Job ad volumes in Australia decreased 20.5% year-on-year in August according to job board Seek.

Seek noted that job ads in August were 19.7% higher than August 2019. On a month-on-month basis, job ads fell 1.8% in August.

Applications per job ad increased for the sixth consecutive month, rising 6.5% in July from the month prior and are now more than double the year prior. Applications per job ad data is recorded with a one-month lag.

Matt Cowgill, Seek senior economist, said, “After a bump in volumes in July which saw job ads rise for the first time in six months, ads fell in August by 1.8%.”

“Job ads in retail & consumer products rose by 3.2% month-on-month,” Cowgill added. “This shows retail businesses across the country have begun preparing for the busy Christmas period, with increasing demand for retail assistants and department/assistant manager roles.”

“It is an increasingly competitive market for candidates with applications per job ad now more than double the levels recorded this time last year,” Cowgill said. “Roles in all industries are receiving increased interest, with applications per job ad for manufacturing transport & logistics roles growing by 19.8% over the past quarter.”

“When we remove the peaks and troughs caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, we see historically high volumes of opportunities for workers, matched with proportionately large application levels from candidates,” Cowgill said. “We do appear to be moving closer to a hirer’s market, and yet there is still plenty of choice for workers looking to make a move.”

By state, Victoria saw the steepest year-on-year decline with a 27.2% decrease in August. This was followed by New South Wales (23.8%).

Over the month, the steepest fall was seen in Tasmania (-10.0%).

On the other hand, the Northern Territory (0.7%) and Victoria (0.2%) recorded increases. In Victoria, growth was led by an 11.9% jump in demand for retail & consumer products workers. In the Northern Territory, growth in trades & services (11.0%) and education & training (16.0%) contributed to the monthly uplift. 

By industry, the biggest monthly decline was seen in consulting and strategy (-10.3%). Ads in Retail & consumer products rose 3.2% over the month, particularly for retail assistant positions which were up 8% as businesses prepare for the busy Christmas period.