Eight out of 10 recruiters in the Top Echelon Network billed at least as much last year as they did in 2011, while a majority billed more.
Top Echelon polled recruiters in its network on their success last year, finding 61% improved their billing over 2011. According to the results of the survey, 42% saw their billings grow by 20% and almost 19% said they increased billings between 5% and 15%. Another 19% reported flat billings for the year.
“If recruiters are billing more, it means that companies have hiring needs and they’re acting upon those needs,” said Mark Demaree, president of Top Echelon Network. “It’s no secret that there are many open positions in the country right now, millions, in fact. However, the skills needed for these specialized positions are quite scarce and in great demand.
There’s also strong reason to believe that temp and contract labor firms had 
their best year in 2012. Through the third quarter of last year the industry grossed $77.95 million, putting it on track to hit $100 million. The ASA is currently conducting its quarterly, voluntary survey of staffing firm earnings and employment. All staffing firms can participate (here) in the survey whether ASA member or not.
The ASA’s Staffing Index, which declined sharply beginning in mid-December, started rising as sharply at the end of the month. For the week ending Jan. 6th, the Index rose 13.54% to 87.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported earlier this month that temp employment stood at 2.55 million in December, about 110,000 from the all time seasonally adjusted high of 2.66 reached in August 2006. If the industry continues to add jobs at the same average monthly rate it did in 2012 (12,783), that record will be surpassed by mid-summer.