Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Recruitment & retention

Desperate for a job? How far would you go to get one?

by Personnel Today 24 May 2010
by Personnel Today 24 May 2010

According to The IT Job Board’s, latest survey[1] findings, 62% of IT workers would keep details about a job they are applying for secret from their colleagues to avoid competition for a role.  In addition, almost eight out of ten people (79%) would try to gain inside secrets about an organisation and its recruitment process to get a job.

58% of candidates would flatter or compliment their boss in order to get a pay rise or promotion over their colleagues and just over a fifth (23%) would claim colleagues’ ideas as their own. 32% of people would even create a problem so that they could fix it and “save the day”, giving them extra kudos with their boss and direct colleagues.

The respondents had mixed views on participating in underhand activities. Whilst, 38% of respondents take a dim view of using “out of the ordinary” tactics to boost their chances of getting a job, stating  such tactics are morally wrong, 23% of people said these tactics were fine, as long as they didn’t hurt anyone.

Other surprising statistics the survey showed were as follows:



  • 15% of respondents said that using out of the ordinary tactics in order to secure a role were necessary as it is a tough market out there 

  • 35% of respondents said they would telephone a recruiter continuously in order to try and secure an interview

  • 13% of respondents said they would visit a recruiter’s premises and refuse to leave until they were seen.

Commenting on the survey, Alex Farrell, managing director of The IT Job Board, said: “Getting the inside scoop on a company prior to applying for a role does show initiative, however, many candidates feel this is breaking an unwritten “rule”.  These results show clearly there is increased competition in the market and the impact it is having on candidates.  On a positive note, as a business we are continuing to meet demand. Currently we have over 18,000 live IT permanent and contract jobs on site, this is the largest pool of IT jobs on the internet in the UK”.

Personnel Today
Personnel Today

Personnel Today articles are written by an expert team of award-winning journalists who have been covering HR and L&D for many years. Some of our content is attributed to "Personnel Today" for a number of reasons, including: when numerous authors are associated with writing or editing a piece; or when the author is unknown (particularly for older articles).

previous post
From the classroom to the boardroom – inspiring future talent
next post
Salute Recruit launch set to reduce the cost of recruitment for employers

You may also like

AI could boost headcount and skills, recruiter predicts

8 Jun 2023

Why embracing big data is HR’s key to...

6 Jun 2023

Report recommends student loan-style scheme for pilot training

5 Jun 2023

Time-to-hire rates at an all-time high

2 Jun 2023

Leaked emails suggest RAF disadvantaged white male applicants

31 May 2023

How to attract and engage older workers (webinar)

30 May 2023

Retail headcount declines at fastest rate in 14...

26 May 2023

Pets at Home jobs boost with new stores

26 May 2023

Half of UK workers seeking a new job

24 May 2023

Met Police cyber unit hit by recruitment crisis

19 May 2023

  • The HR Bundle: Your one-stop guide to building a successful global HR Department PROMOTED | Get your hands on Deel’s free HR bundle...Read more
  • The Benefits of an Employee Assistance Programme PROMOTED | EAPs support employees in a range of ways...Read more
  • Intergenerational working and how to manage up and down the generations PROMOTED | The benefits and challenges of intergenerational workplaces...Read more
  • Bereavement in the workplace: How training can help HR get it right PROMOTED | HR professionals play an essential role...Read more
  • UK workforce mental wellbeing needs PROMOTED | The mental wellbeing support employers are providing misses the mark...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2023

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2023 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+