The number of active postings in the week of 11-17 September 2023 stood at 2.967 million, a 5.6% increase compared to the previous week (4-10 September 2023) and 111.9% higher than the year before (12-18 September 2022), according to the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) and Lightcast’s latest Labour Market Tracker.

The Tracker said the increase is because job postings are staying online for longer driven by shortages in some sectors, and longer decision-making processes from employers in others. The Tracker noted that the comparable period in 2022 was affected by the period of national mourning which led up to the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

Meanwhile, there were 174,954 new job postings in the week of 11-17 September 2023 – 4% higher than the week before (4-10 September 2023) and 13.5% higher than the year before (12-18 September 2022. New job postings have remained below 200,000 since mid-June 2023, reflecting a general fall back in vacancies as reported by the REC’s Report on Jobs and official Office for National Statistics figures.

Occupations with notable increases in job adverts in the week of 11-17 September 2023 compared to the previous week (4-10 September 2023) include horticultural trades (16.9%), school midday and crossing patrol occupations (15%), and welfare professionals (11.5%). Sports players (10.8%), shopkeepers and proprietors - wholesale and retail (10.3%), and plastics process operatives (9.7%) roles also saw high growth.

On the other hand, driving instructors (-18.9%), legal professionals (0%), animal care services occupations (0.5%), bus and coach drivers (1.4%), and publicans and managers of licensed premises (2.4%) saw the lowest growth in job adverts. The last of these represents a further rise on already very high demand.

Across the UK, Na h-Eileanan Siar – Outer Hebrides (14.4), Shetland Islands (13.2), Dumfries and Galloway (8.4%), Haringey and Islington (7.4%), and East Dunbartonshire (7.3%) saw notable increases in job adverts. No region saw a decline in job adverts in the week of 11-17 September 2023 as compared to the previous week 4-10 September 2023.

Causeway Coast and Glens (0.6%), Isle of Anglesey (1.2%), Antrim and Newtownabbey (2.4%), Mid and East Antrim (2.7%), and Enfield (3.1%) accounted for the lowest growth in job adverts.

Neil Carberry, Chief Executive of the REC, said, “Recruiters across the country tell me that the market has normalised over the past few months, falling back from the all-time highs that were driven by opening the economy after the pandemic. While employers are facing significant headwinds from inflation and low growth, that is no surprise. But firms still need to hire, as these figures show.”

Carberry continued, “There is a big sectoral difference in employer behaviour right now. In some – like hospitality – demand for staff is still high and advert growth is being driven by it. With a combined 155,000 active job postings for nursery, primary and secondary teaching professionals and nurses, we see the same trend in parts of the public sector. Wise clients are taking a longer-term view of their hiring plans and working with their agencies to explore new approaches and sustainable supply – a lesson the NHS would do well to learn.”

“In other sectors, a slower market has led to clients waiting a little longer for the right candidate,” Carberry added. “Job postings have stayed live as firms try to find the perfect candidate. Businesses need to remember that the labour market is tighter than we have known for decades and long processes mean losing candidates.”

“In the longer-term, we need to get growth going to support a high level of hiring,” Carberry said.