// Retail salaries grew by 7.2% in 2019 but candidate applications dropped 18.5%
// Retail experienced the second largest application drop year-on-year
While salaries soar in the retail industry, job applications in the sector plummet, new research has shown.
According to the latest quarterly job market report from CV-Library, salaries in the retail sector soared in the final few months of 2019 and grew by 7.2 per cent year-on-year.
Despite this, applications for retail jobs plummeted by 18.5 per cent during the same period.
The report focused on job market data throughout the final quarter of 2019, comparing it with findings from the previous year.
It revealed the retail industry experienced the second-largest drop in job applications year-on-year, with the following industries seeing the largest drops:
- Catering (down 61.3 per cent)
- Retail (down 18.5 per cent)
- Social care (down 13.9 per cent)
- Customer service (down 10 per cent)
- Sales (down 4.7 per cent)
“With footfall down and the retail industry experiencing a fall in sales for the first time in 25 years, these statistics aren’t overly surprising; but it still spells bad news for employers in the industry,” CV-Library chief executive Lee Biggins said.
“Christmas is usually a busy time for the retail sector, but with so few candidates applying for roles, many businesses were left struggling during the festive period.”
Job vacancies also decreased by 6.3 per cent during the fourth quarter, despite an influx of seasonal and temporary workers.
“As businesses struggle to attract new talent, more employers are trying to entice candidatesby offering a higher wage. While pay is a significant motivator for applicants, it isn’t the be all and end all,” Biggins said.
“As such, try to think of other ways to attract candidates, such as offering desirable perks and discounts, improving your company culture and prioritising your candidate experience.
“In a weak market, attracting the best talent is key for success.”
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