Search and selection specialists, The Works, have seen a dramatic and ‘unprecedented’ rise in the number of job-seekers at the start of the year, continuing the pre-Christmas growth.
According to Sarah Leembruggen, Managing Partner, the number of CV’s being received by the company has risen by a staggering 90% since the start of the year, 50% more than the number received in the same period in 2009.
“Whilst January is traditionally a peak time for job-hunters to send out their CV’s for speculative or specific positions, the flood we’ve received this year is unprecedented and certainly indicates that market confidence is returning” says Sarah.
Although The Works have been surprised by this surge in candidate interest, what makes January 2010 even more noteworthy is the quality of applications.
It seems that talented candidates and those at the top end of the market are finally coming out of the woodwork and throwing their hat in the applications ring. “CV quality is hard to quantify but we’d say that the bar has been raised at least 20% in the past month alone in terms of a candidates’ background, experience and ability to do the job.”
As a direct result of the rise in candidate quality, the number of interviews being conducted i.e. those candidates being put forward for client interview, has also doubled.
The Works’ just-published figures coincide with the news that the UK has emerged - finally, if weakly - out of recession.
“It’s our experience that the PR and Communications industry has bounced back a little more quickly than other market sectors, a trend which we anticipate will gain momentum as market confidence returns and more budgets are released,” comments Sarah.
State of the PR market: A snapshot
Consumer PR: By far the biggest PR & Comms recruitment news story of the moment, with agencies winning business they pitched for in December and with it a ‘tsunami-type surge’ in the need to recruit. Where agencies were previously filling one or two posts over the past 18 months, they are now filling up to ten positions. It’s a similar picture for in-house roles, with companies recruiting for the first time in over a year.
Ethical Healthcare PR: Whilst more recession-proof than other sectors, there is tangible evidence that ethical healthcare is in better shape than it has been for a year.
Financial Services PR: Posts being created AT ALL LEVELS again, suggesting clients are winning business again - after a year’s hiatus.
Financial PR: Growth is comparably slower and mainly restricted to the junior end of the market but is moving for the first time in 18 months. The Works anticipate that senior roles will be made available in the Q3 2010.