Graduate job hunters were handed a boost this week after a new report suggested that vacancies increased slightly across the UK last month.

Graduate job hunters were handed a boost this week after a new report suggested that vacancies increased slightly across the UK last month.

The research, conducted by employment agency Reed, indicated that companies offered one per cent more positions through its service in May than in April.

Martin Warnes, managing director of Reed.co.uk, revealed that the charity, marketing, public relations, legal and secretarial sectors were credited with making the most roles available.

"In spite of [chancellor] George Osborne's hopes, the private sector has yet to demonstrate it is taking up the slack in advance of public sector cuts," he said.

"However, although employers are still suffering from cost constraints, some are seizing this opportunity to recruit talented people at high value to help grow their businesses."

The report by Reed also suggested that the average wage available fell by 4.2 per cent to £31,800 on a month-to-month basis in May.

Mike Hill, chief executive of Graduate Prospects, revealed last week that his organisation received considerably more adverts for graduate vacancies last month than in May 2009.

Labels: 2010 graduates, graduate employers, graduate jobs, graduate recruitment schemes, reed