After witnessing a slowdown in thepast year, the job prospects in the country are likely to improve in the next12 months, a survey has said.

Besides, over 70% of the recruitment agents surveyed believe that hiring willstabilize in the coming three months. In a pan-Indian survey of recruitmentagents by Edelweiss Securities, more than half (53%) of the respondents saidthat the situation would improve over the next one year.

Moreover, the survey said that the outlook for the short term or three monthswill remain stable. "About 71% respondents expect hiring to stabilize overthe next three months," the survey stated.

It said that 69% of the respondents believe the number of unemployed had increasedin the past one year. The survey, which took view of various sectors, foundthat all sectors, except IT, hope to see an improvement in hiring that isexpected to support demand for residential real estate.

"A stabilizing job market in the near term and a robust outlook beyondthat, are expected to keep real estate market buoyant," the survey pointedout. About 55% of the respondents in Mumbai expect an improvement in the hiringspace is likely in the next one year.