DUBLIN, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The number of professional job vacancies available in Ireland reduced by 12 percent in July compared to the same month a year ago, and by 24 percent sequentially since June, according to a new survey on Wednesday.
The survey results, released by Morgan McKinley, a wholly Irish-owned multinational professional services recruitment company, showed there was a 5 percent increase in the number of professionals seeking jobs in Ireland in July compared to the same month a year ago.
This is seen as an indicator of continuing employee confidence, mobility and a willingness to consider opportunities, the recruitment company said.
It also said the July figures follow a generally buoyant six-month period to June 2017.
The significant reduction in professional job vacancies in July, which is also likely to carry through the current month of August, is considered seasonal in nature following a sustained period of intensive hiring in the professional services recruitment market in recent months, according to the company.
"There are currently fewer professional jobs coming onto the market however we have seen a much busier period of recruitment in the first half of 2017 than in any year previously since the economic crisis, so some level of seasonality is now to be expected," Trayc Keevans, the company's director of inward investment.
"In a very competitive market for talent acquisition, we are also seeing an elongation of hiring timelines including an increase in assertiveness by employers where there is a trend of counter offers being made to retain employees," she said.
"This is predominantly for critical functions in the ICT and financial services industries. Employers are also deliberately enhancing their career progression, succession planning and employee retention strategies," she added.
