Finding a new job is no more difficult now than it was this time last year

Finding a new job is no more difficult now than it was this time last year

Despite the economic doom and gloom, nearly 80 per cent of candidates polled by Bournemouth-based recruitment company Towngate Personnel said the employment market was better or the same as 12 months ago.

“We hear a lot about how tough things are, but these results suggest the people actually looking for work are finding opportunities available,” says Towngate managing director Richard Goles.

“It certainly backs up what we’ve found as a business over the last few months.”

Towngate, which specialises in supplying experienced staff and management to the hospitality industry, surveyed 157 candidates to ask why they were looking for a new job and their general impressions of the employment picture.

More than 40 per cent (66 candidates) said they thought the jobs market was better than a year ago, with another 59 (38 per cent) reporting no change.

Finding better prospects (31 per cent) was the most common reason for candidates seeking a new job, although 16 per cent were already out of work. Of those, nearly 70 per cent reported the jobs market was better or the same as last year.

“Some people will find that figure surprising, but with 70 per cent of the candidates that are out of work saying the jobs picture is no worse than last year there are signs that things might not be as bad as other reports suggest,” says Richard Goles.

“Even allowing for the seasonal nature of the hospitality industry, these figures make very encouraging reading.”