Media Release from Trade Me Jobs

COVID-19 already shaking up the jobs market

While it is too early to know what shape the COVID-19 pandemic will leave New Zealand’s job market in, the level 4 lockdown has already had an unprecedented impact on new and existing job listings over the past fortnight.

Head of Trade Me Jobs, Jeremy Wade, said news of the Government’s four week level 4 lockdown had an immediate effect on the number of jobs advertised onsite. Mr Wade said listing volumes had remained relatively steady throughout the COVID-19 news, until the imminent lockdown was announced. “Almost immediately we saw a 50 per cent drop in new listings and the number of listings withdrawn jumped by 40 per cent.”

There was a decline in listings across the board, but Mr Wade said some sectors came out worse than others. “As you’d expect, one of the hardest-hit sectors was hospitality and tourism. Following the lockdown announcement, the number of listings for chefs were down 42 per cent year-on-year and down 60 per cent when compared to January. Similarly, there were only half the number of wait staff job listings when compared to January.”

The trades & services sector also suffered after the announcement. “There was a steep drop in the number of hairdressing job listings following the lockdown announcement – with only a third of the amount we saw onsite in January, and 45 per cent less than the March last year.”

However, Mr Wade said some sectors managed to buck the trend. “While the transport & logistics sector saw a 12 per cent drop in listings year-on-year as a whole, management, freight forwarders and couriers job listings were steady, as these are roles still needed during the lockdown.”

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