Following the Summer there it is fair to say that there is a degree of confusion about the state of the employment market.
With some of the larger national recruitment agencies reporting poor H1 results and a pessimistic outlook for the rest of 2024, you could be forgiven for thinking this isnt a great time for job seekers.
However there are many challenger businesses and independent recruitment businesses that are doing extremely well in this period. Fortunately Rutherford Briant Recruitment falls into this category. Over July and August we have a dramatic increase in performance relative to the same period last year. Our Accountancy team has seen a 25% increase in business, Public Practice up by 10%, Our newer divisions of Marketing, Technology and HR have also been thriving. Meanwhile our executive recruitment team have been performing very strongly all year. In particular we are seeing lots of movement at Director and Partner level within Accountancy Practices.
Regional data shows that numbers of vacancies' being advertised across Essex and Suffolk has fallen across the summer and relative to the same period last year.
Nationally, data shows that job vacancies are similar to pre-pandemic 2019 levels. A period thought of as a relatively 'normal' job market.
Perhaps all that has happened is a return to normal, but businesses have got so used to swings in demand and the extraordinary market conditions of 2020-2023, that normal has taken them all by surprise.
Regardless, employers and job seekers should be encouraged and reassured that there is a healthy balance of jobs and quality candidates out there. It isnt easy, but as with anything, if it was easy everyone would be doing it!
My best advice would be to avoid any recruitment agency giving any negative vibes about the market. Find a recruitment partner who has already adapted to a changing, challenging but 'normal' market and is delivering right now, not last year!