Key points from the December survey:
- Slightly weaker rise in permanent placements…
- Candidate availability declines at weakest pace for over three years
Growth in permanent staff placements softens slightly…
A further increase in permanent staff placements during December, though the rate of growth softened slightly from November’s nine-month peak.
Softer decline in candidate availability
The availability of candidates continued to decline at the end of the year, albeit at the weakest rate in over three years.
Sustained upward pressure on pay
Starting salaries for successful candidates placed in permanent jobs continued to increase in December. Though solid, the rate of growth was the slowest seen for five months.
The jobs market continues to beat expectations as we begin the New Year. More people are finding jobs each month, and demand for staff is growing. We’ve seen two months of growth in London, which is particularly encouraging following a difficult period between the EU referendum and October.
The big question for 2017 is about how employers will fill vacancies. The unemployment rate is at a record low and candidate availability for temporary jobs has been getting worse for the last three and a half years.
