Do you know what people’s priorities are when job hunting? You don’t, according to new research. CV Library, the UK’s leading independent job site, ran a survey to find to find out if employers really know what job seekers care about most.
The researcher asked 1,200 professionals what they deemed the most important aspects of a job offer as well as 300 employers what they thought would be most important to professionals. Shockingly, the results didn’t look good for employers. While 81.6% of professionals voted salary as the most important factor, only 59.6% of employers thought this would be the case. Furthermore, 5.6% of employers believe that location is the least important factor when in fact it’s the second most important for professionals with 74.4% stating it as a priority. Also, workplace perks wouldn’t sway people as much as you might think, with only 18.5% of professionals deeming them attractive compared to 21.5% of employers.
The vast majority of professionals also revealed they look for set criteria in a job description at 91.6%. As a matter of fact, 51.7% wouldn’t apply to a job if the ad didn’t contain details such as the working hours or whether there would be flexible working. Unsurprisingly, 84.7% wouldn’t apply to a job if it didn’t mention the location. Moreover, 77.6% said the same if the salary wasn’t shown and 43.8% wouldn’t if the job title wasn’t included in the post.
Lee Biggins, founder and CEO of CV-Library, said: “With so much uncertainty across the job market right now, it’s crucial that businesses are doing all they can to attract talented new recruits. Misjudging what candidates are looking for in a job offer can have harmful repercussions for an employer. As such, employers need to have a clear understanding of what professionals want from a job, so they can ensure they’re investing in the right areas and offering competitive packages.”
While the salary seems to be the dealbreaker when it comes to applying for a job, there are many other things that professionals won’t be compromising on. Employers need to ensure they advertise their roles in the best light by specifying information where possible and ensuring benefits are included – then watch the applications roll in. 
