IT contractors may find competition for job roles increasing, according to new research on the employment sector.

Recruitment agency Hays has found that an increasing number of professional workers are turning to temporary job vacancies.

A spokeswoman for the company said that employees and employers alike are beginning to see the advantages for flexible working - particularly the wide variety of roles offered and the ability to avoid office politics.

"Interim [workers] are mainly used to manage particular projects because of the specific skills they offer. In this situation ensuring they can hit the ground running is essential," she said.

However, the good news for IT contractors is that the number of vacancies also appears to be increasing.

The latest report from the Recruitment & Employment Confederation found that 85 per cent of firms expect to maintain or increase their temporary workforce in the coming months.