Index

March 2021
Insights and Predictions From the Recruiters, HR Professionals,
and Talent Acquisition Experts on the Front Lines of the Job Market Today
 Table of Contents
Executive Summary ... 3

Job Market Overview ... 5

Industry-by-Industry Breakdown ... 12

Methodology and Participants ... 18

2
 Executive Summary
No one understands the talent market like the
recruiters, HR professionals, and talent
acquisition experts working on the front lines.
Every month, Recruiter.com surveys its network
of 28,000+ independent recruiting and talent
acquisition specialists to better understand the
challenges and opportunities facing the
industry.
At 3.8, recruiter sentiment continues its upward
trend, reaching a new high in Recruiter Index®
history. The current job market outlook and the
30-day forecast improved slightly, while the 90-
day forecast remained steady.
And speaking of new highs: For the first time in
the history of the Recruiter Index®, recruiters
reported working on more open roles now than
they were this time last year (16 open roles per
recruiter in March 2021 vs. 14 in March 2020).
This marks a vital milestone in the job market's
recovery, though the effects of COVID-19 still
linger.
3
March Recruiter Sentiment Score:
3.8 / 5
Key Takeaways
The average recruiter was working on 16 open
roles in March. While that's down from 18 in
February, recruiter workloads are up 14 percent
from March 2020.
 Recruiters felt March's job market was warmer
than February's, with 62 percent reporting the
market was improving, compared to 54 percent
who said the same in February.
 Recruiters report that candidates are open to
hearing about job opportunities. Compensation
(31.5 percent) and remote work (26.6 percent)
remain the biggest draws for candidates.
 Recruiters across verticals report high demand for
talent in the IT and software engineering,
healthcare, logistics and supply chain, skilled
trades, manufacturing, and customer service
verticals
Help Us Predict the Future
of the Job Market.
Since April 2020, the Recruiter Index® has
consistently predicted the Bureau of Labor
Statistics jobs report before it comes out. That's
because we rely on recruiters and talent
acquisition professionals like you — the people
who know the job market better than anyone else.

Countless employers depend on your expertise to

navigate a constantly evolving talent market. Help
them stay on track.

Take the Recruiter Index® survey.

 Job Market Overview
Overall current job market sentiment continues on its upward trajectory, hitting an all-time high of 3.6 in March.
More than 60 percent of recruiters said the job market is heating up, compared to 17.9 percent who said it is
cooling down.

Overall, How Do You Feel About Overall, How Do You Feel About
the Job Market Right Now? (Mar. 2021) the Job Market Right Now? (Month Over Month)*
3.8
Getting much 3.6
hotter 3.4
3.2
3.0
Job market sentiment

Getting hotter 2.8

2.6
2.4
Staying the same 2.2
2.0
1.8
Getting colder 1.6

Getting much

M 20
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Percentage of respondents Average recruiter sentiment by month

*Scale of 1-5, with 1 being "The job market is getting much colder" and 5 being "The job market is getting much hotter."

5
 Job Market Overview
Average workloads fell from 18 open roles per recruiter in February to 16 in March — but the more important news is
that the year-over-year workload gap nally closed. For the rst time in the history of the Recruiter Index®, recruiters
reported working on more roles right now than the same time last year. The Great Re-Hire appears to be underway.

Current workloads were up 14.3 percent from March 2020. That may not be a complete surprise, considering March
2020 was the start of the pandemic. Still, this is a vital milestone and a concrete sign the job market has seen some
meaningful recovery, even if it's not back to full health just yet.
Average Job Requirements,
Current Average Job Requirements Per Recruiter
Year-Over-Year Comparison
20 24
22
18
20
16 18
16
14
14
12 12

June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar.
M 20
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Recruiter workload 2020-2021

Recruiter workload by month Recruiter workload 2019-2020

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 Job Market Overview
While recruiters' 90-day forecasts remain virtually unchanged since December 2020, their immediate-term outlooks
have brightened. Even more recruiters reported their job requirement loads would increase in the next 30 days (61.2
percent in March 2021 vs. 58.5 percent in February 2021).

How Do You Expect Your Job Requirement Load How Do You Expect Your Job Requirement Load
to Change Over the Next 30 Days? to Change Over the Next 90 Days?

Many more jobs Many more jobs

More jobs More jobs

Number of jobs

Number of jobs
Same amount Same amount

Fewer jobs Fewer jobs

Many fewer jobs Many fewer jobs

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Percentage of respondents Percentage of respondents

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 Job Market Overview

How Do You Expect Your Job Requirement Load How Do You Expect Your Job Requirement Load
to Change Over the Next 30 Days?* to Change Over the Next 90 Days?*
4.0 4.0
3.8 3.9
3.8
3.6 3.7
3.6
3.4 3.5
3.2 3.4
3.0 3.3
3.2
2.8 3.1
2.6 3.0
2.9
2.4 2.8
M 20
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Average recruiter projections by month Average recruiter projections by month

*Scale of 1-5, with 1 being "I will have many fewer job requirements" and 5 being "I will have many more job requirements."

8
 Job Market Overview
While compensation has consistently been a top-two priority for candidates since December 2020, it has usually taken
second place behind remote work. March saw that change, with recruiters reporting compensation was candidates' No.
1 concern when evaluating new opportunities. This could be related to increased hiring activity in elds like logistics,
skilled trades, and manufacturing, which don't lend themselves to remote work.

In Your Experience, How Open Are Candidates What Are Candidates Most Interested
to Hearing About New Job Opportunities? in When Evaluating New Opportunities?
40
PTO 2.50%Work/life balance 18.50%
35
Percentage of recruiters

Job title 3.10%

30 Remote work 29.60%
25
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Compensation 31.50%
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New experiences 14.80%

Candidate openness

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 Job Market Overview
It may be a virtual world, but only 32.7 percent of recruiters reported using video software built speci cally for hiring. And
recruiters could stand to be more consistent, as only 18.9 percent of recruiters who use video-screening software said they
require every candidate to submit a video. Research shows that a consistent, structured recruiting process in which every
candidate goes through the same steps is the most predictive — and the most inclusive. There's room for improvement
here.

Are You Currently Using a Dedicated Video Does Your Hiring Process Require Candidates to
Screening Solution as Part of Your Hiring Process? Submit a Video Before a Live Interview?
Not yet, but I plan to 14.20%
Yes 18.90%

Yes 32.70%

No 53.10% No 81.10%

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 Job Market Overview

The overall recruiter sentiment graph tracks recruiters' overall

Overall Recruiter Sentiment
feelings about the job market and its future prospects in any given 4.0
month. Each month's sentiment score is an average of recruiters' 3.8
responses to three queries: 3.6
3.4
1. Overall, how do you feel about the job market right now? 3.2
2. How do you expect your job requirement load to change over 3.0
the next 30 days? 2.8
3. How do you expect your job requirement load to change over 2.6
2.4
the next 90 days?
2.2

Sentiment is scored on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being "Highly

Se 20

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pessimistic about the job market's current and future prospects"

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and 5 being "Highly optimistic about the job market's current
and future prospects." Average recruiter sentiment by month

11
Industry-by-Industry Breakdown
In addition to their outlooks on the overall job market, recruiters who
participated in our survey shared feedback on the primary industries in which
they recruit. Here are some snapshots from the most optimistic industries.
 Computer Software

How Do You Expect Your Job Requirement Load How Do You Expect Your Job Requirement Load
to Change Over the Next 30 Days? to Change Over the Next 90 Days?
Same amount 23.52% Fewer jobs 5.89%
Same amount 11.79%

More jobs 76.48% More jobs 82.32%

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 Information Technology

How Do You Expect Your Job Requirement Load How Do You Expect Your Job Requirement Load
to Change Over the Next 30 Days? to Change Over the Next 90 Days?
Same amount 26.70% Same amount 23.30%

More jobs 73.30% More jobs 76.70%

14
 Medical / Healthcare

How Do You Expect Your Job Requirement Load How Do You Expect Your Job Requirement Load
to Change Over the Next 30 Days? to Change Over the Next 90 Days?

Same amount 35.30% Same amount 29.40%

More jobs 64.70% More jobs 70.60%

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 Where We're Seeing the Most Hiring Activity
In addition to asking recruiters about hiring activity in their specialty verticals, we also ask them about the types of
roles they're seeing the most demand for in the overall job market. Here are the most in-demand sectors, according
to our recruiters:

March 2021

IT / Software Engineering Healthcare Logistics / Supply Chain

31% 14% 7%
of recruiters across specialties say of recruiters across specialties say of recruiters across specialties say
they're seeing the most demand they're seeing the most demand they're seeing the most demand
for roles in this vertical for roles in this vertical for roles in this vertical

Skilled Trades Manufacturing Customer Service

6% 4% 3%
of recruiters across specialties say of recruiters across specialties say of recruiters across specialties say
they're seeing the most demand they're seeing the most demand they're seeing the most demand
for roles in this vertical for roles in this vertical for roles in this vertical

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 Where We're Seeing the Most Hiring Activity

And here's how demand looked in those same sectors last month by comparison:

February 2021

IT / Software Engineering Healthcare Logistics / Supply Chain

32% 12% 5%
of recruiters across specialties said of recruiters across specialties said of recruiters across specialties said
they're seeing the most demand they're seeing the most demand they're seeing the most demand
for roles in this vertical for roles in this vertical for roles in this vertical

Skilled Trades Manufacturing Customer Service / Retail

9% 5% 5%
of recruiters across specialties said of recruiters across specialties said of recruiters across specialties said
they're seeing the most demand they're seeing the most demand they're seeing the most demand
for roles in this vertical for roles in this vertical for roles in this vertical

17
 Methodology and Participants
In total, 162 recruiting and talent acquisition professionals participated in the March 2021 Recruiter Index® survey. The
majority of participants (74.1 percent) primarily work on jobs based in the US. Participants spanned a broad range of
industries, with IT (18.5 percent of respondents), computer software (10.5 percent), and medical/healthcare (10.5
percent) comprising the largest groups of respondents by industry.

What Was the Average Salary

What Best Describes Your Role?
of the Jobs You Filled in 2020?

< $15K
Recruiting /
staf ng rm $15K - $40K

$40K - $80K

Average salary
Type of role

Internal HR / TA $80K - $100K

$100K - $150K

$150K - $200K
Other
$200K - $500K

10 20 30 40 50 4 8 12 16 20 24
Percentage of respondents Percentage of respondents

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 Index
No one knows what's happening on the ground in the talent market like
recruiters and HR/talent acquisition professionals. In a time of great change, we're
asking for your reports from the front lines.

Take the Recruiter Index® survey