Recruiter demand soaring in Ireland, according to professional network LinkedIn

Nearly eight times more recruiter jobs posted in June 2021 compared to same time last year, according to LinkedIn.

Demand for recruiters is soaring in Ireland, according to new data from professional network LinkedIn. In June 2021, there were nearly eight times more recruiter jobs posted compared to June 2020, and over two times more than the 2019 average. Demand is also increasing across Europe, particularly in Italy and Spain where there are eight times more recruiter jobs being advertised compared to last year.

Globally, the demand for recruiters fell sharply between February and April of 2020 when the first wave of the pandemic hit. As 2020 progressed and economies started to reopen, recruiter roles increased as businesses looked to hire more staff, before surpassing pre-pandemic levels in Ireland in January 2021.

People transitioning careers into recruitment roles in Ireland mainly come from human resources, sales and support functions. When looking for a new job today, recruiters globally are more likely to care about job security and company mission. While work-life balance, compensation, and company culture are still the most important factors for recruiters when considering a new job opportunity, LinkedIn has seen a shift in preferences over the past year. Job security jumped 21% as a priority for recruiters when job hunting, followed by a purposeful company mission, which rose 19%.

Lisa Finnegan, Vice President, International Human Resources at LinkedIn, said: “The Irish economy is rebounding strongly and that positive momentum has companies back in hiring mode, so recruiters are high in demand with businesses back on the front foot. Demand is outstripping supply, so naturally there are a number of professionals pivoting to pursue a career in recruitment given the buoyancy in the market.

“Most importantly, however, despite the number of opportunities, candidates are being selective about who they will work for, putting a heavy emphasis on job security and organisations with a good company culture.”