As a seasoned recruiter, I’ve witnessed the many ups and downs of Australia’s job market over the last few decades.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) recently reported an increase in the unemployment rate, raising concerns about the job market’s stability. However, we need to unpack the facts before we hit the panic button.

While the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in January 2024 reached 4.1%, passing the 4% mark for the first time in two years, Bjorn Jarvis, head of labour statistics at the ABS, noted that this increase coincided with a higher-than-usual number of unemployed individuals planning imminent employment, mirroring a trend observed in January 2022 and 2023.

The data also confirms a labour market slowdown, with the growth in employment growth slowing since March 2023, just like growth in hours worked which also been negative since July 2023.

You can rest assured that this data suggests a temporary shift, not a collapsing job market. The Western Australian job market remains robust and sectors including Mining, Energy, Engineering, Legal, Accounting, Local Government and Manufacturing continue to offer exciting opportunities for our job seekers.

It’s important to remember that Australia is coming off a tight labour market and the ABS fluctuations are a part of the natural economic adjustment to reduce inflation.

Additionally, external factors such as the upcoming US election, global conflicts, rising living costs, decarbonization efforts, and the progressive implementation of AI will also influence the Australian job market.

I must emphasize that the extent of this employment trend fluctuation will be slight. And so, if you’re in the market for a new job, my advice is to keep up your efforts! It’s still business as usual for recruiters in the extremely resilient WA market and it will only get stronger by year-end as we continue to source the skilled workers critical for our clients’ success.

You can call me on +61 448 941 832 to discuss your opportunities in the current job market today.

 

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