The UK job market continued to strengthen throughout November, with job growth increasing by 13.6 per cent year-on-year and 3.2 per cent month-on-month. This is according to the latest data from CV-Library.
Many cities and industries across the UK saw standout, above-average, job growth in November 2016, when comparing data with November 2015, confirming that businesses across the country remain determined to thrive despite there being ongoing uncertainty as a result of various economic factors in 2016.
Sheffield (28. 5 per cent), Southampton (23.1 per cent and Glasgow (18.4 per cent) top the best cities for job growth, with Liverpool (10.3 per cent), London (12.9 per cent) and Leeds (14.3 per cent) propping up the table.
Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library says it’s great to see that the nation as a whole has experienced strong job growth in November, and that businesses are remaining confident in the run up to Christmas.
Biggins comments, ‘It’s a busy time of year, and therefore not entirely surprising that jobs have risen, as organisations look for staff to work over the festive period.
‘It’s also apparent that some of the savvier employers are choosing to advertise their vacancies well ahead of the January rush, in a bid to boost their chances against competitors as candidates begin looking for opportunities in the New Year.’
Salaries taking a hit
Alongside this, salaries also dropped by 3.2 per cent compared to 2015, which is likely due to ongoing economic uncertainty, especially as we approach the end of the year.
The biggest drops were seen in sectors such as Construction (-22.9 per cent) and Agriculture (-16.7 per cent) and cities such as Leeds (-7.2 per cent) and Portsmouth (-5.2 per cent).
However, while jobs were on the up during this period, application rates actually dropped by 4.5 per cent when comparing month-on-month data. And while this might be perceived negatively, it’s actually very common for this time of year.
Furthermore, candidate registrations were up by 4.5 per cent, compared to the previous month, suggesting that job hunter appetite has not disappeared and many are sitting tight until the New Year.
Biggins concludes, ‘It’s not surprising that applications have dropped at this time of year, but the increase in registrations suggests that candidates are holding out for future opportunities.
‘The New Year may have candidates searching for new roles, and though it can be difficult in uncertain times, businesses will have to offer the best possible salaries or workplace perks if they hope to remain competitive and continue to attract talented recruits.’
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