Most Companies Foresee Increased Recruiting and Staffing Activity in 2008, Despite Economic Concerns
Jobfox Poll Finds Employers Looking in New Places for Top Candidates
McLean, Va. (December 2, 2007) - Corporate recruiters foresee increased staffing activities in 2008, despite hold-the-line company budgets coupled with recession warnings from many economists, according to a new Jobfox (www.jobfox.com) poll.
"Recruiting activities must continue to expand because top candidates - those with high-level skills - are instrumental to creating sustainable competitive advantages," said Rob McGovern, the CEO of Jobfox. "Top talent is even more critical in a down economy."
While 56 percent of recruiters and human resource managers surveyed from the Atlanta, Boston, San Francisco Bay and Washington, D.C., regions said recruiting and staffing activity will increase in 2008, 50 percent said recruiting budgets will remain at 2007 levels in 2008. Only 7 percent said budgets will decrease.
The exit of the Baby Boomers from the workplace continues to put pressure on companies to rethink recruiting strategies for 2008 and beyond, said McGovern, the creator of CareerBuilder and now the founder of Jobfox. Jobfox combines precision skills matching and professional branding to more efficiently link already-employed candidates with new job opportunities. "Employers are seeking more intelligent ways to source high achievers."
Traditional recruiting channels - aiming mostly at active seekers - aren't getting the job done, according to more than 250 recruiters from a wide range of industries who participated in the Jobfox poll. More than two-thirds (69 percent) said that 90 percent or more of the resumes they reviewed - from traditional online sources such as CareerBuilder, Monster and Craigslist - are not qualified enough to pursue further.
In addition to turning to new sites such as Jobfox to better reach already-employed professionals, known by recruiters as "passive seekers," recruiters are exploring groups such as retirees and stay-at-home parents as new hires.
To help fill positions, 37 percent of the corporate hiring representatives polled are now sourcing retirees or plan to target retirees in 2008. Stay-at-home moms and dads are also on the radar screen for 22 percent of the recruiters polled.
"The advanced professional - especially if they have proven management and communication skills - will remain in the driver's seat in 2008," McGovern said.
About Jobfox
Jobfox is the Web's first personal-branding site that puts candidates in control of career-advancement opportunities. As a candidate-focused site, where professionals showcase their unique career strengths and goals, Jobfox intelligently matches and alerts professionals - in real time - to new career opportunities from talent-hungry companies. Visit www.jobfox.com today.
Media contact:
Barry Lawrence
blawrence@jobfox.com
O: 703.748.0162 x1106 M: 703.869.9592
Jobfox is a trademark of the company. All other company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies.
Editor's Note: Specific results for the Atlanta, Boston, San Francisco Bay and Washington, D.C, regions are available upon request.