According to the study conducted by Employment website totaljobs.com, the average number of applicants for every job has risen from 15 to 20 over the past year, increasing to more than 50 for some vacancies.
“These figures belie the Government’s hollow claim that there are plenty of jobs out there. The long-awaited UK jobs recovery is getting pushed further back, thanks in part to the Chancellor’s self-defeating economic policies,” said TUC general secretary Brendan Barber.
The employment website revealed that Scotland and Wales have been hardest hit by a “huge fall” in the number of jobs available, down by 17% and 18% respectively.
Furthermore, the report, which was published ahead of new unemployment figures on Wednesday, found that the biggest competition for jobs was in the North East, with 23 applications for every vacancy.
Totaljobs also warned that the number of applicants would be increased, with many people desperate enough to apply for any kind of work, regardless of whether it is relevant to their career.
“At the tail end of 2011 we started to see a decline in the jobs market after a fairly buoyant start to the year. This slowdown has continued into 2012 with companies reluctant to take on more staff when the economy is teetering on the brink of a double dip recession,” said John Salt, director of totaljobs.com.
SSM/MF/HE
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