The Olympic-Sized Shift in Hiring

At The Liberty Group, we work with a unique range of candidates. While most search firms mainly focus on one niche – temporary, contract, direct hire, or executive search – we serve all four markets. Because of this we get to see firsthand some interesting trends across all of those sectors.

Kobe or Coach K?

Like Olympic athletes, top direct hire candidates undergo years of training to become a star in their field. At the same time, a great executive provides strong leadership and bold vision, just like the coach of a team. Contract employees and temps are like top Olympic trainers, not always in the spotlight but always supporting the team. Companies with the right blend of all four can jump from the back of the pack to the medal ceremony.

For the past several years, companies have focused on maximizing productivity using existing staff while filling in the gaps with high-quality contract/temp help. With the sluggish economy, this has been a safe approach with a high “bang for the buck” factor.

The Long Jump – Where the New Jobs Are

But this year, we’ve seen a shift. Companies that have been waiting (in some cases, for several years) to add a direct hire superstar to their team or hire their next generation of executive leadership are finally moving forward and aggressively pursuing top candidates. (We hear Michael Phelps is looking for on-site work – good news, he has pool experience!)

If your company is ready to begin a new chapter with a bright new star at the helm, it may be time to strike while the iron is hot. If you haven’t dipped a toe in the job pool in a while because of the economy, now may be the time to contact Liberty – your dive into the pool could be a gold medal winning full gainer!