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THE NUMBER OF professional vacancies in Ireland has increased in the last month and is up almost 20% since this time last year.
According to the latest Morgan McKinley employment monitor, there was a rise of 4% in professional job vacancies in August. The number of professional seeking jobs was also up 9% on August last year, at 8,930.
The monitor pointed to an important factor in this vacancy increase – they are permanent jobs. Many are also situated in new divisions as companies expand.
“These growth plans by firms across all sectors hint at increased confidence in business growth for 2014 and into 2015,” commented Morgan McKinley’s Ireland Chief Operations Officer, Karen O’Flaherty. “We are seeing entire new divisions being formed and staffed by new teams and these expanded service offerings obviously bode well for the future.”
She said the growth in jobs has had a positive knock-on effect across many disciplines with support staff and those who deal in back office functions becoming further in demand.
Job seekers are finding it possible to gain employment in industries outside of their core disciplines with accountants finding that their skills are required in tech firms and tech professionals being needed in accounting firms.
However, the monitor also found that there are often “significant differences” in salary expectations between jobseekers and employers, particularly in industries such as engineering.
“This hinders the hiring firm filling these roles, particularly since many job seekers are already in employment and in high demand,” explained O’Flaherty. “To take account of this, all firms looking to hire professionals would benefit from benchmarking salaries and benefits to gauge what candidates are looking for before offering jobs. Those who are failing to do this are the ones who are challenged in trying to source the right talent.”
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There is no question in my mind that since the tiger stopped roaring employers have been taking advantage of their employees on the wages front, this IMO is yet more proof.
So true, this whole ‘you should be glad you have a job’ attitude. Very little incentive in workplace anymore
Totally agree, the fear factor after the “crash” meant people got so desperate that they literally worked for nothing in high and semi skilled jobs. The thing is the unskilled or low paid jobs like burger joints etc never dropped their wages, and that’s no offence to anyone by the way we all have to start at the bottom. However the fear that was driven into people with degrees and sometimes masters was crazy, IMO it actually added to the mass immigration. Employers got greedy, they took advantage of peoples fear and lined they own pockets.
You are absolutely correct Stephen.
What’s particularly frustrating about employer’s attitudes to wages is that they show a complete lack of common sense! They seem to fail to realise that if they offered a decent wage in the beginning they might find themselves retaining their staff over longer periods and so would save money on rehiring and retraining staff. Employers never seem to be aware of the financial loss in terms of productivity every time someone leaves.
While I agree with this and think companies have a lot of answer for, I also have to comment about the other side, employees thinking they are worth more than they are. And actually refusing to work if their wage demands aren’t met. You always have to start at the bottom. Doesn’t matter who you are. There’s a big sense of entitlement off people these days that wouldn’t be tolerated anywhere else.
As a job hunter this time last year and gaining a 1 year contract and therefore hunting again this year there are more jobs around now. I’m in HR myself and start a permanent job on Monday my first permanent role in 4 years since bring made redundant from the engineering sector, I’m returning to the engineering sector too!
Ronnie you looking for any engineers?
Is the picture really a job interview? More like a “I’m pregnant’ to me
Looks more like a married man at his STD Dr being told he has a dose of the pox lol
If I was going to be controversial, I’d say it looks like a guy on the dole being told he was successful in getting a job bridge placement.
But I’m not, so I won’t.
From what I can tell, there are plenty of jobs out there if you have the right skillset. I had considered applying and coming back, but found that most jobs in my area pay around 20k less in Dublin, so will hang on.
I certainly do remember the old “you are not getting an increase, and if you don’t like it – there are people lined up on the streets ready to take your place” mentality from employers in Ireland. Hoping that the tables will turn.
unfortunately not, I was told I would be a fool not to take the job .. this was a highly skilled job in Sandyford, offered 21k HA!
Wonder will employees get back their savage wage cuts back, now that most companies are in the black. Also the USC was supposed to be a temporary thing?
Well it looks like the wages are proxy by the sight of him
We have become a nation of taking it on the chin, really as difficult as it is, we have to start becoming assertive and saying no to a society that takes hundereds and gives euros ,…..
I seen one job advertised and they are looking for a very highly skilled person on a basic wage. If
There won’t be an improvement in the domestic economy until wages are increased. 1.8 million people in this country only have 100 euro a month in disposable income http://www.thejournal.ie/credit-union-money-survey-1096570-Sep2013/
Part of the industry I’m involved with saw staff take pay cuts including myself of about 30/40%, Some companies within the industry pay their staff about €100 a day.
Which might not sound to bad but when the employee is doing 13/15 hour days it works out less than the min wage.
Certain companies still pay a living wage including shift allowance OT etc, But with the emergence of these agencies over the last 6 years the wages in certain sectors have plummeted even futher.
have your say