Rotorua job market looking strong

FILE

The Rotorua job market is showing strong signs of growth, giving new optimism for local job hunters in 2014, figures show.

The number of Rotorua job listings went up by 14 per cent to 477 listings compared with the same period in 2012, according to Trade Me Jobs, which released data for the October-December quarter.

The number of job vacancies nationwide advertised on Trade Me jumped 17 per cent year-on-year, led by growth in hospitality and tourism - both up 30 per cent - and agriculture, fishing and forestry, up 32 per cent.

IT positions continued to dominate the top end of the pay scale, topped only by specialist healthcare jobs.

It follows newly-released 2013 job data from the Seek job website showing almost 7000 jobs were advertised in the Bay of Plenty during 2013, a 13 per cent increase on 2012.

Rotorua Personnel Resources consultant Tanira Raureti said the number of roles available had increased, however many of their clients were looking to fill short-term positions.

Requests for administration, accounts payable and accountancy staff had increased.

Although the Christmas season was generally quiet, it was a time when companies made staffing and strategy decisions for the year ahead, which could drive an increase in new job listings.

It was difficult to tell which sectors would be hiring over the coming months but she anticipated 2014 would be busy.

Many companies were choosing not to advertise positions because they were inundated with applicants, so outsourced the process to recruitment consultants.

"If you look in the newspaper and you don't see so many jobs advertised, it doesn't necessarily mean there are no jobs out there."

Head of Trade Me Jobs Peter Osborne said overall many employers predicted a healthy job market for 2014.