Despite the fact that threats of a recession have been looming for quite some time — although the UK does look set to avoid slipping into a recession this year narrowly — the job market in the UK is still looking broadly positive at the moment.
Although the number of job vacancies across the UK has fallen for the eighth time in a row, as many companies point to a range of macroeconomic factors as justification for freezing hiring, the total number of job vacancies remains high.
In fact, despite the number of jobs on offer has fallen by around 51,000 between December and February, there are still 1.1 million jobs up for grabs across the UK.
While this obviously makes things difficult for companies trying to recruit and retain staff, for those of you mulling over a potential job move, there has never been a better time to make the switch!
The job market nowadays is very much a candidate’s market. With recruiters and businesses hounding recruits to fill these gaping holes in their workforce, this gives jobseekers extra leverage.
Although many candidates will be simply looking to change the company they work for in order to increase their pay or to take advantage of improved working conditions, others will be looking to change careers entirely.
With so many job offers up for grabs, there truly has never been a better time to secure an entry-level position in a new industry or career path. For those of you eying up a career change, here are some of the most unique and in-demand careers to consider in 2023:
Unique UK Careers to Consider in 2023
Software development
If recent reports are anything to go by, one of the most in-demand positions at the moment is the software developer. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting, this demand is only expected to grow over the next decade.
Between 2021 and 2031, there is expected to be an increase in demand of around 25% for software developers across all sectors of the economy.
Software development is a career path that presents you with many opportunities across a wide range of sectors and industries. This includes everything from working in the public service or educational sector to working for a company designing online casino games.
The iGaming sector, in particular, desperately needs talented software developers. Significant growth within the sector over the last few years has increased the need for software developers who can help to design casino games, online casino bank transfer solutions and cybersecurity.
If you want to get involved in a rapidly growing sector, the iGaming sector has a huge opportunity!
Project management
Another career path that you might not have thought about before but that is relatively easy to switch into is project management.
Project managers are in high demand these days, with some labour market estimates projecting that there are millions of vacancies worldwide for project managers.
You can pivot into a career in project management from a variety of fields, which speaks to the growing demand for these professionals across all sectors of the economy.
Project management is a rewarding career path that offers decent salaries, plenty of entry and exit options and fantastic career progression. The only major downside is that it can be stressful and requires impeccable organisational skills.
If you already have some basic management experience, you can enrol in various courses to gain project management qualifications. Given the many opportunities for project managers at the minute, you will not struggle to find work once you have re-tooled!
Procurement agent
A career path that you might not have heard of before but that is essential to most, if not all, large public and private corporations are procurement.
Procurement professionals assist and manage the purchase of essential business items through suppliers while also monitoring and expediting these orders when necessary.
They are responsible for developing and managing relationships with suppliers to ensure that any items or materials essential to business functions are available when needed.
This includes staying on top of the latest market trends, collaborating with suppliers to negotiate pricing and contracts and keeping a close eye on any budgetary concerns.
Procurement work tends to be quite fast-paced and will typically require a head for numbers; however, it can also provide you with an incredible array of career opportunities, particularly if you want to progress to the upper echelons of business management.
Content designer
Another career path that is increasingly in demand is content design.
Content designers are found in many different types of organisations and help to ensure that websites and apps are user-friendly. The core skills needed for this job include user experience design, content strategy and marketing skills such as web copy.
The work of a content designer is incredibly varied and blends creative thinking with technical skills. Individuals already working in fields such as social media, graphic design or digital marketing will find the switch particularly easy to make.
If your lifestyle has equipped you to enjoy working in fast-moving, creative and collaborative environments, a career in content design could be perfect for you!
Human resources
Although human resources, also known as HR, was once considered a relatively tame career path to follow, the HR function of businesses has undergone a rapid transformation over the last several years.
This is thanks in no small part to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has radically transformed how we work.
These transformations have presented numerous obstacles for corporate workforces, not least of all the challenges of adapting to remote or geographically dispersed teams. In this context, HR professionals are needed to develop and deliver well-being and training initiatives that can facilitate team success in a remote environment.
HR professionals also increasingly have to deliver on corporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) benchmarks.
With these challenges in mind, human resource professionals will be at the forefront of the changing landscape of workplace culture. As such, it looks like talented HR professionals will be in demand for quite some time to come!
