Earlier this week I watched in amazement as the share prices of a particular bank dropped by nearly 10 per cent on the strength of a minor two per cent dip in profits. Such is the power of the paranoia and disturbance built by the doom headlines of the media in the last half year. Many seem to have adopted a rather pessimistic outlook and jumpy reactions are adding to the unrest.

I’m sure we're all utterly sick of hearing about the credit crunch and speculation on which institutions are allegedly struggling. Negative gossip isn't in anyone's favour and yet there seems to be fascination with bad news that fuels this downward spiral.

With this miserable backdrop many are surprised to learn that in the financial jobs market it is very much business as usual. There is no impact because for most there is no problem. The clearing banks are all recruiting in normal patterns and there isn't a cloud on the horizon. In fact the biggest worry for them is sourcing enough quality candidates with the right skills and experience.

With plenty of jobs and new recruitment opportunities the market is healthy and able to exert the usual demand on consultants and agencies. Those that can scope the entire market for talent, like Opus Mitchell, are doing well and I can happily report that we're expanding into new offices and hiring more specialists to keep pace with the market's needs.

We are seeing an ever increasing demand for top quality business development and relationship managers, with recruiters and funders alike having to fight harder than ever to secure the cream of the crop.

With solid demand in the market we are also seeing an increasing interest in candidates with transferable skills. If an individual has a strong, proven track record in bringing business in but is from another sector many organisations are investing in the necessary training and development to add financial qualifications and expertise. This certainly wasn't so prevalent in previous years and is evidence of the increasingly competitive jobs market across the financial arena.

So in recruitment terms the financial sector is in good shape. The doom and gloom speculators will have to be disappointed – it's a positive picture.

ANDREW MITCHELL
OPUS MITCHELL LTD
WWW.OPUSMITCHELL.COM