Firms 'hiring more selectively' as professional job openings 'cooled slightly' over summer

Despite the fall, Morgan McKinley said the data points to the labour market stabilising rather than stalling

Professional job openings fell by 3% between July and September, compared to the previous three month period while the number of jobseekers declined by 10% during the same period. File photo

The number of professional job openings fell during the summer months along with a decline in the number of jobseekers, data from recruitment consultancy Morgan McKinley has found, with employers “hiring more selectively”.

According to the company’s latest Irish Employment Monitor, professional job openings fell by 3% between July and September, compared to the previous three month period while the number of jobseekers declined by 10% during the same period.

The company said the data reflects a typical summer slowdown and a period of more selective hiring. However, despite this fall, Morgan McKinley said the data points to the labour market stabilising rather than stalling.

Global Foreign Direct Investment Director at Morgan McKinley, Trayc Keevans, said hiring “cooled slightly” over the third quarter but “confidence is returning across the professional jobs market”.

“Employers are hiring more selectively, yet there's a growing appetite to plan ahead and invest in the skills that will drive productivity and transformation,” she said.

Ms Keevans said across the professional labour market “digital capability remains the common thread” whether this is through data analytics, automation or emerging AI applications.

“Organisations are preparing for the next phase of change, but human expertise, adaptability and collaboration remain the foundation of success,” she said.

Sectoral analysis

The construction sector was one of the strongest performers in the job market in the third quarter supported by public investment in infrastructure and demand for housing.

“Hiring was particularly strong for quantity surveyors, engineers, project managers, and design staff. Much of the new work is linked to schools, hospitals, roads, and rail projects currently in the design phase,” Ms Keevans said.

Recruitment in the technology sector remained consistent across the quarter with the strongest demand for enterprise resource planning specialists, cloud engineers, governance and risk analysts, threat-detection professionals, and test-automation roles.

In the financial services sector, recruitment was “steady but selective”, according to Ms Keevans, and was concentrated in banking, insurance, funds and wealth management. 

Hiring across accounting and finance functions remained firm, supported by demand for commercially focused and analytically skilled finance professionals.

“Activity also increased in onshore renewables and solar developments, which are seen as more viable than offshore projects that remain cost prohibitive. 

"By contrast, data-centre construction slowed due to a planning moratorium, prompting some mechanical and electrical contractors to seek projects elsewhere in Europe,” she added.

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Hiring in the field of human resources was steady during the quarter with demand centred on recruitment co-ordination, learning and development, employee relations, and HR information systems, reflecting ongoing investment in data-driven HR functions.

Hiring in marketing and legal hiring remained cautious as employers delayed discretionary spending and recruitment decisions, the firm said.

“Marketing teams prioritised project management and agency co-ordination skills, while legal firms slowed recruitment due to postponed client projects,” Ms Keevans said.

In life sciences, hiring strengthened as employers progressed with delayed projects following “tariff-related uncertainty earlier in the year,” Ms Keevans said.

“Employers offered higher rates for short-term contracts to secure the right candidates while maintaining cost discipline. Inflation continued to influence salary expectations, and flexibility remained limited in on-site roles,” she said.

The data is based on Morgan McKinley’s monthly records of new permanent and contract job vacancies and new candidates registering with the firm for employment. Statistics for the full market are derived using Morgan McKinley’s market share.