UK Jobs: vacancies up as national lockdown ends

- Vacancies rise 11% week on week
- IT experts remain most sought after
- London bounces back as its placed into tier 2


Despite the second national lockdown slowing hiring during the middle of November, vacancies bounced back in the last week of the month, with an 11% rise in job availability. That’s according to the latest real-time statistics from the world’s largest network of job boards, Broadbean Technology.

Business optimism picks up once again as lockdown ends



Broadbean’s data revealed that, despite hiring levels stagnating in the middle of November as uncertainty amongst hirers mounted, coupled with the impact of some sectors shutting down during the second lockdown had on recruitment, hiring picked up in the last part of the month as the Prime Minister announced a return to tiered restrictions. According to Broadbean’s statistics, vacancies increased by 11% during the week ending 29th November and in the sectors hardest hit by the lockdown – hospitality and sales – recruitment levels rose by 7% and 14% respectively as firms geared up for re-opening.



Demand for IT professionals continued on the upward trajectory that’s been noted in the last few months, with the data revealing that vacancies were up 27% week-on-week. With huge numbers of firms operating remotely – either full time during the lockdowns or as part of a hybrid model – it is perhaps unsurprising that the recruitment for IT staff is dominating the hiring landscape, a trend which is expected to continue.



London bounces back after hiring dip during lockdown



With uncertainty mounting in the lead up to Boris Johnson’s announcement of which tier the capital would be in at the end of lockdown – with many speculating it may be level 3 – hiring in the capital flat lined. However, Broadbean’s data revealed that following the news that London would in fact be in tier 2, allowing shutdown sectors to reopen once again, jobs in the capital saw a boost with vacancies rising 16% week on week.



Alex Fourlis, Managing Director at Broadbean Technology commented:

“To see such a healthy rise in vacancies following the news that lockdown was ending and a tiered system would replace it, is really positive news for the UK’s employment arena. While it was perhaps obvious that hiring levels would be impacted to some degree during the second national lockdown, to see recruitment levels bounce back so quickly has quelled many fears that there would be a long-lasting impact on hiring into December and beyond. And while it is still early days – and of course we are, and will continue to be under restrictions for some time yet - early indications suggest that business confidence is returning. As we approach the end of the year it remains to be seen how the recruitment landscape will adapt over the coming weeks and months until a wide scale vaccine programme is rolled out – however we are quietly confident that the darkest days of 2020 are behind us.”

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