Generation ëApathyí fuels recession

Apathetic job candidates may be fuelling the recession, according to a human resources firm.

Jaluch, which has offices in London, Reading and Ringwood, claims employers are overwhelmed by the number of applicants wanting jobs but are largely underwhelmed by the calibre of candidates coming forward.

Helen Clarke, Managing Director of Jaluch, said: ìWe hear a lot about generation Y – they are techno savvy, multi skilled and multilingual with ëmust-have experiencesí such as ëtime spent travellingí. But they seem to lack the work ethic our economy sorely needs.î

According to Jaluch, though a job vacancy is likely to secure hundreds of applicants, the majority wonít cut the mustard. Many candidates donít read the advert properly, donít have relevant experience and/or have spelling errors in their cover letters or CVs. Itís not unusual for candidates not to bother turning up for interviews.

ìWe know from our clients that businesses throughout the country are growing disillusioned with the apparent apathy out there. Despite the recession, candidates arenít hungry enough for workî, Helen added.

Jaluch has issued advice to employers for ensuring only candidates with drive secure a job. Among the suggested recruitment methods to help identify those who are really serious about working for you is asking for a cover letter detailing specific information, asking candidates to attend a ëscreeningí interview with other candidates present and even asking for a video CV.

Helen said: ìRedundancies are rising daily and competition for jobs is high but employers canít afford to make unwise recruitment decisions. Just one employeeís behaviour can make a big difference to the bottom line.î

Jaluch also recommends managers be given training on recognising and dealing with poor workplace performance or conduct issues to ensure apathetic employees are dealt with in a timely way.