Umbrella company contractors will be pleased to learn that the number of vacancies for temporary staff continued to increase last month.
In fact, the latest Report on Jobs from the REC and KPMG shows that both permanent and temporary placements increased in December, albeit at a slightly slower rate than the previous month. Salaries for permanent staff are also on the increase as employers compete for high skilled candidates.
Recruiters noted the fastest growth in over a year in temporary candidate availability last month but this increased supply has meant pay rates for those working on short-term contracts remain subdued.
Chief Executive of the REC, Kevin Green, pointed out that although private sector employment is doing well, the jobs market is in for a tough time over the next few months. Businesses are likely to become more cautious in their hiring decisions as the impact of the public sector spending cuts and the VAT rise begin to bite.
Green also said the REC was pleased that the government has said it will be focusing on business, growth and jobs but it is critical for them to address the problem of the one million young people who are not in employment or education.
Bernard Brown, KPMG’s Head of Business Services, said the latest figures suggest the job market is on the road to recovery with IT, computing, professional and executive staff being those most in demand.
The technology sector is definitely showing more optimism about the future, according to the president of CareerBuilder, the job website. Mobile technology, in particular, is experiencing a boom. He says that the majority of companies that are hiring at the moment are looking for employees in areas that drive innovation, such as engineering, sales and technology.
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