Insight into jobs market
Every month the Recruitment and Employment confederation (REC) and KPMG conduct a detailed survey into the state of the UK jobs market, analysing who is hiring, for how long and for how much.
This information provides up to date insight into the current state of the UK jobs market, providing candidates with valuable information to assist them in their job search. Here is a summary of this month's trends, followed by the full report which you can download.
Two tiered jobs market?
This month’s figures show good and bad news. While the private sector continues to take on more employees - with sectors such as IT & technology, construction and engineering boasting impressive growth - the public sector is feeling the squeeze. Cuts to public spending is causing the public sector to slow the rate at which they take on employees - both on long term and short term temporary contracts.
This is particularly true in the NHS as many trusts are applying the brakes to their recruitment processes. We are now in a two tier jobs market; with private sector businesses expanding their workforce and public sector recruitment facing up to the harsh financial reality of the age of austerity. This is an important consideration for jobseekers as they plot the intricacies of their immediate and future career path.
Interim & temp recruitment
Throughout the recession, we saw many workers keeping in touch with the employment market by working on temporary contracts, as employers sought to minimise risk by hiring for short term positions.
The report on jobs suggests that private sector companies are becoming more likely to take on permanent staff, with the number of people placed in permanent jobs increasing for the 21st consecutive month in April. This is good news for jobseekers, with anecdotal evidence suggesting that this occurred as a result of heightened client confidence and increasing vacancy levels.
However the temporary worker market is less encouraging, as this month’s figures are the worst we have seen for four months and are likely to have been caused by employer caution over the impending introduction of the Agency Workers Regulations. We are confident however, that the Government Guidance, published last Friday, should act to re assure employers of the ongoing effectiveness of temporary labour and the value of being able to flex their workforces to meet demand.
Huge private/public sector divide
So, what does this month’s report on jobs say to job seekers? It provides clear evidence of a two speed jobs market, with the private sector regaining confidence but the public sector struggling with the burden of budget cuts.
Permanent appointments are growing as the private sector regains some confidence; however the temporary market is witnessing a contraction, largely caused by recruitment freezes in the public sector.
In the modern day jobs market, information is power. The report on jobs give candidates the knowledge to inform their jobs search - finding the position that is right for them.
Click to download
Please click below to download the full Report on Jobs.