IS getting a different job one of your New Year’s resolutions?
It’s the busiest week of the year for applications as workers return to their old roles after the festive break, ready to find new ones.
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But with vacancies falling for the 17th month in a row, 2024 may be tougher for job hunters.
The good news, however, is that overall vacancy numbers are still above pre-pandemic levels, with around 949,000 open roles.
Many sectors are still growing, too.
To help you progress, we have teamed up with the Department for Work & Pensions to reveal the top sectors to target in 2024.
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Employment minister Jo Churchill said: “New Year is a perfect time to consider the exciting job opportunities in these growing sectors.”
The Government’s Find A Job website (gov.uk/find-a-job/) has thousands of varied and flexible roles, and Jobcentre teams are on hand to support you.
HAULAGE AND LOGISTICS: With 34,000 vacancies in the transport and storage sector, you can find work fast — and it doesn’t need to be a driving job.
Campaign group generationlogistics.org is highlighting other types of roles available, including HR, AI and marketing.
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It also provides extra support for under-represented groups such as young people, women and people from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Keen to drive?
The DWP offers specialist training to get you the right skills and qualifications, and works with major employers to secure interviews.
Speak to your Jobcentre to check your eligibility and apply.
HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE: The UK’s aging population means there is a growing demand for staff across a range of roles, including residential care homes and carers who look after people in their own houses.
Approximately 4.3million people already work in the care sector, but there are 175,000 vacancies urgently needing to be filled.
Job seekers interested in a role can get hands-on experience through free, sector-based work academy programmes, which help you gain the right skills and support you with job applications.
Julie Scott is the manager for Radfield Home Care, covering Chester and Ellesmere Port.
Known as “Carey Berry” for taking cakes to her clients, the mum of two specifically chose the role “to give back”.
She said: “I wanted to put something back into society as well as my local community.
“Working in the care sector is all about creating little moments of joy.
“Bringing a homemade cake out to one of our client’s homes can make all the difference in a day to an older person.”
DIGITAL: Digital roles are increasing four times faster than the workforce as a whole, with ten per cent of all jobs now classed as “tech”.
There are 43,000 vacancies in the information and communication sector, with experts predicting the UK has the potential to create a further 3million by 2025.
HOSPITALITY: Despite more than 2.1million people working in hospitality, there are 116,000 jobs going.
The DWP has launched an employment scheme across a number of cities.
They are working directly with some of the industry’s key employers, including Greene King, Marriott and Hilton.
The scheme matches job seekers with hospitality roles, providing fast-track training and work experience for Universal Credit claimants.
The website hospitalityrising. org shows how fast you can climb the career ladder too.
CONSTRUCTION: From small local builders to major construction projects, there are 34,000 roles waiting to be filled in the 1.3million-strong construction industry.
You don’t always need to do a frontline job as there are dozens of support positions on offer, including finance, sales and procurement.
The DWP is working with major organisations, including HS2 and Hinkley Point, to help job hunters find roles that suit them.
Bag your top role in 2024
MAKE 2024 the year you secure your dream job.
Charlotte Turner, chief growth officer with employment service The Portfolio Group, is a recruiter with 20 years’ experience.
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Here she shares her insider secrets.
- ESTABLISH your non-negotiables early: Know what is most important to you before your job search. Keep in mind your terms when it comes to salary, company benefits and working arrangements.
- REBRAND yourself: Mould yourself into the perfect candidate. Show employers what your skills are and that past experience can be applied to their role and industry. Individually tailor your CV towards each job you apply for, reflecting your capabilities and meeting the requirements in each advert.
- GAIN qualifications: Your dream job may require some responsibilities or skills that you have no experience in. Search out relevant courses and gain industry-recognised qualifications to help offset any areas of weakness.
- (NET)WORK the room: Personal connections are key. Build relationships with people already working in the sector you are looking to move to. Make connections online and network with people who can teach you a lot. Know what the key areas of interest are in the sector and build your knowledge and contacts.
- ENGAGE with recruitment agencies: It is a recruiter’s job to sell you, and the right recruiter will get your foot in the door. They hold exclusive information about the skills you need and can advise how to present yourself and what qualifications you require to succeed, as well as feedback about your job search.
Be savvy saviour
WE typically begin January with an average £4,087 in unsecured debt, so why not consider a job that helps vulnerable people get their cash under control?
Government-backed Money Wellness supports 1,000 people every day and is recruiting debt advisers to guide and advise people in financial difficulty.
Applicants will need 12 weeks of training, which is provided, and 91 per cent of managers have been promoted internally.
Debt advice specialist Amaya Asif, 25, from Manchester, said: “I’d definitely recommend the job to others. It offers an opportunity into the financial services industry and is extremely rewarding. I make a real difference to people’s lives.”
To find out more, email [email protected].
Pup-ular earner
KIDS heading to college or moving away for a new job in 2024?
Then consider caring for guide dog pups or fostering older ones in training.
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Three in five empty-nesters said having a pooch eased their loneliness, according to a poll by the charity Guide Dogs.
After his three sons left home, widower Paul Hinck, 65, from Nuneaton, Warks, signed up to be a puppy raiser for the charity.
Paul, who is partially sighted, said: “Volunteering has given me exactly what I wanted – a purpose each day and something to focus my energy on.
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“The first puppy I had recently qualified as a fully trained guide dog and I feel so proud.”
Find out more at tinyurl.com/yyksuwuj.
Jobspot
THE WORKS has 40 jobs for retail staff, ranging from sales assistants to managers.
Search theworks.jobs.
