Job applications in the United Kingdom have surged by 35% in the past year, according to new data from leading recruitment platform, JobAdder.
In contrast, job creation declined by 3.4% in 2024, painting a stark picture of a fiercely competitive job market.
The new data, published in JobAdder’s 2025 State of the Market Report, reveals that while some industries are overwhelmed with hundreds of applicants, others struggle to attract talent.
Recruitment agencies face the challenge of sifting through an unprecedented volume of applications, with an average of 17 candidates per job in Q4 2024.
Although the average number of job applications per position at recruitment agencies plateaued during the first three quarters of 2024, followed by a sharp decline in Q4, there has been a significant year-on-year increase of 35% from 2023 and 109% from 2022.
The UK reversed a downward trend with the number of jobs per recruitment agency slightly increasing by approximately 6.6%, from 43.3 in Q4 2023 to 46.2 in Q4 2024. Despite fluctuations in 2024, job creation remains consistently below the levels recorded in 2022 and 2023, underscoring a tightening labour market. However, the UK’s downward trend is beginning to slow – only dropping 3.4% between 2024 and 2023, compared to a 13% decline in the years, showing early signs of stabilisation.
Martin Herbst, CEO of jobadder.com/gb, said, “This surge in job applications highlights a fundamental shift; recruitment is no longer about attracting candidates, but managing high volumes and identifying quality talent. Agencies must rethink their hiring strategies to handle this evolving landscape efficiently.”
Interestingly, job application growth appears to have plateaued and slightly declined towards the end of 2024, following seasonal trends where Q1 consistently sees a spike as job seekers re-enter that market post-holidays.
“We’re seeing application numbers starting to plateau across the UK. This shift raises questions about the sustainability of the previous growth and whether the market has reached a point of stabilisation, which will help ease pressure on recruiters if it holds,” Herbst said.
The report also highlights a continued shift towards temporary and contract roles, now making up 60% of all placements in 2024, up from 57% in 2023 and 50% in 2022.
Permanent roles now account for just 40% of placements, down from 43% in 2023 and 50% in 2022, as businesses prioritise workforce flexibility amid economic uncertainty.
“The job market reflects broader economic conditions, and 2024 has been a challenging year for the United Kingdom. Employers are hesitant to overcommit to new hires while relying on temporary staff to manage fluctuating workloads,” said Herbst.
While there was a slight decline in temporary placements in early 2024, a pickup in the second half of the year indicated growing confidence. This upward trend suggests that while temporary placements are on the rise, the UK market remains diverse in terms of the permanent roles still in demand.
Despite being significantly slower, job board placements remain popular with recruitment agencies. Applications via job boards and ad channels accounted for 57% of recruitment agency hires in 2024, up 5.8% from 2023. Recruitment agencies take 11 days longer to place candidates sourced through job boards, with permanent roles averaging 41.7 days to fill.
In contrast, proactively sourced candidates are placed 1.4 times faster than those from job ads, yet applications via internal databases have declined to 44% in Q4 2024.
While there’s a more responsive approach to proactive sourcing in the UK compared to Australia and New Zealand, the trend over the past three years has shown a steady decline, from an average of 53% in 2022 to 46% in 2023 and 43% in 2024. This could signal a shift in the market’s sourcing strategies.
Herbst urged recruiters to prioritise proactive sourcing strategies over job board reliance.
“With AI-assisted applications, agencies are being inundated with applications. Sifting through job applications from underqualified candidates wastes valuable time and resources. Proactive strategies leveraging internal databases offer a clear competitive edge in today’s fast-moving job market.”
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