Every Third Job Seeker in the UK Spends More Than 10 Hours a Week Job Hunting, According to Jooble

According to Jooble's survey of job seekers about their satisfaction with the current labour market, the responses were nearly evenly split: around one-third (34.6%) indicated that they have a neutral view of the labour market; another third (29.9%) are satisfied or very satisfied with the available job opportunities, and the remaining (35.5%) are dissatisfied or very dissatisfied.

The primary challenges they face during their job search include the lack of feedback from employers, which affects 38.5% of respondents, and the scarcity of suitable job openings, which impacts 29.8% of job seekers. High competition with other applicants poses a significant challenge for 13% of respondents, while time-consuming application processes are a concern for 10.7%. Additionally, 8% of job seekers feel limited by the lack of networking opportunities.

Job seekers invest a significant amount of time in their search for new employment. The survey results indicate that 31.2% of respondents spend up to 5 hours per week on their job search, while 34.5% dedicate 5 to 10 hours weekly. Another third of respondents, namely 34.3%, stated that they spend over 10 hours a week on job hunting: 13.2% of the total respondents spend 10-20 hours per week, and 8.7% spend 20-30 hours per week. Additionally, 12.4% of respondents devote more than 30 hours per week to their job search activities.

The survey also revealed that job seekers are actively applying for positions. Approximately 44.5% of respondents submit up to 5 job applications per week, while 29% apply for 6 to 10 jobs weekly. Furthermore, 13.1% of job seekers submit 11 to 20 applications, 4.9% apply for 21 to 30 jobs, and 8.5% submit more than 30 applications per week.

Job seekers consider maintaining an active presence on professional networks crucial for enhancing their chances of quickly finding new employment. The survey indicated that 17.9% of respondents update their profiles on professional networks or other online sources daily during their job search. Several times a week, 16.7% of job seekers update their profiles, while 19.1% do so once a week. Additionally, 23.7% of respondents update their profiles once a month, and 22.6% rarely or never engage in this activity.

Job seekers have varying expectations regarding the time it will take to find suitable employment. According to the survey, 28.1% of respondents expect to find a new job in less than 1 month, while 36.2% anticipate securing employment within 1-3 months. Another 18.1% of job seekers believe it will take 3-6 months to find a suitable position, and 17.6% expect the process to take 6-12 months.

Jooble's survey also explored job seekers' perceptions of the hiring process. A majority of respondents, 41.4%, believe the process is transparent, while 36% hold a neutral view. However, 22.6% of job seekers find the hiring process somewhat or very opaque.

In terms of communication preferences, the majority of respondents, 76.4%, prefer to be contacted by potential employers via email. Additionally, 15.6% are comfortable with phone calls, 5.1% prefer text messages, 1.7% opt for recruitment agency intermediaries, and 1.2% favour LinkedIn as a communication channel.