After months of falling demand, New Zealand’s jobs market is finally showing signs of stabilising, with advertised roles rising for a fourth month in a row – even as competition for each vacancy remains near record levels.

According to the latest SEEK NZ employment report, the volume of job ads increased by 1 percent in October. That marks the fourth consecutive monthly rise and leaves advertised roles 7 percent higher than the same month last year – the strongest annual growth in job ads since November 2022.

SEEK country manager Rob Clark says the data suggests hiring activity has finally levelled out after “many months of decline”, even though many job hunters are still finding it tough to secure a role.

Advertised roles lift across most of the country

The October figures show a broad, if modest, recovery across much of the country.

• Hawke’s Bay and Otago recorded the strongest gains, with job ads up 3 percent in October.
• Gisborne was the weakest region, with advertised roles slipping 1 percent.
• Auckland job vacancies rose by 1 percent – the city’s first monthly increase in more than a year, pointing to a tentative turnaround in the country’s largest labour market.

Clark says one encouraging sign is that growth is not confined to a single sector or region. Instead, SEEK is seeing “modest gains across most industries and in most regions around the country”, suggesting the improvement is reasonably widespread rather than driven by one hotspot.

Tech and service sectors lead industry gains

While the overall rise in job ads is relatively small, some sectors are clearly pulling ahead.

• Sport and recreation roles posted the strongest monthly increase, up 4 percent in October.
• Education and training, legal, construction, and hospitality and tourism each saw job ads rise by about 3 percent for the month.

Technology remains one of the standout areas of demand. SEEK’s data shows science and technology, along with ICT roles, are up around 15 percent annually – a strong signal that employers are still hiring for specialist skills in these fields, despite wider economic uncertainty.

For job seekers with experience in tech, engineering, or related disciplines, the figures point to comparatively better prospects, even as more general roles remain highly competitive.

More jobs – but even more applicants

The catch is that, while there are more jobs on offer, there are also more people chasing each one.

SEEK reports that the number of applicants per job rose by a further 2 percent in October, leaving applications per vacancy close to record highs.

That means candidates may notice more listings, but they’re also competing in a more crowded field, with employers often able to choose from large pools of qualified applicants. For many New Zealanders still hunting for stable work, the market remains “extremely tough”, despite the uptick in ads.

Kiwis still looking across the Tasman

The pressure at home is also pushing more New Zealand job seekers to look offshore.

SEEK’s data shows New Zealand is now the strongest source of non-Australian applicants for roles across the Tasman, underlining how many Kiwis are prepared to move for better pay, more security, or simply a higher chance of getting hired.

For employers, that brain drain risks making it harder to fill some skilled roles locally, even as applications pour in for others.

What this means for job hunters

For people currently on the job hunt, the latest figures paint a mixed picture:

• More choice, but not easy wins
  There are more roles being advertised than a year ago, and growth is no longer going backwards. But with applications per job still climbing, simply firing off more CVs is unlikely to be enough.
• Target growth sectors and regions
  Job seekers may have better odds if they focus on sectors where demand is rising – such as technology, construction, education, or hospitality – and keep an eye on regions like Auckland, Hawke’s Bay and Otago where ads are lifting.
• Sharpen applications
  In a market with high applicant numbers per role, tailored CVs, strong references and clear evidence of skills and results matter more than ever.
• Consider relocation carefully
  Australia continues to attract large numbers of New Zealand applicants. While the data shows that pathway is popular, moving countries comes with costs and risks that each person needs to weigh up against local opportunities.

A cautiously hopeful turning point

After a long stretch of falling demand, the latest SEEK NZ employment report offers a cautiously positive signal: hiring activity is no longer in freefall, job ads are climbing again, and the recovery appears to be spread across many sectors and regions rather than just one niche corner of the economy.

However, with applicants per job still near record highs, the jobs market remains stacked in favour of employers. For job seekers, the message is clear: conditions may gradually be improving, but landing the right role will still require persistence, flexibility, and smart targeting of the sectors where demand is strongest.