Job applications increasing as talent competition driven to 'even greater peaks'
Job ads in New Zealand dropped by four per cent in April 2024, with metro regions leading the national decline, according to the latest data from SEEK NZ.
Ad volumes in metro regions dropped six per cent month-on-month, SEEK NZ data revealed.
The biggest decline was recorded in the West Coast with -36%, followed by Marlborough (-23%), and then Tasman (-9%).
"Job ad volumes dropped in April by four per cent, with the public holidays bookending the month likely a major contributor to the hiring slowdown," said Rob Clark, SEEK NZ country manager, in a statement.
Source: SEEK
By sector, the hospitality and tourism sector logged the biggest monthly drop in job ads with -21%. This is followed by the legal sector (-14%), and then science and technology (-13%).
"The downward trend is not across the board, however, with ad volumes in Engineering, Education & Training and Insurance & Superannuation increasing month-on-month," Clark said.
Source: SEEK
Meanwhile, there was also a five-per-cent increase in applications per job ads in March, according to the report.
Clark said this is driving competition among candidates to "even greater peaks."
"In industries such as Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics, Retail & Consumer Products and Community Services & Development, applications per job have more than doubled over the past year, which can make it incredibly difficult for candidates to stand out," he said.
But the increase in applications was not across the board, however, as the report noted a drop in the sectors of Hospitality and Tourism (-14%), as well as Retail and Consumer Products (-2%).
