No End In Sight for Executive Job Growth

Despite tepid U.S. GDP growth in the fourth quarter, ExecuNetís Recruiters Confidence Index (RCI) reached its highest level since November 2004 in January. Soaring confidence in the employment market appears to be fueled by solid growth in search activity to start the new year ñ new executive job listings at ExecuNet increased over 30% in January compared to last year.

Introduced in May 2003, the Recruiters Confidence Index (RCI) is based on a monthly survey of executive recruiters conducted by ExecuNet, the leading executive job search and recruiting network.

According to the survey of 181 executive recruiters, 79% are confident or very confident that the executive employment market will improve during the next six months ñ up from 70% one month ago. During this period of time, the search industry is expecting a 26% increase in the number of assignments received from corporate clients.

ìThis is the best employment market weíve seen in five years,î says Mark Anderson, President of ExecuNet. ìIn 2005, we saw executive job postings grow by more than 24%, which was significantly greater than the 17% increase in search assignments recruiters were forecasting at the beginning of the year. In response to this growth, a large number of employed executives are starting to look for new positions ñ a trend thatís adding to the hiring headaches of companies across the country.î

To prepare for sustained growth in the employment market, 37% of all search firms have plans to hire additional professional staff in the next three months ñ nearly double the number of executive recruiting firms that have added professional staff during the past three months (20%).

ExecuNet, a career management and recruiting network for top executives and recruiters, is a recognized authority in executive hiring and recruiting trends. ExecuNet helps members identify career opportunities and attain professional success by providing exclusive job postings, opportunities and tactics designed to expand personal and professional networks, and career advancement strategies.

Founded in 1988, ExecuNet also serves recruiters and corporations as a leading source of top-tier executive talent and proprietary research. For more information on ExecuNet visit: