Slow but steady hiring for executive management continues to move some U.S. employers closer to their strategic goals, but lingering economic uncertainty is tempering executive recruiters’ confidence that the pace of job growth will accelerate over the next six months.
In July, ExecuNet’s benchmark Recruiter Confidence Index revealed that 50 percent of 163 responding executive recruiters are “confident” or “very confident” the executive employment market will improve over the next six months – down from 58 percent in June and a 2010 high of 65 percent in May.
Introduced in May 2003, ExecuNet’s Recruiter Confidence Index is based on a monthly survey of executive search firms and is recognized as a leading indicator for the economy and the executive job market. A reading at 50 percent or above indicates recruiters expect the number of search assignments in the next six months will increase.
“As we reported in the first half of 2010, executive recruiters are seeing a slow, steady and selective rebuild of corporate management teams, but lingering uncertainty about consumer spending, the real estate market and the implications of regulatory reform are weighing heavily on their outlook,” says Mark Anderson, President and Chief Economist of ExecuNet, the private membership network for senior business executives and those who recruit them. “Despite the optimism that emerged earlier this year when hiring began to exceed cutbacks, this uncertainty has more recruiters expecting any surge to be deferred until business decisions and recruiting mandates can be pursued with more confidence.”
Founded in 1988, ExecuNet is a private membership network for business leaders who believe that the right connections can produce extraordinary results in their careers and organizations. A recognized authority in executive recruiting and human capital, ExecuNet provides members access to confidential six-figure job opportunities, proprietary research and pragmatic advice. For more information, visit www.ExecuNet.com.
