The job market continues to shift as economic pressures, business confidence, and workforce dynamics evolve. We’ve analysed SEEK job ad trends across key categories, comparing February figures over the past four years and looking at month-on-month changes from January 2025. Here’s what we’re seeing:
Accounting
Accounting job postings have steadily declined from 8,776 in 2022 to just 6,892 in February 2025, with a sharp month-on-month drop from January (4,347). This could reflect ongoing automation in finance functions, consolidation of roles, and a tighter hiring approach from businesses aiming to manage costs more effectively. The demand for accountants remains, but it perhaps employers are streamlining teams rather than expanding them.
Administration & Office Support
After peaking in 2023, this category has seen a significant drop over the years, with 9,198 roles in February 2025 compared to 13,345 in 2023. However, the month-on-month increase from January (5,920) suggests hiring activity has picked up post-holiday, likely driven by businesses preparing for the year ahead and stabilising operational teams. While long-term trends show a decline, there’s still a need for administrative support in organisations that value structure and efficiency.
Legal
Legal job postings have remained relatively stable over the years, hovering around 2,700–3,000 roles annually. The increase from January (1,752) to February (2,793) indicates renewed hiring activity, potentially reflecting law firms and in-house legal teams ramping up recruitment after the usual holiday slowdown. This sector appears to be more insulated from broader economic fluctuations, with steady demand for legal professionals.
Human Resources (HR)
HR roles have been in decline since 2022, falling from 5,396 to 3,070 in February 2025. However, there was a notable increase from January (2,196), suggesting businesses are reintroducing HR positions as they finalise workforce planning for the year. While leaner HR teams and outsourcing trends remain, this uptick may indicate a shift in how companies balance cost efficiency with internal HR expertise.
ICT (Information & Communication Technology)
ICT job postings have declined significantly over the years, from a peak of 18,834 in 2022 to just 8,558 in February 2025. Despite this long-term trend, there was a notable month-on-month increase from January (5,238), suggesting businesses are hiring for key projects or backfilling roles after a period of hesitation. While hiring volumes are nowhere near their previous highs, it is good to see this small month on month rebound for tech talent.
CEO & Management
The demand for executive and management roles has gradually declined from 665 in 2022 to 473 in February 2025. However, the increase from January (389) suggests businesses are making strategic leadership hires early in the year. The growing trend of engaging interim General Managers or project-based executives continues, as businesses seek leadership agility without long-term commitments.
Sales
Sales roles have fluctuated in recent years, peaking in 2022, dipping in 2023, and remaining relatively steady since. February 2025 saw an increase to 7,443 roles from January’s 4,903, reflecting businesses gearing up for Q1 sales pushes. While economic caution persists, it seems companies are still investing in revenue-generating roles, particularly in competitive markets where proactive sales efforts are crucial.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing job postings saw a major month-on-month increase from 9,525 in January to 14,718 in February 2025. While we don’t have historical data for previous years, this sharp rise suggests a strong demand for roles in roles in this sector, potentially driven by supply chain improvements, local production incentives, and post-Christmas inventory ramp-ups. Manufacturing appears to be one of the few sectors showing notable hiring growth.
Overall Market Trends
The job market reflects broader economic realities—sectors like manufacturing and legal remain resilient, while ICT, administration, and HR have seen major contractions over the years. The shift towards contract and project-based hiring, particularly in management and tech, is becoming more apparent. Businesses seem to be prioritising cost control and flexibility over headcount expansion which could make 2025 a more strategic hiring year than a growth-driven one.
What’s your take? Have you seen these trends in your industry? Let’s discuss.