Job ad volumes on job board Seek Australia increased by 0.1% quarter-on-quarter at the end of March and 2.4% month-on-month in March 2024.

Seek’s Employment Report for March 2024, published last week, showed job ads have been moderating for some time and now appear to have stabilised over the past few months. The 2.4% monthly rise was the highest monthly increase since 2022.

Seek earlier this month published annual figures which showed a decrease of 14.9% in March.

On a monthly basis, by state, the Australian Capital Territory saw the biggest increase at 7.7% in March 2024. Tasmania saw the smallest increase at 0.7%.

On an annual basis, Victoria saw the steepest decline at 21.6%. The only increase was seen in the Northern Territory (2.5%).

Kendra Banks, managing director, Seek ANZ, said, “Job ad levels rose 2.4% in March and have now increased quarter-on-quarter for the first time in two years.”

“The broad decline we’ve observed in ad volumes since the peak of the mid-2022 jobs boom appears to be stabilising, although it’s early to be calling it a trend,” Banks said. “Roles in information & communication technology recorded strong growth again in March, rising 5.1% (over the month).”

“In fact, almost all industries recorded a rise in job ads month-on-month, which has not been the case for some time,” Banks added. “Over the past quarter, roles in consumer services have grown the most, with the greatest demand for real estate & property and retail & consumer products workers.”

Science and technology reported the biggest monthly increase at 12.3% over the month. On the other hand, hospitality and tourism saw the steepest decline at 0.6%.