Economy-wide vacancies rose slightly in March with 15 per cent of companies reporting vacancies as opposed to 12 per cent in February.
The survey carried out by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and Fas indicates that the Net Employment Expectations across the sectors was 2 per cent, meaning the number of employers anticipating a rise in employment over the next number of months is two per cent higher than those predicting a decrease.
The majority of the overall increases were the result of an increased vacancies in the services sector with vacancies rising to 23 per cent in services.
The services sector saw a further increase in employers expectations, while the retail sector suffered a significant drop in employer's employment expectations. The most difficult vacancies to fill in the services sector in March included sales personnel, clerical staff and drivers.
Vacancies in the construction sector fell by 3 per cent in March with 10 per cent of those surveyed reporting vacancies.
The moving three month average remained stable while the employment expectations within the sector fell to -6 per cent. The three month moving average improved however rising two points to -1 per cent. The roles of quantity surveyor and manager were the most difficult to fill in the construction sector.