ONS job ads data: Recruitment at its hottest in four years?

Just over half a million jobs were advertised in the three months to 30 April, the highest in over four years – although the number of people in work has dropped slightly, reports the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Wed, 15 May 2013Just over half a million jobs were advertised in the three months to 30 April, the highest in over four years – although the number of people in work has dropped slightly, reports the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The number of people working in the first three months of 2013 – a slightly different period than that for which job advertising data is captured – was 29.71m, continuing a contraction of the labour force first noted last month, following a year of uninterrupted growth.

The number of people unemployed in that period was 2.52m, or 7.8% of the labour force, down slightly on the three months to the end of February, when the figure was 7.9%.

The 503,000 job vacancies recorded was the highest figure seen since the period October to December 2008, when the jobs market is regularly buoyed by the demand for seasonal staff in the run-up to Christmas.

Of the 18 industries classified by the ONS, a strong rise was seen in three: arts, entertainment & recreation (up 32.4% over the past year), financial & insurances activities (up 22%) and real estate activities (20.4%).

Among those out of work, nearly one in five have been looking for over two years, although 47% have been looking for fewer than six months.

Recruitment insolvencies on rise at fastest rate since financial crash

Recruitment agencies are shutting for business at their fastest rate in 15 years, according to analysis by business news outlet CityAM.

28 April 2025

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