The number of employers looking to hire staff is at a two-year high, with one fifth of managers looking to increase permanent staff numbers next year.

At the start of 2014, only 7 per cent of employers were looking to hire more staff, according to the latest Hudson Report: Employment Trends report by recruitment agency Hudson.

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Hudson executive general manager Dean Davidson said managers were today more confident.

“Despite lukewarm economic conditions and recently released weak GDP figures, Australian employers are optimistic about the year ahead,” Mr Davidson said.

According to the report, financial services professionals and mid-level lawyers are most in demand, followed by sales, marketing and communications professionals.

Thirty-six per cent of financial service and legal employers want to hire more permanent staff in 2015.

If you’re looking for a job and live in Queensland or Victoria then you’re in luck, with a respective 20 and 19.7 per cent of managers planning to increase headcount in 2015.

Western Australia and Australian Capital Territory had the worst hiring intentions, at 14.9 and 14.5 per cent.