Local job crunch looms as resumes rise

By Staff Writers

Oct 7 2008 12:47PM

Seek has foreshadowed a rise in unemployment levels on the back of the financial crisis and a fall in new job ads in September.

The careers website’s Intelligence business unit claimed that ‘the stabilisation of Australia’s employment market that occurred in August is no longer evident, as increases in job applications received outweighed the number of new job ads posted in September’.

Only the Northern Territory was immune to the softening in new job ads nationally, posting a 5.6 per cent improvement month-on-month.

Western Australia also remained steady, which Seek claimed was the result of continued opportunities in the resources and mining sectors.

The remaining states and territories recorded heavy falls in new job advertisements being posted. Tasmania (-10.9 per cent), ACT (-6.6 per cent), NSW (- 4.3 per cent) and Victoria (- 4.2 per cent) experienced the most significant decreases.

“Given the backdrop of turbulence in global financial markets and the flow on effect to our economy, it’s not surprising to see this spill over into the labour market,” said Joe Powell, managing director of Seek Employment.

“Employers and jobseekers alike are understandably nervous given the current environment. Until we see some stability in global financial markets this nervousness is likely to continue and may have a negative impact on the historically low unemployment levels.”

The number of new jobs advertised nationally fell in September by 2.2 per cent, Seek reported.

IT&T and call centre positions remain some of the most competitive across several states and territories.

Meanwhile, policy planners and business strategy advisors were said to be amongst the most sought after employees in the nation last month.