January rush sees application rates soar across the UK

As both candidates and businesses make a confident start to the year

UK professionals have started the year with a bang, with nationwide application rates soaring by a staggering 83.6 per cent in January 2018, when comparing findings with December 2017. This is according to the latest job market data from CV-Library, the UK’s leading independent job site.

The findings indicate that despite professionals remaining cautious about moving jobs in recent months, many are now ready to make their move in the labour market. In fact, most of the UK’s major cities witnessed stand out growth in applications, with the cities that saw the biggest increases including: 

1. Manchester – 92% growth in applications
2. Birmingham – 90.4% growth in applications
3. Edinburgh – 90.2% growth in applications
4. Southampton – 85.9% growth in applications
5. Bristol – 83.7% growth in applications
6. Brighton – 82.3% growth in applications
7. Sheffield – 80.6% growth in applications
8. Nottingham – 80.1% growth in applications
9. Portsmouth – 78.3%  growth in applications
10. London – 77.2% growth in applications

Not only this, but some of the nation’s key industries also saw application rates soar in January, with marketing (93.1 per cent), IT (93 per cent), manufacturing (90.1 per cent), accounting (88.4 per cent) and construction (87.1 per cent) all seeing impressive growth month-on-month.

Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library, comments: “It’s true that in recent months application rates have remained stagnant, with the ONS reporting that the unemployment rate was at the joint lowest since comparable records began back in 1971. This is not surprising given the current state of the economy, in which many are looking for stability from their current employer.

“But while the end of the year is traditionally a quieter time for recruitment, our Q4 job market report revealed that businesses were still working hard to attract talented candidates last quarter. This determination has clearly paid off and candidates have come back in full force this January, with application rates seeing staggering increases across the UK.”