Tough trading conditions are driving change and opportunity in the industry.

Russell Clements, chief executive of IT recruiter SThree, told Recruiter the recession is causing a “periodic pruning of the industry’s weaker players — which is no bad thing”.

Stuart Packham, director of Michael Page Technology, told Recruiter the recession provided a good time to take market share. “In a boom
market, it’s easy to operate. At the moment cash is king. If you are cash or asset rich you can continue to invest in the right people and the right business.”

Clements added tough trading conditions provided the impetus to “make [internal] changes that otherwise you may not have got around to or had the internal appetite to do”, which could provide the opportunity to take advantage of the downturn.