Network Recruiters’ Biggest Worry About 2017

You probably remember the Bobby McFerrin song, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” right? Of course you do. You’re old like I am.

However, what if you can’t follow the advice of that catchy tune? What if you just HAVE to worry about something? If that’s the case, then we’re here to keep track of your anxiety.

Since we’re a forward-thinking organization here at TE, we’re keeping track of your future anxiety. Specifically, we’re doing so with the question below, which we recently posed in the form of a poll in the Members’ Area:

At this point, what is your biggest worry about recruiting in 2017?

Results:

The choice of answers that we provided is listed below, along with the percentage of Network recruiters that selected each one:

• The economy — 16.8%
• The President of the United States — 17.8%
• The availability of job orders — 16.8%
• The availability of quality candidates — 27.7%
• Whether or not I still feel like recruiting — 12.9%
• Some other worry — 7.9%

Race to the anxiety finish line

It doesn’t matter what’s happening in the world. Recruiters’ top industry concern these days is the “availability of quality candidates.” After all, it was #1 in this poll with 27.7% of the vote.

Then things get really interesting, as there is a CLOSE race at #2 through #4. In second place is the “President of the United States” because of course, right now we don’t know who that person is going to be next year.

Tied for third place were two responses: “The economy” and “The availability of job orders.” Both of those make perfect sense. If the economy goes in the toilet, then so will the availability of job orders. Then the availability of quality candidates won’t be a concern . . . only because there will be bigger problems.

Next was “Whether or not I still feel like recruiting” at 12.9% of the vote. Bringing up the rear was “Some other worry.”

What . . . me worry?

In a nutshell, recruiters are worried about anything that will prevent them from making placements. There are a number of things that can stop recruiters from making placements.

It’s actually quite simple. Recruiters need job orders and they need candidates. Since Network recruiters cited “The availability of quality candidates” as their top worry about 2017, then it must mean they’re confident they’ll have plenty of job orders next year.

BUT (and as you can see, that’s a big but) the one-two punch of the upcoming Presidential Election and the economy definitely count as extenuating circumstances. They’re the “wild cards,” so to speak, in this equation.

If the economy reacts negatively to the Election or if the economy takes a hit for some other reason, then hiring will slow down and there will be fewer job orders. That’s a lot of “ifs.”

So perhaps that’s why neither of those things are recruiters’ top worry about 2017.