Inequality revealed as competition for jobs nine times higher in Middlesbrough than Cambridge

Covid-19 has widened the existing inequality for jobseekers, with the number of CVs submitted per job in Middlesbrough being nine times that for Cambridge, according to analysis by the Centre for Cities think tank.

Researchers analysed data provided by job site Indeed, and found while there were three local CVs submitted for every job in Middlesbrough, on average only 0.3 local CVs were submitted for each vacancy in Cambridge. 

“Sunderland, Dundee and Luton also have large numbers of local jobseekers for each available job, while Oxford, Reading, Exeter, Bristol and London are among the places with the fewest local jobseekers per job posting,” said Elena Magrini and Pawel Adrjan, who carried out the study (see table below).

According to research, the 10 cities with the largest competition for jobs are on average 13% less productive and have 36% fewer people with high-level qualifications – a key indicator of success for a local economy – than the 10 cities with the least competition.

“It doesn’t help that these most-competitive places for jobseekers were also the least likely to switch to homeworking during the lockdown, suggesting these localities were less able to adapt to the challenges Covid-19 posed to the labour market. While approximately four in 10 workers in Cambridge, London and Reading could work from home during the lockdown, fewer than two in 10 in Middlesbrough, Barnsley or Doncaster were able to do so,” said the researchers.

Meanwhile, analysis by jobs site CV-Library reveals that while the number of job applications actually dropped by 23.3% year-on-year in Q2, with job vacancies falling by 62% across the UK, the average number of applications per job vacancy rose by 84% in Q2 compared to Q1, as those looking for roles faced tougher competition. 

Cities seeing significant rises in applications per job vacancy as candidates battled it out for fewer jobs included; Bristol (up 175.4%), Edinburgh (up 128.7%), Brighton (up 137.3%), Southampton (up 124.9%) and Leicester (up 117.1%) seeing particularly significant rises as job seekers battled for fewer jobs.

Cities worst affected by the drop in vacancies included Aberdeen (down 80%), Bristol (70%), Leeds (69%), Birmingham (68%) and Glasgow (down 67%), said the report. Lee Biggins, founder and CEO of CV-Library, said that as the furlough scheme unwinds, “we expect to see applications pick up in the coming months, as more people are forced to look for new jobs.” 
 

Highest competition for jobs

RankCityLocal CVs per job posting
1Middlesbrough3.0
2Sunderland2.2
3Dundee1.9
4Luton1.8
5Burnley1.7
6Birkenhead1.7
7Barnsley1.7
8Bradford1.6
9Huddersfield1.6
10Hull1.6

 

Lowest competition for jobs

RankCityLocal CVs per job posting
54Swindon0.8
55York0.8
56Belfast0.8
57Aldershot0.7
58London0.7
59Bristol0.7
60Exeter0.6
61Reading0.6
62Oxford0.4
63Cambridge0.3

Source: Indeed

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