Jobs on the Rise
Friday, September 12, 2014 6:24 am
As is typical at this time of year in the recruiting cycle, the number of job advertisement figures show an increase from the last few months. This should also continue through September and October before the trend downward again for the end of year. Apparently, August was the largest single month-on-month increase since the series started in 1978.
In publishing the figures, the ABS said: "The ABS reported the number of people employed increased by 121,000 to 11,703,500 in August 2014, seasonally adjusted. The increase in employment was driven by increased part-time employment for both males - up 65,400 persons - and females, up 41,300 persons."
There does, however appear to be mixed feelings by many economists surrounding the accuracy of these figures.
Reserve Bank of Australia governor Glenn Stevens had alluded to this apparent disconnect with the ABS data, although he has also warned that the jobless rate is likely to stay at or above 6 per cent for the foreseeable future.
"The Bank's assessment remains that the labour market has a degree of spare capacity and that it will probably be some time yet before unemployment declines consistently," he said in comments around the RBA's decision last week to hold the cash rate at 2.5 per cent.