Demand for HR professionals increased 4% year on year to March 2017 according to the latest data from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies and VacancySoft.

The data showed that the number of vacancies for recruitment specialists increased by 12% over the period of March 2016 to March 2017.

The top sectors for HR openings over the past year were advertising and media, with vacancy growth of 34% and 33% respectively.  Greater London, held 43% of the UK’s HR vacancies. However, this represents a decrease of 1% year-on-year, while the West Midlands (14%) and the South East (11%) both experienced an increase in demand.

“The fact that demand for HR professionals has increased year-on-year is unsurprising when you consider the current level of wider geopolitical uncertainty,” Ann Swain, chief executive of APSCo, said. “The ability for a business to thrive in a post-Brexit world relies on it being able to attract and retain vital skills. Potential legislative changes associated with the UK’s exit from the European Union, and indeed a new Government, mean that organisations are bringing on board expertise in this area to ensure they are prepared for, and resilient to, change.”