Job vacancies plummet by up to 80% due to pandemic

Job vacancies in some areas have plummeted by up to 80% due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A study by jobs site CV-Library said there was a fall of 62% in the three months to June compared to the same quarter last year.

Cities worst affected by the drop in vacancies included Aberdeen, which is down 80% and Glasgow, down by 67%, the report said.

Sectors which saw the biggest fall in job adverts included administration, design, sales, recruitment, catering, media, and marketing.

Lee Biggins, chief executive of CV-Library, said: “It’s no secret that lockdown measures stunted the UK economy and labour market during this period.

“As a result, businesses had no choice but to put a pause on their hiring plans and make difficult decisions about their workforce.

“These figures are pretty bleak and naturally, some industries and locations have been more affected by others, although the market is already showing signs of recovery this month, albeit very slowly.”

The report added that average pay dropped in sectors hardest hit by the pandemic, down by almost a fifth in leisure and tourism, 9% in charities and 8% in catering.