We spoke to our Just Digital People Divisional Manager, Robert Richardson—who is part of the NSW team—about his research on the current state of the Sydney job market and about all things inflation and interest hikes. So, what does this mean for the job market in one of Australia's largest cities?

Robert Richardson says, "We saw a lot of people at the end of last year getting astronomical offers and clients looking for people but not securing the right professionals and paying well above people's salaries to find the right employees. But then in February, there were a few restructures, and we saw the market get a lot quieter with the high-level roles.”

"The high-level and the director roles became less common; many clients were pulling back and saying, ‘do we need people more hands-on?’ There were still C-Suite and Director roles, but much fewer. I think people thought, ‘if we're going to hire, maybe we find a smaller and lower-level team’."

Although, Robert Richardson says that during the last 6-8 weeks, we've started to see companies regain their confidence and hire for more senior positions again, especially now that the new financial year is here.

"We're starting to see it ramp up and seeing those higher-level roles again as well. So, the research shows that people went back to basics."

"The Sydney job market has changed, but with the new financial year, we expect to see it rocket back up to where it previously was, not sky-high but more than it has been. But in saying that, times have moved on; we've all seen how it's been with the interest rates and how the market has changed, so make sure you're realistic about what you want."

So, what’s our advice for job seekers in the Sydney job market and anywhere in Australia?

"The market is getting busier for candidates. The key bits of advice I'm giving to candidates is although there’s a couple of hundred people applying to LinkedIn adverts think about what sets you apart from your competitors."

"Make sure your CV and LinkedIn are as best as they can be, and make sure you highlight your achievements. If there's 20 of you putting what you do on a day-to-day basis, what sets you apart from the other 19?"

Robert Richardson says once you apply for a role, show initiative by reaching out to the hiring manager and making sure they know who you are and so your CV doesn't get lost among the others. 

"And come and reach out to the JDP team. We've got salary guides, industry advice, and relevant information we can give you, to help you secure your next role.”

"We've got a number of exciting product, marketing, and development roles as well, so definitely keep an eye out for more as they come through. I think there's going to be a lot of roles in this new financial year!"

"We're excited to keep growing our three core areas of design, marketing, and development and show where we add a lot of value—Sydney's the main hub in Australia, with many headquarters and major companies in the city, so there’s a lot of opportunity in the near future."

We're also looking to sponsor and set up some events in the city soon, so come along if you see one of these pop up in Sydney!

Have you got a question about the Sydney job market or the market in general? Contact Robert Richardson at 0466 655 056 or rob@justdigitalpeople.com.au!