Trade Me Jobs data released - outlook promising

Job market resilient and outlook promising
Trade Me Jobs data released

The New Zealand employment market showed great resilience in the second half of 2009, according to a study of 48,000 jobs listed on Trade Me Jobs (trademejobs.co.nz).

Keith Muirhead, Head of Trade Me Jobs, said the market held steady despite challenging economic conditions. ”In the middle of 2009, we were deep in a recession and unemployment was forecast to hit eight per cent,” he said. “Against that backdrop, advertised job vacancies have started to bounce back which is a great result.”

The industries most affected during the downturn have led the recovery. “We’ve seen a large increase in demand for front-line bank staff, building-related trades and senior sales professionals.”

Doctors take out the title as the best paid, with an average pay of $143,495. While IT jobs dominate the top of the list, the average pay offered for Financial Controllers has risen significantly to $115,472.

Wage inflation is still evident, especially in highly skilled jobs. “To our surprise, the pay packets on offer rose for the majority of professions, when compared to the first half of the year. In our Six-figure Jobs section – which accounted for 16% of all full time jobs listed – pay rates increased at an annualised rate of 2.8.”

Wellington City reassumed the mantle as the best paid location, with an average pay of $72,471. However, the Wellington region suffered from one of the sharpest declines in advertised vacancies, down 7.4% compared to the first half of 2009.

“The Wellington employment market has borne the brunt of public sector belt-tightening, while the other main centres have rebounded.”

Mr Muirhead said employers and job-seekers should be optimistic about the year ahead with confidence returning to the employment market.

“We expect to see a couple of patterns emerge,” he said. “The first is more demand for full-time workers as employers plan with greater certainty. Secondly, we wouldn’t be surprised if skilled workers – having sat tight through the recession – start to explore the increasing number of opportunities.”

The full set of results is below.

Employment survey results: July-December 2009
(previous results from 1st half 2009 in brackets)

By region

Highest paid

1. Wellington City $72,471 ($72,331)
2. Auckland City $72,323 ($73,344)
3. Far North (Northland) $68,795 (N/A)
4. West Coast (Grey) $67,763 ($81,451)
5. Western Bay of Plenty $65,781 ($53,308)

Largest increase in job vacancies

1. Western Bay of Plenty
2. South Waikato
3. Tasman (excl. Nelson)
4. Gisborne
5. Thames-Coromandel

Labour market easing

1. Upper Hutt
2. Tauranga
3. Far North (Northland)
4. Central Otago
5. Kapiti Coast

Lowest paid

1. Selwyn & Mackenzie $39,810 (N/A)
2. Masterton $42,246 ($48,143)
3. Porirua $44,082 ($45,302)
4. Hastings $44,402 ($45,881)
5. Waipa (Waikato) $45,651 ($45,833)

Largest decrease in job vacancies

1. Wanganui
2. Lower Hutt
3. Rodney
4. Rotorua
5. Upper Hutt

Labour market tightening

1. West Coast (Grey)
2. Tasman (excl. Nelson)
3. Whangarei
4. Waipa (Waikato)
5. South Waikato

By occupation

Highest paid

1. Doctors $143,495 ($132,401)
2. IT architects $126,443 ($121,703)
3. IT sales & pre-sales $121,418 ($121,329)
4. Financial controllers $115,472 ($109,104)
5. IT project managers $114,352 ($106,506)

Largest increase in job vacancies

1. Tellers and branch staff
2. Beauticians
3. Painters
4. Business development managers
5. Building & carpentry

Labour market easing

1. Audit & business advisers
2. Financial accountants
3. Mechanical engineers
4. Networking & systems (IT)
5. Horticulture workers

Lowest paid

1. Kitchen staff $31,457 ($30,637)
2. Bar staff & baristas $31,785 ($32,527)
3. Caregivers $32,551 ($31,569)
4. Waiting staff $32,576 ($30,817)
5. Hotel front desk/ reception $32,773 ($32,770)

Largest decrease in job vacancies

1. Waste & water engineers
2. Freight forwarders
3. Engineering project managers
4. Accounts receivable
5. Engineering building services

Labour market tightening

1. Defence/ armed forces
2. Graphic designers
3. Business development managers
4. Legal secretaries
5. Printers

NB: All figures based on job listings in respect of listing numbers, types, locations, stated salary and duration, on Trade Me Jobs Jul-Dec 2009. Segments with less than 50 jobs excluded.

About Trade Me Jobs

Trade Me Jobs trademejobs.co.nz is Trade Me’s specialist job site. In Nov ’09, over 603,000 Kiwis visited Trade Me Jobs (domestic unique browsers, Nielsen Online). Details of pay by profession are published on Trade Me Jobs’ Salary Guide.

ENDS

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