GAAPweb Quarterly Performance Analysis

The opening quarter of 2004 in the financial recruitment sector has been characterised by a renewed sense of vibrancy with more jobs available to a pool of candidates which does not appear to be increasing at the same rate.

With a consistently unrivalled selection of temporary and permanent vacancies, GAAPweb has continued to play an integral part in the job search process for finance professionals at all levels. The overall buoyancy of the market in the first three months of the year has been reflected by the performance of GAAPwebís site.

In the first quarter of the year, GAAPweb experienced vast increases in both standard and premium job listings advertised on the site, unique users, page impressions and Joblist email subscribers. Total job numbers for Q1 2004 have shown a 26.5% increase from Quarter 4 of 2003. More significantly, the total job listings for the first quarter of 2004 show an increase of 40% from the same period last year. In addition, GAAPwebís total number of direct advertisers for Q1 2004 has increased by 70% when compared to the final quarter of 2003. As well as illustrating the vitality of the current market, this statistic also reflects the success of Premium Job Listings, GAAPwebís fully branded product for direct advertisers that was launched in November 2003.

These figures are indicative of the feedback that GAAPweb Account Managers have received from their contacts within the recruitment industry. They confirm the rise in demand for candidates and the increase in job numbers. Consultants have also noted high demand for candidates in particular fields and have reported a shortage of candidates in specific areas. Throughout the first quarter, for example, anecdotal evidence suggests that there has been a high demand for qualified ACA/ACCA candidates in the West Yorkshire region. Tax specialists, especially high level personnel, are also in short supply on a national basis. Furthermore, despite the continued requirement for Practice Accountants, supply is not matching demand.

These reports seem to imply a shift from the client-driven environment of 2003 to a more candidate-orientated market. The emphasis of recruiters, both recruitment consultants and companies alike, may now change as they battle each other for the best candidates across all financial sectors.

GAAPweb General Manager Rob Schofield comments:

ìFor the first time in a long while, the phrase ëwar for talentí is being heard at industry conferences, and is no doubt filtering through to the front line. From a specialist job site perspective, we are advising our clients to focus on writing high quality job adverts ñ a simple, two-line brief will no longer suffice. Good candidates will soon (this may well already be the case) be able to hold out for opportunities that offer the best overall package. Employers will have to make attractive offers and then work on strategies to retain their human capital.

ìWhilst this current boom offers plenty of opportunity for our industry, the acquisition and retention of high quality candidates will remain as competitive as ever, if not more so.î

For further information regarding GAAPweb services available, please contact either Lorna Harris or Karl Schweppe on 020 7801 9830 or email advertising@gaapweb.com.

For information regarding GAAPweb, please contact Rob Schofield, General Manager on 020 7801 9832 or email rob@gaapweb.com.