According to the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC)’s latest Labour Market Tracker, at 1.85 million, active job postings have been slowly but steadily rising since mid-June.

The rising number of active postings overall likely reflects job adverts being left open for longer, with employers across the country struggling to attract candidates for their vacancies. Therefore, despite labour shortages, rising inflation and energy costs, there is no sign that the jobs market is starting to shrink.

The number of new job adverts being posted each week has remained relatively stable during late June and July, at between 180,000 and 200,000 per week. In the last week of July there were 182,000 new postings – 22% below this year’s highest figure of 234,000, recorded in the beginning of March.

Kate Shoesmith, deputy CEO of the REC, said: “This new data shows the continued strength of the jobs market, despite any wider economic uncertainty. The number of job adverts being posted each week is stable. It’s a great time to be looking for work as a jobseeker, as employers are having to think more about the pay, benefits, conditions and development opportunities they offer both new starters and current staff as they compete for talent.”

In the last week of July, water and waste roles saw a rise in postings, including water and sewerage plant operatives (+9.5%), which could be related to the prolonged dry weather and fears of droughts.

There was also a significant increase in adverts for actors and entertainers (+13%), driving instructors (+12.4%) and dancers (+11.1%). 

London saw growth in job postings in the week of 25-31 July, with three of the top 10 hiring hotspots in the capital. However, the local area with the highest increase in job adverts was Newry, Mourne and Down in Northern Ireland (+8.3%), followed by Haringey and Islington in London (+7.1%) and Chorley and West Lancashire (+7%).

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