they have and recruiters are prioritizing their efforts on the best openings.
- Recruiters are doing more split fee business because there is more work to do than time to do it. So in order to satisfy clients, recruiters are choosing to split placements.
I knew things were better, but when you see 150 global recruiter network members in one location, it drives the message home. The sun is shining; now is the time to make hay!