Job ads across Australia rebound after two-month decline, report finds
Job advertisements for HR and recruitment roles went up in April as overall job openings rebounded for the month, according to the latest data from SEEK.
Its latest employment report showed HR and recruitment job ads increasing 5.1% in April, further rising from the 0.2% hike recorded in the month prior.
The increase in job ads for HR reflects the recent report from ANZ-Indeed, which also recorded a 0.5% month-on-month increase in job postings for the industry.
Callam Pickering, Indeed senior economist, previously noted that this could be a "sign that employers plan to ramp up their hiring activity."
Overall, the volume of job ads went up 1.8% month-on-month in April, rebounding strongly after two months of decline, according to the SEEK report.
"Looking through the recent month-on-month noise, we continue to see job ads stabilise in line with our expectations," said Blair Chapman, SEEK senior economist, in a statement. "This is reflected in the trend data, albeit with extreme weather conditions and global uncertainty adding volatility of late."
According to the report, the industries with the biggest change in job ad volumes are:
"Hospitality & Tourism led job ad growth with a 9.8% rise m/m, likely bolstered by seasonal hiring patterns," the report noted.
On the other hand, the biggest drops in job ad volumes are in the Insurance and Superannuation industry (-3.8%), as well as the Mining, Resources, and Energy industry (-2.8%).
By location, Queensland logged the biggest increase in monthly job ads, with 7.6% in April.
"After a sharp drop in ad volumes recorded in March, due largely to the severe impact of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, this marks a significant recovery for the state," the SEEK report read.
"This was particularly evident in Hospitality & Tourism where ad volumes jumped 25.7% m/m and in Trades & Services, up 9.6%."
Other locations with strong job ad increases include Western Australia (2.3%), South Australia (2.2%), and the Australian Capital Territory (2.0%).
Meanwhile, applications per job ad also went up 2.6% in March, a second consecutive monthly increase, according to SEEK.
The data, which is recorded with a one-month lag, showed that applications per job posting were also 16.2% higher year-on-year, with government roles strongly in demand.
"In recent years we have seen strong growth in applications per ad for government roles, perhaps reflecting the increased desire by candidates to work from home, alongside the perceived work-life balance and job security that a government role offers," Chapman said.
