Photo: RNZ
The number of job advertisements fell slightly last month, while the number of applications per job continues to rise.
The latest Seek NZ Employment Report for August indicates the number of job ads fell about 1 percent, following 4 percent gain in July, while the number of applications per job ad rose 3 percent month-on-month.
After rising 21 percent in July, hospitality and tourism ad volumes grew a further 6 percent in August.
But other sectors recorded declines.
“There was a notable drop in some of the larger industries, such as accounting, after a rise the month prior, and trades and services,” Seek country manager Rob Clark said.
“Even so, we are starting to see increasing demand in some pockets of the market, such as hospitality and tourism, healthcare and medical, and education and training.”
He said there were still 17,000 jobs advertised on Seek across a number of different sectors.
“So there are certainly jobs out there, but if we think of the trajectory, then yes, in more recent times, it’s areas like hospitality and tourism that have seen a little bit of growth,” he said.
“There’s still jobs in every other area. It’s just fewer than we’ve seen in the past and as a consequence, it’s more competitive for those who are looking for roles in those industries.”
The major cities saw the biggest drop in ad volumes, with largest regional drops in the Hawkes Bay (down 7 percent), Canterbury (down 4 percent), Wellington (down 3 percent) and Auckland (down 1 percent).
On the plus side, Manawatu and West coast job ads rose 3 percent, following 4 percent growth in July.
Clark said the increase in the number of applications per jobs was making it more difficult those looking for work.
“(The applications are) now at record highs, and what that means for those who are looking for work, there’s just going to be a lot more competition for those jobs.”