It might still feel economically rough out there but it seems that overall the job market remained positive throughout 2012, with both permanent and temporary staffing salaries showing an overall increase.
In fact, salaries have remained predominately competitive, according to Office Angels’ mysalarychecker.com which found that almost all areas of the UK saw a modest increase in salaries across most roles between quarter 3 and 4 in 2012.
The greatest salary increases have been seen in the retail sector, where advertised salaries are up across all regions. The most significant increases for retail were seen in Wales (+4.2%), Scotland (+3.7%) and Yorkshire (+4%), inevitably reflecting the lead-up to Christmas.
The job market in the North showed particular signs of improvement during 2012. The number of sales (+2.5%) and customer service roles (+0.7%) available in the North West increased towards the end of the year.
In the North East, organisations which hadn’t recruited for some time, particularly in the technology and manufacturing sectors, found themselves in a better position to grow. Increased salaries in these areas reflect their search for the top talent.
"Salary increases are still concentrated in particular industries and regions but the overall trend seen across the UK should bring optimism to those searching for work or dissatisfied with their pay. This is a trend we believe is set to continue for 2013," commented Steven Kirkpatrick, Managing Director at Office Angels.
“Going forward, it is important to stress the significance of training and skills in today’s job market and we strongly encourage applicants to see this as an investment in their future. Now is the time for well-qualified, enthusiastic and experienced candidates to succeed.”
