Untitled Document
The number of retail jobs available in the first quarter of 2011 increased by 0.5 per cent from the same period last year, figures have shown.
According to the British Retail Consortium, the number of retail outlets also grew in the first quarter of 2011, increasing by 5.3 per cent with an additional 837 shops.
However, over 60 per cent of retailers said they would keep the number of employees the same in the next three months, bad news for those working on retail CVs for potential jobs.
And 29 per cent said they would decrease the number of retail jobs available, a rise from just eight per cent last year.
Stephen Robertson, British Retail Consortium director general, said: "These figures confirm how tough the trading environment is.
"Retail is still creating more jobs than other sectors but numbers for the quarter rose at their slowest rate since this survey began at the end of 2009."
He added that generally, the retail sector continues to expand and is the largest private sector employer, providing lots of opportunities for young workers.
Recently, a survey by Maximus UK revealed that businesses think that the cost of hiring staff is too high, with some claiming that the cost influences decisions not to recruit.
Monster career advice offers industry advice and CV templates to help you secure that role you've got your eyes on.