- Over three quarters of 16-24 year olds say they find the job hunting process challenging
- However, there is hope as Totaljobs Employment Index reveals the number of job postings on the totaljobs website is up 19% year-on-year in August
- Number of job applications also up 22% YoY
With 14% of young people currently out of work*, research released by totaljobs has revealed that more than three quarters (78%) of 16-24 year olds say they find the job hunting process challenging.
The survey, conducted by totaljobs as part of its #MillionPoundJamie campaign, showed that the biggest struggles the age group face include standing out from the crowd and securing that all important interview (27%), as well as the application process itself (13%).
The data also released today in the Totaljobs Employment Index shows that there are plenty of reasons for jobseekers to be positive, with job postings on the website up 19% year-on-year (YoY) in August, as the jobs market continues to thrive post-Brexit.
At a time of year when young people are traditionally moving from education to the world of work for the first time, the growth in vacancies will come as welcome news. Not only were job vacancies up 19% YoY, but they were also up 2% in the three months to August compared to the three months prior.
However, totaljobs data also shows that job applications are soaring – up 22% YoY – with the number of applications per job up 3% YoY, showing increased competition for each job.
For young people looking to secure a new role, getting noticed has never been more important. More than a third (37%) of jobseekers aged 16-24 said they could benefit from more relevant work experience and 23% would like guidance on refreshing their CV to make sure it stands out. A fifth (21%) of young people say help in prepping for interview questions is the advice they would most like to receive.
John Salt, Group Sales Director, totaljobs, said: “The growth of jobs posted on totaljobs is a clear and positive sign that employers are confident about recruiting in the post-Brexit world. What’s concerning is that so young people have told us they are facing challenges finding a job they love. Our research found that many have job hunting fears, and this could be holding them back from finding work, adding to the high youth unemployment rate.
“On totaljobs, jobseekers can find a whole range of helpful guidance and handy tips from industry experts to help them find the job they love: http://www.totaljobs.com/get-you-noticed/jamie.
“When it comes to hiring younger recruits, employers have much to gain from this enthusiastic and talented pool of jobseekers who will bring fresh skills and new perspectives into their businesses”.
*ONS Labour Market Report, September 2016
