There are some signs that, despite the pressure on public sector budgets, employment in some area of the public sector may increase.
According to a recent survey by recruitment consultancy Badenoch & Clark, more than a third of public sector employers plan to recruit accountancy and finance professionals in 2010 and procurement is another sector where opportunities are set to open up.
Commenting on recent reports on job cuts in the public sector, Nicola Linkleter, executive director of public sector at Badenoch & Clark, said: "With an ongoing deficit blighting the British public sector, employers will certainly be under pressure to show value for money in the run up to the general election. However, our findings show that the outlook is not entirely bleak."
Linkleter said the results are partly due to public sector bodies opting to employ interim managers, rather than management consultants. "Some specialist public sector organisations will be exercising caution though, in particular the not-for-profit sector, three quarters (76%) of which told us they have no plans to recruit into accounting & finance roles during 2010."
Despite these caution, Linkleter said the findings "clearly demonstrate" that widespread redundancies are not a certainty in the public sector. "The coming months are likely to be challenging as all organisations endeavour to demonstrate their value. However there will continue to be opportunities for talented individuals," she said. "The best people in the market will continue to thrive and anyone who can demonstrate they are a valuable asset to the sector will continue to be in demand."
From Bubb's Blog
From Whitehall Watch
