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AT FULL THROTTLE Recruitment ïŹrms are achieving record levels of growth, this yearâs Recruiter FAST 50 reveals. Marcus Archer and Mark Maunsell of Clearwater International look at what lies behind the ïŹgures f anyone is still in doubt about the state of the UK recruitment sector, the 2016 Recruiter FAST 50 results will provide absolute clarity. Private recruitment ïŹrms have delivered unprecedented levels of growth against the backdrop of a favourable economic environment, data compiled by international mergers and acquisitions (M&A) specialist Clearwater International demonstrates. Constituents of this yearâs 2016 FAST 50 grew by an average compound annual growth rate of 44%, up from 36% in 2015 and 34% in 2014. The ïŹgures emphasise how recruitment ïŹrms are achieving pre-recession growth rates. They also support data recently produced by the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) that suggests that 75% of recruiters grew during 2014. As with previous years, multi-sector specialists came out on top. Led by BIE Executive, a leading interim management and executive search ïŹrm, multi-sector recruiters occupied 18% of this yearâs FAST 50. However, this ïŹgure was somewhat down from the 30% in 2015 and 36% in 2014. While recruiters with broad exposure to multiple sectors were well positioned to achieve rapid growth as the industry recovered, single-sector recruiters operating in attractive markets are now
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beneïŹting from a more focused strategy. Healthcare is a good example of a niche sector with strong underlying market conditions. Despite the recent announcement from the Department of Health of plans to curb agency spend, compliant healthcare recruiters are beneïŹting from increasing patient numbers, chronic skills shortages and high levels of staff turnover as NHS employees switch to agency work. This trend is evidenced by the inclusion of nine specialist healthcare recruiters in this yearâs FAST 50, with two appearing for the third year in a row. A special mention should go to the inclusion of larger ïŹrms Sanctuary Personnel and ID Medical, which managed to ïŹght off several smaller recruiters to rank 21st and 25th respectively. Large recruiters typically struggle to grow at similar rates to smaller companies. The IT sector again had little representation in the rankings, occupying only six places. While this is attributable largely to the managedservice providers continuing to take marketshare, there is also an increasing level of M&A activity in IT. For example, previous 2014 and 2015 FAST 50 constituent Eurostaff was acquired by Cordant Group in June 2015. The engineering, industrial and technical sectors are three markets that face severe talent shortages.
Recent statistics from EngineeringUKâs âEngineering UK 2015â report suggest that 19% of ïŹrms have difficulties in ïŹnding suitable candidates, up from 12% the previous year. Recruiters with extensive talent databases are well positioned to take advantage of these skills gaps and achieve rapid growth. In this yearâs FAST 50, a total of 18 ïŹrms appeared that had exposure to these end markets. This yearâs FAST 50 is unique not only in that companies are achieving unprecedented levels of growth, but also because the growth is coming from a new breed of progressive recruitment companies, with many appearing in the FAST 50 for the ïŹrst time. In fact, a total of 33 companies were new entrants this year, beating an historic high of 31 in 2015. One reason for this trend is the fragmented market and low barriers to entry; another is the increasing number of recruitment agencies that are being launched in the UK each year. Analysis from contract ïŹnance ïŹrm Sonovate suggests that the number has been doubling since 2010 to reach 4,083 in 2014, with many of these now being of sufficient scale to be considered for inclusion in the FAST 50. Unsurprisingly, two of the largest UK-headquartered oil & gas recruiters, Fircroft and Air Energi, were absent from the list in 2016, having been present in 2015 and 2014. The oil & gas
FEBRUARY 2016
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