Strong advertising growth on SEEK continues across NZ

23 June 2017

Strong advertising growth on SEEK continues across New Zealand

The latest SEEK data has revealed there were 7.9 per cent more new job ads on SEEK this May than the same period last year.

Janet Faulding, General Manager for SEEK New Zealand, said on SEEK this May strong advertising growth continued across the following high employing sectors:

Across all industries this May, the national average advertised annual salary on SEEK was $75,504, up 0.6 per cent y/y.

MAJOR REGIONS

“All major regions across the country experienced an uplift in advertising this May, with Auckland enjoying the largest growth, up 6.8 per cent y/y,” said Faulding.

Fuelling growth across Auckland were the following top advertising industries on SEEK and their average advertised annual salaries:

In Wellington, job ads grew 1.7 per cent y/y in May.

“Even though job ads increased y/y for our nation’s capital, the region’s labour market has been subdued over the past couple of months,” said Faulding.

“A combination of factors may have contributed to slowed y/y job ad growth across Wellington, they include businesses still being in temporary or shared office spaces after the recent earthquake. Plus, the region’s labour market may be taking time to gain momentum after businesses delayed hiring due to fewer trading days in April because of the Easter and ANZAC Day public holidays,” Faulding explained.

“Industries offering the most job opportunities in the Wellington region this May were ICT [no growth]; Administration & Office Support [up 3 per cent y/y] and Trades & Services [down 4 per cent y/y],” Faulding added.

In the South Island, job ads in Canterbury continued to rise this May up 3.9 per cent y/y, which indicates the region’s jobs market may be finding its feet after a prolonged period of weakness.

“Trades & Service professionals were again the most in-demand throughout Canterbury, with job ads on SEEK up 8 per cent y/y this May,” said Faulding.

SMALLER REGIONS

In North Island this May, Waikato offered the most job opportunities on SEEK of the smaller regions, with job ads up 21.10 per cent y/y.

The fields in Waikato with the most demand for professionals this May were:

Advertising across Manawatu and the Bay of Plenty was also strong, with job ads on SEEK up 51.5 per cent y/y and 29.9 per cent y/y respectively. However, in comparison to Waikato, there were less jobs on offer.

While off a low base, job ads on SEEK across other North Island smaller regions remained strong this May:

Across the South Island, positive advertising growth was enjoyed in all the smaller labour markets this May.

“Otago was the top performer, recording the largest number of job ads on SEEK, as well as healthy advertising uplift of 15.5 per cent y/y,” revealed Faulding.

Helping drive growth across Otago this May, were the following large advertising industries on SEEK:

“Solid advertising growth and opportunities on SEEK were also recorded in Tasman [up 36.5 per cent y/y] and Southland [up 20.8 per cent y/y],” Faulding continued.

INDUSTRY FOCUS

Job ad growth on SEEK for the Accounting sector has remained flat from March to May 2017, when compared to the same three-month period last year.

“The national average advertised annual salary on SEEK for Accounting professionals from March to May 2017 was $78,312, which was an increase of 2.9 per cent y/y,” said Faulding.

Job ad growth on SEEK was only seen across 10 Accounting fields from March to May this year, while other accounting categories have been more stable to subdued, as firms consolidate back office and middle office functions.

Table 1. SEEK new job ads, Accounting Sector, MAR-MAY 17 v MAR-MAY 16

“The Accounting sector is facing rapid technological change,” said Angela Cameron, Managing Director of Consult Recruitment, a specialist recruitment agency for the Accounting industry.

“Many New Zealand companies have adopted software innovations to help create efficiencies in their accounting departments, which has resulted in many junior processing roles being superseded and Account Payable teams downsizing.

“Relative to five years ago, hirers are now seeking talent with different skill sets, which can be attributed to technology changing the ways Accounting departments operate.

“Accounting roles at all levels are becoming less about traditional debit and credit accounting and more about soft skills, commercial acumen, being systems savvy and being able to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders,” continued Cameron.

In New Zealand, Accounting sector jobs are focused in the following growth areas, which also have solid job ad numbers on SEEK:

“Over the past six months our team has been incredibly busy recruiting talent to fill roles at all levels of payroll, as well as Assistant Accountants,” Cameron revealed.

At a national level, the Accounting fields offering the most job opportunities on SEEK [March to May 2017], and their average annual advertised salaries were:

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