Hays Manufacturing & Ops - January 2010
Hotspots
The Australian market has been quite resilient in the downturn, especially in the FMCG markets (Food and Beverage, Pharmaceutical and Packaging). Although no new roles were created we have seen constant movement of both senior managers and key operational staff. Many are moving to take on more senior roles or to lead projects; in both cases the remuneration increases have been substantial. Groups going through continuous improvement processes designed to reduce costs have lead the way with recruiting. The last quarter also saw an upturn in several other manufacturing sectors - most notably construction materials and transport equipment. However, this upturn was mostly attributed to government spending.
In general, along the Eastern Seaboard we have seen similar movement across the Food, Beverage, Pharmaceutical and Construction industries. Many of the roles have been filled with candidates already in Australia working with competitors; however the number of foreign nationals has steadily increased to meet the growing demand. The majority of these candidates were returning from work overseas in the UK, Europe or the USA or were candidates looking to immigrate to Australia from the Middle East.
The coming quarter
Employers have indicated they intend to now create new positions. Candidates have also become far more confident compared to 2009 and will now enter the job market in search of a new opportunity. This will increase overall recruiting momentum. FMCG will continue to be the leader especially in light of the many festivals taking place over the summer period including the Australian Open and the Australian Formula One. Construction will continue to grow with many projects a while away from completion.
Executive trends
In the last quarter we saw many larger FMCG organisations complete a restructure at the executive level. Many of these positions are still unoccupied as employers wait for a candidate that is the exact fit. For these vacancies employers seek driven, dynamic and ambitious individuals.
Employer trends
Employers remain extremely selective when recruiting and are prepared to wait for a candidate that is the 'exact fit'. They are also demonstrating a tendency for multi-skilled candidates who offer greater value for money. Although the economy is improving, employers remain tentative about the next quarter, with most predicting the upturn not to occur until well into 2010.
Candidate trends
While general candidate levels remain high, quality candidates in the above 'hotspot' areas are in short supply. Candidates have become more optimistic and greater numbers are now considering changing roles or taking on a fresh career challenge.
Overseas candidate numbers have steadily increased. The majority of these candidates are returning from an overseas working experience in the UK, Europe or the USA. However, there has also been a steady increase in the number of candidates looking to immigrate to Australia from the UAE and Asia.
