The pandemic continues to play heavily on people’s minds, with two thirds of Scottish people stating they are worried about their job security.
This is according to a survey conducted in December by Totaljobs among 5,842 UK workers.
Of the 393 Scottish respondents, 95% are job hunting, with 35% looking for a fresh start and 6% expressing a desire to relocate.
One in five Scots are looking to change industries to find a more secure role, while more than a quarter (28%) feel it’s likely they will become unemployed this year.
UK-wide, 24% are looking within the EU as a possible reaction to Brexit, while 14% are job seeking outside the EU altogether.
The majority (57%) of people think it will take them up to three months to find a new job.
Lockdown has affected everyone, as even those expecting to retire have had to change their plans.
The survey showed that 35% of respondents who were planning to retire in the next three to five years are claiming they now won’t - with 60% saying it’s because they can no longer afford it.
Just under a third (32%) of those looking to retire said they have lost their jobs and can’t find new ones.
Jon Wilson, chief executive of Totaljobs, commented: “2020 was a tough year for the jobs market, and while we’ve seen increased activity on Totaljobs from businesses actively recruiting, for those looking for work, the challenge of having to stand out from the crowd remains.
"While the full impact of the pandemic will remain unclear for the time being, what we do know is that workers have experienced a huge strain on their working lives during 2020 - it is perhaps no surprise that they will be seeking a fresh start and new opportunities in the months to come.”
