Job market feels the crunch
Wed 8 Oct 2008
The UK job market is feeling the squeeze, with the credit crunch now affecting recruitment for permanent positions.
A poll by KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has found a fall in vacancies for full and part-time positions.
Its permanent placements index fell 0.3 to 41.5, its sharpest drop since 2001 – temporary posts also lowered, to 45.3 from 46.4.
"The rapidly worsening economic outlook is now really starting to bite in the jobs market with temporary and permanent appointments dropping rapidly," observed Kevin Green, chief executive of the REC.
"With demand for workers declining at its fastest pace since October 2001, it is essential that the government ensures that new measures do not exacerbate the trend," he said.
Mr Green went on to ask the government not to remove a current concession, which exempts recruitment services from some VAT charges.
"Removing the concession will add £400m to employer costs at a time when key sectors like charity, financial and health-care can least afford it," he told Personnel Today.
Randstad employment bureau has a number of vacancies in industrial and professional jobs, including office jobs in Manchester.
