Global executive search industry confidence is rising following a low point at the end of 2008, according to a survey by the Association of Executive Search Consultants.

The association's 2011 outlook survey of its members from around the globe found 68 percent of respondents had positive sentiments about 2011.

"The New Year outlook by our members is most encouraging and confirms the renewed demand for executive search services that we witnessed in 2010," said AESC President Peter Felix. "Our members are more confident about their pipeline of assignments and, although not all markets around the world are recovering at the same pace, the underlying trend is strong."

Sixty-six percent of respondents said their search practices are planning to hire more consultants in 2011 -- up from 18 percent in the 2010 survey results.

Fifty-two percent of the survey respondents were located in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region; 30 percent were from the Americas; and 15 percent were from the Asia-Pacific region.