2. “Candidates’ primary concern in changing roles today is job
security,” says Hill. “Candidates are highly reluctant to explore
UNITED KINGDOM opportunities—it often takes three or four requests before a
passive candidate will even provide a CV. When recruiting
today, our most important job is to sell the stability of the
An Abundance of Caution Slows Economy company. We have to highlight their financials, show that they
are on solid ground, or that it is investing heavily in R&D.”
When riots broke out across England—first in the Tottenham
section of London, then in other cities throughout the country—
Considering that actively recruited candidates are dragging their
the blame was widespread. Some attributed the spark of the feet, it’s no wonder that very few qualified candidates are
riots to government austerity measures including cuts to
applying for posted positions. Once a candidate is found,
education; others noted the high youth unemployment—which
though, risk-averse companies are delaying the hiring process
has resulted in other civil disturbances in Europe and the Middle
further.
East over the last year. In a very literal sense, though, the riots
started after Mark Duggan, an alleged drug dealer and gang
“Employers are conducting more extensive background checks
member, was shot and killed during an attempted arrest.
and vetting candidates to a greater degree than ever before.
More people want to be involved in the hiring process and
“I think the riots and looting were opportunistic and little more companies’ attitudes are closely tied to short-term market
than that,” says Sandra Hill, managing partner of The Hill
factors,” says Hill. “The mid-August equity market turmoil
Group, an MRINetwork affiliate in Manchester. “The economic
caused many firms to reevaluate their hiring plans, some going
situation throughout the UK is difficult, but the riots have given it
as far as re-reviewing every open position.”
a more desperate appearance than is actually justified.”
“Despite all the rightful concerns both businesses and
Current estimates show that the UK’s gross domestic product
employees have, we see green shoots,” says Hill. “The UK auto
grew by 0.2 percent during the second quarter of 2011, down
industry is supposed to be in horrible shape, yet, one of the
from 0.5 percent growth during the first quarter. Some have largest English auto companies is currently adding more than
attributed the slowdown to an increase in the value added tax
1,200 positions to its UK operations this year. While the
early in the year. Yet, as Hill notes, shopping centers are
aerospace industry is also said to be in a slump, the Paris Air
staying full and British residents are taking more vacations this
Show in June was one of the most successful ever for Airbus.”
year than in the last several.
“There is an abundance of caution in the market,” says Hill. “It is
While confidence may be returning for workers who currently
slowing things down, perhaps prolonging the downturn.
hold positions, confidence has not returned to the labor market
However, in the end it is just caution. As business continues to
as a whole. be conducted, the necessary confidence will begin to return.”
The ancillary services that keep these agricultural operations up
ILLINOIS and running range from the manufacture of heavy-duty farm
equipment, fertilizer products, development and distribution of
hybrid seeds, and food processing are all tethered to the
Agriculture Provides Stability in Downturn soil. Like in most industries throughout the country, they are
seeing a growing demand for talented professionals.
Like most of the country, the unemployment rate has remained
stubbornly high in Illinois since the recession’s end. While it fell
“During the downturn, companies cut deep—often far deeper
to 8.7 percent this spring, it edged back up to 9.5 percent in
than they should have,” notes Ahlstrom. “Today, many are
July. Some of the largest job losses have been in the
reversing course, and are beginning to add to their workforce
government, leisure and hospitality, and construction sectors;
again. However, companies are being highly selective about
many of them in Chicago and its outlying suburbs. Once you
new hires, adding resources in a carefully managed process as
leave the Chicago metropolitan area, however, a different
they move toward recovery.”
economy exists.
Like much of the rest of the country, rural Illinois’ best
“Downstate Illinois has a vital agricultural industry, and some
opportunity to bring down its unemployment rate will be through
significant manufacturing,” says Craig Ahlstrom, president of
new business openings and innovation. A hopeful sign Ahlstrom
Perfect World Search, an MRINetwork affiliate in Peoria.
has observed from real estate agents in the Peoria area is an
“Peoria, specifically, is an important medical hub, with three
uptick in the commercial real estate market they serve.
major hospitals, a branch of the University of Illinois School of
Medicine, and related health-services businesses.”
“Smaller manufacturers that scaled back to nearly skeleton
crews during the recession are now able to start hiring again,”
As a whole, the economy in downstate Illinois is blended –
notes Ahlstrom. “Providing these companies have not scaled
some sectors are thriving, others are not doing so well. While
back their physical work space, they are likely to have the
some manufacturing companies have voiced interest in
capacity to ramp up production quickly and economically."
relocating to open-shop states, agriculture has become one of
the most stable segments of the Illinois rural economy.
In central and western Illinois, like many rural areas across the
country, the recession hasn’t made as much of an impact as the
Nearly 20 percent of all U.S. exports come from agriculture, and
longer-term economic shifts that have affected many cities
Illinois is one of the largest providers of those exports, leading
across America. In Illinois, that trend may be at last starting to
to a robust industry in the state. Nearly 80 percent of the state’s
change course as corn and soy prices remain high, global
total land area is covered by farms.
demand continues to grow.
Provided by MRINetwork www.MRINetwork.com | Edited by Sean Muir (215) 751-1762 Sean.Muir@MRINetwork.com
