Britain’s booming job market means there are fewer applicants competing for more roles, which is excellent news if you’re thinking about making a change in the near future. In fact, figures from the Office for National Statistics show that there were around 767,000 job vacancies in the three months to January of this year, which is the highest number ever recorded.
That makes it one of the best times ever to be starting your career, thinking about making a career change or looking for a new role in the same industry. However, there are some sectors where it’s much easier to find new employment than others. This is our quick guide to five of the most in-demand job types in 2019.
1. Information technology
Candidates with strong IT skills are in seriously high demand these days, particularly those specialising in the areas of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, software development and data science. More and more traditional companies are starting to resemble tech companies, and this digital transformation is fuelling unrivalled job growth in the IT sector.
Despite the concerns about Brexit, Britain’s technology industry is booming. According to a UK job site, there were over 83,000 advertised job vacancies in the IT sector in the three months to January 2019, which is more than any other industry. The average advertised salary for IT workers was £51,500.
2. Teaching
There’s a well-publicised shortage of teachers across the UK at the moment, with schools struggling to retain and recruit the staff they need. This has seen the number of secondary school teachers fall to crisis levels. Of course, there is a reason why teachers are leaving the profession in their droves, and that is something you should think about carefully. However, if you want to retrain as a teacher or switch schools, there is an abundance of opportunities out there.
There were just over 70,000 job listings for teachers posted in the three months to January 2019, with an average salary of £30,901.
3. Consultancy
Consultants are experts in a wide range of fields who provide advice to businesses about how to improve the performance of essential functions such as finance, HR, IT and marketing. While a growing number of consultants work as freelancers or independent contractors, there’s also been a surge in demand from consultancy firms looking for entry- and mid-level employees.
In the three months to January, there were 18,200 consultancy vacancies advertised with an average salary of £37,301.
4. Sales
Sales positions require a unique skill set that many workers simply do not have. The result is a high demand for sales professionals across the UK. A recent study found that salespeople earn more than those in other roles in the same company, with an average salary increase of 6.2 percent. The current skills shortage could increase that pay gap further.
There were more than 43,000 sales positions advertised in the three months to January, offering an average salary of £34,200.
5. PR and marketing
If you want to take your first steps in a career in public relations and marketing, or you’re looking to progress your career, then now is an excellent time. The employee ratings website Glassdoor found that marketing managers had the third-best jobs in the UK based on three factors: annual salary, job satisfaction and the number of openings. However, there are a wide range of jobs that fall under the PR and marketing umbrella, from SEO copywriters to media planners and product managers.
In the three months to January, there were 26,105 listings for roles in marketing, advertising and PR, offering an average salary of £36,849.
Bilingual workers are always in demand
Regardless of the industry or sector you operate in, as a bilingual worker in the UK, your skills are consistently in high demand. If you’re looking to take your first or next step in your bilingual career, we can help. Take a look at our current vacancies or submit your CV today.