Number of permanent staff hired shot up sharply during October, finds REC and KPMG
Four out of ten recruiters (41 per cent) placed more people in permanent positions this October than they did a month ago, according to a report released today by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and professional services firm KPMG .
The latest Report on Jobs, which the two organisations publish monthly, found that the proportion of recruiters whose permanent job placements had increased during the last month was the highest it had been since June.
Accounting and finance professionals were in luck, as the sector had the highest level of demand for permanent staff last month. Demand for IT and computing staff came in second.
And levels of pay were also strong during October, with 25 per cent of the 400 recruitment and employment consultancies surveyed noting that average salaries for the permanent staff they placed were higher than one month ago.
Kevin Green, chief executive of REC, said: “The jobs-rich recovery looks set to continue, with more people being placed into permanent positions last month and businesses across the UK creating more vacancies.
“However, there remains a big question about sustainability. Employers report an increasing number of skills shortage areas in both the public and the private sector. Starting salaries continue to rise as businesses battle to attract the people they need but it’s unclear how much longer this trend can continue.”