There is little doubt that 2021 has presented many recruitment challenges for employers.
Job vacancies surged across 2021 with the employment market exceeding pre-Covid highs. The most recent IrishJobs Index indicated that job postings were 42% higher than the same period in 2019, with over half of job sectors surpassing their pre pandemics levels.
The economic rebound of the last twelve months has generated a demand for talent. Combined with hesitant job seeking activity this has resulted in what many have described as a hiring bottleneck, with many employers chasing a reduced pool of candidates.
Helping employers to source and engage with candidates throughout 2021 has been TalentBank, IrishJobs’ CV database. We analysed the searches of HR professionals on the over 1 million jobseekers available in TalentBank to find out who were the most in-demand professionals in Ireland in 2021.
1. Engineer (Construction)
Experienced construction engineers were the most searched for professionals in TalentBank in 2021. With jobs in Construction, Architecture and Property up 122% compared to the same period in 2019, it can come as little surprise. What’s more, with the government’s national development plan containing unprecedented spending commitments on housing, climate action and infrastructure projects, demand for experienced construction professionals is unlikely to ease anytime soon.
2. Nurse
Increased demand for medical and healthcare professionals is to be expected during a pandemic. Nurses were the second most searched for professional in TalentBank this year as hospitals and nursing homes sought to fill key roles. Job posting for healthcare professionals increased by 230% compared to 2019. While the World Health Organisation has called out a global shortage of nurses, Irish employers can take heart from the news that applications to the CAO to study nursing increased by over 20% this year.
3. Accountant
Strong vacancy growth was evident across the last twelve months in a range of finance and business support services which pushed up demand for Accountants. Recent job announcements from major employers of finance professionals such as EY, Grant Thornton and Accountant Online suggest that seeking out accountants will remain popular with recruiters for some time to come.
4. Quantity Surveyor
Responsible for managing all aspects of the contractual and financial side of construction projects, Quantity Surveys were much sought after this year. In its Housing for all Plan, the government estimates that Ireland will need an average of 33,000 new homes to be provided each year from 2021 to 2030 so demand for experienced Quantity Surveyors is unlikely to wane in the foreseeable future.
5. Project Manager
The ability to deliver a project on time and to budget is highly valued across multiple industries from IT, Pharma, Construction to Manufacturing and more. As a result, experienced and skilled Project Managers have been consistently pursued by employers over the last twelve months. Even though PMs acknowledged concerns about adjusting to new ways of working, according to a PwC report earlier this year, they remained confident about continued opportunities for growth within their profession.
If you would like to learn more about TalentBank and how it can support your hiring in 2022 please get in touch with your IrishJobs Account Manager.