Confidence In The Employment Market Moderates

ExecuNets Recruiter Confidence Index, which reached a new high last month, gave back this gain in January. Despite tempering their expectations, 70% of recruiters report that business conditions in the executive search industry are improving, and a steady increase in new assignments is expected over the next six months.

The recent survey of 186 recruiters conducted by ExecuNet, a leader in executive-level job and networking opportunities, reveals 61% of recruiters are confident or very confident the employment market will improve in the next six months, down from 72% in December.

Recruiters short-term outlook has also been tempered, as 33% are confident or very confident the employment market will improve in the three months ahead, down from 47% last month.

Having watched the executive employment market improve during the last nine consecutive months, recruiters are becoming more cautious about additional growth,says Mark Anderson, President of ExecuNet. But despite this caution, the industry continues to expect a significant number of new executive-level job opportunities in 2004, which is good news for both candidates and recruiters.

During the six months ahead, the search industry is expecting an 18% increase in the number of assignments they receive from clients - down slightly from 20% in December.

To prepare for this growth in the employment market, nearly one in three recruiters (31%) say their firm has plans to hire additional professional staff in the next three months. During the last three months, 19% of search firms added professional staff.

ExecuNet, a career management and recruiting resource center for executives and recruiters, helps its members identify career opportunities and attain professional success through job listings, expert networking tactics, and career advancement strategies. Founded in 1988, ExecuNet also serves recruiters and corporations as a leading source of top-tier talent and proprietary research on recruiting trends and best practices. For more information on ExecuNet visit