Despite 2011 having been defined by uncertainty, the IT jobs market has held firm, according to vacancy and salary data from IT recruiter Computer People.

While permanent hires across all sectors were down 0.23% in October compared with the previous month, there was a 0.5% increase in temporary hires.

Guernsey-based Zodo, a provider of recruitment services and systems to small and medium-sized businesses, has launched a free applicant tracking system.

Agencies and direct employers can sign up to use Zodo’s iKrut software for free to help in the management of their candidates.

British firms are increasingly counting the cost of making redundancies, according to City law firm Wedlake Bell.

Data provided in response to a Freedom of Information Act request reveals redundancy payments have cost UK firm’s £13.4bn in the past three years, while there have been 470,000 redundancies in the year to March, down from 480,000 in the previous year.

Recruitment software provider Bullhorn has launched social media-focused platform Bullhorn Reach.

The platform enables recruiters to find and connect with qualified candidates via Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

The site offers social media connection, intelligent candidate sourcing, metric-based breakdowns, as well as aiming to provide improved search results.