Jobsite research report uncovers the true challenges of jobseeking in the UK today

UK survey of over 2,000 job seekers unveils four leading factors behind employee turnover:

1. Personality differences and clashes in cultural fit ñ 67% of employers cite personality as the main reason to let someone go, while 2 out of 3 employees would move to another company to achieve a better cultural fit

2. Job interviews are creating a disconnect between employers and candidates ñ 54% of job seekers do not get enough information from employers to make informed decisions about a company or a position while 27% say employers are asking two few questions. 91% of job hunters make prejudgements about what employers want to hear in an interview and frame their answers to this effect

3. Template recruitment methods are being used ñ 8 out of 10 companies are still using a ëone size fitsí all approach to hiring

4. Hiring decisions made on gut feel - 67% of recruiters form opinions on the suitability of a candidate in 4 hours while 59% base their hiring and firing decisions on gut feel

ìIn Pursuit of Happiness: The Challenge of Jobseeking in the UKî a new report published today by Jobsite, highlights why 85% of organisations have recruitment difficulties with 44% reporting employee turnover increasing year on year[1].

Personality differences and clashes in cultural fit
The study investigates the current recruitment process in the UK and identifies personality and cultural fit as the key motivator for employee turnover. 67% of employers surveyed cite personality differences as the main reason to let an employee go. At the same time, two thirds of employees said they would move to another company to achieve a better cultural fit.

The research, conducted by YouGov on behalf of Jobsite, surveyed 2,000 UK job seekers from across a variety of sectors to investigate their experience of the job hunting process and how recruitment methods could be improved. This was followed by a series of in-depth qualitative interviews with recruiters and HR directors to explore these issues even further.

Job interviews creating a disconnect
In addition to differences in personality fit between employees and employers, job interviews themselves are also creating disconnect between employers and candidates. 54% of respondents say they do not get enough information from employers to make informed decisions about a company or a position while 27% say employers are asking two few questions in an interview. This is coupled with the fact that 91% of job hunters make prejudgements about what employers want to hear in an interview and frame their answers to this effect. As a result, candidates are ending up in unsuitable jobs because employers routinely have a false impression of the candidate and the candidates themselves are failing to understand the role they are applying for and their own workplace desires.

Template recruitment methods being used
Current recruitment methods have also contributed to job seeking challenges. Eight out of ten companies use a ëone size fits allí recruitment process across the entire company, irrespective of the roles being filled or the psychological make-up of the person being sought. The reliance on standardised process and structure also extends to candidate assessment with 46% of the companies surveyed using the same pre-determined criteria for scoring candidates on personality attributes compared to company culture.

Basing hiring decisions on gut feel
Another factor contributing to retention problems are current techniques used to assess personality and attitude. Personality was identified as key to both companies filling vacancies and people applying for them and yet the means used to assess that personality are failing to deliver the right match. While 56% of companies claim that they try to recruit people of particular personality types most recruiters rely heavily on gut feel ahead of more structured ways of assessing peoplesí suitability for particular roles. 67% of these organisations form this instinctive opinion on the suitability of a candidate in just 4 hours.

Jobsite Managing Director Keith Potts comments: ìJobsiteís mission is to help individuals and organisations forge closer and longer-lasting bonds which is one of the reasons why we commissioned this report. However the responsibility isnít just with the employer, every job seeker in the UK has a commitment to themselves to find the right job for them. This means being honest, as well as investing the right amount of time and effort into the job seeking process.î

Ian Boyton, Recruitment Marketing Manager at Carphone Warehouse commented on the report findings: Interviewing is an art in itself. The skills of interviewers and the observers make all the difference ñ the best people ask questions that donít just get the best answers, but give you a feel for what a person is really about.î

[1] CIPD Recruitment and Retention Report, 2005