Job ads, applications both drop: ‘It’s still a pretty subdued market’

Applications have dropped for the first time in a year. Photo / 123RF

By RNZ

The number of jobs being advertised continues to fall, and applications have dropped for the first time in a year.

The latest report by website Seek shows job advertisements fell half a percentage point in September, following more than a year of steady decline and a small boost in August.

Applications per job ad dropped 2% following a record high and a year of increases.

Seek country manager Rob Clark said the data was bumpy and unpredictable given the weakening of the job market.

He said reports of improved business confidence caused by falling interest rates were not flowing through to job listings.

“It’s very difficult to sort of put a trend line on it because it’s just up and down every month at the moment ... Job ad volumes are still 30% down on this time last year, so it’s still a pretty subdued market.

“While some of the commentary talks to increased confidence et cetera, that appears to be sort of more forward-looking than what we’re seeing, you know, right here and right now in terms of hiring intentions.”

Canterbury bucked the trend as the only major centre to experience an increase in listings, but Clark said this was likely a correction from a bigger fall in August.

“Most of the main urban centres had slight declines, but Canterbury did increase by 6%”.

He said there had been an increase in job listings for the retail, tourism and hospitality industries, which was encouraging in the run-up to Christmas.

- RNZ