Skills shortages a major challenge for 88 percent of Asia-Pacific recruiters, new research reveals

19 JANUARY 2017 — SYDNEY — Eighty percent of recruitment agencies in Asia-Pacific (APAC) increased their number of placements last year, despite 88 percent facing a skills shortage in the sectors in which they recruit. This is according to a recent survey conducted by Bullhorn, the cloud computing company that helps relationship-driven organisations transform their businesses.

Key findings from the report include:

  • Eighty-five percent of companies reported that they met or exceeded their revenue goals last year, and more than 80 percent also expect to achieve the same this year. 
  • The sectors in which agencies recruit most commonly are technology (27 percent), professional services (23 percent), and finance (19 percent).  
  • Eighty-six percent of recruiters said they face a shortage of qualified candidates in technology, while 89 percent said the same of finance.
  • Further findings also shed light on how APAC recruitment agencies source, manage, and value candidate placements:
  • Seven-eight percent said they rely on a CRM to manage candidates and seventy percent claimed they could not work effectively without one.
  • Approximately two-thirds reported that they get at least half of their total placements from their own databases or an applicant tracking system (ATS), though a larger number of technology recruiters prefer job boards or social media.
  • The total number of placements ranked as the most important factor to driving revenue, followed by average placement fee/bill rate, and total number of job orders.

Peter Linas, international managing director of Bullhorn, comments: “While our research shows that recruitment companies in Asia-Pacific are enjoying continued success, it’s important not to take a passive approach to business growth. There is always room for improvement, especially with increased competition in key sectors such as technology and finance, along with the persistent global skills shortage.”

“Agencies must seek to differentiate themselves from the competition”, he continues, “by offering a distinct value proposition led by superior customer experience, and the effective use of technology in the sourcing and placement of candidates.”

The full report can be downloaded here: Recruitment Agency Round-Up: How Do You Compare?

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About Bullhorn

Bullhorn is the global leader in CRM and operations software for the staffing industry. More than 7,000 staffing companies rely on Bullhorn’s cloud-based platform to drive sales, build relationships, and power their recruitment processes from end to end. Headquartered in Boston, with offices around the world, Bullhorn employs more than 600 people globally. The company is founder-led and backed by Vista Equity Partners. To learn more, visit https://www.bullhorn.com/au/ or follow @BullhornAPAC on Twitter.