Amid reports that the UK’s unemployment rate has reached a 12-month high, and job vacancies continue to decline, unemployment rates are a growing concern.1 With this in mind, the resume experts at resume.io analysed job advertisements on the career marketplace Reed2, to identify the industries with the most vacancies in the UK.
Key findings:
- The Education industry has the highest number of job vacancies overall (33,062), with 12,772 of these jobs in the £20,000 — £30,000 salary range
- Accountancy (qualified) and IT & Telecoms have the most vacancies in the £70,000+ salary bracket, with 3,237 and 2,887 openings, respectively
- Apprenticeships (184), Training (321), and Graduate Training & Internships (648) have the fewest vacancies, suggesting these are the least in-demand industries
The results: Industries with the most job vacancies
| Rank | Industry | <£10,000-£18,000 | £20,000- £30,000 | £32,000- £40,000 | £42,000 – £50,000 | £55,000- £65,000 | £70,000+ | Estimated total jobs |
| 1. | Education | 405 | 12,772 | 7,843 | 7,663 | 3,568 | 811 | 33,062 |
| 2. | Engineering | 72 | 3,239 | 5,988 | 5,880 | 2,337 | 1,198 | 18,714 |
| 3. | Accountancy (qualified) | 25 | 960 | 2,632 | 4,074 | 3,486 | 3,237 | 14,414 |
| 4. | Retail | 2,200 | 6,382 | 2,151 | 1,732 | 1,091 | 389 | 13,945 |
| 5. | IT & Telecoms | 96 | 2,299 | 2,836 | 2,993 | 2,402 | 2,887 | 13,513 |
| 6. | Construction & Property | 36 | 2,117 | 3,300 | 3,442 | 2,212 | 1,239 | 12,346 |
| 7. | Legal | 439 | 2,367 | 2,390 | 3,280 | 2,347 | 1,522 | 12,345 |
| 8. | Accountancy | 57 | 4,797 | 3,389 | 2,094 | 652 | 267 | 11,256 |
| 9. | Transport & Logistics | 24 | 4,317 | 2,928 | 1,962 | 1,093 | 873 | 11,197 |
| 10. | Sales | 144 | 3,017 | 2,514 | 2,282 | 1,234 | 645 | 9,836 |
A full dataset can be found here.
The education sector has the most unfilled vacancies
Resume.io can reveal that the Education sector has the highest number of job vacancies in the UK, with 33,062 vacancies. The education sector has the most vacancies across nearly all pay scales except for under £18,000 (405) and for the £70,000+ range, where it ranks tenth with just 811 job listings. Teacher vacancies are currently 93% higher than pre-pandemic levels, with reports attributing this to a lack of competition in the profession as well as low pay, long working hours, and an increased workload.3
The Engineering sector has the second-highest number of vacancies in the UK with 18,714. The engineering industry has the second-highest number of vacancies across the £32,000 to £50,000 salary brackets. However, it ranks fifth for vacancies in the £55,00-£65,000 and sixth in the £70,000+ bracket. The high number of vacancies is a result of the evolving demand for specialised skills in the industry, such as green engineering, renewable energy and sustainable development. This has had significant implications for recruitment, as candidates must have these specialised skills to meet changing industry demands.4
Ranking third is the Accountancy (qualified) sector, with 14,414 job vacancies. This sector has the highest number of vacancies in the £70,000+ salary range, with 3,237 vacancies, and ranks second in the £55,00-£65,000 range, with 3,486 vacancies. Accountancy applicants are currently at an all-time low, with a 33% decline in candidates in just one year. This can be attributed to a reduction in the number of student and qualified accountants becoming part of industry bodies, such as ACCA, ICAEW, and ICB. With fewer candidates training to become qualified accountants, fewer accountants are available to fill vacancies.5
Apprenticeships have the lowest number of job vacancies
The lowest number of job vacancies were for Apprenticeships, with only 184 adverts. This is closely followed by Training (321). The £20,000-£30,000 pay scale had the highest number of vacancies in this industry, with just 64. The high number of vacancies across industries in the UK is likely due to an influx of low-wage jobs which deter applicants, coupled with the rising cost of living, making these roles less attractive for many potential candidates.
Expert tips on tailoring your CV to increase interview invitations
Amanda Augustine, a certified professional resume writer (CPRW) and careers expert at resume.io, has provided her top tips to improve your CV and increase your chances of securing an interview:
“Use clear, concise language: Ensure your CV is skimmable and free of errors by proofreading it carefully. Keeping the design simple, with an easy-to-read font and a two-page limit, will ensure your CV looks professional and easy to digest.
Tailor your CV: Make sure you customise your CV for each job application to emphasise your relevant skills and experience based on the vacancy’s requirements. Optimise your CV’s content with key terms and phrases found in the job advert, and include a strong personal statement to help employers quickly understand why you are a good fit for the role.
Be honest and specific: Accurately reflect your skills and achievements. Include concrete examples of your contributions and accomplishments, quantified wherever possible, to give potential employers a clear sense of the value you have to offer.”
