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Jobs market is the best it has been since 2008

Monday, 3rd June 2013

Another positive set of results from a major jobs survey has found evidence of burgeoning recruitment activity across the UK.

The Reed Job Index for May 2013 finds 8% more job opportunities last month than in April, with the number of positions 17% up on May 2012, and the job market at its healthiest since 2008.

This comes after the most recent labour market update from the Office for National Statistics found over half a million jobs were advertised in the three months to 30 April, the highest in over four years. Further data on 22 May from job search engine Adzuna found slightly fewer vacancies, but agreed that open positions were at a high.

The Reed Index shows only three sectors – namely accountancy, financial services and purchasing – less healthy than they were in 2012, while education and healthcare & medicine were the most notable growth sectors, at 60% year-on-year. Training (26%) was the biggest growth area over the month.

Northern Ireland was the one region where job opportunities are lower than in May 2012. Salaries dropped marginally across the market, although they did rise strongly in some areas, such as the 7% jump in the pay packets of strategy & consulting professionals.

The Reed Job Index, available in full online, is compiled based on analysis of recruitment advertisements from over 10,000 recruiters through the UK, and was established by reed.co.uk in 2009.

The job site’s chair James Reed says: “Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see whether this month’s GDP and ONS figures follow suit.

“Both measures have recently shown encouraging, if modest growth and there are strong signs the growing health of the jobs market will continue to help drive the economy forward.”

Source: Recruiter Magazine 3rd April 2013

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