The Recruitment & Employment Confederation’s (REC’s) Report on Jobs shows that permanent placements rose at their fastest rate for 19 months in November, with temp billings displaying their strongest increase since March 2011 – 20 months ago.

According to the survey, based on a panel of over 500 REC member agencies, both permanent and temp pay rose; full-time workers’ salaries saw the biggest increase in over a year, albeit modest, while temp pay was more marginal.

Permanent placement growth was strongest in the North and weakest in London, while the Midlands saw the strongest temp billings rise.

Hotel & catering was the only industry seeing a reduction in permanent recruitment demand, while on the temp side executive/professional held the same unfortunate accolade.

REC chief executive Kevin Green comments that the uplift in recruitment is “beginning to look like an accelerating trend”.

“Employer confidence is genuinely bouncing back with businesses feeling more encouraged to hire, which bodes well for the New Year,” he adds.