Clutching at green shoots

The ninth day of the ninth month, 2009, dawned with media channels full of better economic tidings: the UK is coming out of recession.  Analysts say that Britain's economy grew in the three months to August; productivity, the balance of payments, and employment are all showing signs of improvement; and there are even mega takeovers in the offing to raise spirits further.  Consumer confidence is a little stronger, and the property market is showing signs of life.  Yet optimism is tinged with caution, and some of the statistics are still of the "not good but not quite as bad as before" variety.

No one is pretending that fortunes are going to be transformed overnight and few would deny that there are tough times ahead.  In times past, however, recruitment activity has tended to increase at an early stage in the recovery.  Recruitment agencies today reported more permanent and temporary placements in August than for many months.  Hopefully, this is a sign of history repeating itself and recruitment communications is following suit, or will be very soon.