Croydon's job market is booming, according to recruitment agency Manpower.

Manpower has conducted its first employment outlook survey of 2005, which predicts employers' hiring intentions for the forthcoming quarter and results show that Croydon should be prepared for an influx of new employees.

The survey, conducted quarterly, is widely used in Government, industry and by the Bank of England's monetary policy committee as evidence of labour market activity.

Sarah Austin, Manpower's Croydon branch manager, said the survey found that more than 15 per cent of employers in the public sector intend to take on staff in the three months January to March.

She added: "This is something we are seeing in Croydon, which is great news for the region."

Manpower's survey also indicates that there are a significant number of office, secretarial and administration vacancies, particularly in the public sector.

The survey, which has run for more than 40 years, interviews more than 2,500 UK employers and more than 35,000 employers in 19 countries across the world.

Sarah added: "Croydon is a great place to live and work, with all the amenities of London just a short distance away.

"There is also a number of regeneration projects in the area, such as the Croydon Gateway project, which is helping to drive confidence."