Top reasons UK job seekers are put off applying for new roles are bad reviews online, terrible annual leave, bad staff incentives and benefits, morally dubious sector, no hybrid working, no sustainability policy, outdated sector: survey

Sample article from our Housing & Economy

March 31, 2023 (press release) –

CareerWallet’s national employee survey shows detailed trends and insights into the UK job market and has revealed the top 7 reasons job seekers are put off a business when applying for a new role with bad reviews and terrible annual leave topping the list.

Top Reasons Job Seekers are put off Applying for New Roles

  • Bad Reviews online 46%
  • Terrible annual leave 44%
  • Bad Staff incentives and benefits 42%
  • Morally dubious sector 32%
  • No hybrid working 21%
  • No Sustainability Policy 19%
  • Outdated Sector 18%

The survey shows that job seekers are often extensively researching firms before applying for new roles with nearly half (46%) put off by bad reviews online and 19% refusing to apply to firms with no sustainability policy. Terrible annual leave (44%) and bad staff incentives/benefits (42%) were also high on the list of reasons job seekers would be put off applying to new potential employers when looking for a career change.

The national survey from the leading tech firm shows what is important for job seekers when applying for new roles and gives employers a good idea of what factors they need to consider to help attract the best talent to their business. Some of these could be an easy fix such as upgrading staff benefits, offering some level of hybrid working and also making sure annual leave is competitive and in line with competitors.

Craig Bines, CEO at The CareerWallet Group, commented, “At CareerWallet we process millions of jobs a day and this allows us to quickly see how the job market is being impacted on a daily basis.

Our national employee survey has highlighted how UK jobseekers are extensively researching their next potential employer with 1 in 5 even checking for sustainability policies. Many businesses may need to consider changing outdated company policies around annual leave and hybrid working, making sure they remain competitive and can attract the very best talent.”

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Jason Irving
Jason Irving
- SVP Enterprise Solutions -

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