Job openings for HR roles dip in December: SEEK

New report reveals slight decline in overall numbers of job openings

Job openings for HR roles dip in December: SEEK

Job openings for human resources and recruitment roles fell for the month of December in Australia, according to the latest Employment Report from SEEK.

The HR and recruitment industry recorded a two-per-cent decrease in the number of job postings between November and December 2024.

The biggest monthly drops in job openings were recorded in Education and Training (-10.1%), Hospitality and Tourism (-6.7%), as well as Community Services and Development (-5.8%).

Decline in job ads

Overall, the number of job ads across the country fell three per cent month-on-month in December, while it went down 12.2% year-on-year.

"The trend for 2024 was a moderate decline in job ad volume, and this continued in December with job ads falling three per cent," said Dr. Blair Chapman, SEEK Senior Economist, in a statement.

Chapman noted the market remains broadly balanced despite the downtrend in ad volumes.

"This means there are still plenty of job opportunities available, particularly in Healthcare & Medical, Community Services & Development and Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics roles," he said.

By location, the biggest monthly decline in job ads was recorded in the Australian Capital Territory (-7.5%) and South Australia (-6.2%).

"This was due to declining demand in Professional Services in the case of the capital and the Public Sector in South Australia," the SEEK report read.

Applications per job ad

Meanwhile, applications per job ad remained very high in December, which could indicate strong competition for talent in open roles.

This is despite a 0.1% month-on-month decline in December. Over the year, candidate demand was strongest in the following industries:

  • Government & Defence (74%) 
  • Healthcare & Medical (68%) 
  • Education & Training (60%)

"As we start the new year, it is a very good time to be looking for a job as hiring activity tends to rebound from its December lows in January," Chapman said.