Sam Dooley. Irish jobs.ie
Fennell Photography 2023

A new survey from leading hiring platform NIJobs has revealed that almost half of jobseekers said they would refuse a job offer if they had a bad interview or a negative hiring experience.

The insights come as the unemployment rate in NI reached a new record low of 2%, shining a light on the competition for talent experienced by local employers.

Over 930 jobseekers took part in the research, which identifies a number of areas and red flags people tend to look out for during the recruitment process.

Key dealbreakers included a negative impression during the interview (27%) and a poor experience during the hiring process (19%), meaning almost half of jobseekers (46%) would turn down an offer of employment if they weren’t happy with how they were treated by a recruiter.

A further 12% of those questioned said that zero flexibility around remote or hybrid options would make them reconsider the job offer, with 60% preferring a mix of office and home working.

A majority of respondents (66%) also indicated that they are allowed to choose the days they work in the office with their current employer.

Salary remains the most important factor when looking for a new role, with 72% researching average pay before applying and 60% happy to negotiate salary and benefits with potential employers.

Sam Dooley – the Country Director of The Stepstone Group Ireland, with responsibility for NIJobs –says: “The local job market is performing well and this new research on what jobseekers expect from employers should help inform businesses from a recruitment perspective.

“There is significant competition for talent across a range of industries. The new record low in unemployment highlights the recruitment challenges many employers face.

“Local businesses should realise from the outset that providing a positive candidate experience is now a requirement of their recruitment processes. Otherwise, they run the risk of candidates going elsewhere. While you are interviewing someone for a role, they are also assessing whether your workplace is the right fit for them.

“Our survey also highlights the importance of a positive office environment, culture, flexibility, and salary expectations for NI jobseekers which underscores the importance of a strong employer brand and also focuses attention on the need for employers to regularly assess their employment offerings.”

The survey’s findings are supported further by analysing the Q2 hiring data in the latest Job Report from NIJobs in partnership with Ulster Bank. It tracks hiring trends and the type of jobs people are looking for alongside the current economic backdrop.

During the first half of the year there has been a pick-up in business activity, with this evident within recruitment. Following a notable slowdown in hiring intentions at the end of last year, the number of advertised vacancies has increased steadily. Job listings on NIJobs rose by almost 9% quarter-on-quarter during the three months to June, with the total number of vacancies hitting its highest level in three quarters.

Ulster Bank’s Chief Economist, Richard Ramsey said: “Over two-thirds of the 39 employment categories reported an increase in listings in Q2 of 2024 relative to the first three months of 2024. Meanwhile, 15 of the 39 employment categories had more vacancies relative to the same period a year ago.

“The latest Q2 data sees further change in the top five employment categories, with listings for management positions exceeding all other categories.  Sales and skilled trades were ranked second and third, respectively, with the former hitting a series high. Social care and catering vacancies were ranked fourth and fifth.”

He continued: “The number of advertised vacancies remains significantly above pre-Covid-19 levels; job listings in Q2 of 2024 were 27% above the figure recorded in the corresponding quarter five years ago.

“And following the General Election, businesses and households will be eagerly waiting to see the new Labour government’s policies in action.

“How this affects households, workers and employers will impact on the labour market in due course.”

Categories with the most significant rises in vacancies relative to pre-pandemic are:

• Cleaning +289%

• Retail +141%

• Construction +86%

• Manufacturing +75%

• Skilled Trades +67%

• Logistics +51%

• Management +43%

• Engineering +40%.