According to Grc.ua, job hunting in Ukraine is increasingly complicated by a gap between candidates’ salary expectations and companies’ capabilities: candidates are unwilling to accept lower pay, while businesses are unable to raise wages.
48,1% of jobseekers cannot find vacancies with decent pay
In the survey, 48,1% of jobseekers named the inability to find a vacancy with decent pay as the most common problem when seeking employment. Almost every second candidate faces a shortage of offers that meet their financial needs.
Most candidates are not willing to lower their salary expectations: 65,9% of respondents said so. By comparison, in 2024 this proportion was 70%, and in 2023 — 61,8%.
40,7% of employers called candidates’ expectations a problem
From the business side, 40,7% of employers pointed to a mismatch between candidates’ salary expectations and their financial capabilities. In 2024 this figure was 42,7%.
Russian strikes on energy and critical infrastructure, as well as on civilian business facilities, make the situation worse: loss of capacity, destruction of warehouses and costs for autonomous power supply force companies to optimise headcount and reduce staff.
Expert points to a gap between the cost of living and businesses’ purchasing power
The Chief Executive Officer of Grc.ua, Marina Makoviy, explains the problem as “a gap between the real cost of living and the purchasing power of business.” She says: “We are observing a deep imbalance between the real cost of living and the purchasing power of business. Ukrainian jobseekers are no longer willing to accept lower pay, as inflationary pressures and household burdens require a stable income. At the same time, employers have exhausted the limits for rapid salary increases.”
In the expert’s view, one way to overcome the problem could be flexibility on both sides. Possible steps include developing a system of non-financial benefits for employees, reviewing candidate requirements and investing in training for young specialists.
