- Jobseekers spend on average £146 on every job interview
- Despite this huge cost, 27% of jobseekers don’t research the job they’re applying for
- 81% admit to having job hunting fears, such as not being invited for interview (28%)
- To combat this, totaljobs launches #MillionPoundJamie campaign and career advice
Research released from totaljobs as part of its #MillionPoundJamie campaign has found that jobseekers are spending up to a staggering £1.44 billion a year on their job hunt*. Each jobseeker spends on average up to £852 a year on interviews, which includes new clothes, courses and training, transport and haircuts.
On average, jobseekers spend £146 on every job interview they attend*, including £33 on a new outfit, £20 on new shoes, and £24 on transport. 16-24 year olds spend the most out of any age group, spending up to £167 on average for every interview.
However, despite this huge outlay, the data also reveals that 27% of jobseekers don’t research the role when preparing for a job interview and 60% don’t update their CVs for each role applied for – a basic and key component of any job hunt. Furthermore, 37% of jobseekers don’t research the industry when preparing for a job interview
Poor preparation?
The majority of jobseekers don’t get a good night’s sleep (58%) and nearly all don’t eat well before an interview (85%). The research also reveals 6% have a manicure, 28% shave, whilst only 6% bother to polish their shoes.
It comes as no surprise, then, that totaljobs research also reveals that 76% of jobseekers are finding the job hunting process difficult while 81% have job hunting fears. Fears include not being invited for interview (28%), never finding a new job (16%) and not having the right or enough experience (13%).
Generation gap
For the older generation, a huge majority are worried that their age gets in the way of progression. Almost two-thirds (63%) of 55-64 year olds have said they have felt discriminated against by a prospective employer because of their age, despite the over 55’s often being the most prepared for an interview. A third of the over 55’s (32%) spend 1 – 2 hours prepping for an interview compared to just a quarter (25%) of 16-24’s who spend the same time.
Fear, a lack of self-belief and a defeatist attitude can come through in physical appearance, so it’s important that jobseekers aim to look and feel confident. One in four jobseekers (24%) said that getting body language coaching would make them feel like a million pounds when applying for a job.
That’s why totaljobs has pledged to put its money where its mouth is with the campaign #MillionPoundJamie. The campaign will take one jobseeker, Jamie Mudle, and make him the 'star' of a £1,000,000 advertising campaign to get him noticed and, hopefully, employed too. Totaljobs has teamed up with entrepreneur and star of The Apprentice, Claude Littner, internationally renowned body language expert India Ford and career coach Aimee Bateman to offer advice for those struggling to get on the career ladder.
John Salt, Group Sales Director, totaljobs, said: “It’s concerning to see the amount of money that jobseekers are spending to get themselves noticed, when they are not preparing in some of the most basic, low cost, but effective ways they could be. Simple things like researching the role and the industry will obviously count for a lot at interview stage, as will the way jobseekers come across generally to their prospective employer in interview.
Our research also shows that a vast majority of job seekers have job hunting fears. That’s why we’ve launched #MillionPoundJamie, working with a range of industry experts to show how to tackle these fears, get noticed and land a job they love. For anyone who is finding their job hunt a challenge, visit our website to follow Jamie’s journey to success and find fantastic tips and advice on being the best you can be, giving you that edge throughout the interview process.
India Ford, an internationally renowned body language expert, said: “97% of all hiring managers will make a subconscious decision on whether to hire you within seven seconds of you walking in – a decision that will be primarily based on your body language. Your posture, the way you walk, sit, move, make eye contact, your facial expression, and your gestures will all play a major role in a successful outcome.
“The fact that totaljobs is encouraging Jamie and others to act on the importance of body language is extremely insightful. Not only does it mean they understand what highly successful candidates do differently, but it also demonstrates how serious they are about helping their candidates secure a job.”
Totaljobs will use its tools and tech to match Jamie with relevant jobs, enlist the help of industry experts to hone his CV and interview skills, and ultimately give him a complete and meaningful career makeover. You can follow his journey via a new web series http://www.totaljobs.com/get-you-noticed.
