Compared to July 2009, this year’s decrease in permanent job vacancies has taken the fastest plunge yet. In accordance with the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), a survey has discovered that the amount of businesses in the UK advertising permanent positions has fallen significantly low. Whether or not this suggests that contract recruitment is still favourable, it most definitely shows that UK businesses are still wary when it comes to full time employment. Although banking and finance contract jobs have been affected with heavy cuts of late, financial freelance professionals may be needed to fill the gaps until businesses are ready to take the plunge with permanent employers.
The survey consisted of a survey carried out of 400 employment firms. The majority of respondents worryingly suggested that the number of applicants had risen, meaning there are not enough permanent vacancies to fill them. A separate study from the REC also discovered that just over a quarter of businesses were planning to recruit in 2012.
Wavering economic climate and business confidence are both said to be contributing factors to the current state of recruitment in the UK. A spokeswoman for the Federation of Small Businesses, Sara Lee, has stated that small firms lacking confidence with recruitment is already making a profound impact in 2012.
“Even if firms have a need for extra employees, we are seeing business owners put their recruitment plans on hold,” she said. “It’s a big responsibility to take on workers, and many firms are waiting for a better economic setting before they make that commitment.”