The hiring market for professional jobs in Ireland is much more buoyant than this time last year, with the Morgan McKinley Irish Employment Monitor showing a 46pc increase in the number of new positions available in the second quarter.
The number of new professional job opportunities was 8,250 in June 2011, compared to 5,669 in June of last year. There wasn’t much fluctuation compared to May 2011, when the figure was 8,283.
Meanwhile, the number of professional job seekers dropped by 21pc compared to June 2010 to 9,855.
“In niche areas of the market, acute candidate shortages are being felt. For example, it is currently very difficult to find suitable professionals for IT development roles, and the recruitment process can be protracted as top-tier job seekers in this sector are often ‘spoilt for choice’,” explained Karen O’Flaherty, chief operations officer, Premier Group Ireland.
“We would be very supportive of the Government expanding educational and skills-based programmes in the field of IT, in line with efforts to position Ireland as the most exciting tech hub outside of Silicon Valley. We are home to some of the world’s largest technology companies, as well as countless start-ups, and as demand for IT professionals inevitably grows, it would be unfortunate to have to source IT talent from outside of Ireland.”
Export growth a key factor
She said export-driven multinational and indigenous companies are still leading the way in terms of hiring activity. The agriculture sector, in particular, is thriving and is at the core of the country’s economic recovery.
“This growth has fuelled demand from agribusinesses and companies that service this sector for professionals, in particular finance and accountancy specialists.”
Another busy jobs market and ‘area to watch’ as we move into the second half of the year is fund administration, according to O’Flaherty.
“A number of companies are seeking fund administration staff, some initially on a contract or temporary basis, off the back of recent business wins and/or expansion plans.
“July and August are traditionally quieter months for recruitment, with many hiring managers and job seekers enjoying well-deserved breaks. The pace of the hiring process is consequently affected and visibility of the jobs market over this period is typically lower.”
Photo: Karen O’Flaherty, COO of Premier Group
