SEEK: Job ads in Australia down 4.7% in April

Job ads across Australia went down in April 2024 while applications per job posting continue to increase, according to the latest SEEK data.

The SEEK Employment Dashboard for April 2024 revealed a -4.7% decline in national job ads month-on-month, and a -18.6% drop when compared to the same period last year.

The findings come as applications per job ad went up 8.5% for March 2024, extending the increase recorded a month prior, where there was a 1.7% uptick.

Applications per job posting in Australia have been "rising steadily for the past year," according to SEEK, indicating tighter competition as job postings decline.

Industry, location job ads data

By industry, the biggest drop was recorded in the Information and Communication Technology sector, which logged a -10.8% monthly drop.

This is followed by the Administration and Office Support sector (-6.8%), and then the Hospitality and Tourism sector (-6.5%), according to the report.

By location, the biggest monthly drop in job ads was recorded in the Australian Capital Territory, which registered a -11.5% decline.

Tasmania came in next with a -7.5% monthly drop, followed by the Northern Territory with -6%, and the New South Wales with -5.7%.

Annually, the biggest drops in job ads were recorded in Victoria (-24.4%) and in New South Wales (-24.1%).