Some people have suggested recently that I am a doom monger, that I am negative about the recovery, that things will be better and we can all get back to what we were doing before the recession.  Well here’s the thing, I do have a slightly cynical view of ‘recovery’ and certainly that recruitment will get back to how it was before. Is that what we all want?

Is that what our clients want?

It might just be that things should and will be different.

So to buck my negative trend... good news first. I think 2010 is going to be a good year for some recruitment companies.  There, i’ve said it, i’ve used the word good.  Specifically those that have stuck by their clients, developed new offerings or new ways of delivering value will do well.  I also believe that RPO providers will have a good year of it too, the market is moving in their favour.  Make a formal outsource agreement with a business you trust rather than an informal agreement with a shed load of recruitment agencies with mixed results.  I know that this is the way I am going, expect a new brand launch soon, specifically for the RPO lite/Managed Service offering.

We’ve all seen the rise of ‘social recruiting’ in 2009.  It works if you treat it as another route to candidate marketing, not a spam fest of job ads but as part of an overall plan to attract talent, inform and engage.  Twitter is not the recruitment tool we have been waiting for.  Just because you know someone that met someone on twitter and subsequently recruited them, does not mean recruitment consultants are extinct (however much people would like that!).

Technology will help us to engage faster, better, quicker etc. but in reality all candidates really want is someone decent that they can talk to to help them find a job that they want and that they enjoy for the next however long until they need to move.  If we get that right in 2010 then everyone will be happy.

In true fence sitting style though I think i’m going to stall on any other predictions.  You see the slightly less positive side is kicking in.  Whilst retailers appear to have had an ok time at christmas Next is forecasting tough times still.  The bad weather could influence how we feel, the potential for energy/fuel issues and lets not forget the election!

For me it’s all about confidence, about whether our clients want to make the commitment to recruit, to invest in people again.  For a recruiter the second part of that is whether they will use and external recruiter or deliver in house.  2009 was a tough time in recruitment but it has given our clients the chance to play with social media, enhance their capability and expertise due to the lower volumes and some recruiters will find that tough providing a commodity based CV provision service rather than a true recruitment service.  Don’t be surprised when the doors open up again that your client has moved the furniture round a little.

About Martin Dangerfield

2010 is going to be another tough year, I believe we are out of the worst of it but it is by no means a done deal yet.  If you want my help with your resolutions or to help you create a 3 year business vision then contact me, Martin Dangerfield on 0161.955.3647 or email martin.dangerfield@mckinleyresource.com.  Business coaching starts at £70 per hour, no charge for emails though so get writing!

As well as being a Regional Director for the IRP, Martin is Director of the innovative search business mckinley|resource, a freelance people consultant specialising in talent attraction, assessment and recruitment and a provider of business coaching for high growth entrepreneurial organisations.

Search for ‘People Consultant’ or go straight to www.martindangerfield.com