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Labour market information

Lecturer

Labour Market Information (LMI) is information about the current economic and employment situation. It includes data on graduate destinations, average starting salaries, current trends in employment sectors and recruitment patterns. 

Find out more about the sector or industry you want to work in by checking LMI to answer questions such as: 

  • Is it a thriving sector or are businesses in the sector closing because of the economic climate?
  • Is it a growth sector predicted to provide new jobs in the future?  
  • Are jobs in this sector mainly located in a specific geographical location?

The answers to these questions may inform the choices you make about your future.

 

Researching careers information

Researching job sectors

When you start considering your career options, you'll need to do some research on different employment sectors and types of work. You can use the information you find, to help you identify:

  • typical skills, qualifications and experience required within a sector
  • the types of tasks involved in an occupation
  • entry routes into the sector and typical career paths
  • who employs in this area, where jobs are advertised and similar job roles
  • related information such as professional associations and where you can find further reading

A good place to start your research is on our Job Sector pages and by reading about real career experiences of York graduates on our York Profiles and Mentors pages.

Using Social Media

Social media is a useful tool for researching the job market. It can provide a more personal view of what's happening in employment sectors. Use social media to:

  • follow industry specific groups
  • follow companies operating in the sectors that you're interested in
  • engage in conversations and like topics you have read and find interesting

Find out more on our Networking page and in this article on Social Media and Job Hunting

How to use labour market information

Labour market information (sometimes also called labour market intelligence) includes reports, studies, statistics and other information about:

  • industry/ sector growth and decline
  • occupational information
  • employment rates
  • supply and demand of labour
  • future labour trends
  • wages and pay scales

You can use this information to help you:

  • identify skills that are in demand
  • check out trends in a sector
  • identify sectors where there is growth and the possibility of jobs. Don't just look at the current situation but use LMI trends to identify where the jobs may be in the future
  • demonstrate to potential employers, your understanding of the environment in which they operate. Many employers comment on candidates' lack of knowledge about the sector or industry to which they are applying. As well as researching the job and the individual company, make sure you know what issues the sector is facing, who are the main organisations in the sector and what the future might hold for it.
  • with interview questions, particularly regarding understanding the industry and what issues it may be facing and with that tricky question about "where do you see yourself in 5 years time"

Where to find LMI information

It is important to find the most relevant and reliable information when researching careers information and LMI. The following information sources should be your first resources.

Careers and Placements resources

  • Our job sector pages – links to key information sources including professional bodies
  • York profiles and mentors - York alumni give an insight into the work they're now doing
  • International work - resources to help you research work outside the UK
  • GoinGlobal includes a country guide for the UK, with information about employment and industry trends (UoY log-in required for access)
  • Careers and Placements Information Room – reference books and journals, covering different job sectors, LMI, international work and study, and free careers magazines and directories. A list of the journals we subscribe to can be found on our resources page

Other resources

Evaluating information

As with any information, don’t automatically accept everything you read. Some information, particularly web-based, can easily be produced and could just be expressing someone’s personal opinion, rather than being based on accurate information and facts.

You should try and confirm its:

  • accuracy
  • relevancy
  • reliability
  • currency
  • authenticity