Job seekers, the time is now!

Sharpen up your CV because it is a good market for job seekers! This is according to the latest CareerJunction Index (CJI) analysis, that reports that during February there was less competition in the job market for job seekers. Recruiters, however, have stiffer competition.

The first of its kind, the CJIprovides an overview of the online labour dynamics in South Africa. The report gives a detailed analysis of job supply and demand in the online market, based on data gathered from the Career-Junction website.

SKILLS IN DEMAND

Based on its research, the report outlines the occupations that are in high demand. These skillsets include software development, which saw an increase of over 20% from January to February and remain popular within the local job market. 

Middle managers are sought after too, with the report noting that managerial skills are in demand within the labour market. During the last six months, there has been an almost 20% increase in jobs advertised for sales consultants, with a steady increase in hiring activity from December.

EMPLOYMENT SECTORS TO WATCH

When looking at the recent hiring activity within the online job market, there are five employment sectors that are thriving. These sectors are:

• information technology
• architecture and engineering
• manufacturing and assembly
• sales
• business management.

HIGH SUPPLY VERSUS DEMAND

It is interesting to see what skills are on offer versus what skills are sought after. During February, the top skills on offer included admin and office support, business and management, finance and information technology.

Recruiters, on the other hand, are on the lookout for skills that include information technology, business and management, finance as well as sales.

With a CJI index at a high of 107, now seems to be a good time to test out that job market for job seekers. Any CJI score over 100 indicates a healthy market for job seekers, as the demand for employment outweighing the supply.

The CareerJunction Index (CJI) Executive Summary report is available for download here.