New year job search: Pay soars amid skills shortage
2015 could be the best year yet for anyone looking to switch jobs, as pay soars amid a skills shortage, according to figures by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC).
The report, in conjunction with KPMG, found that a lack of suitable candidates has pushed pay up across the board.
This came after a good end to a strong year for the UK job market.
In December, there was stronger growth in permanent staff appointments, while temporary appointments increased at their sharpest rate in six months, it said.
Employers' appetites for permanent staff eased somewhat in December, however private sector vacancies outstripped public sector vacancies.
Temporary workers were "spoilt for choice" as the number of skilled candidates available to fill vacancies also fell.
Bernard Brown, partner and head of business services at KPMG, said:
A strong year for the UK jobs market finished with a flourish as temporary roles saw an upswing in popularity. More than one in three recruiters suggest employees looking for short-term roles are being increasingly spoilt for choice as organisations search for help in an effort to fulfil customer orders.
Good news for candidates also extends into the pay packet. Once again, a shortage of skills in key areas has led to a rise in the starting salaries on offer. It could mean that 2015 becomes the year in which the candidate finally becomes king.
The first working week of January is when most job hunters start looking and even sending applications, according to independent job board CV-Library.
It expects this week to be much busier than the same time last year, with a 40 per cent increase in website traffic.