Today’s recruitment agencies face a major challenge: continuing to support companies in their recruitment efforts at a time when the shortage of talent is intensifying. New models attracting investors are emerging against this backdrop. MERCATO DE L’EMPLOI, a national network of freelance recruiters, has just raised €8 million from specialised investment funds. Experts at AURIS Finance, a mergers and acquisitions consultancy, take a closer look.
The job market for executive or managerial positions is currently very tight. For many positions, the number of potential candidates is lower than the number of vacancies. This is the case, for example, in finance, IT, sales and technical roles. The balance of power between recruiters and candidates is therefore in the process of being reversed, with power shifting to the side of talented candidates, who no longer hesitate to put companies in competition with each other. This phenomenon has been further reinforced by the new aspirations of candidates, who are determined to find meaning and well-being in the workplace.
Good ideas always find backers
In this climate, recruitment agencies are struggling to meet their clients’ demands. Some of them are even turning down clients because they don’t have a sufficient number of candidates on their books. In response to this major paradigm shift, recruitment agencies are organising themselves. Recent months have seen a number of strategic mergers between different recruitment players, such as the merger between the French company Proman and the Dutch company Timing, or the acquisition of Ergalys by the Actual Leader Group. Other agencies with innovative models are being supported in their development by investment funds. As the recruitment sector enters a phase of concentration, new players need to find funding quickly if they are to reach a sufficient size to face the competition.
A unique model
Created in 2017, MERCATO DE L’EMPLOI is a national network of freelance recruiters. In the panorama of recruitment consultancies, it stands out for its strong territorial roots. In total, the group has 200 recruitment specialists located throughout France (metropolitan and overseas). Its approach is unique, giving priority to the analysis of candidates’ soft skills. As a placement company for independent workers, MERCATO DE L’EMPLOI pays particular attention to the human factor, be they recruiters or job seekers, and endeavours to explore the personality of each candidate in the light of the values of the company being sought. During 2021, the group placed 2,000 people in VSEs, SMEs, ETIs and large companies.
First round of funding
RING Capital, a fund specialising in companies with a social and environmental impact, and IXO Private Equity, a leading regional private equity firm, were attracted by this unique model. Together, the two funds have committed a total of €8 million to support the group’s growth, in particular by accelerating the digitisation of the network.
Get the support you need
Today’s recruitment market is undergoing profound change. In this context, a number of mergers are taking place. Innovative models such as that proposed by MERCATO DE L’EMPLOI are attracting the attention of investment funds. Our specialists at AURIS finance have extensive experience in the human resources and temporary employment sectors and have assisted in numerous mergers and acquisitions. Whether you are a recruitment company looking for financing or a recruitment consultancy with an acquisition or sale project, our experts are ready to work with you towards your goals.
