The struggle to recruit is still on. In fact, advertised vacancies increased by 4.2 percent year-on-year in Q1 2019, while job applications dropped by 4.8 percent. Contributor Lee Biggins, founder and CEO – CV-Library.
The report, which compared data from Q1 2019 with the same period in 2018, also found that employers are attempting to pull out all the stops to entice workers out of their current jobs, as salaries increased by a 16.7 percent year-on-year.
The cities with the highest increases in jobs and salaries for new roles year-on-year are included below:
1. Edinburgh – 20.8 percent increase in jobs and 9.8 percent increase in salaries
2. Cardiff – 15 percent increase in jobs and 4.4 percent increase in salaries
3. Bristol – 11.5 percent increase in jobs and 4.2 percent increase in salaries
4. Leicester – 10.9 percent increase in jobs and 7.2 percent increase in salaries
5. Sheffield – 8 percent increase in jobs and 7.3 percent increase in salaries
Lee Biggins, founder and CEO of CV-Library, comments: “The past year has been a trying time for employers. Britain is not as attractive to EU migrants as it was a year ago and the ensuing skills shortage has seen vacancies and salaries rocketing, in a bid to find the right candidates for the job.
“However, there has to come a point where employers draw the line on increasing salary offerings. While it’s important to keep pace with the market, other strategies should be considered. Showing candidates that you’re willing to respond to their needs is a better long-term solution, whether this is through flexible working hours, more holiday days or regular training. The prospect of job security will reassure candidates that it’s possible to move jobs!”
The decrease in job applications in the past year has been noticed throughout the UK. Regions which have particularly felt the effects include:
- North West – applications dropped by 8.3 percent
- South West – applications dropped by 7 percent
- East of England – applications dropped by 5.8 percent
- East Midlands – applications dropped by 5.4 percent
Biggins concludes: “We recently reported that job applications were up in March, but when looking at the bigger picture, it’s clear that there’s a notable decline overall. After the busy period between January and March, it’s normal to expect a slight decrease in applications, but this doesn’t mean that employers should become complacent. I would advise that businesses start evaluating their hiring efforts, with the aim of becoming more efficient in the months ahead.”
