SEEK NZ Employment Report - Applications per job ad rose in June

STATE OF THE NATION: APPLICATIONS PER JOB AD ROSE

Job ads declined for only the second time this year, according to the latest SEEK Employment data, falling 3% from May to June. Despite this, job ads remain 9% higher than the same month last year and 35% higher than June 2019.

Applications per job ad rose 5% from the month prior, the greatest increase recorded since July last year. The rise is also notable as these applications correlate to ads posted in May, when job ads also rose 2%.

Applications per ad for jobs in the largest hiring industries grew m/m, including Information & Communication Technology which increased 17%, Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics which grew 5% and Trades & Services which was up 10%.

Rob Clark, Country Manager, SEEK NZ, explains:

“A 3% drop in job ads is the largest fall recorded on seek.co.nz in ten months, however job ads remain 35% higher than pre-pandemic levels. This is demonstrative of the prolonged growth experienced in all industries and regions over the past two years.

“In May there was a 5% uplift in applications per job ad nationally, driven by applications for ICT and Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics roles and 35% more applications per ad in Engineering compared to the month prior.

“Although relatively small, the rise in applications per job ad in a month when job ads also rose means that there was a significant uplift that month, with applications per ad rising faster than job ads.

“Roles in Construction received 30% more applications per job ad in May, but for an industry struggling with the competing pressures of talent deficits, record level new home build consents and rising material costs, candidates are likely to remain in hot demand.”

Figure 1: Job ad growth/decline for major regions comparing June 2022 to: i) May 2022 (m/m); ii) June 2021 (y/y)

STATE OF THE REGIONS: JOB ADS IN SMALLER REGIONS GROW, LARGER CITIES FALL

Job ad increases were recorded in the smaller regions of the country last month, including Taranaki (+9%), Marlborough (+8%) and West Coast (+7%), whereas declines in the larger cities resulted in national job ad numbers falling.

Job ads in Auckland dropped 3%, Wellington fell 4% and Canterbury declined by 6% m/m.

Public Service sector roles in the smaller regions recorded an increase in job ads, rising 4% from May, while all other sectors, including those in the metro regions, fell m/m.

Rob Clark explains:

“Job ad levels have increased in every region year-on-year, and in comparison to 2019. But where many of our larger regions saw a drop in job ads last month, there was growth in the smaller regions.

“As the majority of restrictions ease, including hard borders, the smaller regions have rebounded to a greater degree than their urban counterparts, with job ads in some of these areas now significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels.

“Job ad levels in Hawkes Bay are 84% higher, in Marlborough they are 98% greater, and in Taranaki ads are up 114% compared to June 2019.”

Figure 2: National SEEK NZ Job Ad percentage change by region (June 2022 vs May 2022)

Table 1: National and regional job ad growth/decline comparing June 2022 to: i) May 2022 (m/m); ii) June 2021 (y/y) and iii) June 2019.

STATE OF THE INDUSTRIES: APPLICATIONS RISE FOR KEY HEALTHCARE & MEDICAL JOBS

Three industries recorded a m/m rise in jobs ads, Education & Training (+4%), Advertising, Arts & Media (+4%) and Mining, Resources & Energy (+8%), whereas the largest hiring industries all recorded a decline in June.

The industries driving the m/m drop were Construction (-14%), Administration and Office Support (-7%) and Marketing & Communications (-13%).

After three months of significant growth leading up to the Winter season, job ads in Tourism & Hospitality fell by 4% m/m. Roles within the industry remain 40% ahead of June last year and 98% ahead of June 2019.

The introduction of the national health body, Health New Zealand and Māori Health Authority this month, coincided with a slight slowdown in hiring in Healthcare & Medical roles, which dropped 2% in June.

On the labour market activity within the Healthcare & Medical industry, Rob Clark comments:

“Despite a 2% drop in Healthcare & Medical roles in June, ads remain higher than when the national restructure was first announced in April last year and some key roles within the industry have bucked the monthly trend.

“Job ads for General Medical and Surgical Nurses grew 6% in June and rose 5% for critically in-demand Aged Care Nursing roles. There was also a 13% increase in applications per job ads in Aged Care Nursing which puts applications now on par with pre-pandemic levels.”

Figure 3: National SEEK NZ Job Ad percentage change by industry, (June 2022 vs May 2022) – Ordered by total job ad volume.

Click for the latest SEEK Employment data or for more employment insights or career advice please visit SEEK’s Hiring Advice or SEEK's Career Advice.

MEDIA NOTE: When reporting SEEK NZ data, we request that you attribute SEEK NZ as the source and refer to SEEK NZ as an employment marketplace.