Low-interest rates and sliding business confidence are not holding Kiwi employers back on the hunt for talent.
According to online employment website SEEK's employment trends report for Q3 2019, the average advertised salary for jobs across New Zealand rose by 3.3 percent compared to Q3 2018, to $81,102.
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A small jump of 0.9 percent in the number of jobs advertised compared to the third quarter of 2018 suggests that employers haven't tempered their employment expectations.
According to the report, the agricultural sector had the highest increase in salary on offer.
Wellington and Auckland remain plum places to earn above $80k, while the community services sector and the Marlborough region had the highest rise in job numbers.
Fastest-rising salaries by industry
The sector with the highest growth in salary was farming, animals and conservation, with an increase of 8 percent compared to Q3 2018, commanding an average salary of $74,101.
Average salaries within the community services and development sector rose 6.8 percent to $67,875, while average pay on offer within consulting and strategy increased by 5.9 percent, to an average of $104,995.
Salaries for jobs within manufacturing, transport and logistics sector increased by 5.9 percent, year-on-year, to an average of $70,414. Coming out fifth, average salary in the retail and consumer products sector increased by 5.2 percent, to $55,696.
Areas paying the big bucks
As expected, Wellington, followed by Auckland command the highest advertised salaries across New Zealand.
The region with the highest jump in salary last quarter compared to 2018 was the West Coast, with a 9.7 percent increase, to an average of $78,420, followed by Northland, with a 9 percent increase to an average of $72,701.
Top three average salaries by region, July to Sept 2019
- Wellington: $89,309
- Auckland: $82,628
- West Coast: $78,420
Bottom three average salaries by region, July to Sept 2019
- Marlborough: $68,933
- Gisborne: $70,474
- Southland: $70,507
Although Marlborough had the lowest average salary of $68,933, the region also experienced the highest growth in new jobs (80) by percentage of total population, compared to the same quarter in 2018.
Growth industries for number of jobs
The community services and development industry took the cake for the highest increase in the number of jobs advertised year-on-year, climbing by 31.4 percent in Q3 2019 compared to Q3 2018.
Jobs in government and defence increased by 18.2 percent, education and training by 17.8 percent and marketing and communications by 15.6 percent.
At the bottom end, the number of jobs advertised within the real estate and property sector fell by 13.6 percent, while those in insurance and superannuation fell by 12.5 percent, and sales opportunities fell by 9.9 percent, compared to the same time last year.
Growth regions for number of jobs
In Marlborough, opportunities were abound last quarter, with a 17.4 percent increase in jobs advertised compared to the same time last year.
In the Hawkes Bay, the increase in job numbers was 12.9 percent, followed by Southland, with an increase of 11.5 percent.
Janet Faulding, SEEK New Zealand general manager said employer demand in the Waikato was also on the up, with a 6.6 percent increase in jobs and increased demand to fill both both white and blue collar roles.
"[In] the Waikato, we're seeing more roles contributing to growth, including Information and Communication Technology, Retail, Construction and Trades & Services," Faulding said.
Craig Ebert, senior markets economist for BNZ said that recent business surveys indicate glimmers of positivity around employment intentions.
"The latest NZIER Quarterly Survey of Business Opinion recorded a 3-month outlook on staffing better than [last quarter], setting [the outlook] further above its long-term average," Ebert said.
With the average salary and number of jobs advertised across the country on an upward trend, this is good news for job-hunters poised to seek out new opportunities.
Newshub.
