Bright Outlook for Executive Search…

Confidence in the Executive Employment Market Next 6 Months

As I prepare to leave town Wednesday to speak at the Fordyce Conference in Las Vegas, some really good news was delivered today! We have all talked about it and it’s beginning to look very real. Yep – it”s happening all around us. Don’t rely on CNBC or CNN if you want to get your arms around the real indicators in this job market. The Recruiter Confidence Index measures the confidence of executive search professionals and the outlook appears to be very BRIGHT!! Nearly two-thirds of executive recruiters expect the executive employment market to expand over the next six months, as strategic leadership hiring accelerates and fewer employers resort to management layoffs to weather an uneven economic recovery.

In May, ExecuNet’s benchmark Recruiter Confidence Index revealed that 65 percent of 185 responding executive recruiters are “confident” or “very confident” the executive employment market will improve over the next six months — up from 57 percent in May 2009 and 64 percent in April 2010. “Executive recruiters see management hiring improving as the US, economy continues to rebound,” says Mark Anderson, president and chief economist of ExecuNet, the private membership network for senior business executives and those who recruit them. Introduced in May 2003, ExecuNet’s Recruiter Confidence Index is based on a monthly survey of executive search firms and recognized as a leading indicator for the economy and the executive job market.

A reading above 50 percent indicates recruiters expect the number of search assignments in the next six months will increase. I like that. OK – Actually I like that a lot:-) That means even better news in the HCIT space we serve. Time to gear up, dust off that resume and reach out to your network or industry contacts if you are seeking greener pastures.

Buckle up for what will likely be a very fun ride!