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Original poster

Job market at the moment

52 replies

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 11/10/2023 10:11

How’s everyone finding the job market at the moment?

I’ve been a contract PA (not by choice, want a permanent role) plus legal secretary for a few years.

Just got rejected out of 4 candidates for a PA role in a legal firm. I apply for a few perm roles but often it’s a no.

A friend of mine has worked for on a contract past 18 months to 2 years as PA but doesn’t like the company so isn’t sure if she’d like to work there permanently but feels like job market as it is, should she accept it if perm role were offered?

Another friend works in post room of a City company, her first perm job in a while, been working there over 2 years (before covid) but is being bullied and on a disciplinary for lateness.

People are clinging onto their jobs and not leaving.

So what gives?!

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MoodyHousePlant · 11/10/2023 10:48

The job market is terrible in my domain (user experience research in tech industry). There are so many layoffs, hiring freezes, pay freezes etc.

You have experienced people who have been laid off looking for jobs for months.

I'm staying put, although i would love to move somewhere else. I constantly look for new roles, but there are no decent opportunities (nationwide) right now.

Original poster
GonnaGetGoingReturns · 11/10/2023 11:06

MoodyHousePlant · 11/10/2023 10:48

The job market is terrible in my domain (user experience research in tech industry). There are so many layoffs, hiring freezes, pay freezes etc.

You have experienced people who have been laid off looking for jobs for months.

I'm staying put, although i would love to move somewhere else. I constantly look for new roles, but there are no decent opportunities (nationwide) right now.

That’s exactly what I’m hearing from others in similar professions. I know one in-house counsel lawyer who hasn’t been paid for past 3 months, another lawyer who says her workload is increasing every day but she likes her hybrid role as she has an adult SN son and she’s a single parent. Both of these people are staying put in their jobs now. And that’s just 2 people I know!

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MoodyHousePlant · 11/10/2023 11:32

That sounds so tough! It must be horrible to be in your friends' position. It sounds so stressful.

Are you on LinkedIn? It can really give a good indication of your industry as a whole. Every other post I see on LinkedIn from user researchers is about layoffs and the shape of the job market. It's an international problem.

Original poster
GonnaGetGoingReturns · 11/10/2023 16:53

I am on LinkedIn. But my industry has changed a bit (was in legal) now been temping as contractor for past few years for legal but government and private companies.

I agree re layoffs and the market as a whole but it doesn’t help me when I’m trying to get and need work!

I agree, others do have it worse than me but sometimes I just want people to give me a break. Plus not working means eating into my savings.

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EmmaStone · 11/10/2023 16:56

My industry is in a terrible state. It has a lot of freelancers, and there are a huge proportion currently out of work (and will likely have to leave the industry altogether as a result). It's a terrible loss of skills.

MoodyHousePlant · 11/10/2023 17:40

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 11/10/2023 16:53

I am on LinkedIn. But my industry has changed a bit (was in legal) now been temping as contractor for past few years for legal but government and private companies.

I agree re layoffs and the market as a whole but it doesn’t help me when I’m trying to get and need work!

I agree, others do have it worse than me but sometimes I just want people to give me a break. Plus not working means eating into my savings.

Yes, if course. It sounds super tough for you too. It's really shitty that you aren't getting the opportunities you need and really sad to hear that you're eating in to your savings 😪 it shouldn't be this hard!

Narwall · 11/10/2023 17:45

Yes it's brutal out there at the moment.

LBOCS2 · 11/10/2023 17:46

My industry is having real trouble recruiting anyone with experience, there's a huge issue with people leaving for other roles and sectors. On the up side it has driven pay up, on the down side it's making an already very stressful job more stressful as workloads are increasing in order to try and cover the gaps.

Changes17 · 11/10/2023 17:49

Reading with interest as a freelancer (B2B writing) whose workload has got a bit lighter lately.

@LBOCS2 what industry are you in?

LBOCS2 · 11/10/2023 18:01

Freehold management @Changes17. The industry has always been fairly challenging to work in but some of the legislative changes which have come in recently are making it practically impossible.

ilovebrie8 · 11/10/2023 18:24

It’s v difficult times I’ve been looking for months temp and perm and not getting anywhere it’s utterly soul destroying! Mine is age o think being in mid 50s I don’t know what to do ….

mamma65432 · 11/10/2023 18:30

Also in the tech sector (software side) and it's really hard right now. I have colleagues who were made redundant 6 months ago who haven't even been able to get an interview for a new role and this is despite many years of experience and being good at what they do. LinkedIn shows a minimum of 100 candidates applying for every role.

Original poster
GonnaGetGoingReturns · 11/10/2023 18:38

ilovebrie8 · 11/10/2023 18:24

It’s v difficult times I’ve been looking for months temp and perm and not getting anywhere it’s utterly soul destroying! Mine is age o think being in mid 50s I don’t know what to do ….

I’m early 50s but don’t look it apparently and don’t put this on my CV and I’m in the same boat as you but have had temp contracts.

I need to pay bills and CoL crisis hasn’t helped one bit. Very similar re don’t know what to do apart from retraining.

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Original poster
GonnaGetGoingReturns · 11/10/2023 18:41

To the rest of you I’m really sorry if you’re having trouble finding work (freelance) or as @LBOCS2 says workloads are increasing to cover gaps.

Wondering if a change in government to Labour will change things?

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Original poster
GonnaGetGoingReturns · 11/10/2023 18:44

ilovebrie8 · 11/10/2023 18:24

It’s v difficult times I’ve been looking for months temp and perm and not getting anywhere it’s utterly soul destroying! Mine is age o think being in mid 50s I don’t know what to do ….

If you can afford to and want to then think about retraining.

I’m thinking of HR and paralegal.

A PA friend of mine who had an awful time re a new employer being totally unreasonable after 7-8 months or got a new job at a private equity firm (but she was being managed out of the last place) after a few months of looking and interviews, she’s in the office but she doesn’t mind that. So there are jobs out there.

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Original poster
GonnaGetGoingReturns · 13/10/2023 09:45

I’m now thinking of applying to admin jobs at my local council. A woman at my WW group who used to work in admin at a London law firm now works in admin at a local council. Fully hybrid and presumably little stress.

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ilovebrie8 · 13/10/2023 18:55

Am looking at charity jobs now see if that is a better option …

Original poster
GonnaGetGoingReturns · 14/10/2023 09:21

ilovebrie8 · 13/10/2023 18:55

Am looking at charity jobs now see if that is a better option …

Not sure if it’s for me, but have temped twice for a month each time at Cancer Research HQ. Seemed nice enough.

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ilovebrie8 · 14/10/2023 09:25

It’s not a sector I’ve worked in before seems to be a few jobs about …not sure it’s for me either but will see if I get an interview. My concern is if you work in a charity you can’t get back into private sector etc …

StormzyintheSW · 14/10/2023 09:26

I've just switched industries because of tech layoffs. Project manager in software etc.

It's very difficult to find similarly paid roles in the South West. But thankfully I took a risk and got lucky

(I know a lot of people who retrained to do coding and have had to go back to their original careers due to lay offs and recruitment freezes! I expect that's due to the area I'm in and not the same throughout the UK. Remote working seems to have fallen out of favour with people choosing in house roles with a pay cut over remote roles that are better paid. So recruitment freezes, lay offs and mental health creating a perfect storm in my part of the UK!)

although now suffering from imposter syndrome

Original poster
GonnaGetGoingReturns · 14/10/2023 09:30

ilovebrie8 · 14/10/2023 09:25

It’s not a sector I’ve worked in before seems to be a few jobs about …not sure it’s for me either but will see if I get an interview. My concern is if you work in a charity you can’t get back into private sector etc …

I think it’s easier to get back into private sector from charity than from say government.

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ilovebrie8 · 14/10/2023 09:35

Just trying to widen my search as I’m at my wits end with searching 😕

motherofawhirlwind · 14/10/2023 09:48

From the other side, we can't get people to even turn up to interview! And then they get all the way to offer and decide to stay where they are. We're growing - we need new people!

Original poster
GonnaGetGoingReturns · 14/10/2023 09:57

motherofawhirlwind · 14/10/2023 09:48

From the other side, we can't get people to even turn up to interview! And then they get all the way to offer and decide to stay where they are. We're growing - we need new people!

What’s your industry out of interest?

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Original poster
GonnaGetGoingReturns · 14/10/2023 10:00

ilovebrie8 · 14/10/2023 09:35

Just trying to widen my search as I’m at my wits end with searching 😕

Like I mentioned before, as UK will probably be in a recession next year I’m considering admin jobs at local council and retraining.

I was told about a job which would suit me but T&C are not for me at all, maybe 10 years or more ago but not now!

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