Job vacancies rebound to pre-Covid levels, recruiter says

Job vacancies exceeded pre-pandemic levels in the second quarter of 2021 as the Irish economy reopened after months of lockdown, according to recruitment site IrishJobs.ie.

The company’s latest quarterly bulletin on the labour market here suggested postings rose by 40 per cent between April and June, and were up by 157 per cent on the same period last year.

However, it cautioned that the annual and quarterly increases relate back to periods in which public health restrictions were more stringent.

Of the 30 sectors assessed, IrishJobs said 21 posted both quarterly and year-on-year increases in job vacancies while all but two counties experienced a rise in vacancies. Wicklow experienced the strongest quarter-on-quarter growth. The only quarterly vacancy decreases were in Limerick and Sligo.

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Working from home

In terms of sectors, the biggest increases came in the accountancy and finance; banking, financial services and insurance; and HR and recruitment sectors.

According to the data, the construction, architecture and property sectors experienced big quarterly jumps and have both both surpassed pre-Covid levels.

IrishJobs also noted the rise in work-from-home job vacancies, which increased by 77 per cent.

"For people considering a career change or career progression, the jobs market has never been more amenable, providing increased choice and flexibility for those seeking new roles," IrishJobs.ie general manager Orla Moran said.

Pre-Covid levels

“The latest IrishJobs.ie jobs index shows an economy in rebound. What makes this quarter’s figures particularly interesting and so encouraging is the fact that current job vacancies are now higher than pre-Covid vacancy levels,” she said.

“Sectors that were especially hard-hit by restrictions are recovering quickly, while it is clear from the growth in financial and business support sectors that pent-up demand for talent during lockdown is transforming into active recruitment,” she added.

“This economic rebound is taking hold across the entire country, not just in major cities,” Ms Moran said.