Recruiter Job Demand Remains Strong

According to a new survey by WANTED Analytics, there were over 14,000 jobs posted online in September for recruiters and other staffing professionals. The number represents a 12 percent growth over September 2011, but a substantially slower rate than the 29 percent rate measured in 2010. Despite the slowed growth, job ads for recruiters and staffing specialists are still stronger than pre-recession numbers.

Job requirements for recruiters were found to be continually evolving, with the introduction of new technologies for identifying and targeting candidates. Other emerging skills sets that are more frequently specified in job ads include experience with applicant tracking software and recruiting technology, full life-cycle recruiting, and social media skills. The numbers of ads preferring candidates with strong negotiation skills rose 13 percent over September while those seeking candidates with social media expertise jumped by 52 percent.

The highest volume of listings in the country were found in New York, Washington, DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco with the New York metro area seeing the most available positions. The greatest growth in demand occurred in San Francisco, which experienced over-the-year growth of36 percent in ads for recruiter jobs. On average, employers spend 5 weeks recruiting and sourcing candidates for recruiting jobs. The most challenging areas of the country are San Francisco and Minneapolis, where ads for recruiting positions remain up for an average of six weeks. Jackson, Mississippi and Scranton, Pennsylvania are the locations experiencing the least difficulty in filling positions.