Supermarkets turn down graduates as vacancies drop

The number of jobs on offer in the UK fell to 781,000 in the first three months of the year, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Some experts believe the rising cost of employing people is making businesses hold back on hiring new staff.

In April the rate of employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) went up and so did minimum wages across different age groups.

Business groups have also called for urgent changes to the forthcoming Employment Rights Bill over concerns it could hit hiring.

Under the new law being scrutinised in the House of Lords on Tuesday, company bosses will be required to offer a zero-hours worker a guaranteed-hours contract based on the hours they clock up during a 12-week period.

The biggest concern among retail HR directors is that this risks making it much harder to offer people part-time jobs, according to a BRC survey.

It surveyed HR directors at 30 businesses, together employing 585,000 retail workers.

Just over half said the law change would result in a reduction in staff numbers in their business, while 61% said the new law would reduce flexibility in job offerings.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: "Almost 250,000 jobs have been lost in retail over the last five years and many major retailers have already announced further job cuts on the back of increased costs of employment which kicked in in April."

She said part-time roles were down by 200,000 since 2017.

"These roles, which provide vital entry points into work for students, carers and returners, are set to be hardest hit," she said.

"In its current form the Employment Rights Bill could backfire, putting the brakes on hiring, or worse still, putting retail job numbers further into reverse."

In November we spoke to Amy Wilkes, 23, from Coventry who was struggling to find a job after getting a degree in criminology, policing and investigation.

She says she applied for supermarket roles but did not get a response.

"It was feeling impossible," she says. "What really hurt me was the not hearing back because you don't get any feedback to tell you where you're going wrong."

After seven months Amy secured a job as a support worker, which she will start in July.

"It was a surreal moment when I found out. I was in absolute shock, quite emotional but very thrilled," she says.

Her biggest piece of advice to others looking for work is "don't give up".

"I know it's really hard but there is a job out there for you," she says.

"Think about what you can offer - that helped my confidence to think about myself and knowing my value and what I could bring to a company."

A government spokesperson said its new "youth guarantee" was "providing every 18-21-year-old in England with access to an apprenticeship, quality training and education opportunities or help to find a job".

It said its decisions, including to raise employer NICs, were necessary to "stabilise the public finances" to fund services like the NHS.

They added that business could claim employer NICs relief for some eligible staff including those aged under 21 and for apprentices under the age of 25.

1. Search beyond a 40-mile radius - Remote, hybrid and flexible working open up opportunities further away.

2. Use key words in your searches - Online algorithms will pick up on daily searches and send you more of the same.

3. Don't wait for a job to be advertised - Contact a manager at a business that you like the look of as you never know what opportunities might be coming up.

4. Sell your skills - Use social media sites like LinkedIn which showcase your skills and experience. Other platforms like X and Instagram can prove useful when touting yourself out to potential employers as well.

5. Get learning - While you're on the hunt for a job see if there are ways to fill gaps in your CV with free courses, volunteering or shadowing.

6. Celebrate the small wins - Set personal targets, like a certain number of jobs to apply for in a week or a number of cold emails to send, and acknowledge the little wins along the way to keep your spirits up.

You can read tips from careers experts in full here.