Bedford has just ONE JOB VACANCY per every 173 residents

As January is traditionally the time people start to think about going for that new job, research has revealed in Bedford there is just 1,068 job vacancies for the population of 185,200 people.

This paints a bleak picture as the availability of jobs per person in the town has experienced a further decline of 38.7% when contrasted with January 2023 when there was one vacancy per 106 people – now it’s per 173 residents.

Google searches for ‘new job’ spike in January every year, as people embrace their new year’s resolutions – with January 7 apparently being the most popular day.

In January last year, global mentoring provider PushFar recorded a huge 39% increase in traffic with people eager to upskill and get careers advice, and Ed Johnson, CEO and co-founder of PushFar, says their data is already showing an increase for 2024.

Ed advises speaking to a mentor to widen your skill set and stand out against other applicants in this crowded market.

You can find out more at PushFair

He said: “It’s evident there’s fierce competition in the UK job market right now, and candidates need to do all they can to stand out. Mentoring can be hugely beneficial, not only for upskilling, but also providing guidance and connecting candidates with an invaluable network.”