Apr 5, 2012

Recruiter Confidence in Executive Job Market Reaches Highest Level since May 2011

Posted by Wendy Weber

A monthly ExecuNet survey of executive recruiters finds the highest levels of confidence that the executive employment market will improve over the next six months since May 2011.

In March, ExecuNet’s benchmark Recruiter Confidence Index revealed that 59 percent of 123 responding executive recruiters indicated they were “confident” or “very confident” the executive employment market would improve over the next six months.

That was up eight points from February and the fourth consecutive month in which recruiter confidence stayed above the important 50 percent level that historically indicates optimism for a broader expansion of the jobs market. It was also the highest register of recruiter confidence since this hiring outlook barometer hit its recent bottom in September 2011.

“Executive recruiters are expressing continued confidence that opportunities will open up for executives as companies really zero in on the resources, ideas and leaders they need to grow their operations,” said Mark M. Anderson, president and chief economist of ExecuNet. “Recruiters are expecting good things from 2012 in terms of an increase in executive search assignments, and if that materializes, it will invariably stimulate executive career mobility.”

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