Recruitment job postings were the third-worst hit sector due to COVID-19 in April.
This is according to research from CV-Library, which found that recruitment job postings decreased by 84 per cent, after automotive jobs by 85 per cent and sales jobs by 84 per cent.
The job site was also able to list the worst hit UK cities in terms of job postings.
Cities in Scotland experienced both the highest and lowest decrease in the number of job vacancies posted in April due to COVID-19.
The list of the cities with the highest drop in vacancies are:
- Aberdeen – down 73 per cent
- Leicester – down 69 per cent
- Leeds – down 68 per cent
- Bristol – down 67 per cent
- Manchester – down 66 per cent
- Birmingham – down 66 per cent
- Sheffield – down 65 per cent
- Southampton – down 64 per cent
- Edinburgh – down 60 per cent
- Glasgow – down 60 per cent
Also, the number of applications fell by 29 per cent in April. However, roles are now known as “key workers” saw applications for these roles increase. With agriculture jobs up 46 per cent, public sector roles up 29 per cent, social care jobs up 6 per cent and medical/pharmaceutical/scientific roles up 6 per cent.
Lee Biggins, founder and CEO of CV-Library, said:
We’re trying to support UK businesses and recruitment agencies as much as possible right now, but everyone is feeling the financial effects of the current crisis. Thousands of companies have put a pause on their hiring plans until there’s more certainty in the market and this clearly isn’t limited to one pocket of the UK. As our data shows, job numbers have dropped in all locations and sectors, bar a couple that we know are playing a massive part in the fight against COVID-19.
All we can do now is prepare for the recovery and hope that business confidence picks up over the next few months when lockdown restrictions eventually ease. Unfortunately, there’s no light at the end of the tunnel at this stage, especially as we move into the thick of the spring/summer period, which tends to be quieter for hiring anyway.
Unfortunately, organisations have had to make some tough decisions over the past six weeks, with ONS figures revealing that two thirds of businesses have placed staff on furlough. While these professionals might not be actively looking for work right now, especially at a time when there’s so much uncertainty, we do expect application figures to pick up in the coming months and clearly there is already increased competition for jobs.
In order to gather these results, CV-Library looked at job market activity throughout April.
Darius is the editor of HRreview. He has previously worked as a finance reporter for the Daily Express. He studied his journalism masters at Press Association Training and graduated from the University of York with a degree in History.
