Rigid Recruitment Practices and a Lack of Innovation Causing Talent Headaches for Business

Half of Businesses Struggling to Recruit Despite High Unemployment Levels, According to Global Research From Alexander Mann Solutions

LONDON, January 27, 2011 - As businesses start to emerge from one of the deepest
recessions in living memory, many organisations risk missing out on
opportunities to grow their business due to recruitment challenges caused by
a lack of flexibility and innovation.

According to Part Two of the Future Fit Recruitment Report,
released today by the provider of world-class talent and resourcing
capability, Alexander Mann Solutions, many businesses are struggling with the
realities of recruitment in the current economic climate.

Examining the opinions of senior HR decision makers from
around the world, the global research project found that over half of
companies surveyed (55 per cent) have experienced difficulty in recruiting in
the last six months and that 70 per cent attribute these difficulties to a
skills shortage in the candidate pool. This is a particular issue for
companies in the UK (76 per cent) and less pronounced in Asia Pac (60 per
cent).

At a time when unemployment is high and the candidate pool is
larger than it has been for some time, these findings raise questions over
whether organisations are failing to adapt their recruitment practices to
current conditions.

Despite skills shortages being cited as a major obstacle in
the hiring process, only 33 per cent of companies consider themselves as
"good" or "excellent" when it comes to using innovative and creative
approaches to secure new talent. At a time when top talent is very much in
demand, this is a clear sign that organisations need to embrace innovative
practices that go beyond their current recruitment processes if they are to
successfully attract the skills they need to grow.

A lack of flexibility in organisations' recruitment criteria
could also be contributing to businesses' recruitment challenges. While over
half (53 per cent) of HR professionals surveyed consider that their
organisation is "good" or "excellent" in terms of having flexibility in the
recruitment process, one in five (17 per cent) of HR leaders polled
recognised a lack of flexibility in the type of candidate sought.

In addition, 86 per cent revealed that their company has rigid
skill requirements that candidates must meet, in terms of previous experience
and education qualifications. These figures suggest that, in many businesses,
strict recruitment briefs are potentially stifling the recruitment process
and ruling out potential candidates as well as limiting innovation within the
business.

With 60 per cent of organisations admitting to having
purposefully tough selection processes to ensure only the most committed
individuals progress (increasing to 73 per cent in the USA), and 64 per cent
having minimum qualification requirements that all candidates must meet,
there is a clear need for companies to examine whether their current
recruitment process is getting the right people through the door or whether
it is simply exacerbating the skills shortage issue.

Quotes:

"The last 12 months have been difficult for the business
community, and as we move into a more positive new year, the war for talent
is set to continue", commented Rosaleen Blair, CEO and founder, Alexander
Mann Solutions. "HR professionals will have a key role to play in identifying
and retaining skilled workers. As competition to attract this top talent hots
up, it's going to be essential for organisations to take a more strategic and
innovative approach when implementing recruitment policies."

"This report shows a surprising trend, with the majority of HR
teams admitting that they are struggling to meet the needs of their
business", commented David Heath, Global Director of International Business
and People Capital, Alexander Mann Solutions. "With nearly three quarters of
businesses facing up to a shortage of skills, HR professionals need to look
beyond their traditional practices and adopt more flexible, innovative
methods. While there will always be some basic criteria that all candidates
must meet, unnecessary red tape needs to be identified and removed to ensure
that recruitment is not just a box ticking exercise but something that can
deliver real business value across the organisation. "

"Every company serious about its survival and ambition to
prosper in today's market-place must be evaluating its business constantly if
it is to adapt to changing conditions and markets", commented Richard Donkin,
the author of The Future of Work, who contributed to the report. "Human
resources professionals and those with recruiting responsibilities must be a
part of this evaluation, injecting their own creativity in to the talent
mix."

To request a copy of the full research report or to download a copy of
Alexander Mann Solutions' First Future Fit Recruitment Report: Confidence and
Change, please visit www.alexandermannsolutions.com

About the research

The results of the Alexander Mann Solutions Future Fit Recruitment Survey
are based on telephone interviews with HR decision makers from large
enterprises (1000+ employees). These included 100 interviews in the UK, 58
interviews in Asia Pac and 40 in the US. Interviews were conducted during
September 2010. In addition the results from a series of 5 depth interviews
are also included.

All interviews were conducted amongst companies with more than 1000
employees, with 23% taking place with companies with 20,000 staff. 64% of
respondents had recruitment responsibility beyond their own geographical
territory and interviews were conducted across a range of sectors.

About Alexander Mann Solutions

Alexander Mann Solutions builds world-class talent and resourcing
capability for organisations and is the recognised global leader in
Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO).

Alexander Mann Solutions is a trusted advisor that delivers its services
through innovative outsourcing and consulting services that include
permanent, contingent, internal mobility, graduate and talent resourcing
programmes. Alexander Mann Solutions was founded in 1996 by Rosaleen Blair,
the Veuve Clicquot 2007 Business Woman of the Year.

For more information, please visit www.alexandermannsolutions.com

For further information, or to arrange an interview with Alexander Mann
Solutions please contact:

    Helen Ablett/ Emilie Thompson
    Octopus Communications for Alexander Mann Solutions
    T: +44(0)8453-700-655
    E: ams@octopuscomms.net

Helen Ablett/ Emilie Thompson, Octopus Communications for Alexander Mann Solutions, T: +44(0)8453-700-655, E: ams at octopuscomms.net