US executive recruiters’ optimism about growth in the executive employment market over the next six months softened slightly in June, according to ExecuNet’s Recruiter Confidence Index.

However, their confidence in management hiring plans in the short term hit a two-year high.

In June, the index revealed that 58% of 174 responding executive recruiters are ‘confident’ or ‘very confident’ the executive employment market will improve over the next six months, down from 65% in May.

But confidence about the continued growth of the executive employment market over the next three months reached a two-year high in June, hitting 51%.

ExecuNet’s Recruiter Confidence Index is based on a monthly survey of executive search firms. A reading above 50% indicates recruiters are ‘confident’ or ‘very confident’ the number of executive search assignments launched by employers in the next six months will increase.

Confidence in the executive employment market in next six months

Source: ExecuNet