PRESS ASSOCIATION -- More people are chasing jobs, with some parts of the country seeing 22 applicants per vacancy, new research has shown.
A study by employment website totaljobs.com showed an increase in vacancies last month after a dip following the Easter break and royal wedding.
Construction job vacancies jumped by more than a fifth compared with last year, while demand was also strong in electronics and engineering.
Vacancies fell in public sector areas such as education and social services, leading to an increase in competition from jobseekers.
On average there were 17 applications per job in recent months, up from 12 last year, although it was as high as 22 in London and the North West, said the report.
John Salt, director at totaljobs.com, said: "We're starting to see the beginnings of a possible upturn in the labour market, with a second quarter of continued steadying out in terms of the number of jobs being posted by employers.
"However, big changes will not happen overnight and we anticipate further small peaks and troughs before a full recovery. It's great news to see that sectors such as construction are beginning to show signs of recovery as it is these sectors that typically indicate the beginnings of economic recovery.
"Our forecast for the third quarter is for a small dip in the availability of jobs due to the summer holiday period, but overall I am confident that the recovery will continue slowly and we can look forward to a period of solid growth.
"Our advice for jobseekers is to remain confident and focus their applications by spending time on a targeted few, rather than applying in mass."