2 per cent increase in number of jobs advertised online in the first quarter 2014 with 5 per cent increase year on year
Cautious attitude towards jobs market evident in first jobseeker sentiment measure
IrishJobs.ie Jobs Index for the first quarter, January-March 2014 reports:
• The number of jobs advertised online in Q1 2014 has increased for Tourism, up 17 per cent; Construction, Architecture and Property, up 16 per cent; Engineering, up 17 per cent; Production and Manufacturing up 11 per cent; Accountancy and Finance, up 8 per cent; and Science, Pharmaceuticals and Food, also up 8 per cent
• Sectors that experienced a decrease in jobs advertised in the first quarter this year include: Customer Service and Call Centres, down by 13 per cent; Retailing, Wholesaling down by 10 per cent; and Marketing down by 4 per cent
Ireland, Tuesday 8th April 2014: The IrishJobs.ie Jobs Index for the first quarter, January to March 2014, reports a 2 per cent increase in the number of jobs advertised online compared with the previous quarter and a 5 per cent increase year on year. A leading indicator for the jobs market, the Jobs Index maps a gradual rise over the past 12 months, with four consecutive quarters of growth.
An increase in jobs advertised in the first quarter 2014 is evident for sectors including: Tourism, up by 17 per cent; Construction, Architecture and Property, up by 16 per cent; Engineering, up by 17 per cent; Production and Manufacturing, up 11 per cent; Accountancy and Finance, up 8 per cent; and Science, Pharmaceuticals and Food, also up by 8 per cent.
Orla Moran, General Manager, IrishJobs.ie comments: “We welcome a fourth consecutive quarter of growth revealed by the latest Jobs Index. It’s positive news for the jobs market. The buoyancy of industries such as Tourism, Manufacturing, and those in the Services sector are reflected in the Jobs Index figures for the first quarter this year. Employers are demanding a mix of skills across the Index with highly skilled jobs coming from key sectors including Science/Pharmaceuticals and Medical Professionals/Healthcare.”
According to University of Limerick economist and author of the report Stephen Kinsella: “Since the Jobs Index quarter (Q2 2009), many sectors have been performing well culminating in what we now see as steady growth in the jobs market. Sectors such as IT, HR, Manufacturing, Banking, Finance, Transport, are performing well since the 2009 low, in addition to Sales, Customer Service and Tourism.”
He continues: “The increase in hiring activity for property-related sectors may be a leading indicator that a recovery in construction is taking place. This will be good for employment and unemployment too. It is too soon to tell whether the trend is sustainable but we will look forward to the next report with interest. Overall, the Irish economy is in a fragile state but employment is recovering with domestic demand lagging behind it.”
IrishJobs.ie GM Orla Moran adds: “IrishJobs.ie has also measured jobseeker sentiment for the first time in tandem with the Jobs Index. We surveyed 907 people, employed, unemployed and those in education/training, in relation to the jobs market. Our Jobseeker Sentiment figures paint a picture of recovering confidence albeit mixed with some restraint, most likely a legacy of the crash in 2009.”
Jobseeker Sentiment
44 per cent of people surveyed by IrishJobs.ie who are currently employed believe that the jobs market is improving. 28 per cent do not believe the jobs market is getting better and another 28 per cent are uncertain. One in three of those at work told IrishJobs.ie that they would be confident of finding a new job quickly if they decided to change jobs.
Only 22 per cent of jobseekers surveyed that are currently unemployed believe that the jobs market is improving and almost half believe that this is not the case.
Those surveyed who are currently in education or training are the most divided about the state of the jobs market in Ireland: 31 per cent told IrishJobs.ie that they believe the jobs market is improving, 33 per cent believe it is not and another 36 per cent are not sure. Students were cautious about predicting the outcome of their job hunt with just over one in four (26 per cent) claiming they are confident of finding work when they enter the job market. 32 per cent were not confident and the remaining 44 per cent were unsure.
Among respondents to the Jobseeker Sentiment measure, currently in work, the greatest motivation to look for another job is money, with almost half (49 per cent) telling IrishJobs.ie that a bigger salary would prompt them to job-hunt. 23 per cent would move for better job security, while 19 per cent would move for more challenges and less that one in ten (9 per cent) would move for increased responsibility.*
IrishJobs.ie Jobs Index
The Jobs Index is a leading indicator for the jobs market reporting all corporate jobs advertised for the top two recruitment websites in Ireland.
The report looks at all corporate jobs advertised on IrishJobs.ie and Jobs.ie from 01/01/14 to 31/03/14.
Stephen Kinsella is a Lecturer in Economics at the University of Limerick. He is the author of Ireland in 2050: How we will be Living and Understanding Ireland’s Economic Crisis: Prospects for Recovery. His research spans the area of computable economics, health economics, and experimental economics.
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