Steering through uncertainty: Can UK recruiters be optimistic about 2022?

Feb 11, 2022 | Webinar

As we are started the year 2022 we wanted to take time to look back to 2021, of what has been a frenetic year, with recruiters challenged in unique ways never seen before, the big question was: What next?

This free and exclusive virtual event gathered Britain’s recruitment industry leaders to discuss the following insights:

• Review the hiring activity across key sectors of the UK economy over the past year and present expert insight into the jobs market and emerging trends
• Analyse what impact a second year of the pandemic has had and look ahead to how rising inflation and global political and economic uncertainty may affect Britain’s labour market and professional vacancies.

James Chaplin, Vacancysoft CEO presenting, where attendees also had the opportunity to both network with each other and ask questions about the presentation directly.

Matt Gallivan, Chief Revenue Officer talks about tools that allow you to make data-driven decision making by analysing the market as to what is happening in your markets, whether that be by sector, location or by role. Vacancy Analytics gives you knowledge and data at your fingertips.

Agenda as follows:
12.00 doors open – introduction and short networking
12.05 20-minute presentation on market activity by James Chaplin
12.25 15-min Data-driven decision making in 2022
12.40 Annual Magazine launch
12.45 Q&A
13.00 Event ends

If you are responsible for business planning and strategy don’t miss this unique opportunity to get insights on the latest market activity and what it could mean for your business.

This webinar is useful to: Recruitment Firm Directors, Operational & Marketing Managers in Recruitment Firms, Corporate Recruiters, Managers in RPOs and MSPs. HR Managers.

Download our Year in Review Magazine 2021 edition below!
In our annual magazine 2021 edition you will find a full review of the hiring activities across key sectors of the UK economy over the past year. The magazine covers trends seen in Britain’s tech, life sciences, law, finance, real estate and insurance industries.

Alternatively, download our presentation slides below:

Accounting & Finance – UK Finance Labour Market Trends Report, March 2024

Accounting & Finance – UK Finance Labour Market Trends Report, March 2024

When examining recruitment activity in the capital, the signs are positive. Indeed, there has been a 24.6% increase in recruitment within Commerce & Industry in 2024 compared to the monthly average of 2023, with increases in retail, media, and technology. In contrast, regional activity has yet to experience such an upturn, with aggregate vacancies down by 5.4% so far this year and Commerce & Industry experiencing a 5.7% drop specifically.

Tax – UK Legal Labour Market Trends, March 2024

Tax – UK Legal Labour Market Trends, March 2024

February saw Law firms post more vacancies for tax lawyers nationally than any other month over the prior two years. Furthermore, we expect a surge of 32.5% by the end of 2024. Factoring the regionalization happening within the sector, where the regions retain 80.5% of the national share, there has also been a noticeable shift in 2024 to date, with hiring in London on the rise.

Golden Triangle – UK Life Sciences Labour Market Trends, March 2024

Golden Triangle – UK Life Sciences Labour Market Trends, March 2024

According to the latest Life Sciences Labour Market Trends report by CPL and market data analysts Vacancysoft, key recruitment trends show that in 2022, there were over 4,100 new scientific vacancies published in the ‘Golden Triangle’ (Cambridge, London and Oxford). This translates to a slight decrease from 2021, when there were over 4,500 jobs, resulting in a year-on-year fall of 9.1%.

North West England – UK Regional Labour Market Trends, March 2024

North West England – UK Regional Labour Market Trends, March 2024

After enduring a challenging six months, which ultimately led to the UK entering a technical recession, signs of recovery are finally beginning to emerge. The North West region has managed to increase its share of the national total from 7.5% in 2022 to 8.5% in 2023. Turning to the current year, we observe an uptick in the northwest’s monthly average, increasing by 5.3% compared to 2023, which bodes well for regional recruiters.

Australia Legal Sector Trends, March 2024

Australia Legal Sector Trends, March 2024

The beginning months of 2024 have shown a decrease in recruitment compared to the post-pandemic boom seen in 2021-2023. Despite a dip in 2020 due to the pandemic, the Australian legal market experienced robust growth over the following years.

Year in Review: UK Legal Labour Market Trends, January 2024

Year in Review: UK Legal Labour Market Trends, January 2024

At a time when the sector has been depressed by the cyclical downturn due to quantitative tightening, this has led to a drop of 34.8% in London and 19.4% regionally. Within law firms,  real estate remains the top skill in demand, although its market share has slipped from 22% in 2022 to 18% in 2023. This is partly due to a hefty 37% fall in vacancies in this area in 2023 as the commercial property sector has slowed down.

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