Firms are taking a ‘slow and cautious’ approach to recruitment, which may hinder those seeking finance graduate jobs.

A small number of UK companies intend to continue recruiting staff over the coming three months, according to a recent Manpower survey.

However the rate, of one per cent, is no higher than what was recorded in the first quarter, states the organisation.

A spokeswoman for Jobsite said that, while any positive shift in the recruitment market should be celebrated, the recession hit many firms hard therefore it is no surprise that they are being cautious.

"There definitely seems to be a fear of running before you can walk but we think these slight positive increments will gain momentum over the coming months," she said.

"Between November 2009 and February 2010 we’ve seen a four per cent increase in the number of organisations looking to fill vacancies so while it’s slight it’s definitely good news and should be treated as such."

According to figures from the Office for National Statistics, the employment rate for October to December 2009 was 72.4 per cent, down 0.1 per cent on the quarter.

The number of people in employment fell by 12,000 on the quarter to reach 28.91 million.

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