• Sales & trading and education & training both reported a 26% increase in hiring last week
• The number of people applying for sales roles has doubled since the beginning of 2020
• Overall, hiring across the UK is up 20% following the PM’s ‘build, build, build’ announcement

Demand for sales staff and education professionals spiked last week as hiring across the country saw the first positive increase in weeks, with the number of jobs posted across the UK up 20% last week. That’s according to the latest real-time statistics from the world’s largest network of job boards, Broadbean Technology.

Sales staff and teachers in demand

The beginning of July saw the number of sales and trading roles advertised rise 26% week-on-week as more brands began to open their doors to customers and organisations continued to get back to work. However, Broadbean Technology’s data further revealed that the average number of people applying for sales roles has doubled so far this year, with around 65.5 candidates applying for each position. This is indicative of the number of people out of work in the sales arena since the pandemic forced many businesses to close.

The data also revealed that education and training saw a 26% increase in the number of vacancies added in the week ending 5^th July as schools continue to struggle sourcing enough teachers ahead of the mandatory re-opening of all education institutions in September.

Permanent vacancies increasing

While all contract types saw an increase in hiring, permanent vacancies are up for the first time in three weeks following the Prime Minister’s ‘build, build, build’ speech. In light of Boris Johnson’s unveiling of plans to soften the economic impact of Covid-19, the number of new permanent jobs being advertised rose 19% week-on-week, indicating an uptick in positivity across many UK employers.

Alex Fourlis, Managing Director at Broadbean Technology commented

“It’s incredibly encouraging to once again see vacancies growing across the board. The uptick in permanent jobs in particular indicates a level of positivity in the UK economy that is welcome news for businesses and individuals alike. With more companies able to once again reopen, and shops and schools welcoming customers and pupils back, we certainly expected to see some demand for new staff. However, while this is good news, employers in these specialisms face different challenges. For education institutes, the on-going shortage of teachers is still hampering hiring, with the number of jobs being advertised remaining relatively high throughout the crisis. Before lockdown began, headteachers were reporting that they were struggling to find enough staff to keep schools open, and this increase in vacancies suggests the problem is prevailing as they gear up to welcome all pupils back in September.

“Those employers seeking sales and trading staff might welcome the news that more people are applying for jobs, but this poses an additional problem of finding the right individual for the role. With an abundance of candidates putting themselves forward, the challenge for employers now lies in ensuring they find the person with not just the right skills, but also the right fit with the company so they don’t make the costly mistake of hiring the wrong person in the long run.”