Hays Property - July 2010
Hotspots
Client-side Project Managers and Project Delivery specialists are needed in response to public and recent private sector investment. As the economy resurges, more investment will be injected into new and existing assets.
Another area of high demand is in specialist site acquisitions for retailers following steady consumer spend in food, specifically fast food. Any candidate who can demonstrate immediate value-add capability is of interest now that recruitment freezes have been lifted.
Experienced and registered Residential Property Managers are also needed.
Finally, Residential Land Developers and experienced Land Sales Agents with built form experience will be in demand given rising consumer demand for quality land subdivisions and the good supply of land reaching development and/or sale stages.
The coming quarter
During the coming quarter we expect the demand for candidates across all areas of property to remain extremely strong, particularly within development management as increased levels of investment are made available.
We also expect a rise in the number of permanent entry-level property roles. During the GFC entry-level staff were promoted to mid-level roles, but their role was not back-filled. Employers are now recruiting at this level again.
Executive recruitment
Risk Management positions in major organisations will become more prevalent in the executive space. Candidates with previous blue-chip experience, particularly corporate finance, will be sought.
Employer trends
Employers are aware that candidates are slowly becoming harder to find, particularly in the hotspot areas listed above. Consequently they have started to reinvest in their existing staff and counter-offers are becoming more common for candidates who remained employed throughout the GFC.
But attraction strategies are yet to improve. Primarily employers are using particular projects or the company's reputation as the incentive to join. They remain diligent in their hiring processes, taking great care when hiring. It's also been common for potential employees to be introduced to the wider team to ensure cultural fit.
In general, larger companies have selected from the top talent, creating opportunities to secure their skills. Consequently they have emerged from the GFC stronger and better equipped. But smaller organisations are still recovering, taking longer to regain momentum and build their teams.
Candidate trends
There has been an increase in candidate activity. Candidates generally remained with their employer during the GFC, waiting for the market to improve before making a move. As these quality candidates now enter the job market in search of career advancement, overall recruiting momentum is rising.
We advise candidates to be thorough when preparing their CV. Mistakes provides an employer with a reason not to interview you.
