Bad news sells. It’s a tale as old as time. Yet it can result in a pretty murky picture for job seekers in London at the moment. As a London recruitment agency, understanding the current recruitment market is central to the service we provide, which means we need to look beyond the headlines. Having done that, we’ve discovered that it’s far from all-bad news for job seekers.
Alarming statistics
Lies, damned lies, and statistics. You’ve no doubt heard that before! Well, pick up any news article at the moment, and you’ll see statistics galore focusing on the bad, such as this article in The Guardian. We can’t escape all statistics, and yes, there are rainclouds as well as rainbows right now, but the statistics presented in the media can lead you to think we’re in a tornado that just merged with a hurricane. There are redundancies and businesses are struggling, but overall, the recession isn’t turning out to be as bad as predicted.
Resilience and a path forwards
Britain is nothing if not resilient. The most recent Report on Jobs showed that in September, more people were being placed in both permanent and temporary jobs in London. It makes sense that there’s greater availability of temp work in London. Temporary jobs are an easy and safer way for businesses to get the talent they need without the risk. As Neil Carberry, Chief Executive of the REC, says, “Past recessions show that temporary work bounces back more quickly. It’s one of our jobs market’s biggest strengths, and that’s really showing now.”
With the ending of the furlough scheme, it was inevitable that there would be redundancies. But there are opportunities too. As a London recruitment agency, we see it as our responsibility to match those looking for work with those opportunities, moving them onto a more secure footing.
ONS data shows us that the number of vacancies is increasing. It’s lower than a year ago, yes, but it is rising. This shows an encouraging trend. The ONS data also reveals that much of it is being driven by smaller businesses, and this is something we’re seeing mirrored at our London recruitment agency.
We also need to turn our attention to particular jobs and industries. Not everyone is faring the same. Those looking for work in the customer service industry, as well as some notable IT sectors, are discovering that there are considerably more opportunities on offer. Conversely, those who work in retail and leisure are, understandably, facing a tougher time.
Don’t focus on the bad
As a job hunter, the trick is to turn your mind away from the bad and focus on the opportunities. There’s a reality to the fact that, right now, it’s harder for job seekers than it was this time last year. But that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible or that opportunities don’t exist, because they do. As the economy makes its way through the winter, we can look forward to seeing its resilience. Being positive is the factor that will make your job hunt less stressful and more likely to be successful.
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