Employers remain dubious of the value delivered by recruitment agencies.

According to research from Modis International, a recruiter in the IT and engineering sector, 72% of employers claim recruitment companies failed to offer value for money.

The research also showed that one in three employers want to develop deeper relationships with their recruitment consultancies and focus more on developing true business partnerships, rather than employing low cost transactional recruitment models.

Jim Albert, managing director at Modis International, said: "This research is a definite wake up call for our industry to prove its worth.

Over the past 18 months the recruitment industry has become a margin conversation as employers looked to drive down costs. But as we recover from recession, employers are once again demanding that recruiters deliver a true value-added service. As an industry, we need to shift our focus from a cost-based cycle to a value based approach going forward.

"By focusing on the core concerns of our clients around quality, the effective use of time, and growth, we will be able to open the door to deeper conversations around the value of recruitment. Those conversations will inevitably translate into more productive and effective relationships, and ultimately a greater reputation for our industry."