Green Shoots For Job Hunters In Spring As South Island Leads Market Recovery

17 October

It’s good news for Kiwi job hunters as the latest Trade Me Jobs data shows the nationwide decline in job listings has started to ease, largely due to strong activity in the South Island.

The national job market is showing promising signs of a pick-up, with job listings up a significant 13 per cent compared to the previous quarter. This uptick helped ensure the year-on-year number stayed nearly flat, down just 0.8 per cent. The South Island's job market growth is largely responsible for this result, offsetting quieter markets in the North.

"The South Island is definitely powering ahead and leading the job recovery," says Head of Trade Me Jobs, Nicole Williams.

"The strong listing growth in regions like Southland, up a huge 25.1 per cent, Otago (+7.1 per cent), and Canterbury (+6.1 per cent) is offsetting the quieter markets in our two biggest cities, showing that the job recovery is being led by businesses in Te Waipounamu. This shift could indicate the tightest period of job hunter competition is finally behind us."

Canterbury hit a record number of job listings in the quarter and also contributed the largest volume to the overall quarter-on-quarter increase, jumping 22.4 per cent.

Spring offers hope for job hunters

Beyond the South Island's strength, the national data shows encouraging signs. The total number of job listings for the quarter was relatively flat on the same time last year, down just 0.8 per cent. Applications for roles have also increased slightly by 0.7 per cent year-on-year.

The minor year-on-year decrease in job listings was driven by the North Island's major centres, with Auckland (-5.9 per cent) and Wellington (-6.8 per cent) recording drops. However, many South Island regions saw significant growth, keeping the nationwide decrease minimal.

"We know job hunters are still finding it tough to land on their feet with the unemployment rate at 5.2 per cent," Ms. Williams said. "However, the slowing decline in job listings and especially the 13 per cent quarterly jump suggests the market is beginning to show some confidence coming into spring which will be welcome news for job hunters.

"With application numbers coming down from previous record highs, the competition for roles is easing. This is a crucial shift that will alleviate the pressure job seekers have been under across Aotearoa for the past year."

Industry hotspots

Growth was strongest in sectors that rely on consumer activity and infrastructure spend.

"We saw double-digit year-on-year growth across key sectors, including Hospitality & Tourism (up 16 per cent), Construction & Roading (up 13 per cent), and Trades & Services (up 8.3 per cent)," Ms Williams said.

"The uplift in hospitality listings is great news for Kiwi teens looking for an entry-level job as they finish school in the next few months. They're also facing less competition, with 19 per cent fewer applications compared to the same time last year.

"They'll likely have a better chance of landing a job at the local café or restaurant than in retail, which has seen a 16 per cent drop in listings and a 2 per cent increase in applications."

Record salaries across multiple industries

The nationwide average pay currently sits at $72,820. While this is a slight 0.4 per cent drop from the previous quarter, it remains one per cent higher than the same time last year. This yearly lift suggests that employers are still generally willing to pay more to secure talent, despite receiving increased applications.

"Despite a minor quarter-on-quarter dip, our annual data shows that salaries continue to track upwards," Ms Williams said. "This indicates that for roles requiring specific skills, especially those seeing high growth, employers are prepared to offer a premium to secure the right people."

A number of industries reached record high average salaries, including Banking, Finance & Insurance ($103,591), Healthcare ($78,245), Manufacturing & Operations ($66,958), Office & Administration ($67,000), Property ($103,813), and Trades & Services ($73,300).

The top three highest-paid roles by average annual salary were IT - Programming & Development at $135,138, followed by Accounting - Finance Managers & Controllers at $132,800, and IT - Business & Systems Analysts at $126,680.

Candidate competition remains fierce, but sector interest varies

Applicant interest remained high across a range of roles, with many applying for key operational jobs.

"We saw some significant shifts in where job seekers are focusing their attention," Ms Williams said. "The largest increases in interest were recorded in Education, with applications soaring by 50 per cent, and the Legal sector, which was up 48.4 per cent. Accounting also saw strong growth at 31.4 per cent."

The Banking, Finance & Insurance sector, however, bucked the trend by recording the biggest drop in applications, down 43.1 per cent.

Ms Williams highlighted the most sought-after jobs this quarter: "The most popular roles by application went to listings like Pick Packer in Auckland, Chief Gaming Officer in Auckland, Dairy Assistant in Waikato, and Highlands Motorsport Media Maverick in Otago.”

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