Public sector workers fear their jobs are at risk and are turning to the private sector to find employment, according to a survey of over 3,000 jobseekers conducted by totaljobs.

The research revealed that 64% of employees from the public sector fear that their job is at risk as a result of public sector cuts. With the economic recovery continuing, over half of respondents say they believe that the private sector offers a more attractive alternative and three quarter are happy to be approached with job opportunities even when they are not actively looking for work.

Despite this, over half of all jobseekers still think that the public sector offers an appealing career. Generous pay, pensions and benefits, as well as increased flexible working opportunities were cited as some of the most popular reasons.

However, candidates are becoming increasingly frustrated with the lengthy application process associated with the sector and the significant majority (61%) say that the search for public sector jobs has taken longer than they anticipated. Nearly three quarters say that they think that the public sector’s application process is the longest.

Ian Burke, director at totaljobs, said: “Jobseekers are reading the news about public sector cuts and inevitably feeling more cautious about a career in this line of work. However, it’s still an area that is popular with candidates thanks to benefits such as flexible working policies.

“The Conservative government has said that it will focus on making recruitment in the sector ‘more open’ and that it will ‘actively look for exceptional talent, especially in areas where capabilities are in short supply.’ With this in mind public sector employers looking to restructure and recruit the best talent must ensure that their application process is streamlined and easy to understand.”