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UK companies are finding it increasingly difficult to hire people for jobs which require specific skills.

Research by Manpower, the recruitment firm, has revealed that vacancies for sales representatives, skilled manual workers, engineers, administrative assistants and PAs are now the most difficult to recruit for.

The survey found that a lack of skills in the UK job market is resulting in 38 per cent (approximately four in 10) of UK employers having problems finding staff with the right level of skill and they are consequently unable to fill positions.

It also showed that employers have so far found it more difficult to recruit for executive and management positions this year than in 2006.

Mark Cahill, managing director of Manpower UK, commented: "Encouragingly, the number of employers reporting difficulties filling positions shows a slight improvement on last year's result (42 per cent), but finding the right staff remains a significant issue for many organisations today - irrespective of size or location.

"Employers need to maintain a flexible approach to their recruitment needs - such as thinking about using temporary staff to meet short-term needs, looking to older workers and mothers returning to work or looking to staff from outside the UK. Good people are in demand and it's very much a candidate's market."