Latest Report Shows Upturn in Recruitment (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Latest Report Shows Upturn in Recruitment

12:28pm Monday 23rd April 2012 in Business Blogs By Louise Hewett

The Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG Report on Jobs released last week showed the good news that permanent staff placements increased for the third month in a row. The IT and computing sector is leading the upturn in permanent job vacancy growth. Overall demand for staff strengthened in March, as the number of vacancies available to job seekers rose at the fastest pace since July 2011. Starting salaries awarded to permanent hires were broadly unchanged in March whilst temporary staff/contractors pay rose modestly – likely to be in line with the AWR requirements.

Tom Hadley, Director of Policy and Professional Services for the REC said “We have seen a rise in permanent appointments every month in the first quarter of 2012 with vacancy growth now at an eight-month high. This is good news for job-seekers and a positive indication of increasing employer confidence. Recent tax changes announced in the Budget, the Youth Contract and reductions in red tape for businesses, that came into effect this month, should further boost employer confidence and accelerate hiring activity. As demand increases, the need to address the disconnect between the skills employers are looking for and what job-seekers have to offer, will become more pressing. Expertise in IT and engineering, as well as workers in catering and driving, continue to be sought after. The Government needs to do more to address the supply side of the equation, ensuring school leavers, graduates and other job-seekers get sound advice on the skills and qualifications they need to secure the jobs they want.”

Findings from the report were echoed by Ben Mannion, who heads up Hewett’s specialist IT & Engineering Division. He added “What is clear is that whilst the number of requirements is growing, finding suitable candidates, with the right technical and personal fit, is becoming increasingly challenging. My team are using Hewett’s extensive network and all their creative talents to source the right individuals. .I think employers are increasingly finding the task of identifying these skilled people far too onerous in this shrinking pool of talent and we have certainly had to become even more inventive and proactive to meet their needs!

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