Last updated: July 7, 2020

It can feel pretty tough to look for work or think about your career options in this economic environment. But taking a look at where job ads are on the up could help you shape your search.

COVID-19’s impact on the Australian employment market has been swift and far-reaching. But as Australia begins its long road to recovery, there are promising signs that the job market is making progress, with the latest employment data showing a 39.7% month-on-month growth in jobs advertised on SEEK.

While it's important to note that these numbers are a long way from where they sat before COVID-19, it does suggest that we may have turned a corner, as long as a return to tighter restrictions isn’t necessary.

The largest contributors to job ad growth are the Hospitality & Tourism industry (+138%), Trades & Services (+36%), and Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics (+33%).

All states and territories have seen an increase in job ads, and South Australia leads the charge with the largest growth month-on-month, up 52.4%.

Hardest hit industries are recovering

Industries that were hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic are rebounding at a good pace. In Hospitality & Tourism, authorities giving businesses the green light to restart their operations resulted in increased hiring activity. Top jobs in the sector included chefs and cooks and front of house staff.

After being closed for several months, nail salons, hairdressers, and other personal maintenance services are expected to see an increase in consumer demand, contributing to the increase in Trades & Services.

The growth in Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics saw analysis and reporting roles, quality control, and assembly and process work being among the top jobs in the sector. Warehouse and road transport roles also remain strong, which aligns with increased demand from non-essential businesses as they reopened during May.