Recruitment is slow and is likely to remain so for some time – nearly two-thirds of employers are operating some form of recruitment freeze and there is uncertainty about when conditions might improve according to the CBI Employment Trends 2009 Survey.

Expectations for a recovery in recruitment are mixed. Respondents to the survey were asked when they expect recruitment to return to 2007 and 2008 levels. Expectations were very mixed, with 18% expecting a return to 2008 levels within a year, around a third (32%) expecting it within two years, and a further 27% felt unable to give a response.

Employers were even more uncertain about when recruitment might return to 2007 levels: just 9% felt this was likely to happen within a year, around a quarter expecting a return within two years (26%) and another quarter felt recovery would be beyond two years (27%). More than a third (35%) were too unsure to give an answer.

The mixed nature of employer expectations – and the high proportion of respondents answering “don’t know” – show the high level of uncertainty about the future economic outlook.