Hospitality jobs grew 8% year on year according to Caterer.com, the UK?s largest hospitality job board, with 120,956 jobs advertised on the site from hospitality employers in 2013. The last quarter alone saw a 16% increase compared with the previous year, with over 16,000 job adverts posted, as revealed in Caterer.com?s latest?Hospitality Employment Index report.
Applications per job fell 5% over 2013 and as much as 26% compared with Q4 2012. While this could mean fewer people are applying for each role, it could also imply that candidates are becoming increasingly selective in their job hunt as they have more options available to them.
The upward trend has continued into 2014, with 12,000 jobs from hospitality employers currently advertised on Caterer.com, across a range of sectors, from foodservice and pubs to hotels and restaurants, highlighting the need for employers to continue attracting new talent into the industry.
Commenting on the findings, Ian Burke, Website Director of Caterer.com said:
?As we continue to move away from high levels of unemployment and towards greater levels of economic growth, it?s going to be an exciting time for the hospitality industry. While it may present challenges for hospitality employers, it also provides us all with a real opportunity to place hospitality firmly on the talent map, something that many businesses have already come some way in doing.
?It?s a chance to attract more talented people into the industry, and show them the opportunities available for long term career growth. If the industry misses this trick, it will be faced with an ever growing talent gap, and a skills shortage which could seriously hamper the industry?s growth prospects.?
Scotland drives hotel growth
Within the hotel sector, Scotland in particular is experiencing a huge growth, where the number of jobs increased by 20% compared with the past year. Applications per job were also high, suggesting a positive recruitment drive in the Scottish hotel industry.
Click here to read more.