With recent figures from the Office of National Statistices (ONS) showing a quarterly fall in employment and rise in unemployment which rank among the worst seen in the post-war era, jobseekers continue to face an uphill struggle. However, there are real opportunities for those already in work to secure development and promotion opportunities, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). Despite the recession, employers have continued to strive to secure the skills they need, and are turning to retention and staff development rather than recruitment as their weapons of choice.

Where recruitment is still required, recruiters are paying attention to the long term, choosing to appoint ‘people who have the potential to grow but who currently do not have all that is required for the job role’ as their most frequently used initiative (74%).

Further information from www.cipd.co.uk