Exec MBA Search Exec. Usually, fall is a quiet time for Wall Street recruiters. Not so this year. Headhunters are noticing strong demand for talent, whatever the cost. Great candidates are available, and they've gone after them.
Several factors explain why many investment banks are in full-throttle hiring mode.
First, they have the money. Flush firms aren't waiting until the first of the year to hire. Executive recruiter Whitehead Mann Pendleton James currently has about 20 active searches in its financial-services division, which is up from this time last year, says Managing Director Alec Haverstick. The right person may be more inclined to return headhunter calls as well, given the consolidation sweeping Wall Street. Understandably, the mergers have left many top performers in the affected companies wondering if they fit into the new corporate culture.