Technical Moves Blog

Jobs Market Review – March 2010

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG Report on Jobs – published this week – provides the most comprehensive guide to the UK labour market, drawing on original survey data provided by recruitment consultancies of which Technical Moves have contributed.

The latest survey findings signalled stronger increases in both permanent and temporary/contract staff appointments during March. In Summary the report found that:-

Permanent placements rose at fastest pace for over twelve years…
The number of permanent staff appointments made by UK recruitment consultancies increased again in March, with growth picking up to the strongest since October 1997. Higher placements were underpinned by a further expansion of permanent staff vacancies, albeit the slowest in three months.

…while temp billings also increased at sharper rate
Growth of short-term staff appointments quickened to the strongest for thirty-four months in March. Billings were driven higher by the fastest increase in demand for temp staff since January 2008.

Candidate availability rose further
Recruitment consultants signalled another improvement in the availability of staff during March. The supply of both permanent and temporary/contract candidates increased at slightly faster rates compared with one month previously.

Increase in pay reported
Permanent staff salaries rose again in March. The rate of inflation was solid, despite easing slightly from February’s twenty-month high. Temp pay increased at a pace that, although modest, was the sharpest since June 2008.

Technical Moves Comment:-

The findings of this report are another solid indication that the market is over the worst of the recession. Technical Moves have also continued to see an increase in the number of permanent positions being registered during March within its core East Anglian areas. However, the Architectural and Construction Management sectors remain very difficult. The increase in temporary requirements is typically seen at this time of year as particularly public sector organisations look to utilise budgets before year end.

We still anticipate that growth in the market will remain limited until we are the other side of the election and companies feel clearer on the direction of any new government, particularly with national insurance contributions and jobs playing such an important issue. We have seem some promising signs in some markets and we remain positive for growth during the second half of 2010.

[tag Jobs, Recruitment,
Employment]