The recruitment market is sending signs to us all the time. Here are some of the signs that have been in front of the global recruitment industry for nearly a year. Have you followed the traffic patterns?
Markets are ready to boom. There are growth opportunities all around the world for global recruiters. Places like Asia and South America have been sending signals that they are ready to heat up. North America remains strong and there are varying levels of opportunity that are niche dependent. IT and manufacturing are hot in North America and show little sign of slowing.
Demographics Matter. The baby-boom echo is leading to high unemployment of youth in many markets. This under-utilization of youth will be a great challenge as the baby boomers retire and take years of experience to retirement with them. It would seem the market is ripe for internships and training programs provided by employers, but employers have been slow to respond and invest.
Professional-Level Temps. In markets like the US and Europe, highly skilled and professional staff is required on short-term to medium-term assignments. There are skills shortages that make high-end temporary staffing a practical solution.
New Talent Needed. Global recruiters are going to need to compete for top talent. The best firms will hire and train top sales, marketing and customer service talent from other industries and direct from universities. Recruiting recruiters will become a necessity.
Global Recruitment. The needs of employers are reaching out across borders. The best recruiters will have partnerships, recruitment networks and relationships that allow them to place people anywhere in the world. It will slowly become an expectation rather than an abnormality. Small recruitment firms and independents will need to be connected in order to protect employer relationships from outside competition from the large chain operations.
What signs do you see for the years ahead? Is there anything that recruiters should do to prepare for the market we will face 12 months from now?
