Figures collected by ANZ Bank show the biggest increase in newspaper job advertisements was in Western Australia, jumping 18.4% from October to November. However, job ads in the state are still down 27.9% compared to last year.
The other mining boom state, Queensland, went the other way to WA, with job ads declining by 4.4% from October to November.
Australia-wide, the trend was broadly positive with the total number of jobs advertised in major metropolitan newspapers and on the internet rising by 5.2% in November to an average of 140,658 per week – compared to a fall of 1.7% in October.
Total job advertisements are now 12.3% higher than the low point in July 2009, but remain 34.2% lower than in November 2008, ANZ said.
ANZ acting chief economist Warren Hogan warned that while the improvement in job ads was positive, the unemployment rate would probably lag these figures and may top out at about 6.5% due to growth in the labour force.
Additionally, new job creation has been in part-time roles, with around 85,000 new part-time roles, and not in full-time jobs, where some 10,000 full-time positions were actually lost since June.
Nevertheless, he said the overall trend suggested the economic recovery was gathering pace.
Another survey, from recruitment firm Manpower Australia, suggested that employers in the mining and construction sectors were returning to pre-downturn hiring intentions.
Using its employment outlook index, Manpower said overall 26% of Australian employers anticipated an increase in total employment in the first three months of 2010, 7% predicted a decrease and 66% expected no change, giving Australia a net employment outlook of plus 19%.
The recruitment agency said the employment outlook for mining employers was up to 20%, making mining the second-most optimistic sector in hiring behind services.
On a state-by-state basis, Queensland employers were most optimistic with a 19% outlook, while New South Wales employers were more moderate with an outlook of 16%.
Manpower Australia managing director Lincolm Crawley said the results showed strong growth and suggested employers were gearing up to begin hiring again in the new year.
Globally, Australia had the sixth-highest index rating, behind India, Brazil, Singapore, Taiwan and Costa Rica.
Crawley said the numbers showed the talent shortage was going to return.
“It never actually went away,” he said. “So now is the time for companies to get their talent strategy in order, before they face the twin pressures of needing to hire more people, and watching an exodus of existing employees.”
