Annual Trends in Recruitment

As recruitment is very much a cyclical industry, it is worth understanding the annual timeline of a recruitment agency. You will find that your own recruitment sector has its own trends - the sales recruitment sector peaks in November and the teaching sector is busy over the summer holidays - but there are general rules that apply in whichever recruitment sector you decide to establish your agency in.

If you stay on top of industry trends and business news, you be ahead of the game. Rather than wait to experience a full year in your recruitment business and see the trends for yourself, be prepared for the inevitable peaks and troughs and learn to utilise the opportunities that being a little quieter can bring.

January

This is often a very busy time for all areas of recruitment, although perhaps least so the sales sector. Many candidates register in January as they have decided to find a new job as one of their New Year's resolutions (along with joining a gym and giving up smoking!) Please avoid using the old cliché of 'New Year, New You' in your advertising - everybody else will anyway, so you'll waste your money.

February

With hectic January out of the way, February can still be a great time for placements as those second and third interviews come to fruition. A little imaginative thinking about Valentines Day can offer advertising ideas, without scrabbling about with all your competition.

March & April

Unless you have put some good initiatives in place, March and April can be a little slow. In reality, they are the perfect time to find a new job as clients tend to be available to interview and they are keen to develop their teams before the summer holidays start. This is the perfect time for business development.

May

With a few bank holidays in May it can be tricky to set up client meetings or interviews - many people choose to take long weekends away and coordinating diaries can be frustrating. If you have a great candidate, aim for three interviews in one day during the week, so they don't have to take too much time off their current job and clients are more likely to be around.

June

This can be a very busy month in all sectors of recruitment as clients are keen to make sure their teams are running smoothly before people start taking holidays. Those client visits should pay off as long as you only offer them the right people.

July & August

If you have a temps desk, it can get very busy during the summer months, as frantic clients call you for their perfect candidate. Make sure you are totally up to date with your available candidates and try to encourage them to keep you informed of any changes in their circumstances, either using the internet or by a weekly phone call.

September & October

These can still be busy months, although it can be slow if you have not kept up with your stocks of best permanent candidates over their summer holidays. This is also a good time for marketing and advertising. Often new candidates will register after they return from their summer holiday and have had time to think about where there career is going, so this is a good angle for your advertising.

November

This is often one of the busiest times as clients aim to slow down in December. If you can get client visits at the beginning of the month and registered some good candidates, you will be able to maximise the possibilities.

December

Depending on your industry, the last two or three weeks in December can be a very quiet month. As January tends to be so hectic, why not spend some time in December planning your new years strategy and either socialising with your hard working team or spoiling yourself!