Directors of SME recruitment agencies feel more confident about the health of their sectors, their companies and themselves as leaders since last September, said John O’Sullivan, managing director of peer-to-peer leadership group Elite Leaders.

Month-to-month surveys of the 87 companies in Elite revealed that confidence in sector had risen by 1.4 points, in company by 2.1pts and in self up 2.6pts to May 2009. The points were based on a scale of one to seven. O’Sullivan told Recruiter the scores showed recruiters were now “enjoying the challenges of the current market”.