But job success also relied on factors such as creativity and people skills.
"The key trends are for skilled professionals who, regardless of their role or industry, possess strong interpersonal and creative skills," he said.
"Employers also want people who can make data-based decisions, adapt well to change and are continuous learners."
Shapley said with the rapid advancement of technology "soft, social and emotional skills" also grew in importance and were becoming prerequisites in all areas.
The latest Hays Jobs Report covers January to June 202 and reveals the skills that are in greatest demand in 14 sectors and industries across New Zealand.
The Report also highlights as core areas of demand in the first half of 2020.
According to the Hays Jobs Report, skills in demand for the six months ahead include:
Accountancy & Finance: Commercial business partners, risk and compliance professionals, data analytics and interpretation experts and group consolidation and reporting skills;
Architecture: Revit Technicians, Registered Architects, ArchiCAD Technicians, Project Team Leaders, and Senior Architectural Graduates;
Construction: Project Managers, Site Managers, Quantity Surveyors, Estimators, Project Engineers, and Site Engineers;
Contact Centres: Customer Service Representatives, Outbound Telesales Representatives, Inbound Salespeople, Telephone Collections and Insurance Sales Consultants;
Engineering: Civil Engineers, Stormwater and Three Waters Engineers, Land Surveyors, Structural Engineers, and Geotechnical Engineers;
Human Resources: HR Business Partners, Internal Recruiters, ER/IR Specialists, HR Advisors, and HR Managers;
Information Technology: DevOps Engineers, Software Developers, UX and CX Designers, Senior Business Analysts and Change Managers;
Insurance: Relationship Managers and Brokers, Motor Claims professionals, Risk, and Compliance experts, Property Loss Adjustors and Underwriters and Recoveries and Settlements Consultants;
Legal: Commercial Property Lawyers, Corporate and Commercial Lawyers, Employment Solicitors, Environmental Law specialists, and Family Law and Relationship Property Solicitors;
Marketing & Digital: Analytics Managers, Marketing Automation Specialists, Content Managers, Brand and Communications Specialists, and Digital Marketing Specialists;
Office Support: Project Coordinators, PAs and EAs, Office Managers, Administrators, and Receptionists;
Policy & Strategy: Senior Policy Analysts, Policy Analysts, Compliance Analysts, Senior Policy Advisors, and Policy Managers;
Procurement: Senior Procurement Specialists, Procurement Advisors, Commercial Specialists, Procurement Managers, and Contracts Administrators;
Trades & Labour: Plumbers, Drain Layers, Gas Fitters, Specialised Electrical Technicians, Registered Electricians, Qualified Carpenters, and Machine Operators.
