Good news for pandemic jobseekers! The employers with HUNDREDS of vacancies

The pandemic has wreaked havoc on the employment market – but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for struggling jobseekers. 

The world’s largest job site Indeed is launching a two-day virtual hiring event next week, where more than a dozen major firms will have over 2,000 roles up for grabs across England and Scotland on November 10-11.

Employers including Morrisons, Amazon, Lidl, DHL and some of the UK’s biggest care operators can interview and make on-the-spot offers to impressive candidates.

The hiring drive comes amid a jobs bloodbath with more than 9,500 put in jeopardy at some of the biggest High Street names this week as England went into its second lockdown.  

SOME OF THE AVAILABLE VACANCIES AT INDEED’S VIRTUAL HIRING EVENT
COMPANY  ROLE   LOCATION
Morrisons Warehouse Operative Kettering 
Care UK  Care Assistant Sevenoaks
Elysium Healthcare  Health Care Assistant/Support Worker  Potters Bar 
Four Seasons Health Care  Care Assistants Oakington 
Four Seasons Health Care  Care Assistants  London 
Care UK  Care Assistant  Liverpool 
Care UK Care Assistant  Crewe 
Care UK  Care Assistant   Bracknell 
Voyage Care  Health Care Assistant
Supported Living Assistant 
Taunton 
The Orders of St John Care Trust  Care Assistant (days alternate weekends) Care Assistant (nights alternate weekends)  Salisbury 
Elysium Healthcare  Health Care Assistant / Support Worker  Exeter 
DHL – SUPPLY CHAIN  Warehouse Operative  Northampton 
Voyage Care  Field Support Supervisor
Support Worker
Team Leader 
Gloucester
DHL – SUPPLY CHAIN  Warehouse Colleague  Castleford 
Affinity Trust  Support Worker  Aberdeenshire 
HC-One  Care Assistant  Worcestershire 
Voyage Care  Support Worker  Swindon 
Bupa Care Homes  Care Assistants Maidenhead, Claygate, Esher and Newbury
Maria Mallaband Care Group  Care Assistant  Chester 
Yodel Delivery Network  Self Employed Courier Driver  Stockton-on-Tees 
Morrisons  Warehouse Operatives Bridgwater 
Amazon  Amazon Warehouse Operative – Night Shift  Nottingham, 
Elysium Healthcare  Learning Disability Nurses
Registered Mental Health Nurse
Registered Nurse 
Potters Bar 
Four Seasons Health Care  Care Assistant  Stockport 
Four Seasons Health Care  Care Assistant  Birkenhead 
Four Seasons Health Care  Care Assistant  Glasgow 
Care UK  Care Assistant  Liverpool 
Care UK  Care Assistant  Sevenoaks
Voyage Care  Support Worker  March 
Elysium Healthcare  Learning Disability Nurses
Registered Mental Health Nurse
Registered Nurse 
Exeter 
Marks & Spencer  Warehouse Team Manager – Nights  Castle Donington, 
Affinity Trust  Support Worker  Leicester 
Bupa Care Homes  Care Assistants Battersea
Wantage 
Priory Healthcare  Health Care Assistant Wadhurst
Burgess Hill
Heathfield
Kneesworth
Priory Adult Care  Support Worker Fernleigh
Kent
Somerset 
Herefordshire 
Remote Working
Priory Education and Children’s Services  Residential Support Worker Barnsley
Cornwall
Frome
Llaneli
Preston
Remote working 
Voyage Care  Support Worker   Cambridge 
Morrisons   Machine Operative
Manufacturing Operative  
Thrapston 
Sunrise Senior Living  Care Assistant  Newmarket, 
Sunrise Senior Living  Care Assistant  West End
Sunrise Senior Living  Care Assistant  Frome 

Yesterday the Bank of England pumped another £150billion into the economy and Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced an extension of the furlough scheme until March in a major Government U-turn – though unemployment has already risen to its highest level in three years.

The job furlough scheme had been due to end on October 31, but workers will now be able to get furlough at 80 per cent of their usual wage until the end of March, up to a ceiling of £2,500 a month, with employers only having to contribute national insurance and pension costs. Sadly the announcement came too late for many who had already lost their jobs.

At the free virtual hiring event, jobseekers across the country will be able to interview for thousands of roles from the safety of their home. 

Among the firms offering jobs at the virtual hiring days are Amazon, M&S and the charity Affinity Trust.

In the retail sector there are around 300 jobs available at Morrisons and Lidl, and over 460 at logistics companies DHL, Yodel and UPS. There are also 100 jobs at insurance firm Direct Line Group. 

Employers including Morrisons (pictured), DHL and some of the UK’s biggest care operators can interview and make on-the-spot offers to impressive candidates at Indeed’s virtual hiring event

Major employers taking part from within the care sector are Care UK, Bupa Care Homes, HC-One, Elysium Healthcare, Four Seasons Health Care, Voyage Care, Sunrise Senior Living, Priory Healthcare and The Orders of St John Care Trust.

After registering, people can book their individual interview slots for roles within a range of sectors including retail, logistics and care – and will even wait for their appointment in a virtual ‘lobby’. 

The online setting means that those living under newly imposed Covid-19 measures are given the opportunity to connect to potential employers.

Indeed’s top 5 tips for video interviews

Research the company

Within the description of a hiring event, employers will leave important clues about what to expect. They may also include job requirements, such as necessary certifications, requirements of the job or other details that will help you determine whether it’s the right fit for you.

Check your internet connection

Try to find a quiet location with a good internet connection and a computer or laptop with a webcam. It’s also a good idea to check that your webcam and audio are working and to close any windows, tabs or applications on your computer that you’re not using. As a backup ask the interviewer for a phone number where you can reach them if you experience technical difficulties.

Dress appropriately

Virtual interviews might be a different experience than usual but some things remain the same. You should aim to dress professionally and if in doubt stick to what you would wear for an in-person interview.

Remember body language

Eye contact is very important during an in-person interview so try to avoid the instinct to look directly at your interviewer on the screen while you’re answering a question. Instead, when you speak, direct your gaze towards the camera lens.

Don’t fret any interruptions

Accidents and mistakes happen so the best thing to do if something unexpected happens is to try to remain relaxed. Interviewers are getting used to interruptions like your video or audio stopping working, noise interruptions and people entering the room unexpectedly.

And it benefits both parties; for employers, the National Hiring Days remove technical hurdles and speed up the interviewing timeline by delegating the administrative tasks to Indeed. 

It reduces the time to hire from an average of six weeks to a matter of days – or if they’re sold on a candidate, they can even make on-the-spot job offers. 

Bill Richards, managing director at Indeed, said: ‘We know these are anxious times and with millions of people facing unemployment many will be left wondering what to do next. 

‘Indeed is here to help and our virtual National Hiring Days easily connect jobseekers to employers so they can quickly find work or make new hires. 

‘Our research shows finding a job is one of the top priorities for people in the UK and our technology makes it easier for people from all backgrounds to interview for and even be offered roles.’

John Hardman, chief people officer at Yodel, one of the employers taking part in the virtual hiring day, said: ‘As we prepare for the run-up to Christmas we have a number of vacancies across the business and we’re excited to be working with Indeed to help those looking for their next role. 

‘As part of this, we have introduced our virtual interview process, ensuring convenience and safety for all. 

‘At Yodel we pride ourselves on our people, and our colleagues all enjoy the team spirit and opportunity to play a part in important community initiatives such as delivering food to NHS hospitals.’

Jeremy Richardson, chief executive officer of Four Seasons Health Care, another employer on board, added: ‘Whilst care homes continue to face enormous challenges, Four Seasons Health Care remain committed to looking after the overall wellbeing of our residents and maintaining the very highest standards in safety and care by investing in its teams.

‘We’re currently recruiting more than 1,000 roles and virtual interviews have been a really safe and effective way of finding the right people for our homes during the pandemic. 

‘Real-time face to face conversations and more flexible interview times to fit around the individual provide a great candidate experience and have speeded up the whole hiring process to help us get the right people into the right roles quickly and efficiently.’

To book your slot, visit https://events.indeed.com/virtual_hiring_day/44/   

High Street bloodbath: More than 9,500 jobs in jeopardy

John Lewis cut a further 1,500 jobs this week, adding to the 1,300 axed when it permanently shut eight stores in July.

Lloyds Bank is to make 1,070 more staff redundant on top of the 865 earlier in the pandemic.

And Sainsbury’s confirmed on Wednesday that it will cut around 3,500 jobs across its Argos stores and supermarket meat, fish and deli counters. 

Meanwhile Clarks shoes put the jobs of all 4,000 of its store staff on notice as part of its fight for survival. The brand announced a rescue package that will see the Clark family lose majority ownership of the company for the first time since it was founded nearly 200 years ago.

The Monetary Policy Committee said unemployment is set to peak at around 7.75 per cent in the second quarter of next year - with government bailouts pushing back the worst of the impact from the 7.5 per cent high the Bank had anticipated in this quarter

The Monetary Policy Committee said unemployment is set to peak at around 7.75 per cent in the second quarter of next year – with government bailouts pushing back the worst of the impact from the 7.5 per cent high the Bank had anticipated in this quarter

Some 32 per cent of accommodation and food services businesses had no or low confidence that their businesses would survive the next three months

Some 32 per cent of accommodation and food services businesses had no or low confidence that their businesses would survive the next three months

GDP is predicted to be 11 per cent lower this year in real terms, according to Bank of England

GDP is predicted to be 11 per cent lower this year in real terms, according to Bank of England

An 11 per cent contraction in GDP this year would be the worst for 300 years - eclipsing the downturn sparked by the First World War and Spanish Flu

An 11 per cent contraction in GDP this year would be the worst for 300 years – eclipsing the downturn sparked by the First World War and Spanish Flu

The dark day was compounded when Marks & Spencer reported its first loss in its 94 years as a listed company.

M&S, which has already cut 8,000 staff since March, has seen its large stores suffer while many of its smaller food halls are located in now-empty train stations and airports.

The gloomy news came after economists warned the UK was entering a ‘double-dip’ recession and would hit a record borrowing deficit of £500billion this year.

More than a million jobs are expected to be lost before Christmas, even before the latest lockdown was announced, taking unemployment past 2.5 million.

The new lockdown restrictions have once again put the future of High Street stores in doubt as they approach their peak Christmas trading.