Mee Derby & Company, a search firm that focuses on the staffing industry, reported its placements increased 46 percent year over year in 2011, up from a 35 percent increase in 2010.

In addition, the average salary for Mee Derby & Company’s placements in the staffing industry rose 16.1 percent in 2011 on a year-over-year basis, up from a 4.7 percent increase in 2010.

Robin Mee, managing executive recruiter and president, said a sense of urgency has returned to the hiring process for staffing professionals, and there has been more hiring of senior-level positions.

“We are seeing many more hires, we are seeing those hires being made more quickly and those senior hires are being made,” Mee said. In addition, she said more staffing firms are making investment hires — when a staffing professional is hired for the value he or she will bring to the organization regardless of whether there is an opening to fill.

The factors point to a heating up of the staffing industry, and Mee says we are back in a talent shortage.