With further sharp drops in hiring across most sectors and starting salaries falling for both permanent and temporary staff, the report published today (5 June 2020) also said that overall candidate availability in May reflected the quickest growth since July 2009.

Survey respondents frequently attributed the delays or cancellations in employers’ hiring plans to business impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Compiled by IHT Markit, the report is based on the questionnaire responses of around 400 UK recruitment and employment consultancies.

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