We’ve had some reports on twitter in the last 24 hours about a percieved increase in approaches from recruitment agencies to architects in the UK. For example,
@Waybeesy, an architect in London posted “@SuButcher @the_architect trends: been receiving one too many calls from recruitment agencies -recession in construction over u reckon?”
My thoughts are:
It is the middle of August, and many agents (those still in the job) will be aware that towards the end of the Summer some practices might be looking to fulfil an expected need.
In my experience in a commercial practice, the second week in September is when things start to pick up in a normal year, but strangely we have had a flurry of enquiries in the last week, from developers wanting to get or change planning consents mostly.
Do the recruitment agents think there is a pickup on the cards? Maybe, but it is more likely that they are trying it on to pick up prospectives (candidates and interested prospective employers) as people come back from holiday, that’s all.
What do you think?
Alastair Rigden says
Well, it’s an interesting thought that we recruiters are just looking to “pick up propectives” but I vouch for many recruiters who know that this time of year is undoubtedly the quietest historically so any calls being made now are surely off real leads…
Why would they put in extra effort at a time where you’re least likely to get any results? Indeed, you’re thinking they’re just lining up thier ducks for the September onslaught but in reality is that going to happen this September? Ok, I’ve seen a definite increase in vacancies without us actually having to canvass them in, but if an agent can’t find suitable people from the pile of CV’s that have been flooding in for the last 9 months+ than perhaps planning a career change would be their best option!?!
Obviously, any staffing leads anyone has will be gratefully accepted!! 😉
Professional CV says
Interesting on a couple of fronts.
Firstly, there is pick-up in the economy. We are not yet talking green shoots, but pick-up.
Secondly, there is a lot of talk in recruitment forums of a growing number of unscrupulous recruiters using dastardly tactics – mainly cold calling, often to organisations advertising any vacancy, sometimes to rivals agents operating in “their” home patch – to pick-up or steal businesses.
Recruitment – rightly – has a poor reputation as an industry, and something which it is slowly working at removing. The recession probably put has put it back 24months at present, but that will quickly chnage. Most surveys suggest that once the economy does recover, around 50% of current employees are wanting to move. The approach could hence be just as simple as CV skimming in preparation.
Most of the respected economic and industry observers suggest we won’t know much until October, and as I wholly agree we will just have to wait.
Good Luck!
Best Regards,
Ian R McAllister