It is highly beneficial for recruiters, employers, and employees alike, to stay abreast of what is happening in the jobs market. Here we deliver our update and insights of the latest trends and changes occurring in recruitment up to March 2022, rounding off Q1.

Job Numbers Remained Level While Job Applications Rose

The number of available and advertised jobs remains static during the first quarter of 2022, while application numbers soared to their highest levels since 2020. Since December, job applications have increased by 41% to achieve a level that is 36% higher than the 2021 monthly average. 

We traditionally see candidates’ interest in jobs rise during January and February, as they feel refreshed from the seasonal break and assess where they are professionally, financially, and personally. This ‘New Year, New Job’ mindset appears to be as strong as ever, despite the Coronavirus pandemic, Ukraine disruption, and Russia sanctions.

The increase in candidate interest is welcome on the back of recent events and the low active candidate numbers seen in Q4 of 2021. In January, application numbers were almost double those seen in October and November, which is beginning to ease the labour shortages seen in many industries.

“The shrinking gap between high job numbers and low applications is welcome news for recruiters.”

Industries Recover From The Pandemic At Different Rates

Each industry has been affected by the pandemic to differing degrees. In fact, some industries, such as the Internet & IT, boomed during the pandemic as demand soared for remote working, collaborating in the Cloud, and bolstering cybersecurity defences. Job postings within IT remain high, and application numbers are equally healthy.

Education also witnesses high activity levels with plenty of job postings and candidate applications. Manufacturing joins these two industries in the top five for job postings for the first time in recent memory. 

“Recruiters and candidates should be equally pleased by job posting activity in the education and manufacturing sectors.”

Statistics On The Best Time To Post A Job

We have collated data and crunched the numbers to determine when is the best time to post your job adverts. Our research indicates that most jobs are being published on Fridays, and the highest number of applications are submitted on Mondays. 

While many employers may operate Monday to Friday, the recruitment industry never sleeps. To receive the most interest from candidates, job board postings should be scheduled for the Weekend, as job posts published on Friday can lose visibility and their position in search. A study conducted by WaveTrackR revealed most applications are sent within 24 hours of a job posting.

“The findings indicate that Sunday and Monday are the best days to post on job boards and job aggregators.”

Hiring People Sponsors BizX 2022

Hiring People is proud to announce that it is the official sponsor of BizX 2022. BizX is a packed two-day event that promotes the latest business growth strategies. Global leaders and experts share their tips to help you develop your team and take your business to the next level.

Hosted by British broadcaster and author Clare Balding, the event introduces international speakers, including authors, psychologists, body language experts, a former FBI hostage negotiator, performance coach, wealth coach, and more.

You can get your BizX Ticket here, which includes:

• Welcome Drinks
• BizX Awards Entries
• BizX Awards Ceremony & Dinner
• Food & Drink for Both Days

CV Scoring Comes To Our Applicant Tracking System

CV Scoring is a new feature coming to our ATS software. With CV Scoring, you can automatically vet incoming CVs, with scoring based on keyword matching and geographical proximity. You set the quality level and can toggle on and off automatic CV rejection, streamlining your recruitment process.

For more information, please get in touch with our team or check out our recruitment resources.