If you’ve become a serial job hunter in your last semester and have your Seek or Indeed profile linked to your email, you may have noticed over the past 11 months that job advertisements have been non-stop flooding your inbox. It’s good news for university students and grads this year, with Seek reporting an all-time high for job opportunities posted on their platform this month since 2010.
The economy may be beginning to turn for us to finally come out of this gloomy post-mining-sector-demise. You can almost feel it in the air: consumer sentiment is improving, spending is increasing and businesses need all hands on deck – just as we head into summer. So, now is the best time to polish your resume, get your references in order and keep adding to your professional digital footprint.
Whether you graduated mid-year, are still at uni, or are expecting to leave us very shortly, there’s some key industry facts you should be aware of:
Don’t give up on WA
There’s been reports of late that WA isn’t performing too well; but, if you’re keen to keep kicking along hunting for a job then take note. WA is slowly beginning to rise from its slumber – with the Mining, Resources and Energy sector leading an incredible growth this last year; it saw a 60% rise in jobs advertised online. Health Care and Medicine were also amongst the group advertising heaps of opportunities. Overall the state rose 17.8% in job advertisements online.
East coast is thriving
Don’t mind the idea of moving interstate once you graduate? Then why not look into opportunities across Victoria and NSW – where the highest amount of jobs were recorded. Online job boards are reporting advertising trends of job openings, with NSW noting a 7.1% increase and Victoria 15%. These states saw industries such as Information and Communications Technology do well with a 9% increase in job opportunities over the past year; Education also rose 3%.
Candidates also in demand were those with qualifications in real-estate and property, this industry saw a 7% rise in job ads; and government and defence roles saw a 30% calling increase.
The invisible job market
No matter your degree discipline, qualification or level of experience, it’s important to remember that not all jobs are advertised online. In fact, according to the Australian Department of Employment only 56% of all vacancies are advertised on the Internet, on employer’s websites or in the newspaper. Additionally, one third of vacancies are not formally advertised, but instead use informal methods such as word-of-mouth or candidates are approached directly by job seekers.
What’s your competitive advantage?
Reports also demonstrate that competition for jobs is extremely inflated, with on average 18 applications received by employers for every job ad posted. So, be proactive in seeking out or considering opportunities while you can and whilst the industry is performing well. Consider your competitive edge against other candidates and ensure these personal achievements or qualities shine through on your applications.
Did you know you can complete the ‘How do I get to know my industry?’ module online any time through Curtin Challenge.
