Irish recruitment firm Sigmar plans to employ 50 new staff over the next 12 months with immediate plans to hire 16 recruitment consultants in the coming weeks.

Sigmar currently employs 80 staff throughout Ireland, with offices in Warsaw and Singapore. The company believes its internal recruitment drive is indicative of a healthier and buoyant employment market than might otherwise be expected.

Sigmar chief executive, Adrian McGennis, says: “It’s often suggested that the recruitment sector is a good barometer of the economy and if that’s the case, certain areas have every reason to be very positive. The consultants in Sigmar have been really busy and even though we have hired 20 graduates in the past six months, we now could take on 16 consultants immediately.

“In 20 years in recruitment the increase in demand since early 2009 is as sharp as any we have experienced. We may be ahead of the market but there is no question that the market is very strong. We have very low staff turnover, so these 16 hires will be new roles. We are running an upcoming radio and print advertising campaign to recruit our future recruiters.”