People with the most sought-after skills and experience will always find new roles, however competitive the job market, according to a human resources company.

However, those who are looking for employment who have limited experience could consider taking additional qualifications, Adecco says.

According the Office of National Statistics, the working age employment rate in the third quarter of this year was down 0.4 per cent from the previous quarter to 74.4 per cent.

Steven Kirkpatrick, managing director of Adecco Retail, said people who are struggling to secure a permanent job could try temporary employment.

Get our essential weekday HR news and updates. Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Work Email Keep up with the latest in HR... This field is hidden when viewing the form Optin_form This field is hidden when viewing the form Optin_date Year Month Day This field is hidden when viewing the form Batch_Newsletter

"It allows you to gain experience in a range of sectors and environments while you build up the necessary background to help you move to where you want to be in the longer term," he added.

According to a report by the Trades Union Congress, the number of people unemployed for a year could rise from its current level of 400,000 to 700,000 by the end of 2009.