The figures from CV-Library, the independent job board, reveals that applications for jobs in the catering sector also fell by 38.7% month-on-month, as lockdown restrictions remained largely in place.
Alongside this, when looking at year-on-year data, the findings show that job vacancies are 95.9% lower than a year ago, while applications to these roles are also down 83.8% year-on-year.
Lee Biggins, founder and chief executive of CV-Library, said: “The food and beverage industry will definitely be one of the worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
“And, while some establishments started to open their doors in May, it’s clear that lockdown is having a profound effect on catering employers.
“The wider market is starting to show signs of recovery, however there’s still a long way to go and we cannot expect figures to return to normal overnight. Especially when businesses are under a lot of financial pressure.”
He said the data also showed that competition for the catering jobs that are available is intensifying. Looking at the number of applications per vacancy, the figure has risen by 293.4% year-on-year from an average of just over 45 applications for every vacancy in May this year compared to 11.5 in May 2019.
Biggins added: “The fact that there are less jobs being advertised than normal, and more professionals entering the job market, means competition for jobs is already beginning to intensify.
“This will put employers in a favourable position as the labour market continues to shift, but it’s important for companies across the industry to think seriously about their recruitment and retention efforts; especially when the furlough scheme does eventually come to an end.”