Ryan FowlerThe professional staffing market is showing early signs of recovery, with contract hiring leading the upturn, according to new data from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo).
The latest Hiring Trends analysis, compiled by APSCo in partnership with Bullhorn, revealed that contract job postings rose by 4% month on month and 11% year on year in May 2025.
Permanent job postings were still down 32% compared to 2024 levels but showed some stability, rising 1% between April and May.
Placement activity also improved in May, with permanent placements up 3% month on month and contract placements up by 1%.
Samantha Hurley, UK managing director at APSCo, said: “This latest data show signs of optimism that the professional staffing sector will certainly welcome. The increase in contractor jobs and placements demonstrates that demand for expertise is growing, but caution remains in relation to increasing headcount. There will come a point where we see this shift back to the permanent market, but until then, this snippet of optimism should be a much-needed boost to recruiters.”
Andy Ingham, SVP sales, EMEA & APAC at Bullhorn, added: “The May data shows a welcome uptick in perm and temp jobs following the dip in April. Permanent placements remain steady despite a lean pipeline – a testament to recruiter resilience and focus on quality. Contract jobs rebounded this month and are up 11% year over year. In a time of global uncertainty, agencies can view these trends with modest confidence.”
