Is it a good time to change your job?

Paul O’Loughlin

If the current strength of the Australian economy is any barometer of what you should do regarding your career, you would be tempted to commence your job search. Whilst recruitment agencies are still reporting a patchy domestic jobs market with demand running hot one month and then falling away the next. Of course, the ever-present threat of “lockdown” is not helping and the certainty of the virus being with us “forever” is about as encouraging as a wet weekend! National unemployment is running at 5.6% and falling. A year ago, the Australian treasurer said that our unemployment rate could hit 15%, so we have had an economic “road to Damascus” turnaround!

Across parts of Asia there appears to be a similar pickup in confidence. Singapore to mention just one country is talking about a “travel bubble” with Australia. We are about to formally open our first “travel bubble“ with New Zealand in a few weeks. This is a “significant” opening of our international borders, albeit with our mates across the ditch, but it will be a precursor to human capital being able to migrate from one economic zone to another.

Of course, much of the world remains a complete COVID basket case. Europe and the USA have gone from bad to worse and then back again. What a rollercoaster and how economically devastating for the countries affected. The impact on the jobs market globally is immeasurable. In just one case this week I was attempting to engage with 25 agencies in India to only discover the retched impact COVID is having on that country. Many of the agencies have been closed because their employees have been infected with the virus. This will not end soon, and it is having an impact on local and regionally based enterprise searching for talent.

As a general comment, Ubidy’s global activities support the view that there are still significant pockets of employment happening across certain industry sectors. I have mentioned previously, telecommunications, healthcare, cyber intelligence, mining and resources, energy including renewables, technology are all experiencing continued growth in employment and there is no indication this will end soon. Australia’s mining receipts have never been better, and irrespective of what your personal view is on the global warming debate, coal mining is still on the up and up with huge growth in demand from China, India, and other parts of Asia. The mining sector will continue to absorb talent exponentially into the future.

To predict where the global jobs market will be in 12 months is pointless. What I will say however is there will be absolute growth across enterprise both domestically and internationally. New industries will appear and the diversification in skills will continue globally.

Is it a good time to consider career? I say absolutely… seize the moment!

Ubidy | Global Talent on Demand