Skills shortage takes up more than half of CEOs time

CEOs could spend up to 60 per cent of their time headhunting graduates as the skills shortage escalates over the next few years.

According to Geoff Unwin, CEO of Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, recruitment and retention of top talent will jump to the forefront of the boardroom agenda over the next five years, as corporations compete to attract a limited pool of highly skilled staff.

Speaking yesterday at an international graduate forum, he said that headhunting already consumed the vast majority of his time, and the situation looks set to worsen

He said that companies could no longer hope to woo potential employees with simple cash incentives. Flexible working environments, challenging assignments and training opportunities are becoming increasingly important.