Recruiting firm owners are generally optimistic about the growth potential for the employment markets in the next six months and the positive impact on their contingent recruiting businesses, according to a business barometer survey by NPA, The Worldwide Recruiting Network. The Grand Rapids, Mich.-based recruiting network conducts the survey of its global recruiters twice annually. 

The survey found 86.6 percent of recruiting firm owners see conditions improving for their businesses over the next 180 days.

“The reported information was positive on where NPA members are headed and perhaps the contingent recruiting industry as a whole,” said Dave Nerz, president of NPA. “Globally, there are positive signs in some previously depressed global markets.”

Additional findings include:

• 40 percent reported improved conditions in the last 180 days, 21 percent indicated no change, and 39 percent reported worse conditions.           
• 68 percent reported employment markets performing at or above expectations in the last 90 days.           
• 49 percent of respondents see their market getting more competitive.           
• Only 13 percent of the respondents have a negative outlook for the next six months.           
• 24 percent project fees to be below the levels realized in the prior six months.

The most active markets identified by the survey were manufacturing/construction/mining and IT job openings; however, weaker-performing segments were also related to positions in the areas of manufacturing/construction/mining.

NPA has 400 member offices with more than 1,200 individual consultants in 28 countries.