Last year ‘was strongest for job creation since 2008’

December saw a 49% year-on-year rise in the number of professional jobs being made available, bringing to a close the strongest year of job creation since 2008.

The latest Irish Employment Monitor, from recruitment giant Morgan McKinley, shows the life sciences and pharmaceutical sectors showed particular dynamism during 2014, with graduates in these areas in high demand by employers.

The survey also showed steady demand for financial services staff and a marked pick-up in SME hiring levels, with small domestic firms actively competing with multinationals for talent. Morgan McKinley now expects a more competitive and candidate-led jobs market, for those with specialist skills, to emerge in 2015.