You would have had to be living well off-grid not to be well-versed with the great Brexit Debate. Add to that a liberal sprinkling of Election Fever and a small dose of Xmas Anticipation and you get quite a flat jobs market.
“Uncertainty” has been a key phrase that is contributing to reduced confidence levels and to an extent, create a stagnant market.
People (i.e. candidates) are far less committed to job searches in a market that has an uncertain future and the triple whammy of Brexit/Election/Xmas has only served to push people further underground. December can be a quiet(er) month but usually deals can still be done, but this year it is in danger of becoming tumbleweed season.
Clients are also telling us that from a business point of view that the very unpredictable outcome of the election is impacting on their ability to commit to recruitment plans, budgets, investment etc and Q1 2020 seems a long way off with things no clearer.
We still have great roles but it’s hard to find the right people. When we do, clients are hesitant to commit, and the processes take longer to complete. It is frustrating for everyone and we all just want to move things forwards.
Hopefully, after Dec 12th, we’ll know if we have a majority Government, who can get things moving. After Dec 25th, Xmas will be all but over (bah humbug) and maybe some time in 2020, we’ll be a bit clearer on Brexit, hopefully, maybe, possibly.
We are looking forward to 2020, as it should be a watershed year in many ways, and we look forward to increased confidence and a more upbeat market.
You can’t keep a good recruiter down!