If you don't already read the blog by the guys at SocialTalent, you probably should. Their latest entry details some very insightful stats, tips and trends of the recruitment industry, with some rather interesting results...

The blog attempts to answer the oft-debated HR question: When are the busiest months for Recruitment Activity? And does the busiest month for job-seekers mean the most placements in new roles?
"Last week I had the priviledge of attending a day-long event at Google’s EMEA headquarters in Google Docks (love that name), Dublin. Of the many products that were covered and discussed last week, I was reminded of the power of Google Trends, a product I often overlook when researching patterns in the employment market. A quick dive into the free tool allowed me to analyse global search volumes for the keywords 'Job', 'Jobs', 'Career' and 'Careers' over the last 5 years.
Charted by this graph below, the results of SocialTalent's Trends search are displayed in a linear and precise fashion, with the parameters of the years and the calendar months measured against global search volumes compiled by Google.



Google Trends for Jobs 2008 to 2012 Graph

SocialTalent's excellent report contains three key findings throughout the calendar year.

  • In the month of January, job searches are up 15% more than average
  • April through to September reveals a gradual increase in search.
  • October signals the death knell for searches, with a steep downturn until the January peak.
  • December searches are down 20% on the monthly average.

By structuring recruitment activity around this data, companies can gauge the most opportune times to spread the net widest when trying to fill vacancies. Similarly, candidates will become potentially harder to find at certain times (notably the run-up to Christmas) and recruiters can adjust their strategy and marketing spend accordingly.

You can read the full report (we recommend you do) on SocialTalent's blog.

If the recruitment industry is indeed about to slow down, make it easier for us to help you find a new role! Please don't hesitate to call us on 0161 833 3874, tweet @ChrysalisRec or email info@chrysalisrecruitment.com for free and friendly advice on your career options in digital industries!