Irish professional job opportunities fall 16pc in July 2013

7 Aug 2013

The summer holiday season and a slowdown in hiring are behind a 16pc fall in the number of new Irish professional job opportunities available between June and July, according to the July 2013 Morgan McKinley Irish Employment Monitor.

There were 9,147 new professional job opportunities available in June but that number dropped to 7,681 in July. The number of jobs available compared to July of last year decreased by 3pc to July of this year, from 7,953 to 7,681.

However, the number of professionals entering the job market month-on-month rose 10pc from 8,371 in June 2013 to 9,240 in July 2013. Compared to the same month last year, there has been a 19pc decrease from 11,365 in the number of new professional job seekers in July of this year.

“This decrease in July’s job numbers can be attributed to holiday season and subsequent slow down in hiring,” said Karen O’Flaherty, COO, Morgan McKinley.

“Professional job seekers numbers in July have been somewhat buoyed by an increase in the number of returning professionals from Australia, Canada and the UK. Returning professionals are securing roles across sectors, in particular finance, science, marketing and IT. Those successfully securing roles are sending a positive message back to overseas friends and colleagues that new opportunities are emerging in Ireland. The advice to returning job-seekers is to be prepared, it’s an employer’s market and the competition for every role is tough.”

Where the jobs are now

Demand has been high, though, in the finance sector, particularly for financial analysts/accountants, revenue accountants and internal audit professionals.

“Across the banking sector qualified accountants with very strong analytical skills in risk, stress testing, excel modelling and IT skills are in demand,” said O’Flaherty.

“Within funds and asset management, increased compliance and regulatory responsibilities resulting from the AIFMD (Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive) rule book is driving demand for project managers, business analysts and compliance and trustee professionals. Mid- to senior-level positions in this space are attracting salaries ranging from €50k- €100K, with a mix of permanent and contract opportunities.

The life-sciences sector has also been seeing a surge in demand for professionals across supply chain, quality assurance, quality control and logistics disciplines, thanks to inward investment.

In addition, medical-device and pharmaceutical manufacturers are driving demand for new product innovation engineers.

Demand for online marketers and inside sales professionals with pan-European experience also remains strong, with German remaining the most sought-after language for EMEA-headquartered customer service/sales operations.

“Looking forward to the remainder of the summer, we expect a further slowdown in the rate of new jobs being released and job-seekers looking for new roles as many hiring decisions are typically on hold over the holiday season,” O’Flaherty said.

Tina Costanza
By Tina Costanza

Tina Costanza was a journalist and sub-editor at Silicon Republic. She came to Ireland from Canada, where she had held senior editorial positions at daily newspapers in Ottawa and Toronto. When she wasn’t saving dangling participles, she was training for 10K races or satisfying a craving for scones.

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