New job adverts increase as demand for staff rises, figures show

New figures suggest an improvement in the UK job market, with new job adverts witnessing a rise in recent weeks.

Over 700,000 new job postings were recorded in October, marking an almost 5% increase from the month prior, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has revealed. With more than 1.5 million overall vacancies in October, the data suggests a buoyant employment landscape, with particular demand for roles such as software developers, solicitors, and accountants.

Neil Carberry, the REC chief executive, commented on the findings: “These numbers come from before the Budget, which was a challenging one for businesses when it comes to employment costs.

“But they do highlight the level of underlying resilience in our jobs market. If firms become more confident about the path of the economy they will invest in new products and jobs.

“The challenge now is for the Chancellor and the Bank of England to get behind businesses with more positive support for growth. That should start with making sure new laws, like the Employment Rights Bill, encourage firms to create jobs of all forms.”

In addition to the high-demand sectors mentioned, the report identified other professions where demand had increased, including delivery drivers, postal workers, authors, and translators. The workforces that have seen significant decreases consist of beauticians, painters, decorators, and probation officers.

Last week, official figures showed that the North East’s unemployment rate had improved slightly in three months following the General Election. Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that the region’s unemployment rate fell marginally to 5.5% between July and September, with the number of people classed as economically inactive also reducing.

The North East lost the unwanted title of having the UK’s highest rate of unemployment, with higher levels now seen in London. But the region was still significantly above the national average for unemployment, which stands at 4.3%.