The finance recruitment market has seen positive changes as the UK economy has strengthened over the last six months.

With improving confidence there have been more job opportunities, increasing salaries and a greater numbers of ambitious finance professionals seeking new roles than for a number of years.

The latest Hays survey of over 1,200 accountancy and finance professionals reflects this optimism. The majority (66%) of employers are confident their business activity will increase over the next 12 months, and 54% plan to increase headcount in the same period.

However, 77% of employers are concerned that they will encounter a shortage of suitable, highly skilled candidates.