Spotlight Online for College Employment and Recruiting Professionals, October 15, 2009 

Costs associated with recruiting fell for the 2008-09 recruiting season along with hiring, according to results of NACE’s 2009 Recruiting Benchmarks Survey.

Among responding organizations, the average cost-per-hire fell 20 percent from $7,173 reported a year ago to $5,708. (Note: The 2008 survey figure is somewhat of an anomaly; despite that, the average current cost-per-hire is still 5 percent lower than the average reported in 2007, and in line with the long-term trend toward lower cost-per-hire for college recruits.)

The largest decreases are associated with the cost of the college relations office—the median staffing and overhead cost dropped by 40 percent from the 2008 survey, and costs associated with bringing a new college hire to his or her new location (relocation expenditures) decreased by 32 percent. Costs associated with recruiting trips, conversely, increased almost 3 percent on average, from $35,267 to $36,258.

NACE members can download a copy of a research brief featuring highlights from the survey report . (Participating members received a complimentary copy of the report.)

NACE’s 2009 Recruiting Benchmarks Survey was conducted June 8 through August 14, 2009. A total of 247 employer members, or 26 percent, took part in the survey. For more about the survey, see www.naceweb.org/Research/Recruiters/2009_Recruiting_Benchmarks_Survey.aspx .