2011 outlook for recruiters
Thoughts for 2011
Stuart Talbot, head of business development
There are going to be many challenges facing recruiters in 2011 and it will be hard work for a lot of firms. While public sector cuts and negative national media commentary are likely to make life hard, I’m overall still cautiously optimistic about next year. The economy will continue to grow, albeit very modestly, and there will be a small return of M&A activity. Where growth prospects look much stronger though is internationally, particularly in Asia and Australasia.
Alison Raw, senior manager
Clearly the VAT increase will hit us all, and combined with the public sector cuts, early 2011 could be quite challenging. But as the year goes on we might well see slightly stronger economic growth. It’s encouraging to see from the latest ABFA stats that asset based lending has increased for the third quarter in a row and there seems more of an appetite for firms to draw down on their available funds – suggesting a growing confidence from recruiters. The AWR regulations in October are going to have a big impact though and all agencies should be aware of the potential costs associated with the new legislation.
