While the economic impact of COVID-19 is being felt across all industries in the UK, these roles have seen the highest percentage increase in job applications between March and April 2020. To help people searching for a new job, LinkedIn has also analysed the top skills needed for each role and the top industries recruiting for these roles today.

UK top 5 roles, skills and industries:

1. Delivery Driver

• Skills needed: Professional driving, time management, customer service
• Industries recruiting: Retail, Transportation & Logistics, Manufacturing 

2. Warehouse Operative

• Skills needed: Warehouse operations, forklift operation, order picking
• Industries recruiting: Retail, Transportation & Logistics, Consumer Goods

3. Sales Development Representative

• Skills needed: Lead generation, Salesforce.com, Software as a Service (SaaS)
• Industries recruiting: Software & IT Services, Corporate Services, Media & Communications

4. Risk Analyst

• Skills needed: Risk management, financial risk, credit risk
• Industries recruiting: Finance, Corporate Services, Hardware & Networking

5. Retail Assistant

• Skills needed: Time management, communication, teamwork
• Industries recruiting: Retail, Consumer Goods, Media & Communications

Janine Chamberlin, Director at LinkedIn, said: “We’re seeing high demand from applicants for roles in industries such as Retail and Consumer Goods which have been creating new opportunities for job seekers during the pandemic due to changing consumer needs. With many people continuing to see their employment circumstances change, it’s likely that we’ll see more people applying for these roles which means standing out has never been more important. We encourage people to polish their CVs and LinkedIn profiles, brush up on interview technique, and gain new skills which will be key to having an edge over other candidates.”

Top tips for preparing for virtual job interviews:

1. Practice makes perfect: Interviews can be daunting and make even the most prepared job seekers feel anxious. To help people feel more confident and prepared, especially as more interviews take place virtually,  LinkedIn’s interview preparation tools can help people prepare for the most likely questions to be asked in the screening process, with access to top tips from experts on how to answer the most common interview questions. 

2. Instant feedback on practice interviews: LinkedIn’s new AI-powered feedback feature enables LinkedIn members to privately record a practice interview answering questions such as “Why do you want to work here?” and “What is your greatest strength?”. They will receive instant feedback to help refine their pacing, cut down on filler words, and avoid sensitive phrases. 

3. Stand out with verified skills: LinkedIn’s Skills Assessment enables members to take tests on selected skills to showcase their proficiencies. This feature allows candidates the opportunity to have their skills validated and become more discoverable on LinkedIn by recruiters and companies.

4. Check your tech and find a quiet spot: Take some time ahead of a virtual interview to make sure the technology works and you know how to use it. Don’t be afraid to reach out to the recruiter if you need help. At this moment, it may be hard to find a quiet spot at home. Let family members or housemates know that you have an interview scheduled so they can try to avoid making too much noise. Recruiters are very understanding, so let them know if you’re struggling to find a quiet space.  

5. Establish a relationship quickly: You don’t have the luxury of small talk on a video call, so it’s important to build a rapport quickly with your interviewer. Be sure to use the first few minutes of the call to establish that personal connection, as this will instantly put you at ease. 

For advice on how to improve your interview skills and technique, check out these free LinkedIn Learning courses which can help you land a new job.