Quarterly job market analysis from CV-Library, one of the UK’s largest job boards, suggests hiring confidence might be returning after a sluggish April and May. June vacancies were up 12.4% on the same month last year, and 21% up from May 2026.
CV-Library combines live job market data with a survey of UK employers to produce its quarterly job market report: it shows the second quarter as a whole was slow for UK hiring as job postings dipped 1.3% quarter-on-quarter, but this masked a very strong June with job vacancies for the month the highest level since October 2023.
This jump was reflected in both permanent and temporary hiring – permanent roles rose 21% and temporary/contract postings up 22% month on month (June 2026 compared to May 2026).
This late quarter increase in hiring corresponds to market survey respondents showing an intent to accelerate hiring over the next 6 months. According to CV-Library’s survey of UK businesses, more than half (51%) say they expect headcount to grow over the next six months.
Education, Hospitality and Health remained the most consistently in-demand sectors by volume. The biggest quarterly movers were Leisure and Tourism, up 35% on Q1 2026, and Logistics and Distribution, up 16.5%. Looking year-on-year, the fastest-growing sectors were Leisure and Tourism (+31.5%), Hospitality – Catering (+18.4%), Logistics and Distribution (+17.3%), and Management roles (+12.5%).
While 62% of businesses report the cost of employing staff has risen over the past year, average advertised salaries grew just 2.28% year-on-year. Instead, the increase in employer National Insurance is cited by employers as the single biggest driver of rising costs (19%).
Hiring is also getting harder, as half of businesses say finding the right candidates is tougher than 12 months ago, with a shortage of candidates with the most relevant skills.
That squeeze is noted in the market data too – private-sector salary transparency jumped 58.5% year-on-year, as employers lead with pay to compete for qualified talent.
Lee Biggins, CEO and Founder of CV-Library said: “After a positive start to the year, with job postings up in January and February, hiring took a hit in the subsequent three months. The war in Iran and rising energy and supply chain costs tempered confidence leading to a notable dip in the number of postings. But June has bucked the trend with a significant uptick in the number of job roles advertised – the highest level since October 2023.”
“We may be seeing green shoots of confidence, but businesses still face hiring headwinds. More than six in ten businesses say employment costs are rising – driven by National Insurance and other hiring costs. Add into the mix the Employment Rights Bill, a shortage of candidates with the right skills and wider economic uncertainty, and we need to be cautious in proclaiming the market has turned.”
“But, if June’s uplift in job postings can be sustained going into Q3, and cost pressures ease even a little, we could finally see a longer-term, up-turn in the job market which will be good news for everyone.”
For a more detailed overview, please visit the report.
