For three decades, Janet Briggs has watched the British labour market twist and turn. She has placed graduates in the City, retrained steelworkers in South Yorkshire, and seen the rise and fall of the temp economy. So when she speaks, the job centres and HR departments listen.
Her message today is blunt: the rules of the game have changed. “You cannot do what your parents did. The days of walking into a factory with a firm handshake and leaving with a job are over,” she says.
Briggs is the founder of Briggs Recruitment, a mid-sized agency with offices in Manchester and Sheffield. She has seen the post-2008 austerity, the gig economy boom, and the pandemic reshuffle. Now, she says, the key to employment is adaptability. “Employers want someone who can do three jobs in one. They want digital literacy, soft skills, and a willingness to learn on the job.”
Her advice comes at a time when UK unemployment sits at 4.2 per cent, but wage growth is still lagging behind inflation. For many, the cost of living crisis means a job is not just a job: it is a lifeline. Briggs understands that. “I have sat with single mums who need 20 hours a week but can’t afford the bus fare to an interview. The system is not built for them. But I tell them: be honest, be persistent, and find the right recruiter.”
So what is her refined strategy? First, she says, stop applying to hundreds of jobs online. Instead, target 10 companies and research them inside out. “Know their struggles. Know their competitors. Then write a cover letter that shows you understand their business, not just their job ad.”
Second, network. Not on LinkedIn alone. “Go to local business events. Join a union. Talk to people in the pub. The best jobs are still filled through word of mouth.”
Third, accept that the job for life is dead. “You will have five careers, not one. Embrace that. Each job is a stepping stone, not a final destination.”
Briggs also warns against the “CV black hole” where applications vanish into automated systems. “Tailor your CV for the machine first, then the human. Use the keywords from the job description. Keep it simple. Two pages maximum.”
But her most passionate plea is for employers to change their own habits. “Stop asking for five years of experience for an entry-level job. Stop using unpaid internships to exploit young workers. If we want a strong economy, we need to invest in people, not just profit.”
Her message is not a silver bullet. The UK labour market remains fractured, with regional inequalities deepening. In the North, jobs are scarcer and wages lower. But Briggs offers a dose of realism: “The system is broken. But you can still find your way through the cracks.”
For those out of work or stuck in low-paid roles, her advice is a rare thing: practical, hard-won, and delivered without jargon. It is the voice of someone who has watched the economy change and knows that, for workers, the fight is far from over.
