The number of job opportunities across the UK fell slightly in March, according to figures released today.
The latest Reed Job Index report from recruitment website reed.co.uk shows that job numbers on the site fell in March, from 121,290 to 118,041, although the figures still demonstrate a 28% increase in employer demand since the index began in December 2009.
This long-term increase has been down to job growth in the private sector, with new public sector jobs slipping further back to less than half the level they were when the index began.
The index also found that salaries for new jobs increased slightly in March, to an average of £32,951 from February’s average of £32,834. According to Reed, this means salaries on offer for new jobs are still down 1% since December 2009, and continue to lag behind inflation.
Martin Warnes, managing director of reed.co.uk, said that the figures demonstrated the fragile nature of the economic recovery: “The sharp rise in job creation witnessed in January and February has slowed, indicating that economic recovery should not be taken for granted. Indeed, rising inflation, rising unemployment figures and international turbulence have been reminders that the economy remains fragile,” he said.
“However, job creation is well ahead of last year. Encouragingly, this growth has been spread across a wide range of private sector areas. With high job competition keeping salaries flat this is a good time for employers to find the talented people they need.”
For more information on salary levels, see XpertHR’s pay and benefits data.
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