NZ job ad growth surpasses Australia

Although the mining industry has fuelled employment opportunities in Western Australia, NZ job growth has been stronger than Australia so far in 2012. Photo / Thinkstock

Jobseekers will be pleased to hear that the number of new jobs being advertised in New Zealand has grown at a faster than Australia so far this year, according to figures out today.

Seek's New Job Ad Index showed a 12 per cent lift in new job advertisements in New Zealand over the last month, despite the mining industry having fuelled employment opportunities in Western Australia.

This upswing is partly due to signs of a stabilising job market in Australia, but is also an encouraging indicator of an increasingly positive employment landscape in New Zealand, said Janet Faulding, general manager of Seek New Zealand.

"While the 'Oz exodus' and stories of Kiwis heading to Australia in search of work have dominated headlines recently, it's important to note that our local job market is in good shape and that career opportunities at home are increasing."

Seek's New Job Ad Index is 8.6 per cent higher than a year ago, Faulding said.

Alongside this, the Seek Employment Index (SEI) rose 3.7 per cent in June and is now 6 per cent higher than a year ago.

Measuring the ratio of new job ads listings to applications received for those jobs, the SEI results are good news for jobseekers. The number of new jobs listed has risen at a faster rate than applications for those jobs.

"Current job market conditions, as measured by the SEI, mean it may now be easier for those Kiwis contemplating their next career move to find a new job," Faulding said.

On the flipside, there is likely to be higher levels of competition among employers looking to fill roles because there are more new jobs than there are applications, she said.

"Employers will need to work harder to impress and attract the top candidates as jobseekers have the luxury of being more selective with the roles they apply for."