HR recruiters feel worse about job prospects now than they did only a month ago, according to a new poll from the independent campaign Keep Britain Working, published today.

The HR Recruitment Job Prospect Index stands at minus 35. This is a 5 point drop against September, when the index figure was minus 30. This is the worst score since last May, when the Job Prospect Index began, where it stood at minus 29.

Overall, pessimism about job prospects has deepened in October, reversing the previous steady upwards trend. The Job Prospects Index stands at minus 21 for October, a four point drop compared to September’s minus 17 score.

Nearly one in four people (24%) still feel positive about their employer in spite of worsening job prospects, demonstrating how successful many employers have been at working flexibly, in partnership with their staff, to respond to the recession.

James Reed, chairman of recruitment group Reed and founder of the Keep Britain Working campaign, which was set up to create and preserve jobs, says:

“Following the steady improvement of peoples’ feelings about job prospects since the low point in May this year, the latest Index figures reveal the first reversal.

“As recent UK economic figures demonstrate, this recession is not over yet, and concern for job prospects has risen in the last month. Employers must keep their focus on close staff relationships through these difficult times. The organisations who get this right will be best placed to respond quickly to new opportunities.”