KEY POINTS:
MELBOURNE - Online job advertisements have dropped over 12 per cent in 2009, according to Australian recruitment firm Olivier Group.
The demand for new workers fell across all sectors of the Aussie economy during January, with white collar jobs in the financial services sector hit the hardest.
Online advertisements for new financial services jobs dropped 20.8 per cent during the month, with the number of new human resources roles declining 20 per cent, and advertising and media roles falling 18.3 per cent.
Olivier's job index measured the number of positions vacant advertisements on commercial job online sites and the firm seasonally adjusted the results for January, the mid-point in the traditionally weak December to February hiring period.
"We always see a trough from the first week of December through to February... even with the ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) seasonal adjustment," Olivier's director Robert Olivier said.
"This year's figures show a steeper fall.
"Some applicants may have had contracts come to an end at the end of the year or maybe they're looking for recession-proof jobs."
The number of job advertisements during January also fell significantly in the legal, accounting and IT sectors, with engineering jobs in Western Australia plummeting 24.5 per cent as activity within the mining sector contracts.
More employment data will be out this week, with ANZ Banking Group releasing its January job advertisements survey later today.
CommSec's chief economist Craig James expects the ANZ results to be a little softer on the previous month, but well short of a disaster scenario.
"We've just got employers hiring a few less people. They're certainly not axing positions left, right and centre," he told AAP.
- AAP
