Executive recruitment: Update to the end of April 2010
Half of the companies surveyed in the Apec Barometer hired at least one executive in the first quarter of 2010, up six points on the first quarter of 2009. According to Éric Verhaeghe, President of Apec, « recruiters’perception of the future is improving significantly. Although it is still too early to draw conclusions, the Baromètre confirms Apecés hypothesis of a slow recovery in the volume of executive recruitment at the start of the year. »
The executive employment marketéis recovering timidly
The proportion of companies with over one hundred employeesérecruiting executives is on the rise. 50% of companies surveyed recruitedéat least one executive in the first quarter of 2010, up 6 points on last yearés figure. Similarly, 43% of companies plan to recruit in the second quarter of 2010, 7 points more than in the second quarter of 2009. These encouraging results are, however, à temperér, insofar asù the 2009 figures constitute a floor for the Apec Baromètre.
Contrasting situationsédepending on the sector
The Industry sector, which has been in a very difficult situation in recent quarters, is recovering slightly in 2010 compared to à 2009. In the Trade & Transport and Engineering & Research & Development sectors, recruitment prospects are clearly on the upéà side. On the other hand, companies in the Construction and Médicosocial sectors have mixed forecasts, despite the fact that they continue to àrecruit, particularly to replace departures.
The outlook for the Construction and Médicosocial sectors is mixed.
Job vacancies and tension
With 76120 advertisements publishedéby Apec in the first quarter of 2010, the marketéfor executive job vacancies is up à again: +27% on à the same period in 2009. However, this is still below the level of the first quarter of 2008, which reached a peak of almost 82,000 vacancies (as a reminder, the fall éwas 27% in the first quarter of 2009). Two sectors posted significant growth: Consulting & Business Services and Trade.
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Why companies are recruiting
Managing staff turnover remains, generally speaking, the main reason for hiring managers: almost half the companies recruiting in the second quarter say they want to hire managers primarily to replace departures. Replacing departing staff is the main reason for recruitment for around 60% of companies recruiting in Banking, Insurance, Health & Social Services and Trade & Transport, but this proportion falls to 35% and 20% respectively for Engineering & R&D and IT. For these two sectors, where project-based operations predominate, business development is the main reason for hiring. Finally, it should be noted that 30% of industrial companies consider organization to be the main reason for hiring, i.e. 12 points more than for all companies.
Industrial companies are also the main reason for hiring, i.e. 12 points more than for all companies.
Industrial companies are also the main reason for hiring, i.e. 12 points more than for all companies.
Sources APEC Quarterly Barometer - May 2010
