Thu, 10 May 2012

The number of new jobs available in retail dropped significantly following economic downturn in 2007 through to the end of 2011, and has only partially recovered, with the number of job applications also rising significantly.

This is according to an analysis of the market by industry jobs site RetailChoice.com. According to the website, the sector represents 10% of the UK jobs market, or 2.6m jobs.

It finds that in 2008, there were just over 110,000 jobs advertised on the site, which dropped to 55,000 in the following year. In 2011, it has partially recovered, to 75,000.

Meanwhile, the number of applicants in 2007 averaged six for each jobs, rising to 23 in 2009, and by the end of 2011 had dropped to 19.

It also finds a rise in average wages of 2.3% in 2011, with particularly strong remuneration for those in digital, design and advertising roles.

Neil Brodie, commercial director of RetailChoice, says: “With the continued economic upheaval in the Eurozone and closer to home in the UK it’s unlikely that the jobs market will see a significant improvement in 2012. In fact it’s likely we’ll see even more competition for the roles that are available and candidates will need to find a way to stand out.”