Jobcentre Plus employer survey confirms sustained buoyancy in recruitment market

As the number of employers looking to recruit increases, more and more are turning to the Internet to advertise jobs according to a new report from Jobcentre Plus.

The annual survey of over 4,500 employers indicates that around one in ten British businesses operating in the manufacturing sector were on the look out to hire new staff last year, 12% of whom used the Internet as a channel to advertise vacancies. The proportion of overall vacancies now being advertised through the Internet has increased to 16% from 12% in 2004, with one in every eight employers surveyed confirming they had used Internet websites to advertise a vacancy in the last 12 months. 

This online trend is also being reflected by jobseekers themselves. In a single week in June, the Jobcentre Plus website experienced a record 6.6 million job searches conducted by nearly 2.2 million online jobseekers.

Caroline Flint, Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform, said: "Employment in the UK continues to show sustained growth. However, if we are to meet our aim of achieving 80% employment we need to work harder still to support more people back into work. Yesterday we published a green paper on In Work, Better Off which sets out the steps to achieving full employment. That included our commitment to new Local Employment Partnerships through which major employers across all key sectors have pledged to create 250,000 jobs to support some of the hardest to help into work.

"Jobcentre Plus plays a crucial role working with employers to fill vacancies by identifying the right people with the right skills."

Overall, the results of the survey show that the UK recruitment market continues to maintain momentum.  Last year 11% of vacancies in the manufacturing sector were successfully filled. Across the UK, small and medium-sized organisations (10-249 employees) were the most proactive recruiters, accounting for almost two thirds of successfully filled vacancies. They were closely followed by larger establishments in particular the businesses employing over 250 people.

Regionally, the South East and London maintained the trend for accounting for the highest proportion of filled vacancies and were also the regions most likely to refer to Internet or web-based recruitment.

Employers continue to use Jobcentre Plus as a service for advertising jobs.  Of the 3.97 million vacancies advertised externally across the UK over the last 12 months, 37% were advertised with Jobcentre Plus.  48% of employers questioned in the manufacturing sector confirmed they had used Jobcentre Plus within the last 12 months, the highest of any sector surveyed. Larger, multi-sited employers were significantly more likely to use Jobcentre Plus, as were those with strong relationships in place.

Lesley Strathie, Chief Executive, Jobcentre Plus said:  "This survey demonstrates the continued strength and development of the UK recruitment market.  It is encouraging to see employers using services such as our website and the Employer Direct Online service, which gives employers complete control of the recruitment process from advertising to appointment. That is growing at a rapid pace and we expect that trend to continue. Alongside that the new Local Employment Partnerships give us a framework for close work with employers committed to recruiting a more diverse work force including lone parents and others who have been out of the jobs market"  

Overall those manufacturers using Jobcentre Plus to advertise vacancies found the service satisfactory (72%), with 84% confirming that they were dealt with in a professional and helpful manner and 84% commenting positively on the ease and efficiency of the service provided by Jobcentre Plus and the speed at which candidates were supplied (75%).     Jobcentre Plus accounts for over a third of all vacancies advertised last year.  Usage is highest in the manufacturing (48%), hospitality (48%), and logistics sectors (45%) whilst employers in the construction sector were most likely to be satisfied with the service they received.

Andrew Shenton, Group Sourcing and Attractions Manager from the Royal Bank of Scotland said: "We use Jobcentre Plus services repeatedly as we always get a good response and the right calibre of candidates to suit our needs.  The combination of face to face support with easy online accessibility makes it an excellent resource for any UK employer looking to fill vacancies."