Recruiting Careers Take Flight as Companies Accelerate Hiring
Reblogged from Philadelphia Business Journal
Author: John McDonald
Recruiting isn’t usually the first choice when college students are deciding what career to pursue. But that may be changing as today’s business environment grows more candidate-driven and Baby Boomers exit the workplace. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment-services industry is projected to grow 24.8 percent by 2022, considerably faster than most other sectors.
The pace of hiring will quicken in 2015 as a growing number of employers become focused on growth, with more of them planning to increase hiring than at any time in the past seven years. The Delaware Valley is already seeing growing demand for executive, managerial and professional candidates in key markets such as healthcare, finance and insurance, technology and professional services, prompting a surge in hiring of recruiters.
The Draw to the Field
The entrepreneurial component of starting and running a business, uncapped earning potential, and the ability to have greater control over work-life balance are some of the biggest attractors for prospective recruiters. When you add mobility to the equation, and the fact that recruiters can work with clients and candidates across the country or even internationally, without having to travel, recruiting looks quite appealing. Yet even beyond all of these factors, recruiters say what they enjoy most is their ability to impact and change candidates’ lives by placing them in more fulfilling roles.
The Role of the Recruiter
With impending candidate shortages, the role of the recruiter is of critical importance to companies that face intense competition for the best workers. The unemployment rate for the managerial/professional segment of the workforce – the college-educated group – is now at 2.7 percent, which is a clear indicator of a tightening candidate environment. While social media has made it incredibly easy to post jobs and solicit candidates, many people with hiring responsibilities become overwhelmed when faced with hundreds or even thousands of resumes – most of which are unsuitable – to cull through in search of the right hire.
Concern among employers about the rising rate of attrition, which is leaving companies shorthanded at a time when business is picking up, is also fueling the need for more recruiters – a trend that will continue as Baby Boomers who postponed retirement begin to feel more confident about leaving their jobs, and employed professionals respond to increased mobility in the workplace.
Recruitment Needs Span Multiple Industries
As market, political and legislative changes alter the healthcare industry, navigating its complexities means that organizations must develop innovative and practical solutions that require specialized personnel. Rapid change dominates the healthcare landscape, but for organizations willing to take on the challenges and leverage the trends, the outlook for 2015 is positive, and the employment picture for healthcare professionals is very robust across all segments of the industry, both clinical and non-clinical.
Recruiters in this space tend to specialize in defined areas of the healthcare market, such as nurses or researchers, health IT or hospital management. They understand the forces shaping their clients’ businesses and help them develop tailored staffing solutions to address the complex challenges they face. As a result of rapid growth within the healthcare industry, the demand for seasoned recruiters who have specialized knowledge of their niche is also accelerating. Ed Mamrak, managing partner of PrincetonOne Philadelphia, an affiliate of MRINetwork, has added to his healthcare recruiting team every year for the past several years, and will continue to take on additional recruiters to meet demand. “Over half of the business originating from our Philadelphia operation sits in the managed care space with payers, providers and professional services companies who provide support to the sector,” says Mamrak. “This has been a focus of ours for over six years. As managed care continues to evolve and grow, the need for talent to help sustain this growth is critical. Our Philadelphia operation will need recruiting talent to be sure we are keeping up with the sourcing demands of our clients.”
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