Growing list of skills in demand

Hays Quarterly Report: Growing list of skills in demand

The April to June Hays Quarterly Report shows that the number of permanent jobs is increasing, but employers are yet to adjust their recruitment timelines and criteria to reflect the change in the market.

“Job numbers are continuing their steady ascent,” says Jason Walker, Managing Director of Hays in New Zealand. “Companies have been managing with reduced staff numbers and now need to recruit to take advantage of the improving market. The SME market in particular is leading this charge.

“These roles are predominantly replacements for positions lost during the GFC. Candidate movement is also contributing to job numbers as unsatisfied employees look for the career advancement that wasn’t available in their current role during the past 12 to 18 months.

“Despite a desire to recruit, some employers remain fairly prescriptive in their permanent staff requirements. They typically seek very niche, specific skill sets and local experience that are either hard to find or are in high demand by other employers.

“Obviously there is the option for employers to turn to short-term contractors to assist with deadlines and workloads while they wait for their ideal candidate to become available. While this is an excellent tactic in most circumstances, many of those contractors may also be actively seeking permanent roles and some employers could be left in the lurch completely. In addition, as the financial year end approaches demand is only going to hot up even further.

“Once a suitable permanent candidate is identified, employers will need to move quickly through their recruitment process. This means accommodating interview times that suit candidates for example. We would definitely recommend that employers review their recruitment processes to ensure they can successfully compete for the candidates they want in this faster moving market.

“The rising demand for staff means that the overall supply and demand ratio is falling away from favouring employers and a growing list of skills in demand is emerging.” This includes:

• Accountancy & Finance - commerce: Demand is high within New Zealand for Management Accountants and Business/Financial Analysts to support executive decision making. Systems or Project Accountants with large ERPs experience (SAP, JDE or Oracle) and newly qualified Financial Accountants are sought. Credit Controllers and Payroll Clerks are needed, and as year-end looms Assistant Accountants are in high demand for temporary and contract positions.

• Accountancy & Finance – professional practice: Demand is high for BAS Intermediates and Seniors as well as Tax and Insolvency specialists. A number of Senior Audit opportunities have arisen, while the strengthening economy has seen newly qualified CAs again seek an overseas opportunity, which is leaving gaps at the three to five year level.

• Architecture: Project architects, particularly those with healthcare experience, are in demand. Office fit-out work is creating demand for Interior Designers with office design experience. Urban design is a new growth area, and Urban Designers and Master Planners are needed. Companies are also looking for senior candidates with business development skills and a good network of contacts to bring work to the table.

• Construction: A significant increase in Government infrastructure spending and inherent stimulation in the industrial market has created a demand for candidates with experience in infrastructure and primary industry build projects such as dairy, wastewater treatment, water supply/irrigation or roading structures. Estimators and Quantity Surveyors with civil construction experience, particularly on major projects, are also needed.

• Contact Centres: Demand has risen for strong collections candidates as businesses take a closer look at the role of their credit and collections functions and seek specialists to manage credit risk and collect bad debt. Businesses continue to strengthen their sales force to generate more revenue, which has created a need for experienced Telesales candidates.

• Energy: Massive spend on New Zealand’s transmission infrastructure has created demand for Transmission Line Design Engineers. Demand also exists for Primary and Secondary Systems Engineers relating to Substations (transmission voltages), and for Protection Engineers at the Intermediate and Senior levels.

• Engineering: Traffic Engineers and Transportation Planners are key requirements for a number of engineering consultancies and government bodies looking to deliver NZTA highway schemes and build up teams in order to deliver both current and future transport projects.

• Information Technology: BizTalk, SharePoint/MOSS, Intermediate to Senior Business Analysts and Project Managers within specific domains are in demand in response to rising project activity.

• Legal: Top-tier national practices seek highly specialised corporate, commercial and finance candidates, while the mid-tier and small firms require candidates with broader commercial or litigation skills. Demand within the in-house market has also increased, particularly within the financial services and utilities industries as well as the Government sector.

• Oil & Gas: Drilling Engineers, Procurement Managers and Technical Assistants are needed. The industry is recovering and the majority of companies are in growth mode, which is placing pressure on the shortage of candidates.

• Office Support: Office Managers are an area of demand, valued for their multi-skilled abilities. Employers typically want an individual who can take on a range of skills, such as stock take, office administration, personal assistant duties and overseeing junior staff. Businesses are also looking for mid-level Administrators, Team/Group Secretaries and data-input candidates.

• Property: Increasing activity in the retail sector has led to a spike in demand for Property Managers, Leasing Managers and Centre Managers. Demand is also strong for Commercial Sales & Leasing candidates for roles that are 100 per cent commission-based, as well as for Brokers.

ENDS

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