Here is our market update for February 2022, showing you the latest stats and trends from the technology scene in Newcastle.
Hope you enjoy the episode!
James MacDonald:
Hey, James McDonald here from NewyTechPeople. And back this month with the jobs update for February, 2022. Positive news again, 149 jobs posted on SEEK in Newcastle in the technology space during February.
So what we’re looking at is that’s up 6% month to month. So February shorter month than January and still up 6% and then up 57% year on year, so a really positive uplift 2022 on 2021. Not overly surprising, obviously the job market is really rebounded. It seems like we’re nearly post pandemic when it comes from jobs perspective. I think a lot of companies are back in the full swing of things and companies are looking to hire, actively looking to hire 57% increase year on year is a big big increase in the job market from probably September, October last year, just continued to rise and rise and rise in Newcastle space. In saying that, I mentioned it last month, but SEEK, the performance of SEEK has been a gradual decline for many, many months.
Now, the quality of applicants and the quantity of applicants are both decreasing. So, there’s not as many tech professionals out there applying for jobs, so SEEK is becoming less quality from a sourcing perspective. I think a lot of companies using SEEK would actually notice that at the moment. So companies are starting to post a little bit less on there, meaning that these stats aren’t the overall best indicator for the quality or the quantity of the market at the moment. So I think across the board, Newcastle tech market, very very buoyant, a lot of companies trying to hire and there is a talent shortage, the talent shortage in technology across Australia, no different in Newcastle. So, if I had to look at, any pieces of advice out there, I think companies really need to be looking at an EVP. If you’re trying to hire technology professionals and in particular software engineering professionals at the moment you need to look at what is your point of difference. You can compete on price, which is a very quick way to budgets.
You can compete on work and flexibility, but nearly everyone’s offering some form of remote or hybrid at the moment. There are companies starting to move back into the office. It’ll be interesting to see how that plays out whether companies forcing people back in a couple of days a week, whether those people are starting to, have enjoyed remote work and don’t want do that and look for other opportunities. So, that’ll be an interesting piece, but outside of flexibility and the pure salary perspective, I think most companies providing both of them, it’s got to be be looking at what else can you provide people? Is it your tech stack? Is it there’s a culture? Is it the industry that you’re working in? And really being able to big that up is it career progression? What is it that your company can offer technology professionals in particular software engineering professionals to leave their job, to come and join you? I would say across the board if you’re writing job ads, you’ve got to lead with that. What is in it for them? What is in it for technology professionals? Because at the moment, it is extremely difficult to hire. And those candidates, if they’re candidates or technology professionals, if they’re willing to have a look at other opportunities at the moment, they’re not only looking at your company, there’s a good chance they’re looking at other companies and everyone’s pulling out their best stops to try to get the best people across the line. I’ll make it short, this episode.
My final piece is, I’ll just touch on there as well. That move back to the office is a bit of a trend happening in Newcastle, I think there’s a few companies out there that have actually made official statements or official notifications to their staff to say we’ll be moving back into the office one, two, three days a week. I’d be interesting to see how that plays out long term. I’ve heard both sides of the stories from tech professionals. I’ve heard people that want to be back in the office, want to be around people again. I’ve heard people that don’t like their at homework set up, you know, they’ve got distractions, whether it be family or they don’t have the right spaces there, so they are keen to get back in. And I’ve heard the flip side of that as well where we’ve got a lot of tech professionals who have enjoyed remote, enjoyed not having to commute and don’t want to ever go back to wasting a couple hours of their day commuting each day. So, it’d be really interesting to watch this space. I feel like there’ll be pros and cons on both sides. Some companies will attract people because of their hybrid approach, and some people lose people because of their hybrid or remote approach. So it’ll be an interesting watching space for the Newcastle market.
Again, I’ll be back next month with an update. I don’t expect any surprises, Newcastle tech market, we are talent short, a lot of companies trying to hire some real challenges out there. There’s not new tech talent popping up every day. A lot of people that are moving to Newcastle that used to look for a Newcastle based job, aren’t doing that anymore, they’re moving to Newcastle and they’re getting kept by the company that they’re working for in Sydney, Melbourne elsewhere. So, some real challenges out there with tech talent, do all you can to keep the people that you’ve got. And if you’ve got them, provide those trainings, stay in touch with them, see what they’re looking for, see what their motivators are.
I’ll be back next month, with another update, cheers.
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