Research has found that job postings have continued to remain at a record high.

Research has found that job postings have continued to remain at a record high, with key worker roles increasing at the start of November. 

A study of adverts, conducted by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) as part of its Jobs Recovery Tracker, found that there was a total of 2.68 million active postings last week.

This included around 221,000 new job postings in the UK in the first week of November, the fourth-highest weekly figure since data collection for the tracker began at the beginning of 2020.

The REC’s analysis said that the growth in job adverts showed “no signs of slowing down in the build up to Christmas”, despite concerns about increases in the cost of living and the continued Covid cases.

The research noted that the largest increase in vacant jobs during early November was seen among driving instructors, increasing by nearly a third (32.3 per cent) from the last week of October. Prison officer postings saw the next largest rise, having increased by 13 per cent.

There was also a rise in adverts for key workers such as forklift truck drivers (9.1 per cent); secondary school teachers (9.1 per cent); care workers (7.1 per cent); and goods packers (6.8 per cent).

However, there was a decline in postings for several construction sector jobs from the last week of October, including painters and decorators (17.8 per cent); roofers (13.4 per cent); plasterers (11.3 per cent); bricklayers (11.3 per cent); and carpenters (9.1 per cent).

The REC said there were decreases in adverts because of supply chain delays and labour shortages which put constraints on the building industry.

To combat this, it is argued that firms need to carefully consider their employment offer and look at a range of benefits beyond salary, such as training and development opportunities and flexible working options.