Big bucks but still no takers

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Employers desperate to fill top-level positions are struggling to find the right people for their $100,000-plus roles.

The Herald on Sunday revealed last week that the number of Kiwis looking for entry-level and part-time jobs had skyrocketed - but on the flip side, many top-level positions are failing to attract qualified candidates.

Hays managing director Jason Walker said he had noticed increasing numbers of top-level roles available across all industries including, IT, finance, sales, engineering, construction and legal services.

"Experience is key. Demand is outstripping supply," he said.

The lack of candidates was forcing employers to re-advertise or search overseas.

A senior account manager role paying $100,000-plus at digital and creative agency GardyneHOLT was advertised online for a month.

The company received 12 applications, "none of whom were necessarily ideal", said chief executive Michael Holt.

"It's bizarre to me that 230 people apply for a $15-an-hour job and 12 apply for a $100,000-plus job, and our job doesn't even require a formal qualification," he said.

The problem was industry-wide, said Kudos web design company chief executive Nick Hadley. "I have noticed the difference - two years ago there were more people around," he said. "It's just the economy."

Senior roles advertised at the web design company had drawn few suitable applications, he said.

"Yes, it's a threat to growth. If there's only three or four choices, I take them on and train them up, or don't take them on and start shipping work out abroad."

Some companies are also struggling to keep their experienced staff because of escalating demand.

Figures from Michael Page Employment Index show 47 per cent of employers are placing a major focus on holding on to key staff.

As incentives, employers are offering training, career progression, and financial rewards, the recruitment company reported.

Part of the problem was people with specialist skills were likely to look for job opportunities overseas, said Employers and Manufacturers Association spokesman Bruce Goldsworthy. "In the last three years there hasn't been a lot of growth in New Zealand.

"Often it's an inability to see career path to move ahead, particularly in management roles," he said.