But now with the employment landscape so altered by COVID-19, two industries dominate the list of New Zealand’s top 20 hardest-to-fill roles for 2020.
Healthcare & Medical and Legal make up most of the list, with Real Estate & Property and Trades & Services getting single mentions.
See the chart below, then read on to see strategies for attracting specialist candidates for hard-to-fill roles.
The chart shows which roles were hardest-to-fill up to October 2020, based on the number of candidate applications compared to the previous year.
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| RANK | INDUSTRY | ROLE TYPE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Legal | Industrial Relations & Employment Law |
| 2 | Legal | Property Law |
| 3 | Healthcare & Medical | Nursing - Midwifery, Neo-Natal, SCN & NICU |
| 4 | Real Estate & Property | Valuation |
| 5 | Healthcare & Medical | Nursing - Management |
| 6 | Legal | Banking & Finance Law |
| 7 | Legal | Construction Law |
| 8 | Legal | Corporate & Commercial Law |
| 9 | Healthcare & Medical | Nursing - Psych, Forensic & Correctional Health |
| 10 | Healthcare & Medical | Speech Therapy |
| 11 | Healthcare & Medical | Nursing - A&E, Critical Care & ICU |
| 12 | Legal | Litigation & Dispute Resolution |
| 13 | Healthcare & Medical | Physiotherapy, OT & Rehabilitation |
| 14 | Legal | Generalists - Law Firm |
| 15 | Healthcare & Medical | Medical Specialists |
| 16 | Consulting & Strategy | Policy |
| 17 | Healthcare & Medical | Nursing - Community, Maternal & Child Health |
| 18 | Healthcare & Medical | Nursing - Theatre & Recovery |
| 19 | Accounting | Business Services & Corporate Advisory |
| 20 | Healthcare & Medical | Medical Imaging |
Source: SEEK Employment Report, November 2019 – October 2020. Published November 2020
| RANK | INDUSTRY | ROLE TYPE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Legal | Litigation & Dispute Resolution |
| 2 | Healthcare & Medical | Nursing - Psych, Forensic & Correctional Health |
| 3 | Legal | Corporate & Commercial Law |
| 4 | Healthcare & Medical | Nursing - Midwifery, Neo-Natal, SCN & NICU |
| 5 | Legal | Property Law |
| 6 | Healthcare & Medical | Physiotherapy, OT & Rehabilitation |
| 7 | Trades & Services | Plumbers |
| 8 | Legal | Family Law |
| 9 | Legal | Generalists - Law Firm |
| 10 | Trades & Services | Carpentry & Cabinet Making |
| 11 | Healthcare & Medical | Nursing - Management |
| 12 | Trades & Services | Painters & Sign Writers |
| 13 | Construction | Plant & Machinery Operators |
| 14 | Accounting | Taxation |
| 15 | Trades & Services | Building Trades |
| 16 | Education & Training | Teaching - Tertiary |
| 17 | Healthcare & Medical | Psychology, Counselling & Social Work |
| 18 | Education & Training | Teaching - Vocational |
| 19 | Education & Training | Research & Fellowships |
| 20 | Information & Communication Technology | Architects |
Source: SEEK Employment Report, November 2019 – October 2020. Published November 2020
| RANK | INDUSTRY | ROLE TYPE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Legal | Property Law |
| 2 | Healthcare & Medical | Nursing - Psych, Forensic & Correctional Health |
| 3 | Design & Architecture | Urban Design & Planning |
| 4 | Healthcare & Medical | Physiotherapy, OT & Rehabilitation |
| 5 | Healthcare & Medical | Nursing - Management |
| 6 | Education & Training | Teaching - Tertiary |
| 7 | Healthcare & Medical | Medical Imaging |
| 8 | Legal | Generalists - Law Firm |
| 9 | Trades & Services | Carpentry & Cabinet Making |
| 10 | Engineering | Building Services Engineering |
| 11 | Healthcare & Medical | Nursing - A&E, Critical Care & ICU |
| 12 | Legal | Corporate & Commercial Law |
| 13 | Sport & Recreation | Coaching & Instruction |
| 14 | Construction | Plant & Machinery Operators |
| 15 | Trades & Services | Building Trades |
| 16 | Healthcare & Medical | Psychology, Counselling & Social Work |
| 17 | Trades & Services | Painters & Sign Writers |
| 18 | Trades & Services | Plumbers |
| 19 | Real Estate & Property | Body Corporate & Facilities Management |
| 20 | Engineering | Supervisors |
Source: SEEK Employment Report, November 2019 – October 2020. Published November 2020
| RANK | INDUSTRY | ROLE TYPE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Healthcare & Medical | Nursing - Midwifery, Neo-Natal, SCN & NICU |
| 2 | Legal | Industrial Relations & Employment Law |
| 3 | Education & Training | Teaching - Tertiary |
| 4 | Legal | Property Law |
| 5 | Healthcare & Medical | Nursing - Psych, Forensic & Correctional Health |
| 6 | Healthcare & Medical | Nursing - Management |
| 7 | Healthcare & Medical | Physiotherapy, OT & Rehabilitation |
| 8 | Trades & Services | Carpentry & Cabinet Making |
| 9 | Trades & Services | Plumbers |
| 10 | Trades & Services | Building Trades |
| 11 | Healthcare & Medical | Nursing - A&E, Critical Care & ICU |
| 12 | Legal | Litigation & Dispute Resolution |
| 13 | Healthcare & Medical | Psychology, Counselling & Social Work |
| 14 | Legal | Generalists - Law Firm |
| 15 | Healthcare & Medical | Medical Specialists |
| 16 | Trades & Services | Painters & Sign Writers |
| 17 | Healthcare & Medical | Medical Imaging |
| 18 | Education & Training | Teaching - Secondary |
| 19 | Construction | Plant & Machinery Operators |
| 20 | Design & Architecture | Urban Design & Planning |
Source: SEEK Employment Report, November 2019 – October 2020. Published November 2020
Closed borders shut out talent
So, why are just two industries making up the lion’s share of the data?
Border restrictions due to COVID-19 have significantly slowed the supply of talent from other countries, says Roman Rogers, Hudson New Zealand’s Regional General Manager.
“With international borders locked, we don't have enough people coming in from overseas to supplement the supply and creation of local jobs.”
While the number of candidates looking for work hasn’t changed, there’s quite a strong disconnect between the types of skills that organisations are looking for, and those available in the local market, Rogers says.
“The slowing down of international talent coming into New Zealand has put more pressure on the availability of talent with particular skill sets.”
Healthcare roles are hard to fill
Juliet Aryana, CEO Healthcare Division at People Infrastructure, agrees that those niche roles have been made even harder to fill due to COVID-19.
“Each of the roles has one or more barriers that keeps the talent pool small, making the right person hard to find. Niche specialisations, specific industry experience, extended or weekend hours and needs in regional areas all deplete the pool of available talent.
“Employers know this talent is hard to find, so they are particularly careful to retain the talent they have, meaning there are also often few people openly looking for new roles.”
In healthcare roles, the usual factors of shift work, regional locations and highly specialised roles make talent hard for employers to access, Aryana says. “The international border closures have created quite the challenge in topping up these talent pools,” she adds.
In nursing, the flow of proven talent from other countries stopped at almost the same time as demand for specialised healthcare workers increased. Pathways into these roles can also be difficult.
How to attract specialist candidates for hard-to-fill roles
Hirers need to get creative to attracting specialist candidates, says Jessica Gibson-Jones, Talent Sourcing Leader at Toll Group in Sydney. Here are some tips:
1. Stand out from the crowd
Ideal candidates for hard-to-fill roles are most likely currently employed, and may be feeling nervous about making a move, Gibson-Jones says.
That’s why hirers need to craft job ads to demonstrate growth, stability and a long-term growth.
“What makes you different? What makes you special and what would give a candidate reassurance that you're not going anywhere or that their job isn't going anywhere?”
Ensuring your business has a strong Employee Value Proposition (EVP) could provide valuable material to draw on to create a compelling job ad.
2. Reassure risk-averse candidates
People are understandably nervous now, Gibson-Jones says. “These levels of unemployment are unprecedented, so wanting security is absolutely justified.”
Recent research conducted for SEEK shows that 67% of candidates say job security has become more important to them now in light of COVID-19.
Candidates are looking for benefits beyond remuneration including flexibility in working options, security, and long-term career prospects.
“Hirers need to position roles when we're approaching candidates to reassure them that there is longevity with employment.”
Reassure candidates that there is stability in the organisation by explaining:
- how you’ve handled COVID-19 and helped employees through the pandemic;
- if staff have worked from home, what the plan is to bring them back into the workplace;
- whether you’ve had to reduce your workforce or streamline operations;
- how the pandemic has provided growth opportunities.
3. Remove barriers to work
Broaden your reach by creating as much flexibility as possible, supporting upskilling into further specialist areas, subsidising travel to regional areas, and supporting candidates to return to work, People Infrastructure’s Juliet Aryana says.
You can also promote good pay and benefits, ensure a speedy and positive candidate experience, and use a variety of channels to reach talent.
4. Help candidates connect to the role
During video interviewing and remote hiring, candidates might not physically go into the office or meet the team. Without those physical touch points, there’s a risk they won’t emotionally connect to the role, Gibson-Jones says.
Hirers have to work extra hard to build a sense of connection to the role and the broader team, she says. Can you give them a sense of the company culture? What does the day-to-day look like as part of the team? What is satisfying about the work?
5. Assist candidates with technology
Technical problems during a video interview can increase a candidate’s anxiety.
If you’re integrating more technology into hiring processes, think about how the candidate experience has changed, and how you can best support candidates now.
Help candidates by doing a dry run with the technology, doing a mock interview, and sending out a cheat sheet, Gibson-Jones says.
Give candidates tips for making the online interview process smooth, such as finding a quiet room, testing the tech in advance, and giving a phone number to call if there are any issues.
Small steps can foster talent
In some sectors, the right candidates can be especially hard to find at the moment. But there are steps hirers can take to find and foster talent. For many candidates, stability, security and flexibility are what really matter right now.
Source: Independent research conducted by Nature of behalf of SEEK, interviewing 4000 Kiwis annually. Published November 2020.
