Christmas holidays – but not in the job market!

6 December 2007

Christmas holidays – but not in the job market!

Forget the seasonal ‘slow-down’ – in this high demand market, Christmas 2007 is no interruption for those wishing to recruit, or indeed those looking to land a new job, according to specialist recruiter Hays.

“While the weeks leading up to Christmas are traditionally slower in terms of candidate and job flow, this year many companies plan to hire new staff in December,” said Jason Walker, Regional Director of Hays in New Zealand.

“In an increasingly candidate-tight market, many employers want pre-holiday peace of mind, knowing they have the skills they require for the Next Year in place before Christmas.

“In addition, there are many examples of businesses with ambitious growth plans, and open recruitment requirements to facilitate this growth. These businesses will hire a new staff member that matches their specific requirements whenever they become available, and holidays won’t stop an employer from hiring their ideal candidate,” said Jason.

According to the Hays Salary Survey (www.hays-hps.co.nz/salary), most confidence is coming from the engineering industry, where 75 per cent of employers expect to increase their permanent staff levels. This is followed by operations (64 per cent) then distribution (62 per cent).

Meanwhile, with the New Year approaching, many individuals re-evaluate their career goals with some eager to change jobs or career paths at this time. According to Hays, this gives companies an opportunity to access a wider pool of candidates who may not have been on the market at other times throughout the year.

The Hays Quarterly Forecast explores areas of candidate demand and hotspots, and is available at www.hays-hps.co.nz/forecast

Hays has a range of immediately available temporary and permanent candidates and job opportunities across all sectors. Hays has four specialist recruitment offices across New Zealand in Auckland, South Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington. www.hays-hps.co.nz

- Ends -

© Scoop Media