"Even though it is virtual, there is a confidence factor - the risk is minimised so people think, maybe we can employ somebody or purchase some plant.
"Banks are keen to loan money and interest rates are low, so options are really good for businesses.
"It is a sign the economy is doing really well."
Low-level luxuries such as "a few more coffees" were helping fuel economic activity.
Kelly Services Hawke's Bay managing consultant Caroline Kermode said overall demand for staff was increasing, with hospitality "going through a real boom".
"There are far more vacancies for chefs, wait staff, housekeepers and front-of-house personnel than previously seen," she said.
"The amount of class 2, 4 and 5 drivers being advertised are on the rise, however I'm not sure if that is down to extra staff requirements or lack of available skilled labour. We always recommend to entry level industrial applicants that they get themselves a forklift licence and where possible a Class 2 as standard.
Demand for general administration positions was steady but more specialised commercial roles were "definitely on the increase".
"There are, however, so many great applicants in this area that it's tough to break through even for an interview."
"The quality of applicants across all sectors of the market has really improved, this is partly down to more skilled people moving into Hawke's Bay and partly due to local residents recognising they need to up-skill themselves."
The region's booming apple sector is having another good year, with Napier Port reporting last week more than 2200 more twenty-foot export containers shipped than for the same time last year.
Pipfruit New Zealand chief executive Alan Pollard said prices were strong and returns would be another record.
Less urbanised regions showed the strongest growth in the survey. Waikato was at 27 per cent, Manawatu 17.3 per cent, and Otago 19 per cent.
Regions for which the survey used only internet data had stronger annual growth: Northland 27.5 per cent, Gisborne 35 per cent, Taranaki 12.2 per cent and Nelson/Marlborough 43.9 per cent.
ANZ Senior Economist Sharon Zollner said it was the eighth consecutive national monthly increase and at 13.5 per cent the strongest annual growth in job ads since mid-2014.
"This data corroborates the message from our ANZ Business Outlook Survey, that firms are in a mood to hire. But increasingly, whether they will manage to find the staff they need is the question."
