Top Surprising Recruitment Industry Statistics from August 2023

Knowing that the recruitment industry is changing quickly, especially in recent years, we need constantly track industry insights and data to adjust our strategies. With Firefish’s Job Flow Index, which we conduct every month, you will know exactly what is happening in the industry – and how it might be affecting your candidate applications or prospective clients.

Let’s dive into the August Job Flow and explore the most important insights from last month:

The number of job adverts posted in August 2023 was 3% higher than in July 2023

For the first time this year, the average number of job applications moved up and reached 6

Interestingly, the number of job applications increased by a further 7% from July to August, with applications from new candidates increasing by 5%! For the first time in 2023, the average number of applications per job moved up to 6 after staying steady at 5 for months. 

August saw the highest number of placements this year, with a 6% increase from July

Temp placements increased by another 5% from July to August

It shouldn't come as a shock that temp recruitment makes a special appearance in summer months with lots of new temporary positions opening - whether it's summer-only businesses or normal companies looking for holiday replacements. 

Over one-third of applicants came from existing candidates

The rise in applications and placements is great to observe - however, it's crucial to notice that one-third of those applications came from candidates already existing within recruiters' databases! Make sure you keep your talent pools warm and full, or you might be missing out. 

…and that's not all! To read the full report and have access to our exclusive data, download our Job Flow Index below: