‘No abundance of talent’ in jobs market

One of the country’s leading recruitment agencies has described as inaccurate the idea that there is an abundance of available talent in the jobs market.

The latest monthly employment monitor from Morgan McKinley shows a relatively buoyant jobs market continuing throughout May, but with demand outstripping supply.

May’s edition of the monitor registered a 1% decrease in the number of professional job opportunities, both on a monthly and annual scale, but an 11% increase in the number of people looking for new work opportunities. However, the number of jobseekers fell 9% on a year-on-year basis last month.

IT professionals were most active, following receipt of annual bonuses, but supply remains challenging, according to the survey.

“In Dublin, opportunities are mainly concentrated on senior appointments, at this time, and this is putting pressure on salaries in order to secure the best senior talent. Companies who are currently hiring are also competing with IT professionals receiving multiple job offers and this remains a nationwide concern,” according to Morgan McKinley’s chief operations officer, Karen O’Flaherty.

“There is an inaccurate perception that there is an abundance of talent in the market,” she added.

“As the appetite for specialist talent continues, hiring processes must become more efficient as companies are having to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Companies who are currently seeking top talent need to develop clear career pathways for new-hires and offer competitive rewards for candidates who receive multiple job offers.”