New research from totaljobs.com shows that nearly two thirds (61%) of young people aged between 18 and 25 turn to their parents first for advice on getting a job, higher than those who would turn to any other source, including a careers centre (6%), spouse or partner (31%) or sibling (21%).
After parents, the internet is the most visited source of information, with almost half (48%) of young people using it to look for advice on interviews and job applications. Interestingly, 9% of these jobseekers are now turning to social media for advice, showing that people are now expecting more from the channels they use for leisure and social activities.
John Salt, Website Director of totaljobs.com says:
“It’s surprising to see that many young people are turning to their parents for advice. Although parents can be the first port of call for many issues jobseekers have, we have to be aware that hunting for graduate or school leaver jobs now is very different to the way it was for mum and dad in the 1970s or 80s. It’s great to see that many people are turning online too, though young people need to be aware of which sources are valuable and which are not.”
The research also shows that people found that their main issue with job applications was the lack of feedback they got, both after interviews (37%) and as to why they weren’t given the job (49%). This shows that young people are keen and open to receive feedback, but frustrated by the fact that it isn’t offered to them by their potential employer.
When asked which media personalities young people would turn to when looking for advice, the respondents chose those who have proven expertise and tenacity in the boardroom, such as Sir Alan Sugar (41%), Karen Brady (14%) and Donald Trump (12%) over other figures, including politicians such as David Cameron MP (9%) and Ed Miliband MP (4%).
John Salt continues:
“Jobseekers need all the advice they can get when it comes to the recruitment process, not only before when they are looking for jobs, but also afterwards when they have completed the application or interview. There needs to be more opportunities for them to access advice, both online and from employers so that it can help them get on the jobs ladder.”
Totaljobs.com is launching a new online campaign, Jobs Academy today to help young people find a job. Totaljobs.com has invited five young people to a top secret location, with the aim of making them more employable, through advice from totaljobs.com and independent experts. Over the next seven weeks, viewers will get the chance to follow the candidates as they learn the skills they need to get the job they want and keep it.
For more information please go to http://www.totaljobs.com/insidejob/jobacademy/