While there’s still a way to go to come back from the challenges and job losses seen in 2020, there are encouraging changes emerging.
So, which roles and industries have seen the biggest bounce back in job ads? The Top 20 table below shows growth in job ads in the period September–November.
| RANK | INDUSTRY | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail & Consumer Products | Customer Service Assistant | 637% |
| 2 | Retail & Consumer Products | Team Member | 522% |
| 3 | Hospitality & Tourism | Room Attendant | 298% |
| 4 | Hospitality & Tourism | Commis Chef | 223% |
| 5 | Retail & Consumer Products | Sales Merchandiser | 209% |
| 6 | Hospitality & Tourism | Housekeeping Attendant | 206% |
| 7 | Call Centre & Customer Service | Sales Role | 206% |
| 8 | Hospitality & Tourism | Front of House Role | 180% |
| 9 | Information & Communication Technology | Solutions Designer | 180% |
| 10 | Trades & Services | Air Conditioning Role | 176% |
| 11 | Hospitality & Tourism | Hospitality Allrounder | 169% |
| 12 | Information & Communication Technology | Test Automation Engineer | 168% |
| 13 | Human Resources & Recruitment | Recruitment Role | 164% |
| 14 | Government & Defence | School Crossing Supervisor | 161% |
| 15 | Retail & Consumer Products | Optical Dispenser | 160% |
| 16 | Hospitality & Tourism | Bartender | 159% |
| 17 | Legal | Conveyancing Paralegal | 157% |
| 18 | Retail & Consumer Products | Counter Sales Role | 153% |
| 19 | Accounting | Finance Role | 151% |
| 20 | Trades & Services | Refrigeration Role | 148% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
Roles on the rebound
The scale of a bounce back from the lowest point of COVID-19 largely depends on an industry’s exposure to the crisis. Dean Davidson, Executive General Manager, Recruitment Australia & New Zealand at Hudson, says there’s no “one-size fits all for recovery”.
“Some of the large technology projects that companies put on hold in the earlier months of the year have started up, so we have seen growth in IT, for instance, and we expect this to continue. But the industries showing the greatest rebound are those that were most affected at the start of the pandemic.”
Which roles are bouncing back the most in each industry?
Select an industry from the dropdown below and see the jobs that are bouncing back the fastest.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance Role | 151.1% |
| 2 | Accounts Role | 113.5% |
| 3 | Group Accountant | 83.9% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business Trainee | 89.9% |
| 2 | Business Administration Trainee | 89.4% |
| 3 | Service Administrator | 83.3% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Journalist | 80.4% |
| 2 | Account Manager | 79.1% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Executive Manager | 125.5% |
| 2 | Risk Manager | 91.6% |
| 3 | Business Banking Manager | 83.3% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sales Role | 205.7% |
| 2 | Customer Service Adviser | 96.8% |
| 3 | Customer Relations Officer | 70.7% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Care Assistant | 69.1% |
| 2 | Residential Youth Worker | 63.8% |
| 3 | Practice Leader | 62.9% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carpenter | 103.6% |
| 2 | Residential Estimator | 91.7% |
| 3 | Building Surveyor | 74.5% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Consultant | 75.9% |
| 2 | Manager | 73.1% |
| 3 | Business Analyst | 36.4% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Town Planner | 76.2% |
| 2 | Designer | 67.9% |
| 3 | Product Designer | 63.0% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Specialist | 138.7% |
| 2 | Science Teacher | 135.5% |
| 3 | Classroom Teacher | 124.4% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Structural Draftsperson | 69.4% |
| 2 | Automation Engineer | 66.7% |
| 3 | Mechanical Draftsperson | 54.1% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Veterinarian | 85.0% |
| 2 | Nurseryhand | 63.4% |
| 3 | Farmhand | 36.0% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | School Crossing Supervisor | 161.3% |
| 2 | Lawyer | 95.7% |
| 3 | Specialist | 81.5% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Careworker | 83.3% |
| 2 | Accredited Exercise Physiologist | 81.5% |
| 3 | Clinical Lead | 79.6% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Room Attendant | 298.0% |
| 2 | Commis Chef | 223.2% |
| 3 | Housekeeping Attendant | 206.5% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Recruitment Role | 163.6% |
| 2 | Recruitment Officer | 140.5% |
| 3 | Recruitment Adviser | 102.1% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Solutions Designer | 179.5% |
| 2 | Test Automation Engineer | 167.6% |
| 3 | User Experience and Interface Designer | 120.6% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Underwriter | 40.5% |
| 2 | Claims Specialist | 33.3% |
| 3 | Insurance Broker | 27.3% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conveyancing Paralegal | 157.1% |
| 2 | Litigation Role | 78.3% |
| 3 | Conveyancer | 62.2% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warehouse Picker and Packer | 107.9% |
| 2 | Container Unloader | 84.1% |
| 3 | Linehaul Driver | 76.0% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marketing Role | 147.7% |
| 2 | Communications Manager | 74.7% |
| 3 | Digital Marketing Manager | 64.4% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diesel Mechanic | 95.7% |
| 2 | Supervisor | 47.3% |
| 3 | Electrician | 44.0% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sales Role | 92.7% |
| 2 | Administration Role | 54.3% |
| 3 | Development Manager | 45.3% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Customer Service Assistant | 637.2% |
| 2 | Team Member | 522.4% |
| 3 | Sales Merchandiser | 208.6% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sales Development Representative | 128.1% |
| 2 | New Vehicle Sales Consultant | 102.8% |
| 3 | Sales Role | 68.4% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laboratory Technician | 28.8% |
| 2 | Data Scientist | 15.5% |
| 3 | Environmental Scientist | 5.4% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lifeguard | 86.0% |
| 2 | Swimming Instructor | 75.0% |
| 3 | Group Fitness Instructor | 40.0% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
| RANK | ROLE TYPE | JOB AD INCREASE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Air Conditioning Role | 176.1% |
| 2 | Refrigeration Role | 148.5% |
| 3 | Greenkeeper | 134.1% |
Source: Percentage change in job ads listed on SEEK Sep-Nov 2020 compared to Jun-Aug 2020, SEEK Employment Report.
Hospitality roles rebound
The hospitality industry was one of the first to feel the impact of COVID-19 restrictions. While some businesses closed their doors during the crisis, others weathered the storm with fewer staff and a decline in customer numbers.
“During the peak of the pandemic, I saw owners stepping into roles like group manager or executive chef because they were cautious about hiring and paying big salaries,” says Julia Long, Agency Owner, Frontline Hospitality Northern NSW.
“That’s really changing now, and confidence is returning.”
Roles like room attendants, commis chefs and bartenders are among those making the strongest come back from their low point earlier in the year.
However, Long says employers may need to work harder to attract top hospitality talent as COVID-19 caused many workers to rethink their careers.
“Hospitality work can be tough,” she says. “The hours can be long and customers can be difficult, so many people have taken the opportunity to reskill and move into other industries.”
To attract the best talent to your business, Long recommends promoting a supportive and respectful working environment.
“Before COVID, parts of the hospitality industry had a bad name for underpaying staff, so employers need to promote themselves as a company that values and respects its employees,” Long says.
“Create a culture that people feel drawn to. I have restaurant and bar clients in the Hunter Valley that cap their chef’s working hours at 40 hours a week. All of them get paid over the award wage and there is a positive and respectful culture. These are the kinds of employers who can attract the best talent in hospitality.”
Retail makes a return
Lockdowns caused many retailers to close their doors during the peak of the pandemic. Deb Davis, Agency Owner - Sydney Retail, Frontline Recruitment Group, says stores that remained open experienced a reduction in foot traffic and this had a flow-on affect for staffing.
“Now that confidence is building across the country, we’re seeing a significant increase in store-based roles like customer service and merchandising.”
With more retailers recruiting again, Davis predicts competition may become tougher. She says offering flexibility will be a drawcard for candidates.
“After what we all went through last year, flexibility is high of the list of priorities for candidates, but it can be a challenge to offer this in the retail industry,” Davis says. “I’d suggest offering more three or four day permanent part-time roles and some flexibility around weekend work, where possible. We’re already starting to see more of this in the market.”
While workplace flexibility is an attraction that’s come into the spotlight recently, salary is still an obvious attraction worth paying attention to. “If you can offer $5,000 more a year than your competitors, you may attract the best person who will make that back for you in sales within a month,” Davis says.
Research conducted for SEEK reveals if there’s one thing candidates could change about their job, 1 in 3 would choose to change their salary. This was significantly higher amongst candidates aged 25-34 (54%) and aged 18-24 (42%).
As we head further into 2021, job ad growth across industries hardest hit by COVID-19 is a positive sign of broader economic recovery. But candidate priorities are changing, so it may be time to review your recruitment strategy in order to attract the best talent in this environment.
Source: Independent research conducted by Nature of behalf of SEEK, interviewing 4800 Australians annually. Published February 2021.
