IT jobs top the charts for the number of applications per job, with roles such as Software Engineer attracting the highest levels of interest, offering average earnings of more than £61,000. The sector’s appeal lies in a powerful mix of strong salaries, future-proof skills driven by the rise of AI and automation, and clear progression opportunities – making it a long-term match for jobseekers.
Administration jobs come in second, proving that dependable and versatile roles will never go out of style. Receptionist positions are the most popular within the sector, with average salaries of £30,800. With opportunities available across almost every industry, these roles offer a low barrier to entry, stability and use of transferrable skills – qualities that make them highly ‘likeable’ in today’s jobs market.
CV-Library analysed thousands of live vacancies to reveal top 10 sectors attracting the highest number of applications per vacancy, alongside the most popular role in each and the average salary on offer – painting a clear picture of the ‘hottest’ careers right now.
Beyond these frontrunners, some sectors are surprisingly winning the nation’s hearts. Hospitality and Hotel roles, for example, continue to rack up applications despite typically lower pay. This suggests jobseekers are prioritising flexible hours, social working environments and people-focused roles over salary alone.
Meanwhile, Arts and Graphic Design remain highly competitive, showing that passion-driven, creative careers still hold strong appeal, with Graphic Designer roles most popular.
Top 10 job sectors with the highest applications per vacancy (Q4 2025)
Based on total applications per vacancy, here are the UK sectors where job ads receive the most applicants, alongside the most popular job title and the average UK salary advertised.
Katie Emerton, Recruitment Expert at CV-Library said: “These roles attract such high application numbers because they tick a lot of boxes for today’s jobseekers: flexibility, stability and clear progression. Roles such as Software Engineer, Marketing Executive and Graphic Designer offer future-proof skills and long-term career potential, while others like Receptionists and Cleaners appeal because they’re widely available, flexible and don’t require lengthy entry routes. Together, these jobs feel secure but also rewarding – key to attracting UK candidates to apply.”
Methodology:
CV-Library has access to a rich pool of job market and candidate data, enabling insight to support recruiters, hiring managers, candidates, and policy makers.
Data is based on candidate behaviour and application trends. CV-Library analysed UK job sectors with the highest number of applications per vacancy in Q4 2025 (October-December), highlighting the most advertised job title in each sector and the average UK salary.
You can read the research in full on CV-Library: https://www.cv-library.co.uk/career-advice/start/most-popular-jobs-uk/.
