Jobseekers face a bleak New Year, according to a survey revealing that employers’ willingness to take on new people has plunged to a 15-year low.

But a rosier picture has emerged from Kent-based Acorn Recruitment, which claims there is still strong demand for good quality candidates across the county.

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey predicts a tough jobs market across the South East next year.

Employer hiring intentions for the first three months of 2009 are at their lowest level since 1993.

The South East is among the regions with the least positive employment outlook (-9%).

With mounting job losses across Kent and Medway, especially in finance, construction, hotels, retail and manufacturing - Chatham printer CPI Mackays is the latest firm to announce possible cuts in the New Year - more people will be chasing fewer jobs.

The survey found that employer confidence in the manufacturing sector (-2%) is at its weakest since 2001. It is also low in the hotels and retail sector (-2%) as consumers tighten their belts.

Phil Bassett, Manpower’s operations manager for the South East, said: "Concerns over an economic downturn and fears of a recession next year is significantly impacting on employer confidence in the South East.

"As a business, we expect the job market to continue to tighten with more job losses likely in the region."

He added: "In these difficult times we are also seeing some employers not replacing employees who leave, but instead increasing the current workforce’s responsibilities."

However, Acorn Recruitment, with offices in Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Kings Hill, Maidstone and Crawley, has revealed a record quarter between July and September, with three per cent growth in placing permanent and temporary staff.

Geoff Newman, managing director, is more bullish about the Kent jobs market. He said: "The banking crisis has focused our attention on unemployment, bankruptcy and insolvency – aspects of the economy that always occurred at every stage of the economic cycle but without the current intense media attention.

"Businesses still require staff to operate, and whilst some companies have offset recruitment decisions they often supplemented their staff with flexible workers such as temporaries and contractors.

"We are still seeing very strong demand for good quality candidates right across our network of offices."