Confidence returning to recruitment sector

The commencement of hostilities during the recent Gulf conflict provoked caution and hesitancy throughout many UK industrial sectors although recent statistics from the JobJobbed.com recruitment website reveal confidence is returning across the board.

From data taken from their activity logs, Managing Director Rupert Ellis revealed the true extent of the caution exercised by recruitment consultancies and corporate HR Departments as, after just five days of hostilities there was a 35% week on week reduction in advertised vacancies added to the UK-specific JobJobbed.com website.

ìOur log files measured a significant downturn in recruiter activity and we also noticed that the content of those advertisements placed revealed a subtle change to those placed up to that pointî said Ellis. ìWhile the nature of our business means that we are not able to review every vacancy individually, we did realise that the nature of many of the advertisements placed had become more generic in their structure and tone compared to the more specific language generally used for specific jobsî

Additional research revealed that during the conflict, site visitor traffic also changed in profile following an increase in registrations from new candidates who were registering and applying for a reducing number of positions.

ìWe noticed a trend toward candidates generally grazing for opportunities which was different from that which we were accustomed toî said Ellis. ìWe felt it important to understand what was happening which was why we spent time to question a selection of both new job-seekers and existing clients regarding their opportunities confidence and motivationî

The results revealed that while many job seekers were actively looking for new opportunities, the main reasons provoking the search related to the general uncertainty and unease arising as a direct result of the conflict (68%) and when asked, 73% said that while they would actively consider a new appointment they would feel more confident about changing position once the hostilities ceased.

The good news for the recruitment sector is that the latest statistics from JobJobbed.com reveal the highest levels of daily activity than at any time this year with Engineering, Hotel & Catering and Sales & Marketing sectors amongst the biggest improvers.