One fifth of HR jobseekers are certain they will not secure a job interview in the next four weeks, according to Changeboard's latest Jobseeker Confidence Index survey. The survey results show that levels of optimism among HR jobseekers are falling as candidates feel less confident about their prospects of securing interviews or job offers than in January.
Respondents to Changeboard’s second Jobseeker Confidence Index questionnaire reported a continued lack of HR job vacancies suited to their skills and experience.
Asked to rate their chances of securing a job interview in the next four weeks between 1 (certain not to get an interview) and 10 (certain to get an interview), jobseekers’ responses averaged 3.8 (down from 3.9 in January). This decline was driven by a higher number of respondents (21%) saying they were certain not to get an interview in the next four weeks. A rating of 1 was in fact the most common response.
While jobseekers were slightly more positive about receiving a job offer in the next three months – at 4.4 – this was itself down from 4.6 last month. The mode (most common) response was 3.
Unemployed HR professionals are more pessimistic than their employed counterparts about their chances of securing a job interview in the next four weeks, at 3.7, which is a marked decline on January's figure of 4.1.
They are also less confident about securing a job offer in the next three months at 4.2, down from 4.4.
Levels of confidence did not vary significantly according to the seniority of candidates, though senior HR jobseekers did report a particular decline in the availability of HR job vacancies suited to their skills and experience (4.0 in February vs 4.2 in January).
February 2011 results (base = 100.0 @ January 2011)
Index of Job Availability: 100.1
Index of Confidence about securing an interview: 98.7
Index of Confidence about securing a job offer: 98.3
Rob Willock, Changeboard’s Chief Operating Officer, commented: “Our second Jobseeker Confidence Index survey results suggest falling levels of confidence among HR jobseekers from what we considered to be a low base in January.
“Changeboard is experiencing good growth in HR job vacancies on the site, with lots of excellent HR opportunities being advertised by blue-chip private sector employers. But many survey respondents still feel there is nothing in the market for them, and they lack confidence that they will secure interviews or offers of employment for the jobs that do exist.
Are we seeing the first signs of public sector HR redundancies impacting the jobseeker market?
Changeboard’s Jobseeker Confidence Index surveys active and passive HR jobseekers each month to gauge their personal experience of the HR jobs market. In time this will build into an essential index showing the changing confidence levels of HR jobseekers.
For more information contact www.changeboard.com on 020 8675 8851.