UK 
United States
It may come as a surprise to some that the average salary in the UK is £31,042. Yet, as many as one in eight British jobs are paying more than £50,000. This begs the question, why are UK workers earning a mediocre wage when there are so many lucrative jobs available?
New research from CV-Library, the UK’s largest job site, has revealed only a small number of candidates are searching for positions with a salary of more than £50,000, despite many UK vacancies offering this pay scale. Given the availability of high-paying jobs, why are recruiters struggling to fill these roles?
There are many reasons as to why only 5% of those looking for work are seeking higher salaries, but immediate concern points towards candidates selling themselves short. Whether they feel they have a lack of skills or experience, or simply don’t have the confidence to take on a role with certain responsibilities, this problem shouldn’t be ignored.
Tackling low self-esteem
Although it essentially comes down to the candidate having enough confidence to reach out for jobs that will push them towards their full potential, there are ways in which recruiters can encourage a person’s desire to succeed. Providing training opportunities to support career development is just one way in which the problem can be addressed. However, employers should begin by gaining a good understanding of the skills they require for the role – now and for the future. Once these needs have been identified, crafting a well-written job description reflecting this will place employers in good stead for drawing in the right talent.
Another area in which recruiters have the opportunity to give applicants a confidence boost is during the interview process. It can be disheartening for candidates to reach this stage, believing they’ve done a great job matching their skills and experiences to the job description, only to find they didn’t get offered the position but didn’t get any feedback explaining why. If a talented individual originally felt they had the necessary skills for the job but couldn’t work out where they went wrong, would they naturally think they’re aiming too high? By providing constructive feedback to candidates, recruiters strengthen not only their position, but enable applicants to go back to the drawing board and improve any areas where they may be lacking skills. This could potentially lead them into applying for training courses alongside their job searches in order to strengthen their knowledge within certain areas of expertise, ultimately putting them in a stronger position the next time they go for a high-paying job.
Are we heading for a skills shortage?
Candidates who undervalue their worth and only apply for roles they ‘think’ they can do are likely to hinder their career development, as opposed to those aiming for the higher, more fulfilling opportunities. Not only does this prevent an individual’s growth, but it could potentially lead to bigger problems for employers. With only one in 20 job hunters seeking a salary over £50,000, there’s a high probability this will have a knock-on effect in years to come. If employees don’t put themselves forward for promotion or candidates with the right skills just aren’t stepping forward due to a lack of self-belief, who will fill those roles when staff at senior levels move on? Employers could find themselves in a situation where all the top spots are unoccupied. It’s imperative, therefore, that the problem is addressed now, before this predicament arises.
Create the way to a better future
Recruiters should be aware of the potential problems faced by candidates during their job search and, as a result, set about establishing an effective approach towards the recruitment and selection process. If employers can attack the issue head-on, they will be in a better position to inspire applicants to push beyond their own expectations and, ultimately, achieve a more promising future for both parties.
