The number of job vacancies has fallen below 1 million for the first time in more than two years, The Guardian reports, citing research from Adzuna. Between October and November, the number fell by 2.7% to 998,562, the lowest since May 2021. The research said falling vacancies suggested a stalling in the jobs market. Adzuna added that its study also found that advertised salaries rose for the first time since June, up by 0.74% to £37,221.

Social work had the biggest annual increase in advertised salaries, up by more than 10% to £33,767 compared with a year ago, followed by jobs in energy, oil and gas (up by 8.95% to £44,210) and manufacturing (up 8.11% to £29,160), said Adzuna. Advertised salaries had fallen in human resources and recruitment.

Andrew Hunter, co-founder of Adzuna, said, “Competition is growing across sectors, making it harder for UK job hunters to find the right roles for them, particularly as sectors tighten their belts. Salaries appear to be rising again, yet with one of the worst years on record for salary transparency, it’s still difficult for potential recruits to understand compensation for the roles they’re applying for. As we head into 2024, finding a job will likely stay tough for the first part of the year.”