Employers are hiring – you just need to know where

13 July 2009

Employers are hiring – you just need to know where

The roller-coaster employment ride of the past year appears to be reaching more stable ground, with recruitment activity on the rise and a renewed air of confidence starting to creep into the market, says a leading recruiter.

In the latest Hays Quarterly Report, recruiter Hays says employers have started to take a more positive approach towards their staffing needs. “The caution seems to be lifting somewhat in New Zealand, with many companies planning for additional headcount this quarter,” says Jason Walker, Managing Director of Hays in New Zealand.

“Employers seem to have more confidence with their recruitment spending, and more vacancies are now emerging across both the commercial and government sectors.

“Companies are now recruiting when needed, rather than redistributing workloads internally, since they now have more confidence in addition to the authorisation to recruit.

“The temporary market also remains a very active one for recruitment as some employers still want to maintain cost flexibility while ensuring work is completed.”

Employers are most commonly hiring in the following areas:

• Cost accountants and analysts: “Auckland in particular is seeking management and cost accountants, and financial and business analysts with a NZCA qualification. Over the last twelve months many businesses struggled with the effects of the local recession, which forced them to focus on cost management and cost reduction programmes. This has increased demand for experienced costing and performance analyst specialists.”

• Management and financial accountants: “Wellington’s government sector is recruiting senior management and financial accountants as well as business and financial analysts. Both the government and commercial sectors seek financial accounting managers and accounts assistants, and as recruitment freezes lift employers can source these skills that they desperately need.”

• Insolvency: “Given that insolvency and corporate recovery work is at an all time high, accounting firms need experienced to senior candidates”.

• Estimators: “With tender activity incredibly competitive, estimators for permanent roles and quantity surveyors for temporary assignments are presently sought. Operative and supervisory staff will also be sought for temporary assignments as employers seek to retain workforce flexibility.”

• Telesales: “With businesses trying to generate more revenue, the demand for telesales candidates has increased. Collections candidates and senior customer service candidates with previous call centre tenure are also sought.”

• Electrical engineers: “Infrastructure upgrades for New Zealand’s national electricity grid will see demand rise for electrical engineers for the design of protection systems, as well SCADA and communications skills.”

• Transport planners: “Transport planners and engineers are sought in Wellington for highway upgrade and government infrastructure projects. Utilities engineers are also needed for maintenance upgrades and treatment plant design for councils.”

• Bridging engineers: “Auckland employers seek senior bridging engineers with 10 or more years experience on large projects. This specialist skill is required for a number of projects.”

• Industrial refrigeration engineers: “These skills are needed within the FM market. The commencement of several significant projects in addition to the continued skills shortage in this area will ensure ongoing demand.”

• Business analysis: “Although many initiatives have been re-prioritised, business analysis skills are needed and vacancies are commonly more process and requirements orientated. Applications support/analysis, BI and data warehousing candidates are also sought.”

• Litigation lawyers: “Litigation, particularly construction and insolvency, is the prime area of legal demand.”

The full Hays Quarterly Report into hiring intentions and hotspots of demand can be viewed at www.hays.net.nz/forecast

ENDS

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