White collar vacancy numbers up in September, but latest lockdown could dent growth

Hiring in the capital was improving before tier two lockdown restrictions were enforced, with demand for IT experts up as London’s businesses prepare for continued remote working. That’s according to new research from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo), the trade association for the recruitment sector.

Professional vacancies bouncing back

The data, provided by business intelligence specialist Vacancysoft as part of its Covid hiring tracker, revealed that despite the furlough scheme winding down and on-going economic uncertainty, the capital saw a marked increase in recruitment in September. The average number of daily professional vacancies added for the month totalled 431, up from 386 in August and 194 at the height of the pandemic in April. In a normal market this figure would range between 500 and 600, suggesting that London’s hiring was creeping towards normal levels shortly before the tier two lockdown was introduced this month.

IT professionals in high demand

The statistics also revealed that IT Professionals were in particularly high demand throughout September, accounting for over 30% of all vacancies as businesses continue to digitise. This level of demand would, on average, reach up to 20% in a normal climate, suggesting Covid-19 has been a catalyst for digital transformation. Across the companies hiring in London, Amazon has regained its crown as the leading employer having been knocked off the top spot last month by EY.

Ann Swain, CEO of APSCo comments:

“It is certainly encouraging to see professional vacancy numbers pick up in September across the capital, however, with London now under tier two lockdown restrictions we may see a dent in this positivity. While time will certainly tell just how much jobs will be hit, we certainly don’t expect to see vacancies impacted to the same extent as the national lockdown earlier this year. In fact, the continued demand for IT professionals indicates that the capital’s businesses are adapting to the new normal and digitising operations to survive the on-going challenges.”