What is actual issue with the market for jobs?
Posted by Desperate-Drawer-572@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 22 comments
This literally is now the way how have we just accepted that you need to apply for hundreds upon hundreds of jobs to get even a basic entry level position. Some people are not even hearing back at all.
What is the actual problem at the heart of this issue?
KalamariNights@reddit
Never struggled finding a job, applied for two in my life, have worked in 8 different companies now ranging from small businesses to large multinationals.
Moving job in July because I got a text offering me a position from the MD.
When you are employed work extremely hard, tell everyone about your successes and network well. The first two parts might not help your compensation at that particular job but it does mean when a role comes up within the same field and you have an in from your network, you'll get the new job... which usually comes with better salary/benefits.
"Minimum effort for minimum wage" or "act your wage" or whatever else gets thrown around a lot on Reddit is incredibly short term thinking if you want to get ahead.
Lower_River_5647@reddit
As someone working for a supermarket I can tell you that our company is hiring wayyyy less. We’ve lost loads of people on my team and hired none. We are just expected to do more. It’s left me in the position where I feel like I’m trapped.
In 2019 when I got the job I applied for loads and got loads of replies. Now when I apply for jobs that I’m experienced in (aka other supermarkets, low level jobs) I get no responses. I only got one interview last time I applied for a bunch and that was for a bowling alley on essentially a zero hours contract. Never went further than that because I actually need a stable income 😅
softmints@reddit
in 2016 i had to apply to hundreds of jobs to get interviews. Now it seems legit like thousands...
GingerBeardPotato@reddit
Is this a nationwide issue or is this specific to industries? I have no issue with work in my sector (Aviation maintenance)
BaBaFiCo@reddit
This is the problem. People are trying to force an admittedly common but not universal experience onto perception. I changed job last year. So did my wife. We do the same job in the same industry. It was piss easy to get offers. If we lost our jobs tomorrow I wouldn't worry. But I know that experience isn't the same for others.
thenitmustbeaduck@reddit
What do you and your wife do that make it so easy to get a job?
No_Technology3293@reddit
Yea nothing frustrates me more than all the posts stating how the job market is screwed and horrible etc. I get for some industries it’s like that but it’s far from universal.
My industry for example deals directly with multiple other industries and none of them can get enough good people in the door and it’s not pay related, it’s purely down to very few applicants and even then some aren’t the required standard.
Efficient_Chance7639@reddit
There are a number of reasons. Since 2008 it has been a lack of economic growth. The equation has always been simple - the higher economic growth, is the more jobs there are. If growth is high enough then demand outstrips supply and wages increase.
Going forward, AI is going to change that equation as a certain percentage of those jobs will now be filled by AI. That means economic growth will need to be even higher to create jobs for both people and AI.
Plannet_Depressed@reddit
There seem to be so many job "openings" for fake positions in companies
The companies list jobs to fill a quota without actually have the intention to fill that roll
^
This is info over gathered from across Reddit about people job struggling
LevelFish7771@reddit
I wonder if this is true. I recently had 2 interviews, got to a final stage, was told it's down to me and one other. I was then rejected saying the other candidate more closely matched their needs.
The next day, the job listing had been reposted, how do you explain that?
TheRadishBros@reddit
It’s really expensive to hire people now, and more difficult than ever to get rid of them if they’re no good.
shitthrower@reddit
My theory, as someone on the other side of hiring, is that it's so easy to put in a job application, that companies are inundated with applications.
For every job posting we list, we'll get 100s of applications. It's essentially impossible to fairly sort through these applications. Let alone send a response (although if they're not sending an automated response at the very least, that's bad).
I think the system doesn't work for anyone right now; as a job seeker, you've got to send hundreds of applications to increase your odds of getting heard back from one of them, which means you don't have the time to tailor your application for the job (or even see if it's appropriate)
As a hiring manager, we're getting so many applications, that we're not able to find the one that fits.
This is only going to get worse with AI, where we'll have people using AI to apply for jobs, and have them read by AI to filter them, noone will win.
I don't know what the solution is, except perhaps this is the end of the job application.
I think you'll see senior roles get filled more by recommendations/networking (which has it's own problems), and junior roles move to more assessment centre based, in person interviews.
clanshephard@reddit
Multiple problems that need a very joined up solution:
In house training: company trainers add nothing to the bottom line, so are cut, so every job requires experience as there is no training inc entry level roles, but also eduction
Degrees: every "good job" needs a degree, more young adults get degrees, now every job needs a degree for entry level roles, and experience that you can't get as no one takes on people to train
Apprenticeships: need companies to take them on. Most trades are single person trades who cannot devote the time and hop jumping to get an apprentice through the experience level of their coursework.
benefits: to access some of these you must prove you are actively searching for jobs, so send out a lot of CV's for jobs that you have no hope of getting
AI filters: companies use AI filters to filter out CV's without the correct buzzwords so a lot of job applications never even see a human being. See the absolute rubbish on linkedin for example.
Company HR/recruitment teams: they are bare bones, tasked with many other tasks and may also not know what they are recruiting for, so use filters on CV's
So now you have lots of over qualifed and no qualification young people all scrabbling for minimum wage jobs that require experience they don't have and have their applications filtered into the bin as they have no idea what buzzwords to use to actually get it to someones desk. Add in companies who cannot or will not train people, recruitment teams that are multitasking many other roles and you have a situation where it is who you know not what you know. Experienced people are burning out as no younger workers are moving in to support basic roles, etc Not good all round.
Anyway thats my hot take, I am sure there will be others.
welsh_cthulhu@reddit
I work in technical writing/GTM technical marketing. Shitloads of decently-paid remote full-time jobs on LinkedIn. Took me a month to find somewhere when I got pissed off with my old comany.
BillyJoeDubuluw@reddit
It really can’t go unsaid that the current government is very much not handling the whole idea of growth.
I do believe they’re ultimately quite well meaning but a major elephant in the room is the burden expected of small and medium sized businesses.
The thresholds are totally arse ended and, as always, giant corporations pay next to f*** all while grassroots businesses are essentially shafted to death and penalised for having aspiration.
There has got to be a logical balance in terms of nurturing business and stimulating growth or the quality of life in the UK is going to continue to decline.
thewhitesamneil@reddit
As an owner of a small business the increase in national insurance contributions from the employer has been a big one. Effectively it’s barely worth trying to earn more by having more staff.
When I speak to other people in a similar position to me they are hesitant to hire additional staff as it’s a bit of an unknown what labour will bring in for the next autumn budget.
Gary_BBGames@reddit
It’s not this way for everyone though. 6 replies so far, and I, like someone else have had no trouble finding jobs.
I saw redundancies coming, applied for a job and got it. 1 application, 3 stage interview. I’m a senior software engineer. The other guy that commented is in aviation.
What kind of roles are you looking for? Basic entry level jobs? Theres a lot of basic, entry level people.
Tailoring your CV, applying for jobs that are actually within your skill set and appropriate and then preparation are super helpful for securing an interview and getting a job. It’s hard, of course, but it’s doable.
PvtRoom@reddit
"I can live comfortably for 12p an hour, you're just bad if you struggle on 11p."
That's the issue, plus greed.
Illustrious_Bus8440@reddit
Companies want top level people on bottom level pay, to do the jobs of three people, on their crappy terms. And because there are fewer jobs (thanks Rachel) 100s of people apply for each job.
Afunnyclownfish@reddit
I don’t think this can pinpoint a singular issue. 2008 seemed to be the starting point but increases in hiring employees, business tax, raising costs, and the introduction of AI taking roles has played a part.
KaylinT01@reddit
I find it amusing listening to the calls my family get from recruitment agencies for office/finance roles and the list of responsibilities as long as my left arm. Then the salary will be 10p an hour over minimum wage. Through my work I’ve spoken to various people of all skill sets and levels of experience and it’s worrying how many talk about quitting their jobs to go to become entry level workers as the pay is virtually the same for a lot less stress. Actually landing one of these jobs on the other hand- can feel impossible
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