Announcement
GENERAL: TME: Trade Me Jobs - quarterly NZ job market release
08:31am
TME
16/01/2019 08:31
GENERAL
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REL: 0831 HRS Trade Me Group Limited
GENERAL: TME: Trade Me Jobs - quarterly NZ job market release
Media Release
16 January 2019
Wages increase as job market favours employees
New Zealand's job market ended 2018 on a positive note for job seekers with
the largest increase in the national average wage since 2015, rising 1.1 per
cent year-on-year to $61,082, according to an analysis of over 74,000
vacancies listed on Trade Me Jobs.
Trade Me Jobs' Anna Miles said while the lift in wages is "modest" it's
promising for employees after three years of stagnant wage growth. "Wages in
New Zealand have remained stubbornly low in recent years despite the cost of
living in New Zealand increasing steadily during the same period. Throughout
2018 Kiwis saw a spike in petrol, property and rental prices, with little
change to their pay packets. We're sure job hunters will be pleased to see
there is an opportunity to increase their pay if they want to make a move."
Ms Miles said this increase is a result of the skill shortage. "Employers are
finding it tough to find the right people and they're having to put more
money on the table to secure the candidates they want as the talent shortage
continues. We expect to see wages rise more this year as employers try to woo
the people they need away from their current jobs.
"While Auckland City continues to be the highest paying area in New Zealand
at $72,299, overall Wellington is the highest paying region in the country
with an average wage of $65,131 (up 0.4 per cent on 2017), followed closely
by Auckland at $64,634 (up 0.8 per cent) and Taranaki at $58,687 (up 2.9 per
cent)."
Rise in job vacancies
Ms Miles said the last three months of 2018 saw a "mild" increase in listings
which means job seekers have more choice and employers will be working harder
to get the best people.
"The number of jobs advertised on Trade Me Jobs was up 1.7 per cent on the
year prior and most regions ended 2018 on a high.
"The North Island saw some phenomenal growth in the last quarter of the year.
Job listings in Taranaki led the pack after a 30 per cent increase on 2017,
along with Hawke's Bay which was up 22.8 per cent while vacancies in Gisborne
rose 20.3 per cent." This continues recent trends where the regions continue
to outperform the main centres.
The only regions to see reductions in the number of job listings year-on-year
were Auckland (down 2.2%), Canterbury (down 7.5 per cent) and Marlborough
(down 10.9 per cent). She added that Wellington did buck the main centre
trend - up 3.7 per cent.
Good news for job hunters
"January and February are the biggest months for job hunters as thousands of
Kiwis head back to work and decide to kick off the New Year with a new role."
Ms Miles said those looking for their next step will be pleased to know it's
a good time to be looking. "With the average number of job applications down
across the country, an increase in wages and more job listings, it's a job
hunter's market."
Tips for job hunters
"If you are planning on applying for a new role this year, remember that
while this is a job hunter's market it's still a very competitive time of
year and you need to put your best foot forward."
Keep it short and punchy. 6 seconds is the average time spent reviewing a CV
so you need to stand out, and quickly. Include a brief summary upfront that
highlights your personality, attitude, experience, and skills.
Be sure to personalise your application to fit the role you are applying for.
Have someone else read over your application before you send it to check for
typos and grammar.
Be persistent and resilient - getting a job takes hard work. Don't give up
and don't forget to follow up with the hiring manager.
Remember you don't have to have every requirement an employer is looking for,
but the more the merrier.
IT still the most lucrative career
"IT roles continue to dominate the highest paying roles on Trade Me Jobs,
taking out the top five spots," said Ms Miles.
IT architects topped the list with an average pay of $153,222 followed by IT
management roles earning an average wage of $142,029.
"Skilled IT candidates are in high demand across the country and employers
are offering more to secure talent with a 3.1 per cent increase in average
pay to $110,657. If you're in the IT industry and thinking about your next
step, now is a good time to dust off your CV," she added.
In the sectors
Ms Miles said the last three months of 2018 were a mixed bag with positive
listing growth for retail (up 21.3 per cent), education (up 18.5 per cent)
and government & council (up 12.6 per cent).
One industry which experienced a significant decrease was sales which fell 15
per cent on 2017.
Predictions for 2019
While 2018 ended the year with the ball firmly in the court of job hunters Ms
Miles predicted a few changes for the New Year.
"Technology is going to continue to change the hiring process in 2019. Video
interviewing will become more common and hiring managers will use it as an
efficiency tool to decide who to invite in for face-to-face interviews. More
companies will implement artificial intelligence (AI) into their business
which may also filter into the hiring process," she added.
Ms Miles said that employees are becoming more conscious of work-life balance
and mental wellbeing. "Employers are likely to continue to improve benefits
to keep employees healthy, motivated and engaged."
ENDS
MORE INFORMATION:
Interviews and regional data: Anna Miles is available for interviews. To
arrange an interview with Anna or for regional data, please contact Millie
Silvester by emailing mediaenquiries@trademe.co.nz or phone (027) 601 7999.
National data: The full Trade Me Jobs Q4 results are set out below. Please
let us know if there's any regional data we can look into for you.
Table 1 - Total listings growth by region: Q4 2018
Region
Year-on-year % change Q4 2018 vs Q4 2017
Auckland
- 2.2%
Bay Of Plenty
6.6 %
Canterbury
- 7.5%
Gisborne
20.3 %
Hawke's Bay
22.8 %
Manawatu / Wanganui
8.9 %
Marlborough
- 10.9%
Nelson / Tasman
2.4 %
Northland
9.6 %
Otago
10.6 %
Southland
15.6 %
Taranaki
30.0 %
Waikato
9.1 %
Wellington
3.7 %
West Coast
27.3 %
Grand Total
1.7 %
Table 2 - Average rates of pay by sub-region: Q4 2018
Highest Paid
Pay Rate
1
Auckland City
$72,299
2
Wellington City
$69,804
3
Kawerau
$63,868
4
Waikato - Waikato
$62,850
5
Waikato - South Waikato
$62,147
Lowest Paid
Pay Rate
1
Mackenzie
$47,473
2
Waitomo
$47,794
3
Kaikoura
$49,529
4
Waipa
$51,682
5
Porirua
$52,171
Table 3 - Average rates of pay by sub-category: Q4 2018
Highest Paid
Pay Rate
1
IT - Architects
$153,222
2
IT - Management
$142,029
3
IT - Data warehousing & BI
$136,638
4
IT - Project management
$134,357
5
IT - Security
$130,212
End CA:00329485 For:TME Type:GENERAL Time:2019-01-16 08:31:21
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