Jobs advertised online down 10%, index shows

THE NUMBER of jobs advertised online fell 10 per cent in the third quarter compared to the previous quarter, with security services…

THE NUMBER of jobs advertised online fell 10 per cent in the third quarter compared to the previous quarter, with security services, marketing and call centres among the most subdued sectors, according to the latest edition of the IrishJobs.ie jobs index.

However, the index shows a rise in the number of online job advertisements compared to the same quarter in 2010.

Dr Stephen Kinsella, author of the report, said the quarter-on-quarter decline in advertisements placed on Ireland’s main recruitment websites was perhaps due to seasonal fluctuations in the demand for labour in certain services sectors of the economy.

“Things are looking a bit better for the Irish labour market. Across the main jobs sectors, the jobs index tells us that the picture is better overall, signalling a rebound in certain sectors,” he said.

READ MORE

General management, human resources, sales and telecoms showed a “marked improvement” on an annual basis, the index suggests. Advertisements for human resources positions are up 53 per cent, telecoms up 42 per cent, general management up 38 per cent and sales up 28 per cent.

Dr Kinsella said the difference between the current level of job activity in these sectors and the levels that prevailed at the depths of the recession in 2009 was “pronounced”.

More than three-quarters of the jobs advertised online in the July-September 2011 period were new jobs rather than replacement jobs.

Laura Slattery

Laura Slattery

Laura Slattery is an Irish Times journalist writing about media, advertising and other business topics