HR departments should seek professionals that can adapt to an ever-changing work environment brought about by the recession, according to HR recruiters.

Claire Needham, director at Network HR, told Recruiter that her clients currently require candidates to be “calm, professional, resilient and adaptable in the current changing marketplace”.

“There is definitely an emphasis on skillset and candidates who do have experience of change management are in demand for their expertise,” she adds.

John Maxted, chief executive at HR recruiter Digby Morgan, says: “Anyone in this current climate has to be resilent and adaptable. It is tough times and people need to adapt to a very challenging environment.”