Currently, around 23,000 Christmas job vacancies are available, with most roles concentrated in retail, hospitality, and construction. This uptick is attributed to preparations for the festive season.

Andrew Hunter, co-founder of Adzuna, said: "Driven by preparations for the busy Christmas shopping season, sectors like trade and construction and retail are ramping up hiring. We are excited to see where this leads as we head into the new year."

Although there has been a slight monthly drop of 0.17% in October vacancies, the seasonal demand highlights a stabilising job market following the significant decline in openings earlier in the year.

Mixed Signals for Job Seekers

The unemployment rate rose to 4.3% in the three months ending September, up from 4.0% in the previous quarter. Economic inactivity remains higher than pre-pandemic levels, posing ongoing challenges for the labour market.

However, a report from the Resolution Foundation last week challenged the bleak outlook. Adam Corlett, principal economist at the think tank, claimed that official statistics may be underestimating workforce participation.
"The ONS Labour Force Survey appears to have ‘lost’ almost a million workers over the past few years compared to better sources," Corlett stated, suggesting the actual picture may be more positive than reported.

Looking Ahead

With sectors like retail and construction ramping up hiring for the festive season, job seekers have opportunities to secure roles in the run-up to Christmas. As the new year approaches, the job market’s performance will be closely watched to determine if this stabilisation leads to sustained growth.

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