It’s a job-seekers market in Yorkshire, and finance recruitment consultancy Sewell Moorhouse is reporting an unprecedented boom for employment in the region. There has been a phenomenal increase in recruitment activity over the last 12 months, with a significant increase in jobs available for all salary levels.
A whole host of surveys have highlighted the overall strength of the Yorkshire economy. All surveys have said the same – that Economic Growth is strong and stronger than elsewhere, that consumer confidence remains buoyant, that the property market continues to outperform the South and that there are a growing number of jobs.
The growing number of jobs is deemed to be the result of a number of factors. A big influx of new employers to the region, along with the expansion of existing firms, and significant investment in regeneration by Yorkshire Forward, are having a very positive impact. Already, the new Doncaster Airport is having an impact in the East of the Region.
With regard to positions in the accountancy profession specifically, regulatory developments have led to a fierce demand for compliance skills. The big four – Ernst & Young, Deloitte, KPMG and PWC – have an ongoing recruitment drive for qualified accountants which they have been unable to completely fulfil. The current skill shortage is unlikely to be completely resolved in the short term.
One of the effects of these positive trends is rising salaries. Pay and perks are on the rise and firms are having to ramp up their efforts when it comes to staff retention, not to mention ‘golden hellos’ when bringing new recruits on board. Recruiter Magazine (20 April 2005) ranked Yorkshire and The Humber at no 4 nationally for average salaries in finance, only behind London, the South-east and the East Midlands. This is great news for our region.
Philip Hill, Chartered Accountant and Joint MD of Sewell Moorhouse, estimates that pay is up by 10% or more for finance professionals. He highlights that this is a very positive time, not just for candidates, but also for recruiters: “Sewell Moorhouse has just experienced a record year and this is clearly reflective of the recruitment industry across the board. Our turnover has grown from £2m to £3 m in under 12 months, and we have increased our staff numbers from 22 to 30, including some very senior hires. We are relocating our premises in Leeds to accommodate the growth, and further developments include major expansion in our Doncaster and Sheffield offices and the launch of an administrative recruitment division”.
This is a buoyant time for the recruitment industry, and the challenge now for recruiters in to ensure quality and professionalism, so that Yorkshire continues to compete so well nationally, with high calibre candidates attracted to the region.
Sewell Moorhouse is an independent accounting and financial recruitment consultancy with offices in Sheffield, Doncaster and Leeds. For further information contact Philip Hill or Cliff Sewell on 0113 242 1200.
