Online Job Postings - quarterly update
July 2022
Introduction
This update is based on online job postings data provided by Lightcast (formerly Emsi Burning Glass). It looks at online postings for jobs in London, including detail on information within postings (e.g. occupations, salary level and job location).
The number of online job postings over time is an indicator of the demand for labour. Used together with traditional sources, it can (for example) be used to help to support the planning and delivery of skills provision and careers information, advice and guidance.
The number of online job postings is presented as unique, deduplicated monthly postings. However, online job postings data is subject to revision and not all jobs adverts are posted online. It is unlikely to present the full picture for job openings in London. For more information see: Understanding online job postings data.
More data on London’s labour market can be found on the London Datastore.
Summary of key points
The level of job postings in London has largely followed the wider UK trend over the past decade with a peak in 2018, though the London level then decreased more significantly than the UK average.
However, by June 2022, London had experienced one of the strongest post-lockdown growth rates in job postings among UK regions, with around 180,000 unique online postings for jobs in London.
While advertised salaries appear to be on the rise for jobs in most occupational groups, the pandemic led to more significant increases in advertised pay for sales and associate & technical occupations.
The level of online postings is far higher for jobs in occupations requiring higher levels of skill, although the rate of growth in postings has been higher for occupations requiring lower skills levels since March 2020.
Total online job postings
The chart below shows the number of unique online postings for jobs in London. Given the volatility associated with single-month estimates, the three-month average estimates are likely to provide a more reliable indication of short-term changes in the demand for labour.
The three-month average number of online postings was between 100,000 and 150,000 from 2012 to 2016 before reaching a peak of around 196,000 in the three months to September 2017. The number of postings then declined again before levelling off at around 100,000 per month in 2019.
The onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic led to a further sharp decline in the number of online postings for jobs in London, declining to 51,100 in April 2020; however, the number of postings recovered and surpassed March 2020 (pre-pandemic) levels by mid-2021.
Labour demand continued to rise in the second half of 2021 and into 2022, with the number of online job postings nearing peaks seen earlier in the decade, reaching 180,000 in June 2022.
Source: Lightcast 2022.
Note: non-seasonally adjusted. March 2020 indicated by dotted line.
Occupational groups
Trends in the number of online postings
The number of online postings for jobs in most occupational groups declined between 2018 and 2019, reflecting the London-wide trend.
Following a sharp drop in postings at the onset of the pandemic, postings for jobs in most occupational groups have recovered in the subsequent period. At June 2022:
The major occupational group with the largest increase in the number of job postings since March 2020 was Skilled trades at 112.4%, while the group with the lowest increase was Assoc. & technical at 63.4%.
In addition, all major occupational groups saw a level of online job postings in June 2022 which was higher than in January 2018.
Source: Lightcast 2022.
Note: non-seasonally adjusted. March 2020 indicated by dotted line.
Trends in advertised salaries
Some online job postings include information on wage levels (advertised salaries)*.
Advertised salaries have generally been increasing (in nominal terms) over the past five years, with all major occupational groups seeing increases following the onset of the pandemic†:
Across all online job postings in London, the advertised median salary was around £41,700 in June 2022. This represents an increase of 3.8% from March 2020 and an increase of 10.9% from January 2018.
The major occupational group with the largest increase in advertised median salary since March 2020 was Operatives at 13.0%, while the group with the lowest change was Admin & secretarial at 1.8%.
- Notably, jobs within Sales and Assoc. & technical professions saw a significant spike in median advertised salaries in April 2020, right after the first lockdowns.
†Salaries are expressed in nominal terms and are not adjusted for inflation.
Source: Lightcast 2022.
Note: non-seasonally adjusted. March 2020 indicated by dotted line.
Skill levels
The ONS has grouped all 2-digit occupations into one of four skill levels, with occupations at Level 4 requiring the longest time to acquire full competency.
The number of online job postings varies significantly by skill level, with a higher number of postings for higher skilled jobs in London.
While the count of online postings decreased across all levels at the onset of the pandemic, the recovery has also varied by skill level. Between March 2020 and June 2022, the growth rates have been as follows:
- Skill level 4 (e.g. health professionals): 66%.
- Skill level 3 (e.g. skilled construction trades): 72%.
- Skill level 2 (e.g. sales occupations): 71%.
- Skill level 1 (e.g. elementary service occupations): 111%.
Source: Lightcast 2022.
Note: non-seasonally adjusted. March 2020 indicated by dotted line. Based on 2-digit SOC codes.
Top 10 occupations
Sub-major occupation groups
The table below shows the ten 2-digit SOC codes with the highest number of unique new online job postings in the most recent three month period (April 2022-June 2022). For comparison, it also shows the equivalent top ten in the same period three years ago (April 2019-June 2019).
Despite changes in the economic context, the ranking of occupations in the two periods is similar and the top five occupational groups are the same.
April 2022-June 2022
Source: Lightcast 2022.
Note: Number of unique new postings in period. Based on 2-digit SOC codes.
April 2019-June 2019
Source: Lightcast 2022.
Note: Number of unique new postings in period. Based on 2-digit SOC codes.
Unit occupation groups
The table below shows the ten 4-digit SOC codes with the highest number of unique new online job postings in the most recent three month period (April 2022-June 2022). It also shows the equivalent top ten in the same period three years ago for comparison (April 2019-June 2019).
Despite changes in the economic context, the occupations listed are broadly similar.
April 2022-June 2022
Source: Lightcast 2022.
Note: Number of unique new postings in period. Based on 4-digit SOC codes.
April 2019-June 2019
Source: Lightcast 2022.
Note: Number of unique new postings in period. Based on 4-digit SOC codes.
Job characteristics
Remote work
The onset of the coronavirus pandemic meant that more people started to work from home. There is now discussion around the extent to which remote or hybrid working will become a permanent feature of the labour market. The chart below shows the share of online postings where the job was described as remote.
- While the share of London online job postings offering remote work had been increasing before the pandemic, it remained relatively low at 3.0% in March 2020.
- The onset of the pandemic was associated with an increase in remote working, with the share of remote job postings in London rising to 12.2% in June 2022.
- While a similiar trend has been seen nationally, the share of remote online job postings in London is above the UK average, even when accounting for differences in occupational mix.
Source: Lightcast 2022.
Note: non-seasonally adjusted. March 2020 indicated by dotted line.
Flexible work/hours
The chart below shows the long-term trend in the share of online job postings in London advertised with either part-time or flexible hours. While both have remained low over recent years, the share of postings with flexible hours appears to have increased to a higher level following the onset of the pandemic.
Source: Lightcast 2022.
Note: non-seasonally adjusted. Full-time defined as at least 32 hours. March 2020 indicated by dotted line.
Regional online job postings
The number of online postings for jobs in London has generally tracked UK-wide trends over recent years. Focusing on the period since March 2020, some regions have seen a higher rate of growth.
At June 2022:
The number of monthly online postings for jobs in London had increased by 70% since March 2020 and by 46% since January 2018.
By comparison, the number of monthly job postings in Yorkshire and The Humber (the region with the highest indexed level) had increased by 84% since March 2020 and by 111% since January 2018.
The change in the indexed level of job postings is sensitive to base effects and the date of indexation. Areas with historically low levels of job postings are more likely to experience higher growth rates.
Source: Lightcast 2022.
Note: non-seasonally adjusted. March 2020 indicated by dotted line.