A regular employment update from Kinetic Recruitment.
Since July we have seen a consistent increase in activity and by all accounts it looks set to continue for the rest of 2009.
However we are realistic and we expect, as is normal, that we will find the school holidays and first few weeks of the next quarter a little slow.
We have noticed from speaking with our clients that in general they are feeling far more confident in going forward and they often speak of recruitment being likely in early 2010. So where are the roles coming from now?
We are finding that approximately 80 per cent of the positions we are filling currently are from recently vacated roles. So movement is starting to happen. As I said in one of my past articles, I firmly believe that after this year, with signs of improvement in the air and a new positivity in the media, the employers that don't acknowledge and manage staff work loads and increase teams when it is necessary to do so will be forced to wave goodbye to valued employees.
We are now consistently seeing candidates who are in jobs beginning to seek other opportunities. They are looking for personal growth or needing a new working environment. As businesses are finally reaching the end of the worst times in this downturn, it is now vital to show some appreciation for the employees who have stuck it out and shared the character building experience along the way.
Last week I met up with a couple of businessmen who are very well respected on an international scale. When speaking to them individually, debating the ups and downs, they both acknowledged that growth is likely to be slow. However what they both agreed and I feel it's very true, is that recruitment is a "barometer" for the rest of the market and business in general.
If our industry is showing signs of life, then things must be on the up. Although the growth is not fast, it is growth nonetheless and deserves acknowledgement. The recruitment industry got hit hard and fast, but as some of you may have noticed, the job section of the papers on the weekend had the most vacancies listed in a long time.
Salaries are rising slightly, our statistics are showing us that clients are listing roles at a conservative level but when recruiting, if we come across a candidate looking for a slightly higher salary who can offer something extra, they will look at them and quite often employ without negotiation.
The majority of companies we are recruiting for have either a small or no HR department. The majority of large corporate companies are managing with smaller recruitment needs and when the need does arise, we are recruiting alongside them to ensure they find the best available person.
Going forward, as the "barometer" (or one of them), I personally feel it will keep going as it has been over the past three months and we will slide into Christmas with great relief that 2009 is over.
From February 2010 onwards we will all see consistent positive growth. It may be a soft start but as the year moves on it will gather momentum.
I am an optimist, but I am also a realist and as my business is working closely with other businesses I am "in the know". Why? Because it happens here first.
* Kate Ross is director of Kinetic Recruitment and school leaver career search company whr24u.
