UK Job Listings Take a Dip for the First Time This Year
June 2023 has marked a new low for the UK Job Market Report, courtesy of Adzuna. Below the million‑postmark, the number of advertised vacancies dipped to 998,562 – the lowest since May 2021.
What the Numbers Tell Us
- Month‑to‑Month drop: 2.72% fall from October to November.
- Year‑on‑Year decline: a whopping 8.55% decline compared to this time last year. For context, October saw a 5.08% drop versus 2022.
- Salary trend: “Good news” – average advertised salaries rose again for the first time since June, climbing +0.74% versus October and +1.82% versus the same period last year.
- Average pay: November 2023 average was roughly £37,221.
Why the Drop Matters
Fewer vacancies usually mean a cooler enthusiasm among employers, perhaps a pause in expansion plans or a cautious approach to hiring post‑pandemic. While the salary climb might seem like a silver lining, the overall dip can signal a sluggish job market, paired with uncertainty about future recruitment.
Takeaway With a Dash of Humor
Recruiters may be re‑thinking the “all‑hands‑on‑deck” mantra, but hey, if you’re looking to negotiate a higher salary inbound from that slightly lower workforce, you’ve got a bit more leverage. Keep your CV sharp, your LinkedIn profile polished, and remember: job hunting is an investment – sometimes the best gains come when the market’s feeling a bit down.
2023: A mixed picture for job hunters
2023 Job Market Snapshot: Rising, Falling, and Balancing Act
Across the year, the job market kept its feet on familiar ground. While jobseekers swayed a little, the overall flow of vacancies and salaries turned out to be a bit like a roller‑coaster—up, down, and occasionally bumping into a loose rail.
Jobseekers: A Gentle Swing (but still a steady line)
Think of the unemployment rate as a calm lake: 4.2 % remained unchanged, showing that the job‑hunting tide is pretty steady.
- May & June: 1.45 jobseekers per vacancy at the low saddle
- November: 1.56 jobseekers per vacancy at the high peak
Those numbers speak to subtle fluctuations, while Adzuna’s data kept the rhythm smooth and predictable.
Vacancies & Salaries: The Wild Ride
Advertised vacancies and salaries rocked a bit harder in the second half of the year—think of a wave that’s big on one side, then splashes down five months later.
- Peak June 2023: 1,059,153 vacancies with an average advertised salary of £37,806
- October 2023: Salaries dipped to £36,946 (the lowest in the year so far)
- November 2023: Vacancies slumped to 998,562, the smallest count since the start of the year
Salary Transparency: A Mixed Bag
Transparency in salary offers started strong but took a slight dip after February.
- February 2023: 52.8 % of jobs advertised a salary—relatively hearty
- Since July 2023: Only 48.95 % on average disclosed a pay figure—just under the half‑mark
- November 2023: Brightened the scene again with 50.5 % of ads listing compensation
All in all, 2023 saw the usual ebb and flow—jobs left more frequently, salaries hovered, and transparency dipped a touch, but it all kept the job market in a surprisingly balanced groove. Keep an eye on the tide, because you never know what wave might come next!
Salaries back on the up
Salary Shifts: The UK’s Job Market in 2023
By Nova Scribe — October Report
Overall Trends
Let’s cut to the chase: the average advertised salary was up a modest +0.7 % in November. Even the “hidden gems” like Domestic Help & Cleaning and Hospitality & Catering nudged up by around +0.8 % each. Property took the cake with a juicy +1.5 %.
Which Roles Saw the Biggest Leap?
- Social Work – +10.9 % to £33,767
- Energy, Oil and Gas – +8.9 % to £44,210
- Manufacturing – +8.1 % to £29,160
Not to be left in the dust, Legal topped the charts with £54,633 (a +6.9 % jump), while Information Technology was still punctual at £51,284 despite a -8.8 % dip from last year.
Having a Soft Spot for a Decline?
- HR & Recruitment – down -6.6 % to £38,122
- Creative & Design – a slight drop of -1.2 % to £38,288
Regional Movements
London’s losing the battle a bit: -2.0 % in November. Wales recovered a smidge with a +0.03 % lift after a dip the month before.
Taking the Lead
- East Midlands – highest year‑on‑year growth with Leicester up +6.8 % to £34,781.
- North Ireland and Yorkshire & The Humber continue to hold steady as top shelf salary regions.
City Showdowns
- Leeds – once king of the region, now landing -0.14 % since October, trailing behind Cambridge, Oxford, and Reading, which have all taken the crown with salaries reaching £40,305.
Bottom line: the UK job market is shifting faster than a squirrel on a hot day. If you’re looking to climb the ladder, keep your eyes on the sectors and regions that’re hopping upward, and maybe consider a breakout city if London’s salary games feel a bit underwhelming.
Cambridge on top for jobseekers
Job‑Hunting Spotlight: Cambridge vs. Bradford
Cambridge – The Job‑Hunting Hot‑Spot
In the past year, Cambridge has been the city that job seekers can’t stop talking about. Picture this: for every one of the roughly 9,000 jobs, there were about 0.26 keen applicants. It’s a little less than a full‑time workforce for each opening, but the competition is still pretty intense.
Talk about a lineup: by November, the ratio nudged up a smidge to 0.28 jobseekers competing for 8,396 positions. Even with a few fewer jobs, more people are still throwing their hats into the ring.
Bradford – Tougher Than a T‑Shaped Glass
Over in Bradford, the scene is a bit different. It’s one of the hardest places to snag a job, and not just because the scenery is great.
- Throughout 2023, there were approximately 5.77 jobseekers for every one of the around 3,000 job openings.
- That means a vacancy had to juggle almost 6 people.
- Feel like you’re at a crowded gym? You’re really in a crowd that’s one of the toughest to break into.
Bottom line: Cambridge is the fast‑lane, while Bradford is the marathon. Either way, if you’re looking for a job, you’ve got to be prepared to bring your A‑game!
Teaching dominated hiring, whilst graduate roles have suffered
Teaching Jobs Are in the Hot Seat!
November blew up the teaching world – a whopping +41.51 % jump from last year. The trend carries through 2023, making teaching the top dog on Adzuna.
Peak of the Year: June
- 120,000 teaching vacancies – up +34.1 % from June 2022.
- Average pay hit a high: £31,695.
Other Sectors: Not So Smooth Sailing
HR & Recruiting
Been dancing in circles since January: a consistent monthly dip that hit -14.52 % vs the prior month. Only June got a quick win +1.2 %. Ending November with a steep -42.5 % compared to last year.
Graduate Roles
September saw the nadir – just 23,264 openings, a -32.13 % collapse. By November up to 25,504, still -26.9 % below 2022.
IT: The Slow-Down Parade
Tech jobs have been on a slow train: except for a slight June pickup (+0.11 %). November demand was down -31.4 % from 2022. Still, IT is the third‑most busy sector on Adzuna, with 86,785 roles, only behind Engineering (88,294) and Teaching.
Hiring Times: Which Jobs Are the Longest‑Haul?
- New roles: 35.8 days to fill – the slowest of the last three months.
- Admin: 31.9 days.
- Property & Social Work: 32.9 days.
- Energy, Oil & Gas: 42.6 days – the longest, plus they’re the rarest (only 2,841 vacancies).
So there you have it—teaching leads, HR stumbles, grad roles waver, and IT keeps climbing despite the slow‑down. Keep your eyes on the openings, and match your skill set to the demand spikes!
Warehouse work is number one for job hunters
Warehouse Jobs Are the Beat of the Current Job Market
Over the last six months, warehouse work has taken the crown as the most talked‑about role on Adzuna’s Intelligence Portal. The portal measures how many people are hunting for each job and gives each one an Interest Quotient – the higher the number, the hotter the gig in the eyes of job‑seekers worldwide.
Other Notable Runners‑Up
- Lorry driving surged to the second spot – truckers, you’re on the radar!
- Social Care Workers kept a strong presence throughout the year, showing that the demand for those who care for others remains steady.
Industry Snapshot from Adzuna Co‑Founder Andrew Hunter
“The UK job scene had a wild ride in 2023,” says Andrew Hunter, co‑founder of Adzuna. “We saw the most job openings and the highest advertised salaries since 2021, but by the end, our listings plummeted to under 1 million – the lowest for more than two and a half years.”
Hunter added:
“Competition is heating up across sectors, making it trickier for job hunters to spot the perfect role, especially as employers tighten belts.”
“Salaries are finally climbing again, yet with one of the poorest years for salary transparency on record, it’s still a tough slog for candidates to gauge what they might earn.”
“Heading into 2024, the hunt for a job will likely stay a jungle, at least for the first part of the year.”
Stay in the Loop
Want real‑time updates on this topic? Just subscribe to get the freshest insights delivered straight to your device.
Subscribe now – because staying informed is stylish.
