The recruitment survey was conducted this year and a total of 8366 companies was included. The response rate was 51 percent.

In this survey, which was conducted through the web, the focus were on what skills companies are looking for, the corporate recruitment needs and if the companies have found the employees they are looking for.

In the first report, approximately half of the companies experienced that it has been fairly or very difficult to find the right employees. The most common reasons were the lack of people with the right education or work experience.

The most common recruitment process (used by 76 percent) is informal contacts when companies find employees through its own employees, customers, or suppliers. These contacts and networks have become increasingly important in the recruitment process.

The percentage unit has increased dramatically since 2002 when the figure was at 63 percent. Here, 89 percent indicated that this process worked fairly or very well.

The second most common recruitment process (used by 57 percent) is spontaneous applications. This method of recruitment has increased the most. In 2007 the figure was at 51 percent and in 2002 it was only at 20 percent. This way of recruitment has worked fairly or very well according to 79 percent of the companies.

The Employment Service is currently used to a lesser extent than before. This may be due to the large number of applications and the lack of skills needed to work in the company. Here, 41 percent of the companies argue that this process of recruitment has worked fairly or very bad.

The number of companies seeking employees abroad is at a low level, only 6 percent. These companies are mainly within the Forestry and Agricultural industry and Food companies along with Technology companies. This is mainly due to language skills rather than legal expertise.

                                                                                         Cecilia Helland