The average advertised salary for jobs in the UK has surpassed £40,000 for the first time, according to new research by jobs site Adzuna. This increase in pay reflects continuing demand for skilled workers, coupled with hesitancy among employers when it comes to hiring, the report suggests.
Over the past year, the average salary for advertised jobs has risen from £37,577 to £40,000, marking a significant milestone in the job market. Adzuna’s study also revealed that the number of jobseekers per vacancy remains high, with approximately two applicants for every available position. Additionally, the time taken to fill roles has increased by nearly two days, rising from 32 days to 34 days over the last year.
Among the various industries, legal jobs were the quickest to fill, with an average of just 31 days, while positions in domestic help and cleaning took the longest at 38 days. Healthcare and nursing roles also saw a slower hiring process, with positions in these fields taking 37 days on average to fill.
Adzuna also highlighted a concerning trend in job adverts: just over half of employers are omitting salary information from their listings. This has led to 2024 being labelled the worst year on record for salary transparency. The lack of pay details in job postings can make it harder for jobseekers to evaluate opportunities and negotiate salaries effectively.
Andrew Hunter, co-founder of Adzuna, commented on the findings: “Jobseekers who were hoping for a continued streak of growth in available roles following November’s bounce will be disappointed, as vacancies fell again in December. This could be attributed to the seasonal hiring slowdown over the Christmas period.”
He added, “Sectors such as teaching continue to see a high volume of roles, while legal, logistics, warehouse, and sales positions have all experienced an annual increase compared to the same time last year. While it appears that companies are not hiring as much as they were previously, they are loosening their purse strings, with the average advertised salary now reaching over £40,000 for the first time since we started tracking the UK job market in 2016.”
Despite a reduction in the number of vacancies in December, certain sectors continue to experience robust demand for workers. For example, teaching roles remain prevalent, and there has been significant growth in the legal, logistics, warehouse, and sales industries. These sectors have seen an uptick in job openings compared to the same time last year.
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The report indicates that although employers are hiring fewer staff, the competition for talent has led them to offer higher salaries in order to attract skilled workers. This has contributed to the average advertised salary rising above £40,000, which represents a shift towards more competitive compensation for roles that require specialised skills and experience.
The research from Adzuna comes amid a broader trend of evolving job market dynamics, where the balance between supply and demand is shifting. As employers remain cautious in their hiring practices, they are increasingly willing to offer better salaries to secure top talent in critical industries.
Jobseekers are now facing a job market where they have more time to find the right role but also greater competition for each vacancy. While some sectors continue to see strong job availability, the overall volume of job openings has decreased, leading to a slower recruitment process.
With the rise of flexible working arrangements and changes in the way businesses operate, it is clear that the demand for skilled professionals is not slowing down. However, the impact of salary transparency and the speed at which companies hire will continue to be key factors in shaping the UK job market in the year ahead.
