The factors driving any recruitment market include the prevailing global and domestic economies, sector confidence and the impact of national and international regulation. Having seen consistent growth in the legal sector from 1995 until mid-2001, followed by a sharp dip in work levels and recruitment activity, the current market is very difficult to call.
Any snapshot of the UK economy points to cautious optimism – strong consumer spending in the context of low interest rates has kept the UK economy ticking over; the service industries are relatively strong; manufacturing may be experiencing a slight upturn, despite the relative strength of sterling; while the recession in the US has been shallow and is already showing signs of recovery.
