Firms 'looking to hire graduates' - graduate jobs

Graduates could see more job opportunities open up over the next six months as new research shows 11% of senior executives are looking to recruit more permanent, professional-level staff.

The bi-annual Robert Half Professional Hiring Index shows increasing optimism among top managers over the prospects for their companies in the second half of 2010.

Two out of five executives surveyed for the index report a higher level of confidence over the shorter-term outlook than six months before.

Smaller firms appear to be doing particularly well, with their executives most confident about the prospects for their firms.

Optimism is also growing over the wider UK economy with nearly three in 10 managers saying they feel "more confident" than in the previous six months and half saying they remain "as confident".

Phil Sheridan, Robert Half UK's managing director, said: "Senior executives in finance, accounting and human resources are all planning to hire over the next six months to support rising workloads and business growth or expansion. This can only be good news for the wider employment market."

Copyright Press Association 2011