Searching for a new job has never been easy, but it seems to have become even more of a minefield during the current pandemic. Unfortunately, it has also become a necessity for many who have found themselves out of work.
However, there’s no need to despair! For current job seekers, there’s some good news and some bad news but ultimately if you’re prepared to put in the effort and be resilient you will be able to land a new role.
Let’s take a look at some of the current factors that you’ll need to be aware of.
According to the latest job market data from CV-Library, job applications were up by 10.5% across the UK last month; with the application to job ratio soaring by a massive 52.4% year-on-year. It seems that more job seekers are entering the market as the furlough scheme comes to an end in a matter of weeks.
For job seekers, this means that you’re going to have some strong competition for roles and you’ll need to make even more of an effort to stand out from the crowd. We recommend following these five tips for getting your CV noticed and using powerful action words throughout your CV.
The good news is that after seeing a significant drop when we entered lockdown back in March, vacancy numbers are showing positive signs of recovery. While job numbers are much lower than a year ago, they are picking up every month. In fact, vacancies increased by 30.9% in September compared to August.
It’s still an uncertain time for many businesses, however, a recent CV-Library survey of over 200 UK companies revealed that a whopping 88.9% of UK employers still feel confident about retaining staff over the next six months. A further 85.4% admitted they also feel confident about their hiring efforts right now.
This is excellent news for job seekers are we are likely to continue seeing more job opportunities appearing over the coming months. It’s going to take some time to get back to last years vacancy levels, but at least the market is showing some encouraging signs of growth.
Due to the current social distancing guidelines and many companies still operating remotely, video interviews are becoming a key part of the recruitment process. It’s important that job seekers prepare for this and are clued up on video interview tips.
Video interviews still give you an excellent opportunity to get to know and impress potential employers, so ensure that you take them seriously and treat them like you would a face-to-face interview.
Unfortunately, the graduate job market has taken a significant hit because of the pandemic. The number of graduate jobs being advertised has fallen by 60.3% year-on-year, with industries such as marketing, construction and recruitment experiencing even larger drops.
The government is making an effort to boost opportunities for young people through its Kickstarter scheme, but whether this is enough remains to be seen. It’s going to take some time for graduate jobs to return to normal levels, so in the meantime, some graduates may have to opt for roles where they can at least get their foot in the door and build some work experience.
According to CV-Library’s latest study, nearly two-thirds (61.4%) of employers plan on offering flexible working to their employees following the pandemic. They are recognising the demand from employees and most businesses have already seen the benefits of remote working too over the last several months.
If you’re a job seeker who is hoping to find a position with more flexible working options, you are likely to see an increase in employers offering this in their job adverts.
Job searching during a global pandemic is not an easy task, but it is a doable one. It’s a tough time for both businesses and job seekers at the moment and it’s going to take effort and patience on both sides to rebuild the job market and economic growth.
If you’re job seeking, we recommend uploading your CV to CV-Library to hear about new opportunities and so that employers and recruiters can find your CV. You can also register your CV with us, and we’ll be in touch if we have any relevant opportunities in your area.
