From time to time, prospective members ask what industries or occupations are hot in our network. Below is a summary of 2016 global placement activity for NPAworldwide members:
- Total placements increased by 23% in 2016 compared to 2015.
- Accounting/finance placements more than doubled year-over-year; we attribute this both to strength in the sector as well as our acquisition of the National Banking Network. 2016 was our first full year of integration.
- Manufacturing/supply chain placements increased by 43%, from 63 deals in 2015 to 90 in 2016.
- Cross-industry functions such as sales, marketing, business development, and human resources was flat year-over-year but continued to be our strongest market segment.
- We added global placement activity in legal, banking, and agribusiness that had not been part of our mix in 2015.
- Protracted sluggishness in the oil/gas sector led to a 28% decline in year-over-year split placements. Chemical process has been a mainstay of our network for a number of years, but it’s been a bumpy road for the past two.
- Salaries below US $40,000 annually dropped by more than 60%. This mirrors what we are seeing and hearing from others as the talent pool continues to shrink.
- At the same time, we experienced 125% growth in salaries between US $60,000 – $70,000 per year.
- There was modest growth for salaries at the next two segments, $70K – $80K and $80K-$90K, and then another huge shift (125% increase) in salaries between $90K – $100K per year.
Early signs are that hiring will remain solid in 2017. With the candidate shortage expected to continue for a number of years, recruiters can expect that salaries will grow. Candidates will entertain multiple offers. Recruiters will become more valuable as employers cannot find the right talent for their most critical roles.
What global placement activity trends are you seeing? Was 2016 a strong year compared to 2015? How is your market shaping up in early 2017? Any changes to your client mix? Please add your comments below!
