• 37% of employers say that they anticipate shortages of secretarial and support professionals in the second half of the year and 21% say that Britain’s decision to leave the European Union will compound the shortage.
• 74% of employers plan to recruit primarily for mid-level professionals in the second half of the year
Research from Robert Walters has found that over a third of employers expect to face skills shortages when looking to recruit secretarial and support professionals in the second half of 2016. A fifth of employers believe that these skills shortages will be exacerbated by Britain’s decision to leave the European Union.
Rebecca Gaden, Manager, Secretarial and Support Recruitment, Robert Walters, comments:
“Increasingly, employers are looking for secretarial and support professionals to take on a broader role, expanding from straightforward team support responsibilities into elements of project management.”
“As a result, employers are becoming more rigorous about the skills required in candidates, forcing them to recruit from a smaller talent pool in order to find the professionals they need.”
“Demand for secretarial and support professionals at this level is now outstripping supply and many employers are struggling to source candidates. Over a fifth of employers also believe that Britain’s decision to leave the European Union will further exacerbate this skills shortage.”
EMPLOYERS PLAN TO FOCUS RECRUITMENT ON MID-LEVEL PROFESSIONALS
Mid-level professionals are expected to be the most sought after, with 74% of employers planning to recruit individuals at this level into positions such as personal assistant, team support and administration roles based on reception.
Rebecca Gaden continues:
“With employers focusing on recruitment of mid-level secretarial and support staff in the second half of 2016, professionals with appropriate experience can anticipate increased demand for their skills.”
“In particular, businesses are showing interest in recruiting professionals at the mid-level with experience in personal assistant or executive assistant roles. Professionals who have demonstrated the ability to support a small team and senior staff simultaneously are likely to be particularly sought after.”
“Employers are also showing a renewed interest in recruiting secretarial and support staff with European language skills, particularly Spanish, French and Portuguese.
For further information, please contact:
Alan O’Doherty
Tel: +44 (0)20 7509 8839
Email: alan.odoherty@robertwalters.com
