News & Media
This resource for journalists and investors includes media releases, announcements and statements.
Media Contacts
Media representatives can contact Andrew Bassat (CEO) for information on topics such as:
- the origins and future of internet recruitment
- tips on how to conduct an effective online job search
- success stories and case studies of recruiters and job hunters who are using the Internet to fill - and find - jobs faster
- interviews with SEEK representatives
Contact SEEK by email, by phone on 03 9510 7200 (international 61 3 9510 7200 GMT +11 hours) or fax 03 9510 7244.
2012 Media Releases
07.02.12 Australian workers keeping an eye on new opportunities19.01.12 2011 finishes on a firm note
Media Release
Australian workers keeping an eye on new opportunities
A new independent study commissioned by SEEK, Australia's leading job website, has
found that 75% of the Australian workforce are either actively 'seeking' new roles
(27%) or 'monitoring' the market for future job opportunities (48%).
"It's positive to see that three quarters of the Australian workforce are active when it comes to looking for new opportunities", SEEK's Managing Director Joe Powell said. "This is good news for employers trying to attract candidates as they have greater choice however greater emphasis also needs to be placed on retaining valuable employees".
The remaining quarter of the workforce are quite settled in their current roles and do not plan on moving in the short-term. This group includes the self employed, older generations and those that have recently changed roles.
Call Centre and Customer Service workers showed the highest propensity to move roles with 59% applying for new jobs since mid last year. Other sectors with high levels of job seeking activity include Community Services and Development (52%), Sales and Business Development (47%) and Design and Architecture (41%).
It's not surprising to see that the self employed sector is the least likely to be looking for a change (21%). In addition, the Healthcare and Medical industry is a stable sector with only 23% of the workforce actively looking to move.
The SEEK Job Market Update also revealed that 41% of the labour force expect to change roles in the next 12 months and almost half of the workforce have been in their current role for less than 2 years.
"We see this trend particularly amongst the 18 - 24 year old age group who have left school or university and entered the workforce. This Gen Y demographic is willing to move and take new roles in the interests of career advancement and a higher salary." Mr Powell said.
While the 55 - 64 age group is the least likely to be seeking new opportunities, they're not resistant to change, with almost 1 in 5 still looking for their next opportunity.
For further information or to arrange an interview with a SEEK spokesperson, please contact:
Peter Osborne
SEEK Employment
0411 486 962
Andrew Hewett
Haystac
0438 646 697
David McHugh
Haystac
0466 775 195
Australia data has been weighted to the population statistics sourced from the Australian Labour force survey, June 2011 based on age, gender, labour force status, location for 20-64 year olds. No data was available to include 18-19 year olds. When the new census data is produced the data will be weighted to adults 18+.
Data in this release refers to Q1Q2 2011 (From June 2011 - March 2012)
Online penetration for the working population is now on par with or exceeds fixed-line telephone access. This is therefore the most statistically reliable and valid way of ensuring data represents the national population.
Media Release
2011 finishes on a firm note
- SEEK's figures show an increase of 3.4% in December job ads with a bias towards resource rich states and territories;
- SEEK Employment Index up by 5.3% reflecting the decrease in job applications over the holiday period;
- Growth in new job ads in December finish 2011 on a more positive note;
- Fast moving jobs include quality and assurance controllers up 75% as compared to this time last year, while jobs in the mining sector remain in hot demand this summer.
A rise in new jobs ads for December 2011 has finished off a variable year in the job market. The latest figures from SEEK, released today, show the number of new job ads placed increased by 3.4% for the month, seasonally adjusted.
New job ads are now 2.2% higher than the same month last year after 2 successive monthly declines. All major states recorded positive changes in new job ads: New South Wales, up 2.5%, Victoria up 0.6%, Queensland up 2.8%, South Australia, up 2.4%, and Western Australia up 10.2%.
The SEEK Employment Index (SEI) also rose by 5.3% in December due to this increase in new job ads coupled with a decline in job applications across all states, which is common at this time of year.
SEEK Managing Director Joe Powell said "While jobs growth has increased, it's difficult to say what this means for the jobs market due to the seasonal variability at this time of the year".
Reflecting back over the year, we saw steady new jobs growth across much of Australia in the first third of 2011, a continuation of the market recovery from mid 2009. As the year progressed we also saw a notable division between the mining and non-mining states.
"Western Australia constantly provided great employment opportunities. New jobs ads are now 20.9% higher than this time last year and reaching a new high in terms of jobs on site. Queensland also continued to rise throughout most of 2011 to finish 13.5% up year on year, further demonstrating the strength of the major mining states" said Mr Powell.
"In Victoria and New South Wales new job ads started to soften from around May and this trend continued for the following 6 months, easing up in November. It was a tough 6 months for both states so it is great to see them finish the year on a firmer note" Mr Powell said.
The SEEK Fast Movers have been dominated by the construction, mining and engineering roles topped by Quality and Assurance Controllers in the Construction industry - up 75% over the past three months. Mining Engineers and Drill and Blast Miners are also up by 69% and 71% respectively, and Process Engineers complete the top 5 with 63% growth.
Top five fast moving jobs (October - December 2011 compared to 2010)
- Quality and assurance controllers up 75%
- Drill and blast miners up 71%
- Mining maintenance engineers up 69%
- Corporate development consultants up 67%
- Process engineers up 63%
SEEK New Job Ad Index
New job ads registered with SEEK recorded a solid increase of 3.4% in December, following a modest increase in November. (refer Figure 1). The growth in the number of new job ads is currently 2.2% higher than the same time last year.
All major states recorded positive changes in new job ads: New South Wales, up 2.5%, Victoria up 0.6%, Queensland up 2.8%, South Australia, up 2.4%, and Western Australia up 10.2%".
The rise in new job ads was more pronounced in Western Australia where job ads (up 10.2%) are now 20.9% higher than same month last year. The bias toward resource rich states is also evident in Queensland that witnessed 13.5% growth in the year to December 2011.
Figure 1. SEEK New Job Ads Index (Average 2002-04 = 100), seasonally adjusted
SEEK Employment Index
The SEEK Employment Index, the ratio of new job ads placed with SEEK during the month to the number of applications for those jobs, increased by 5.3% in December on a national basis. The SEI represents the relationship between demand for workers and jobseeker applications.
The rise of the SEI was evident in most states and territories: New South Wales (4.3%), Victoria (3.1%), Queensland (4.6%), South Australia (6.8%) and Western Australia (10.2%). Tasmania recorded a decrease of 1.2%.
Figure 2. SEEK Employment Index (Average 2002-04 = 100), seasonally adjusted
Job Applications
New job applications declined in December, down 1.9% nationally. The decline in job applications was spread across most states and territories but less so in the resource rich states.
Applications were down in New South Wales 1.8%, Victoria, down 2.6%, Queensland, down 1.8%, South Australia, down 4.4%, Western Australia, down 0.1%, Tasmania, down 8.2% and no change in the Australian Capital Territory.
For further information or to arrange an interview with a SEEK spokesperson, please contact:
Peter Osborne
SEEK Employment
0411 486 962
Siobhan Koopmans
Haystac
0430 062 288
Andrew Hewett
Haystac
0438 646 697
* * *
About SEEK
SEEK is the number one job board in Australia & New Zealand in terms of both job
ad and jobseeker numbers. In Australia, seek.com.au hosts approximately 62 per cent
of all jobs on Australia's major job sites. In a given month, over 150,000 job advertisements
are posted on seek.com.au with over 4.8 million unique browsers* visiting the site.
In New Zealand, approximately 14,000 job ads are now posted on seek.co.nz, significantly
more than that of its nearest competitors. In Australia, SEEK also has the SEEK
Learning business which connects people with education and training to advance their
career and SEEK Commercial, where people can find businesses and franchises for
sale. *Source: Nielsen Online Ratings, Market Intelligence traffic data, monthly,
November 2011 **Source: SEEK Omniture, Nov 2011
About SEEK Intelligence
As Australia and New Zealand's leading employment website, SEEK has excellent insight
into these labour markets. SEEK regularly researches employment trends and jobseeker
sentiment and conducts quantitative and qualitative research of these audiences.
SEEK Intelligence is the reporting of these results and includes such reports as:
- The SEEK Employment Index
- The SEEK Survey of Employee Satisfaction & Motivation
Details can be found online at http://www.seek.com.au/investor/employment-index
About the SEEK Employment Index
Developed in consultation with Victoria University's Centre of Strategic Economic
Studies, the SEEK Employment Index (SEEK EI)is the first Australian aggregate indicator
to measure the interaction between labour market supply and labour market demand.
Specifically, the SEEK EI represents the relationship between demand for workers
and jobseeker activity. When the Index increases, it demonstrates a 'tightening'
employment market; where advertisers find it harder to fill roles (i.e.: demand
outweighs supply). This is favourable for jobseekers, as job opportunities are greater
and competition between applicants is reduced. Inversely, as the Index falls, it
demonstrates a 'softening' employment market (i.e.: supply outweighs demand) and
advertisers find it easier to fill roles. In this instance, jobseekers need to compete
for the available jobs.