Temp-to-perm secretarial placements have picked up, according to Roisin Holden, manager of banking and financial services at recruiter King and Toben.

Holden said the trend has grown as benefits packages have improved. "People know the jobs are there and there are attractive career options," Holden told Recruiter. "We think the trend could continue."

Many people are taken on temporarily at first "but then a company finds that they like the way a person works or that the person particularly wants to stay with that firm" said Holden. She added that the large number of vacancies means people are willing to take their time to find a new job.

Holden also said that King and Toben, part of Contact Recruitment Group, aims to expand into the financial services market.