Insights
2013 AESC Mid-Year Outlook Report
Outlook Among Executive Search Consultants Grows More Positive
The majority of executive search consultants are feeling neutral to positive about the second half of 2013.
The 2013 Mid-Year Executive Search Industry Global Outlook Report, by the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC), shows that 88% of executive search consultants hold a neutral to positive outlook at mid-year 2013 for the rest of the year ahead. Only 12% of search consultants harbor a negative view for July-December 2013. The regional breakdown of the findings highlight that search consultants in the Americas have the most positive outlook for the search industry going into the second half of 2013, with a greater number of executive search professionals there (46%) holding a positive outlook for the second half of 2013, compared to the only 23% in EMEA and 38% in Asia Pacific feeling positive about the industry for the second half of 2013.
AESC President, Peter Felix, commented: "The AESC’s mid-year outlook is encouraging for the executive search profession and for senior executives who are considering career change. Optimism among our member firms is at its highest level for almost two years and is indicating an upward trend, even though still far short of the mood in 2010 when the industry bounced back after the shock of 2009. It is clear that the American economy is on the move again and with more encouraging indicators from parts of Europe and the developing world it is likely that organizations will ramp up their senior recruiting efforts. The talent shortage has not gone away during the downturn and retained search firms are responding to new requirements from their clients, especially in areas such as digital transformation."
The top three sectors expected to experience the greatest demand for senior executive talent in the second half of the year include Healthcare/Life Sciences, Energy/Natural Resources, followed by Manufacturing. Executive search consultants expect China, Africa and Brazil to see the greatest shortage of executive talent in the second half of 2013.