Hawke’s Bay Job Market Update – Dec 2009

We continue to get a lot of mixed signals from national and international media regarding ongoing employment factors & demands. How does this translate locally into the Hawke’s Bay job market?

At RIOT Recruitment we analyse & track local statistics (the focus remains on regional growth & activity). One of these is active job postings on SEEK, a basic but effective measure, as it remains a key NZ job portal for those looking to actively recruit new staff.

Interestingly, in looking at SEEK postings in 2008 & 2009 side-by-side we see Hawke’s Bay volumes have been down roughly 25% from February through to October on prior year. This is a lot lower than the national median reported by SEEK, Trade Me Jobs & the NZ Herald – all approximately at a 50% drop in advertising volumes from November 2008 through until August 2009, when all have reported recovery (at various levels). So, we have in part been sheltered from the full force of the global recession (reinforced by anecdotal conversations with many businesses & locals in Hawke’s Bay) – positive news.

The larger metropolitan recruitment markets are reporting recovery at a faster pace than we are (the bigger the drop the bigger the bounce), but even so we have seen a resurgence of local activity over the last two months. A lot of this has included placements & activity relating to opportunities that are not on the open market. We see improved business & consumer confidence continuing to lift the market at a steady pace through the first half of 2010.

In summary, the Hawke’s Bay job market remains in a stable & improving condition. This stability, matched with the outstanding lifestyle opportunities, see Hawke’s Bay remain as a highly desirable location for many (both nationally & internationally).