Does your company expect to recruit over the next quarter?

David Bloch, MD of the Brightwater Group comments:

Our poll goes to about 25,000 people, so is pretty accurate! I did this poll because I was very interested to know whether IBEC’s statistics from February were still right and it appears they are.

38% of companies planning to recruit, 52% not planning and 10% may hire. Statistics only ever tell part of the story and I will attempt to fill in the rest.

Many of the biggest companies are not recruiting. They are rarely given the flexibility, with hiring freeze instructions often issued from a foreign Head Office. These companies have been able to get around hiring freezes by using Temporary help, who don’t go on the company’s payroll. Our Permanent Recruitment area has been busier with small to medium sized firms recruiting strategically.

Recruitment has been sector and area specific. Science & Pharmaceuticals, IT and Insurance are all fine. Retail is good in some areas, but poor in others. Sales and marketing has stood up much better than I thought. There used to be an American expression that went along the lines of “when things get tough, Americans will fire the Accountant and hire a Salesman, where Europeans will fire the Salesman and hire an Accountant”. Perhaps this has changed, or…

Recruitment has been hit as hard as any sector, with Ireland harder hit than anywhere. Fear is a terrible inhibitor and barring a few areas and a few brave souls who defy the barrage of negativity, most people are staying put... consolidating, but not the Salesperson. Salespeople will take a chance. Try their luck. Look at the possibilities. I have been in Ireland for 11 years and the paradox of the people who just revel in all the misery, and the optimists who just laugh it all off is astonishing. Perhaps it is for this reason that Ireland is the only country in Europe whose exports are up 2009 on 2008. Some achievement!

So, like a good salesperson – I’m looking forward to the second half of 2009. Bring it on!