New Bullhorn Report: 73 Percent of Staffing Firms Reached Revenue Goals in 2012

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bullhorn, the global leader in recruiting software, today announced the release of its annual North American Staffing and Recruiting Trends Report, “Two Steps Forward, One Step Back,” which found 73 percent of staffing firms met or exceeded their goals for 2012, compared to 70 percent in 2011. The report, which details the findings of a survey of more than 1,800 staffing professionals and offers insight into the opportunities and challenges that face the staffing industry, also found that while 92 percent of respondents think their firm’s revenue performance will increase in 2013, that number is down from 96 percent over 2012.

“Hearing directly from staffing professionals that they expect 2013 to be a year of considerable growth for their firms should be a positive sign for not only the industry, but also for job seekers.”

The report also revealed that firms are planning to expand in 2013, in more ways than one. Eighty-two percent of staffing agency executives plan to add staff to their business in 2013, an increase of almost three percent over 2012. Additionally, 48 percent of respondents say their companies would expand into new geographies in 2013 compared to 44 percent in 2012. The survey also found that there has been an increase in the demand for mobile access to recruiting technology. For the first time, more than half of recruiters said it was an extremely important factor for success.

“This report reveals some very encouraging news, especially coming out of the economic downturn,” said Art Papas, Founder and CEO of Bullhorn. “Hearing directly from staffing professionals that they expect 2013 to be a year of considerable growth for their firms should be a positive sign for not only the industry, but also for job seekers.”

Another interesting and potentially polarizing finding is that while the expected total compensation has steadily increased for staffing firm vice presidents, directors, and managers over the past three years, it has steadily decreased for recruiters, account managers, and sales representatives. The report also found that 47 percent of recruiters say compensation for the candidates they place has increased from 2011 to 2012.

The survey respondents identified a lack of skilled candidates as their greatest challenge in 2013 and access to passive job candidates through social channels their greatest opportunity. When it comes to social media:

98 percent of recruiters surveyed used social media for recruiting in 2012, up from 94 percent in 2011.
Regarding social networks used most by recruiters, LinkedIn came out on top (97 percent) with Facebook (51 percent) and Twitter (49 percent) fighting it out for second place.
When asked which social networks they plan on using more in 2013, 38 percent of respondents said Twitter and 37 percent said Facebook.
When asked which social networks produced the best candidates, however, 17 percent indicated Facebook and 13 percent said Twitter.

Links for More Information:

Download the full report: http://sites.bullhorn.com/NATrendsSurvey/
View the infographic: http://www.bullhorn.com/north-america-trends-survey-2013-infographic

About Bullhorn

Bullhorn creates software and services that help recruiters put the world to work. For over ten years our innovations have powered the recruiting and staffing operations of fast-growing start-ups up through the world’s largest employment brands. Headquartered in Boston, with offices in St. Louis, Vancouver, London and Sydney, Bullhorn’s recruiting CRM and social recruiting products serve more than 10,000 clients representing nearly 200,000 users across 150 countries.