Mar 2025
Quality versus Quantity
Some interesting stats this week to share with you. Official statistics show the number of vacancies in the UK keeps on falling. The latest figures from the ONS showed that the number of vacancies in the UK dropped by 9,000 between November 2024 and January 2025, falling to a total of 819,000, and that’s the 31st drop in vacancies in a row. And that’s not all, research by KPMG suggests that the pace of decline is increasing not slowing down.
We also met with our good friends at In-house Recruitment who represent a community of some 20,000 in-house recruiters. They’d polled a cohort of their members around the key issues they were facing. Top of the list was access (or rather the severe lack of it) to quality candidates, closely followed in the top five by employer branding and recruitment marketing. Unsurprisingly, based on the ONS statistics with more people chasing fewer jobs, they also reported that the sheer quantity of applications was pretty overwhelming, and yet still the quality was severely disappointing.
So, what is this telling us? Employers still need high quality talent to achieve their business goals, they know they’re there, but their messaging isn’t being shaped or maybe shared in the right way. As we always say at DNA, that needs careful planning, execution with real flair and proper metrics in place to ensure that all budget invested is truly measured and managed and not just spent. The necessary cut through is there, you just have to earn the right for those conversations. An employer brand that is distinct, authentic, and compelling will fundamentally help in this respect.
We also know that employers need to be careful how they handle and reject the (currently) unwanted quantity. These could well be the quality candidates of the future. Equally for many employers, they could well be current and future customers – and nothing damages your customer brand more than a poor candidate experience (or to put it a better way, nothing enhances your customer brand more than a great candidate experience, especially when others aren’t showing up in this respect, and when the applicant might be losing faith in all things recruitment…).
As always, change in the talent market creates opportunity and competitive edge for those recruiters who want it. You can compete and you can win. You need a plan, some fresh thinking and an expert branding partner to get you there. Get in touch today to find out more.
In categories: Employer Branding, Industry Insights
