Why is the UK job market so bad right now?
Why does the UK job market seem so difficult at the moment?
Across multiple industries, I keep seeing people with degrees, experience, and strong CVs struggling to find work. There are stories of people sending hundreds of applications, being ghosted after interviews, and companies advertising roles that never seem to get filled.
From my own experience as a recent Quantity Surveying graduate, it feels like many companies want experienced candidates but are reluctant to invest in graduates or junior staff. At the same time, we constantly hear about skills shortages, which seems contradictory.
What do you think are the main reasons?
Companies cutting recruitment budgets?
Higher interest rates affecting investment?
Too many applicants for too few jobs?
Or something else?
I'd be interested to hear from people in different industries as well as those in construction. Has the job market genuinely become worse over the last couple of years, or is this something that's always happened?
Just a Question that I feel is not being answered enough by the decision makers in the UK.