Confidence is emotional. Strategy is intentional.Revenue expectations? Those are where belief becomes measurable. After examining recruiter confidence levels, strategic changes, and time allocation priorities, the Top Echelon Recruiter Confidence and Strategy Survey turns to the most concrete question of all: “How do you expect your revenue to change in 2026

Strategy isn’t just about what you decide to change. It’s about where you choose to spend your limited time and energy. After asking agency recruiters and search consultants how confident they feel heading into 2026—and what major changes they’re making to their businesses—Top Echelon’s Recruiter Confidence and Strategy Survey drilled

Confidence sets the emotional tone for a year. Strategy reveals what recruiters plan to do about it. After asking agency recruiters and search consultants how confident they felt heading into 2026, Top Echelon’s Recruiter Confidence and Strategy Survey followed with a more revealing question: “What is the single biggest change

Confidence is one of the most under-discussed forces in agency recruiting, yet it quietly drives everything from business development activity to candidate control, pricing discipline, and long-term strategy. That’s why the first question in Top Echelon’s 2026 Recruiter Confidence and Strategy Survey, which we conducted in January, focused on a

Recruiters live in a high-stakes world. Clients want positions filled yesterday. Candidates juggle multiple opportunities at once. Offers can stall, counteroffers pop up, and great talent slips through the cracks. For agency recruiters and search consultants, negotiating offers is often the most stressful and decisive stage of the placement process.

In the competitive world of recruiting, first impressions matter more than most recruiters realize. The very first call you have with a candidate sets the tone for the entire relationship. It can open the door to trust, collaboration, and successful placements—or it can close that door just as quickly, leaving