Three Best Avenues to Employment in London

There are 3 consistent ways employers seek candidates to fill jobs in London and the UK in general. They are via Jobcentre Plus -a fee-free-service provided by the government (incidentally the primary means to locating a job in the public sector), advertising, and private sector employment agencies acting as recruiters.

Private Sector Employment Outlook
Is London Bridge falling down in the UK? It did seem rather compromised as far as employment is concerned in the early to mid parts of 2006. The answer as to why is not very much different than the United States has seen over the past few years. Many companies are finding value in outsourcing of day-to-day operations to such places as India and other developing markets. Those countries with human capital available, and waiting for work, are eagerly exploiting human labor, and doing it for less.

The lower-skilled workforce are witnessing the evaporation of positions, while at the same time, those demanding higher skill levels, such as IT and management, in general are experiencing growth. This tends to balance the lower skill decline. In the UK there remain plenty of options for those with management skills and proven management abilities and backgrounds.

Managers with above average performance records are those most in demand in UK. jobs such as software engineers and accountants have been steadily on the rise since August of 2006. These positions, of course, apply to private sector employment.

An example of lower-skilled IT positions, evaporating in the UK, Prudential (announced 3.19.2007). This employer plans to axe some 600 in-house IT positions in the UK. Unwelcome news falling on those workers. In addition, a European Commission Green Paper on Labour Law threatens the right of IT contractors to work as freelancers according to a Professional Contractors Group claims.

Yet, in another survey conducted by Manpower Employment is much more optimistic. This survey reports 21 percent of those employers in the Financial sector intend to take on additional staff with only 2 percent planning decline. Hiring confidence is similar in the Hotels and Retail sectors. In general, the National average remains highly optimistic.

A quote from this article states, "The strength of the UK labour market is evidenced by how the staffing industry plans not being dented by recent increases in interest rates, nor in the face of rises in inflation. Confidence amongst Manufacturing employers is at a two and a half year high and consumer confidence on the High Street is such that employers are also looking to take on more staff." The article went on to suggest future increases in both interest rates and inflation forecasts may impact consumer spending and filter down to employers, but for now employers remain very optimistic.

Public Sector Employment Outlook
Still many economists feel there is ample additional opportunity in the UK public sector when compared to the private employment figures. More opportunity abounds in the public sector with more than one quarter of a million people providing services to the public via government employment according to a website called YourLondon.

This website provided by the UK government offers employers a free service to recruit the 1.5 million job seekers visiting each week. This is the advice from those-in-the-know locally around the boroughs of London. It is also the government scheme to finding qualified staff. Previously offered as separate services provided to employers, London government now includes a section of its website called Jobcentre Plus.

This web tool brings together benefits, help and jobseeking altogether for employers and those seeking work. Jobcentre Plus operates the same way as an employment agency with one exception-it is a free service.

To advertise a job call Jobcentre Plus Employer Direct Helpline at Tel 0845 601 2001 to speak with either a vacancy service manager or account manager and provide information about your position. Jobs will be posted within two hours after receipt.


Alternative recruitment advertising methods include podcasting jobs.