More than half of firms are finding it difficult to recruit, according to international recruiter Kelly Services’ latest ‘Global RPO Report’.

The report reveals the biggest improvement in ability to recruit has been in the Americas, where the share of businesses experiencing recruiting difficulties fell from 46% to 38%. There was also an improvement in EMEA from 65% to 63%, but in Asia-Pacific, the share of businesses with recruiting difficulties surged from 50% to 67%.

Meanwhile, 94% of respondents plan to hire permanent staff in 2011, down marginally from 2010, and 83% plan to hire graduates, virtually unchanged on 2010.

Most firms (53%) plan to use recruiters in their hiring activities with APAC employers more likely to use agencies than their counterparts in EMEA and the Americas.