Graduates still looking for their first job after leaving university may be heartened to know that experts are saying the employment market is finally on "the long road to recovery".
The number of vacancies has grown at the fastest rate since summer 2007, with advertised permanent roles growing for the sixth consecutive month in January.
Research among 400 employment and recruitment consultancies revealed the number of temporary jobs also went up, though the December rate was higher.
Kevin Green, chief executive of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation, said: "The number of vacancies reported by recruitment businesses also accelerated at the sharpest rate since July 2007, suggesting that we are now on the long road to recovery.
"The labour market is out of intensive care but it is still in a fragile state. While employers are hiring more now than at any other time in the last year, the recovery is tentative and must not be put at risk by taxes or regulatory changes."
Bernard Brown of KPMG, who helped with the report, warned the private sector's recovery opened up possibilities for a "public sector recession" in the jobs market during the next 12 to 18 months.
