Latest jobs figures from specialist recruitment consultancy Reed indicate cautious optimism for the nation’s jobs market.
Tom Lovell, group managing director of specialist recruitment consultancy Reed, explains:
“Reed’s latest figures show that average numbers of permanent jobs taken during Q3 are tracking 5% ahead of the previous quarter, and looking stable year-on-year. Certain sectors are performing well, with numbers of permanent jobs taken rising in property and construction (39%), retail (16%) and sales (13%) in August when compared to July. Additionally, permanent jobs in the scientific (40%), purchasing (33%) and education (31%) sectors have shown growth during August when compared to the same period last year.
“Interviews attended, a good indicator of where we could see growth in the coming months, are up in the scientific (35%) and health (22%) sectors when compared to August 2011. Accountancy (8%) and finance (6%) interviews attended have also risen year-on-year.
“The latest Reed Job Index, which tracks the numbers of job opportunities in the UK, also shows good news for the country’s jobs. August’s findings show the second consecutive month of growth both month-on-month and year-on-year. This bucks the seasonal norm of flat growth during the summer months where job numbers are usually flat.
“We are cautiously optimistic that this raft of good news for jobs can, in turn, play a part in an upturn in the wider UK economy.”
