Job vacancies have continued to fall as lockdown measures in the UK have been eased, but there is hope for those applying for internships.
Research by recruitment software company Broadbean Technology, UK job vacancies dropped by 11% week-on-week during the last week of May.
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Previous research by Broadbean Technology showed that job vacancies in London fell by 23% the week ending 10 May.
However, according to the Recruitment & Employment Confederation, there was a rise in job vacancies in some rural areas in May.
For those seeking entry-level positions, the outlook may be more optimistic. Internship and graduate opportunities rose by 30%, with many organisations, including Credit Suisse, Deutsche, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley and UBS, launching virtual internship schemes.
The research also revealed that job vacancies in communications, marketing and PR are up 37% as businesses ramp up marketing efforts following the announcement of phased re-opening plans. In the last week of May, jobs in this field made up 55% of all vacancies.
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By GlobalDataBroadbean Technology also uncovered an increased interest in temporary and contract roles, with the number of applications per vacancy rose 34% for temporary roles, and 25% for contract positions, suggesting on-going uncertainty has affected the job market.
“Despite the ongoing economic crisis, it’s encouraging to see businesses still investing in future talent through virtual internships as it will be these individuals who will help companies succeed in the future when the impact of Covid-19 has lessened,” said Alex Fourlis, managing director at Broadbean Technology.
“The most interesting revelation in my view, is the uptick in applications for contract and temporary roles in comparison to those applying for permanent positions. We certainly didn’t expect to see a drop in people seeking permanent employment during the current crisis. With fewer permanent jobs being advertised, we’d usually see an uptick in the number of applications per role as less options are available for jobseekers.
“This suggests that the furlough scheme is providing some sense of security for employees across the UK, with many perhaps reluctant to risk a career change at this time. It could also be the case that the good weather and number of bank holidays in May led to fewer people applying for new roles, as these factors can often influence jobseekers.”
Read more: London job vacancies fell by 23% in the week before lockdown easing.
