Numbers of permanent and temporary roles advertised during May were similar to April, according to data from Adecco. Some increases in permanent and temporary roles even indicate cautious optimism amongst employers in certain sectors.
Advertising for temporary roles increased across telecoms, engineering and construction, legal sectors and the public sector during May. Demand for temporary workers was greatest in the telecoms and legal sectors, where the number of jobs advertised increased by +6.14% and +4.79%.
With the summer holidays fast approaching, it is likely this boost will continue as employers look to cover employees who have planned time away. However, the increase in the number of permanent telecoms and engineering and construction roles also shows some employers are taking a more positive long term view.
The number of full time general staffing roles increased during May by + 1.11% on April 2012. This is an 11.5% increase since the end of 2011. Despite this buoyancy, there is some fluctuation between sectors, with the public sector in particular advertising fewer permanent general staffing roles, and the media and creative industry looking for fewer temporary employees.
Steven Kirkpatrick, Managing Director at Adecco UK Ltd said: “While these figures paint a picture of overall stability in the UK job market, variations across the different sectors indicate that it remains a challenging environment in which to find a job. This said, pockets of growth in some sectors are evidence of tentative optimism amongst employers.
“The roots of this optimism should spread to other sectors as summer holidays create more temporary roles to be filled and the Olympics generate more temporary jobs.
“Job seekers should take comfort in this and remain positive, whilst taking a thorough approach to applying for jobs, as competition remains tough. Job seekers should be thinking about how they can show evidence of transferable skills, relevant work experience and genuine enthusiasm for the position they are pursuing, to distinguish themselves from the competition”.