Job Flow Index
Recruitment Statistics - Annual Summary 2025
2025 Recruitment Overview
Total placements increased 18% in 2025, marking another strong year of growth led by temp and contract recruitment, where placements rose 23% year on year. Permanent recruitment remained more challenging, with placements down 4%, but this represents a clear improvement on the sharper decline of 10% seen the previous year. Against a backdrop of continued economic uncertainty, with many UK businesses facing difficult trading conditions throughout 2025, Firefish users demonstrated real resilience. Job creation on Firefish rose by 1%, a positive signal at a time when many in the market saw slow hiring.
Permanent hiring continued to soften, with a 5% reduction in permanent jobs created, contributing to the decline in permanent placements. However, the performance of temp and contract recruitment stood out as the defining success of 2025. There was particularly strong momentum in temp finance and accountancy, up 34% year on year, and construction trades and labour, which surged by 49%. These results highlight how agencies using Firefish adapted quickly to market conditions and continued to find growth opportunities despite a challenging landscape.
Performance Overview
Total placements rose by 18% in 2025 vs 2024. This rise was led by a 23% increase in Contract and Temp placements YOY.
While Permanent placements decreased by 4% YOY.
Jobs and placements created
In 2025, 83% of jobs created were successfully placed. The number of jobs created by Firefish users was 1% higher than in 2024, a positive shift after seeing no growth the previous year.
Permanent
There was a 5% decrease in permanent jobs created in 2025 compared to 2024, consistent with the decline seen the previous year. In 2025, 24% of permanent jobs created were successfully placed.
Temp & Contract
There was a 8% increase in the number of temp & contract jobs created in 2025 vs 2024.
Placements by sector
Professional Services
Permanent placements were steady throughout the year, with moderate growth into spring, a strong autumn peak in October, and a predictable slowdown toward the end of the year.
Temp and contract placements began the year strongly, declined sharply through spring, recovered steadily over the summer, peaked again in early autumn, and then tapered off toward the end of the year.
Finance & Accountancy
Permanent placements in the finance and accountancy sector were more volatile across the year, with a strong spike in April, relatively steady performance through the summer and early autumn, and a softening toward the end of the year.
Temp and contract placements were low and steady in the first half of the year, rose sharply through the summer to a peak in September, and then eased back toward year-end.
Construction, Trades & Labour
Permanent placements in the construction sector were largely stable across the year, with a pronounced spike in July, a sharp dip in August, and relatively consistent volumes through the remainder of the year.
Temp and contract placements increased steadily through the first half of the year, peaked in mid-to-late summer, remained strong into early autumn, and then declined toward the end of the year.
Technology
Permanent placements in the technology sector showed modest growth through the first half of the year, peaked in midsummer, and then gradually declined toward the end of the year..
Temporary & contract placements in the technology sector were relatively steady through the first half of the year, surged sharply in early autumn, and then fell back toward year-end, with December showing a notable dip.
Engineering, Manufacturing, FMCG & Warehousing
Permanent placements in engineering, manufacturing, logistics & FMCG fluctuated modestly throughout the year, remained broadly stable across spring and summer, dipped in August, and then declined toward the end of the year, with December the lowest point.
Temporary & contract placements in this sector were uneven across the year, with strong months early on and a September peak, followed by a sharp dip in October and a mixed, lower finish toward year-end.
Sales & Digital Marketing
Permanent placements in the sales & digital marketing sector were relatively low and variable throughout the year, with a modest peak in late summer, followed by softer and more uneven performance toward the end of the year.
Temporary and contract placements in sales & digital marketing remained low and fairly steady in the first half of the year, peaked in late summer, and then declined sharply toward the end of the year.
Job Adverts
This chart shows the number of new job adverts posted each month across all sectors and platforms. Multiple adverts can be posted per job but this data indicates the volume of active adverts per month.
For recruitment agencies using Firefish, job advert volumes in 2025 were largely unchanged year on year, with less than a 0.5% decrease compared to 2024.
Quality Applications Per Job
Job application quality was stronger and more consistent in 2025 than in 2024, with higher scores across most months, particularly from spring through late summer.
Throughout 2025 there was an average of 6 quality applications per job.
Application Source
The source of applications for your agency's jobs is a good indicator of the strength of your agency's brand presence and candidate loyalty.
Over one-third (33%) of applications to Firefish clients' jobs came from candidates who already existed in their recruitment CRM in 2025.
Increasing the volume of applications from candidates who are already in your system reduces the cost to serve and time to fill.
Applications from re-engaged candidates
88% of applications from re-engaged candidates were generated by Job Alerts in 2025.
Candidate applications from web sources
57% of applications from web sources were generated by Job Boards in 2024.
Spec CVs Sent
The sending of speculative CVs (when there is no formal role available) can indicate market confidence and business development activity. The number of Spec CVs sent in 2025 was 13% higher than in 2024.
Spec CV volumes are relatively steady throughout the year, peak in early autumn, and drop sharply in December due to seasonal slowdown.
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