Coasties, the latest SEEK NZ Employment Report shows a slight drop in nationwide job advertisements, offering insights into evolving hiring patterns.

Job ads declined 2% in December compared to November and were down 22% from December 2023, according to the report.

Rob Clark, SEEK NZ Country Manager, said, “Job ads declined slightly month-on-month following a small rise in November.

Overall, the trend in 2024 was one of decline, with ads down 22% compared to December 2023.”

He also highlighted some notable industry performance.

“Some industries ended the year with more opportunities, including Banking & Financial Services and Insurance & Superannuation, thanks to growth spurts at the end of the year,” said Clark.

Meanwhile, Trades & Services, Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics, and Information & Communication Technology experienced a rise in demand in December.

At the regional level, Canterbury, Auckland and Wellington recorded declines of 5%, 4% and 3% respectively, after showing growth in November.

In contrast, Waikato rose by 2% and Otago by 5% month-on-month.

Otago’s overall ad volumes for 2024 are down just 8%, making it the least-impacted of the larger regions.

Auckland and Wellington have each fallen over 20% during the same period, while Taranaki’s job ad volumes have shown no change year-on-year.

Applications per job ad dipped 2% from November, only the second monthly decline in 2024, but rose 32% compared to December 2023.

“Hiring and applications do tend to pick up in the early months of a new year, as hirers and candidates start thinking about the future – so, January and February will be ones to watch,” added Clark.

While most industries recorded a decline in December job ads, Healthcare & Medical roles dropped 6% for the month and 15% for the quarter.

Retail & Consumer Products saw a quarterly decline of 13%.

Sectors showing increased advertising since December 2023 include Banking & Financial Services at 29% and Insurance & Superannuation at 12%.

Advertising, Arts & Media led the way in applications per job ad, rising 71% year-on-year, followed by significant increases in Retail & Consumer Products, Administration & Office Support, and Construction.

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