Key takeaways

1. Candidate activity is rising fast as job ads remain at low levels
Applications per job ad have jumped sharply as Kiwis search for higher wages amid cost-of-living pressure. With job ads still below pre-COVID levels, TA teams are managing heavier shortlisting loads even as the overall market feels quieter.

2. Hiring conditions are showing early signs of a 2026 turnaround
The economy is beginning to lift, business investment is returning, job ads have ticked up, and most regions reported growth last month. New Zealand is shifting out of stagnation into slow but steady recovery.

3. AI is reshaping skill expectations, but NZ businesses are still early in adoption
Demand for AI-related skills has surged, especially in IT, marketing, and strategy. While only a small share of NZ jobs can be fully automated, most will see tasks change, elevating the importance of capability building and realistic early-career hiring.

Introduction

After two unsettled years for Aotearoa’s labour market, marked by rising unemployment, declining job ads, and cautious business confidence, leaders are looking for clarity to effectively plan for 2026.

To help map this out, we’ve combined our recruitment experts’ on-the-ground insights with SEEK’s latest market data from our recent webinar with Senior Economist, Blair Chapman, to unpack what the macroeconomic indicators can tell us about what to expect as we head into the new year.

New Zealand’s hiring landscape: National trends to watch for in 2026

Growth is returning after two slow years

After a soft and uneven economic period, New Zealand is finally moving back into growth. GDP is expected to return to pre-COVID norms, supported by stabilising inflation, easing mortgage pressures, and a lift in discretionary spending. This momentum will feed into employment over the next 6-12 months, setting the stage for stronger hiring conditions.

Inflation is easing and business confidence is improving

The RBNZ’s single focus on inflation has paid off: prices are stabilising, mortgage rates have eased, and wage pressures are cooling. With labour costs returning to normal levels, businesses are becoming less hesitant to hire, reversing the uncertainty seen over the past two years.

Job ads remain low, but early signs point to a turning market

New Zealand experienced a much sharper drop in job ads than Australia, but the tide is shifting. Most regions reported job ad growth last month, and ads are beginning to climb across key industries. While this is still below pre-COVID levels, this uptick signals that hiring demand is starting to return.

Surging applications per job ad, driven by local and offshore talent

Applications per ad have risen significantly, but the increase isn’t coming from Kiwis alone. TA teams are seeing a substantial volume of offshore candidates applying for New Zealand roles, adding to already larger shortlists. As a result, hiring teams are processing heavier pipelines even as overall hiring activity remains modest.

Wage growth is easing, reducing hiring hesitation

Wage growth has fallen back to around 2%, and as labour costs stabilise, employers are becoming more confident about adding headcount and planning. With candidates still sensitive to pay, salary benchmarking remains essential while businesses do have more breathing room than they did at the peak of wage inflation.

Consumer spending is lifting again

New Zealand households are beginning to open their wallets, with discretionary spending recovering. This is a positive signal for industries that tend to hire ahead of broader economic recovery, like retail, hospitality, tourism, and logistics.

AI is reshaping skill demand, but NZ adoption is still early-stage

References to AI skills in NZ job ads have surged, particularly in IT, marketing, and consulting. While only a small share of roles can be fully automated, most will see task-level change. Employers are beginning to redesign roles around augmented workflows, but many still lack the internal capability to define what “AI readiness” looks like. With this shift, structured early-career pathways and realistic skill expectations will matter more than ever.

Regional breakdown: Where hiring conditions are shifting most

National snapshot

New Zealand’s labour market recovery is uneven, and the pace varies significantly by region. After a year of rising unemployment and falling job ads, most regions have now recorded an uptick in hiring activity, signalling the early stages of a national turnaround. Employment movements have been mixed, with some areas stabilising while others continue to soften, and the impact of the downturn hasn’t been felt equally across the North and South Islands.

A few regional patterns to note:

• Canterbury/Christchurch: Employment has edged down, but job ad growth suggests recovery is underway.
• Southland & Otago: Both trending towards stabilisation, though not yet fully recovered.
• Central North Island: Some regions such as Taupō saw unemployment ticking down, showing surprising resilience.
• Taranaki: A regional outlier not showing recent job ad growth.

Against this backdrop, Auckland and Wellington sit at the centre of this shift, each with its own drivers: Auckland shaped by broader economic softness and cost pressures, and Wellington shaped by public sector contraction and policy-related hiring freezes. Other regions such as Canterbury, Central North Island, and parts of the South Island are also beginning to show signs of lift, while a handful like Taranaki remain slower to recover.

With this national picture in mind, here’s what employers need to know about the two markets where we see the strongest shifts and the greatest implications for hiring in 2026.

Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland

Auckland has experienced the sharpest rise in unemployment and one of the biggest drops in employment over the past year. Job ads fell significantly from their post-COVID highs, and hiring demand has been subdued across professional services, construction, retail, and public-facing sectors.

But the turning point is beginning. Early indicators such as a lift in job ads and a gradual return of discretionary spending all point to stabilisation. As mortgage pressures ease and business investment improves, demand for talent is expected to slowly rebuild.

As Kara Smith, New Zealand Country Manager, puts it:

“Auckland has taken some of the biggest hits this past year, but it’s also where we’re now seeing the earliest signs of recovery. Job ads are lifting, spending is picking up, and more movement from employers. With Auckland driving approximately 38% of the country’s GDP, New Zealand as a whole will also benefit.”

For 2026, expect a steady, early-stage recovery with stronger demand in IT, logistics, consumer services, construction and professional roles once activity picks up.

Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington

Wellington’s labour market has been shaped heavily by public sector contraction. Government pullbacks have driven job losses, increased unemployment, and reduced hiring appetite across many adjacent industries.

Even so, Wellington recorded employment growth over the past year. As public sector hiring stabilises and business confidence improves, the private sector is expected to lead the next phase of demand. Candidates remain active and competition for secure roles is high.

In the new year, there will be a cautious rebound driven by consulting, IT, policy-adjacent roles and private sector expansion as government hiring levels out.

Nik King-Turner, Managing Director at Talent Wellington, adds:

“New Zealand absorbed the economic shock of COVID earlier and more sharply than Australia. The view is now that Australia may soon experience some of the same pressures we’ve already worked through, and that could slow the flow of Kiwi talent heading offshore. If that happens, Wellington employers could benefit from greater talent stability at a time when public sector hiring is beginning to level out.”

What employers should prioritise in 2026

With hiring conditions beginning to turn, employers should be preparing now for a more competitive and fast-moving 2026.

Rebuild hiring confidence and capability

As growth returns and job ads lift, competition for talent will increase again, especially in IT, professional services, logistics, construction and health.

Manage surging application volumes

High application numbers mean more administrative pressure on internal TA teams. Streamlined screening, clear criteria, and fast communication will be essential to avoid losing quality candidates.

Refresh early-career pipelines

AI-related roles are evolving quickly, and demand is outpacing supply. Cutting junior pathways only widens the capability gap, and businesses need structured graduate and early-career programs to build future-ready teams and long-term sustainability.

Upskill for AI-enabled roles

Most NZ jobs won’t be automated, but many will be augmented. Employers should focus on practical AI tools, workflow redesign, and building comfort and familiarity with new technologies across teams.

Be realistic about salary dynamics

While wage pressures have eased, candidates remain salary-driven due to cost-of-living pressures. Competitive benchmarking and transparent ranges will help secure talent without inflating budgets.

Plan regionally

New Zealand regions are recovering at differing paces. Tailor hiring strategies, salary positioning, and timelines to local market conditions.

Moving forward

After a challenging few years, New Zealand’s labour market is finally shifting back toward growth. The recovery will be gradual, but the direction is clear. With rising candidate activity, early job ad growth, and easing wage and inflation pressures, 2026 is shaping up to be a more positive year for both employers and jobseekers.

As you plan your workforce strategy, having a clear view of market movement and salary expectations will be essential. Our online More than Money Salary Guide offers searchable rates and salaries to support confident, data-driven hiring decisions across Auckland, Wellington, and beyond.

New Zealand’s infrastructure and energy pipeline is booming but the people needed to deliver it are in short supply. With record numbers of skilled Kiwis moving overseas, and Australia’s own talent shortage intensifying, organisations here face unprecedented competition for technical and project delivery expertise.

This isn’t just a numbers issue. It’s a race for knowledge, capability, and experience.

The great Kiwi outflow

Over the past year, almost 72,000 Kiwis have relocated overseas — more than half (58%) heading to Australia. For sectors like energy, utilities, and infrastructure, this isn’t a marginal shift. Every engineer, project manager, or digital specialist leaving the workforce takes with them years of institutional knowledge and practical experience.

Even more challenging, the migration overlaps with an ageing workforce. A large portion of technical talent is nearing retirement, leaving gaps that can’t be filled by headcount alone. More than just “hiring”, organisations must think strategically about knowledge transfer, capability rebuilding, and workforce renewal.

Australia’s market pressure

Australia is facing similar talent supply issues, particularly in high-voltage energy, specialised civil engineering, and digital infrastructure. Organisations there are competing fiercely for people with Transmission Extra High Voltage (EHV) experience — skills that are scarce in both countries.

And when Australian employers can’t find talent locally, New Zealand becomes a “hunting ground” for engineers and specialists. Beyond that, consultancies are increasingly tapping Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines to support regional projects. For New Zealand, this adds both opportunity and risk: demand for skilled talent is now regional, not local, and competition is growing fast.

Skills scarcity isn’t sector-specific

The convergence of multiple industries competing for the same skill sets is creating a national talent pressure point. Energy, utilities, telco, transport, and water infrastructure projects are all vying for engineers, digital specialists, and project managers.

It’s no longer enough to focus on sector-specific pipelines and companies are competing across industries and borders for the people who can make projects happen. This highlights the importance of strategic workforce planning, capability development, and early talent engagement.

The opportunity: plan for capability, not just headcount

While the pressures are real, they also create an opportunity to rethink workforce strategy. Organisations that proactively capture knowledge, upskill existing teams, and design career pathways will be better positioned to navigate both the local and regional talent landscape.

By viewing workforce challenges as a strategic issue, New Zealand can move from a reactive hiring approach to building sustainable capability that ensures projects are delivered efficiently, safely, and to future-proof standards.

Learn more about the talent shaping New Zealand’s delivery future and download our Infrastructure & Utilities Snapshot for insights on workforce trends, cross-sector competition, and the skills needed to meet the country’s infrastructure ambitions.

Although it isn’t yet a tidal wave, the tide is turning on workforce planning.

In our latest AI survey with 864 business leaders and tech professionals, when asked whether AI was impacting workforce planning over the next 12-18 months:

• 12.1% said they’re already using AI to evolve roles or reduce manual work
• 23.3% said they’re exploring how AI may shift the skills they hire for
• 32.5% said it’s on their radar, but not yet a focus
• 22.9% said AI isn’t impacting their workforce planning at all

With more than a third of organisations actively exploring or implementing changes due to AI, it’s worth exploring what these changes are for both employers and candidates.

The roles rising first

According to JP Browne, Talent Practice Manager and recruitment expert in the Auckland market, “We’re not seeing a rush to hire ‘AI engineers’, but we are seeing demand for systems engineers, data engineers, and data analysts, because poor data breaks AI.”

Before deploying AI at scale within your business, you need solid data foundations. This means hiring for:

• Data quality and governance
• System integration
• Infrastructure build-out
• Security and compliance enablement

In other words, it’s those behind-the-scenes roles that make AI functional, reliable, and safe.

Recruitment reality check

AI is also changing recruitment itself, both in how candidates present themselves in the application process and how employers assess talent.

“Some candidates are using ChatGPT to craft flawless cover letters, but the actual CV doesn’t match the role. So it’s forcing recruiters to dig deeper and reintroduce more human screening,” observed JP.

We’re seeing:

• More AI-assisted job applications
• A shift away from simple keyword-matching tools
• Greater emphasis on human-in-the-loop hiring decisions

The personal productivity play

For some employees, they’re already using AI to improve their own output without waiting for top-driven organisational change.

From automating reporting to building project estimates, self-taught AI adoption is becoming a competitive edge for individuals. However, it creates uneven capability across teams, and potential risk if it’s unsanctioned.

“You can’t wait on your organisation to set the rules. You need to learn how to use AI yourself, but use it responsibly,” says JP.

Why leaders need to act now

If your workforce planning hasn’t factored in AI, you risk falling behind in:

• Skill readiness in both hiring and internal development
• Employee engagement as workers expect modern tools their industry peers are using
• Efficiency gains where your competitors will find them first
• Risk management as unsanctioned AI use is already happening

JP emphasises, “AI is here, in your phones, in your search engines, in your workflows. Ignoring it doesn’t make it go away, it just leaves you unprepared.”

The shift right now feels subtle, until it’s sudden. The organisations making small, strategic moves today will be the ones ready for the bigger shifts tomorrow.

If you need help building AI-ready hiring strategies, get in touch with our team.

Attracting top tech talent is only half the challenge for higher education. The real test is keeping them.

In a market where skilled professionals have plenty of options, retention has become just as critical as recruitment. For TA and HR leaders in universities, this means going beyond hiring campaigns and building an employee experience that tech professionals want to stick with.

Why tech talent is moving on

The education sector isn’t immune to the same pressures seen across other industries: cost-cutting, heavier workloads, and an increasingly competitive talent market. Tech specialists, whether engineers, data scientists, or AI leaders, know they’re in demand, and they’re prepared to move if their expectations aren’t met.

Three themes continue to dominate the conversation:

• Pay that keeps pace: With cost of living pressures rising, salary remains a key driver of turnover. Institutions that aren’t regularly reviewing and benchmarking pay risk losing people to private sector roles that can stretch further.
• Flexibility that’s real: Hybrid and remote work are no longer perks, they’re expectations. Universities that can offer genuine flexibility around hours, location, and responsibilities are far more likely to retain talent.
• Meaningful work: For tech professionals, impact matters. They want to know their skills are being applied to projects that excite them, whether that’s driving AI adoption, supporting world-class research, or making systems more accessible for students.

What tech talent expect in 2025

Today’s workforce wants more than a job description. To keep top performers, tertiary education institutions need to deliver on a few essentials:

• Clear career paths: Opportunities for progression, visible development programs, and clarity on how careers evolve within the university.
• Wellbeing and balance: Workloads that are sustainable, supported by wellness initiatives and family-friendly policies.
• Flexibility as standard: Hybrid models, adaptable hours, and the ability to manage personal and professional responsibilities side by side.
• Alignment with purpose: The chance to contribute to meaningful initiatives — from sustainability to research innovation to advancing digital equity.

One area where purpose and opportunity collide is Artificial Intelligence (AI). Our latest survey of higher education leaders found:

• 89% believe AI will positively impact their role in the next two years
• 53% say their institution is still at the experimental stage of adoption
• 18% are planning to hire an AI specialist or leader within 12–18 months

This presents a double challenge for retention: universities need to hold on to the digital and data talent they already have while preparing to bring in new skillsets in AI and automation.

Practical strategies to retain tech talent

It’s one thing to know what tech professionals want, the next step is delivering it in tangible ways. Here are some strategies higher education leaders can put in place to respond to the essentials of pay, flexibility, wellbeing, and purpose mentioned above:

Clear career paths

• Map out role progression for technical staff, and demonstrate how skills can transfer into leadership, research, or specialist pathways.
• Introduce mentoring programs that connect junior tech staff with senior leaders across IT, research, and innovation.
• Provide access to professional development budgets for certifications and training in emerging areas such as cloud, cybersecurity, or AI.

Wellbeing and balance

• Regularly review workloads and resource allocation to prevent burnout, particularly in lean IT or project teams
• Offer wellbeing programs that go beyond tick-box initiatives, such as confidential counselling services, wellness days, and ergonomics support for hybrid staff.
• Actively promote the use of leave and encourage leaders to model health work-life boundaries.

Flexibility that’s real

• Formalise hybrid policies that give staff clarity while still allowing room for choice.
• Invest in collaboration tools and digital infrastructure so hybrid work is seamless, not second-class.
• Consider flexibility beyond location, such as adjustable hours or compressed work weeks, to accommodate diverse needs.

Meaningful work and purpose

• Give tech professionals visibility of the real-world impact of their projects, whether improving student experiences, enabling world-class research, or advancing sustainability.
• Involve teams early in innovation projects such as AI pilots so they feel part of business or tech transformations, and not just the implementers.
• Celebrate contributions publicly through internal communications and recognition programs.

By turning broad expectations into practical actions, universities, colleges, and other higher education institutions can transform their retention strategy by creating an environment where tech talent sees a future worth committing to.

The bottom line for retention

Hiring great people is hard. Losing them is even harder. For TA and HR leaders in higher education, the focus now is building the kind of environment where tech talent can thrive long term: competitive pay, real flexibility, clear pathways, and work that feels meaningful.

At Talent, we work with universities across ANZ to not only attract niche tech specialists but retain them — reducing turnover, cutting costs, and helping institutions build the workforce they need for the future.

If you’re ready to strengthen retention in your higher ed tech teams, get in touch with us today.

TikTok has become an unlikely oracle of work culture, and the latest buzzwords have been doing the rounds: “job hugging” and “quiet cracking”. More than just social media gimmicks, they’re signals of where the labour market is right now in Australia, New Zealand, and the US.

What is “job hugging”?

A response to a tighter labour market, rising costs of living, and waves of layoffs across industries, job hugging is the latest phenomenon defined as employees holding onto their jobs for security, even if they’re disengaged.

On the surface, job hugging can look like stagnation, but employers are benefiting; fewer resignations mean lower recruitment costs and more certainty for long-term planning.

In Australia, job mobility has slipped from 9.5% in 2023 to just 7.7% in 2025, while SEEK reports job ads are down 4.8% year-on-year. It’s not surprising that many are clinging tightly to a role that feels safe.

What is “quiet cracking”?

“Quiet cracking” flips the script. It’s about employees pushing for growth in spite of limited upward mobility. This means side hustles, passion projects, or going the extra mile in their current role.

Another reaction to the broader reality, as Gallup reports 77% of people are globally disengaged at work. And when promotions or pay rises are thin on the ground, workers are finding ways to crack open new growth pathways on their own.

Gen Z and the broken entry-level market

Much of the conversation around job hugging overlaps with old narratives about Gen Zs “job hopping.” The youngest generation in the workforce, Gen Z carries a reputation for being quick to move on or staying for only 1-3 years before seeking something new.

But here’s what the headlines often miss: this isn’t about disloyalty. It’s survival in a systematically broken entry-level market.

According to Jobs and Skills Australia, entry-level jobs postings are down significantly. While in Australia, the unemployment rate is holding steady at 4.2%, the rate for young people – which is typically higher than the overall rate – has risen slightly to 9.5%.

At the same time, the pay-off for switching roles has largely evaporated. In 2023, job hoppers were gaining 7.7% salary increases compared to 5.5% for those who stayed. Now, job hoppers see a measly 0.2% gap in salary bumps of new roles offering 4.8% compared to 4.6% for those who stay put.

Candidates: Reframe the narrative

Instead of internalising this behaviour as flighty or fickle, rethink how you want to position yourself:

• Don’t apologise for being strategic. Job changes can be intentional career design. Rather than saying “I know it looks like a lot of moves,” frame it as “Each role was chosen to build specific skills for my long-term goals.”
• Skills growth over tenure. Loyalty is no longer measured in years. What matters is the growth, skills and capabilities you can point to.
• Make every move count. Random job hopping is over; strategic career construction is the new norm.

What these trends tell us about the market

Together, job hugging and quiet cracking reveal a workforce caught between caution and ambition:

• Risk aversion is high. Workers are reluctant to leave without a compelling reason.
• Retention is fragile. People may stay, but disengagement looms unless employers create pathways for growth.
• The talent pool is selective. Candidates want roles that feel both secure and has opportunity for growth, and they’ll pass on jobs that don’t offer either.

Employers: The takeaway for leaders

If you’re hiring in Australia, New Zealand, or the US, understand the balance employees are trying to strike: stability on one hand, and growth on the other. “Job huggers” need reassurance that your opportunity is safe. “Quiet crackers” need to see how it will help them grow.

In other words, you aren’t just selling a role, you’re selling everything that goes along with it: security, skills, growth, culture, and the list goes on.

Want to understand how these workforce signals could impact your hiring strategy? Our team can help you plan your next move. Get in touch.

In today’s job market, the first “reader” of your resume is usually software.

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) parse (read, break down, and map) your resume into structured data so recruiters can search, sort, and rank candidates fast. When the parsing goes wrong, strong applicants can get lost in the shuffle, and another caveat? Since job seekers are also using AI to game the system, we’re in a hiring landscape where both sides are optimising for efficiency, and the result is anything but.

What is parsing and why does it matter?

Parsing is how an ATS interprets your resume and turns it into searchable fields like name, job title, dates, skills, and education. If your resume formatting confuses the parser, your experience might not show up correctly in recruiter searches even if you’re highly qualified and fit for the role.

There are a few types of parsers out there:

• Keyword-based: Looks for common section headers and formats. Deviate too far and you might break it.
• AI/NLP-based: More advanced systems can extract skills and infer meaning from context but they aren’t perfect.
• OCR-based: Kicks in when resumes are uploaded as PDFs or images without a proper text layer. Accuracy here drops sharply.

For job seekers: Format for humans and machines

• Stick to 12pt fonts that every system recognises like Times New Roman, Calibri or Arial.
• Avoid design extras: Tables, columns, images, logos, and text boxes might look nice but can trip up parsing.
• Use clear section headers: Experience, Education, Certifications, Skills.
• Pack it with keywords: Think of your resume like SEO for job boards. Search “<your job> keywords” and use those in context and tie them to outcomes. Don’t list them in a block.
• Save and upload in .docx, not PDF. PDFs often require OCR to extract your text, and that’s where things break down.

As JP Browne, Practice Manager from Talent Auckland, explains:

“Some organisations are moving away from AI screening tools, because applicants can just copy-paste job ads into AI prompts and generate amazing cover letters. But if the CV doesn’t match the substance, it’s game over. Your resume has to actually contain the right data and not just sound impressive. I call it CV-for-dummies because I need everything spelled out. Don’t assume your title tells the story. Put in more detail, not less.”

For employers: Efficiency is not effectiveness

AI and ATS tools help filter thousands of applicants but over-relying on automation can hurt you. Especially in a market where candidates are leveraging generative AI to write polished CVs and cover letters, many hiring managers are finding that what looks good on paper doesn’t hold up in interview and that’s slowing the process down.

Instead of streamlining hiring, AI on both sides is creating a new bottleneck: CVs that look right but don’t deliver, and shortlists that fail to surface the best fit.

“It is not unusual for our team in Sydney to still receive 750–1500 applications per role,” says Matthew Munson, Managing Director of Talent Sydney. “Responding to this volume of applications is hard for agencies and employers and so the levels of candidate service is suffering, leading to a lot of frustration in market.”

This is echoed in South Australia by Vimal Venugopal, Senior Consultant in Technology & Project Services Recruitment in Talent Adelaide:

“Public sector jobs are seeing the highest number of applicants per job ad. According to SEEK, that index now sits at 220, and Professional Services roles are close behind at 187. That’s a huge amount of competition. This data is completely in line with what we’re observing in the Adelaide market. For example, we listed a Data Migration Analyst role and an ICT Support Analyst role and received 299 and 342 applications respectively.”

Keep a human in the loop

ATS tools are useful but they can’t replace human judgement. We recommend keeping a hiring professional involved in reviewing any final shortlist. Take a second look at ‘near miss’ candidates whose resumes may not have been perfectly formatted but show potential and revisit your role briefs and consider re-advertising with clarified requirements or alternate job titles. Most importantly, ensure interviews are being used to assess capability, not just alignment to the AI-generated CV.

Final tips for both sides

Job seekers: Format simply, write clearly, and tailor your resume for the role without ChatGPT doing all the heavy lifting.

Employers: Review your ATS setting, make sure your job ads are written clearly (without keyword stuffing), and don’t delegate shortlisting entirely to automation. The right candidate may be hiding just behind the algorithm.

If you’re a job seeker looking for your next exciting opportunity, head to our jobs board. And if you’re a hiring manager looking to find top talent who can hit the ground running, get in touch today.

Specialist tech professionals are spoiled for choice and higher education isn’t always the first place they look. If you’re a TA leader in tertiary education, you’ll know the challenge: you’re competing with fast-moving startups and big-name corporates for the same engineers, data specialists, and product talent.

The good news? You’ve got a unique story to tell. But it needs more than a list of benefits or a flexible work policy. To stand out, your employer brand has to cut through with clarity, authenticity, and a message that speaks to what tech talent actually cares about.

Here’s a practical playbook for higher education leaders looking to sharpen their employer brand and secure the skills they need.

Why brand matters in higher education hiring

Employer brand isn’t just your logo or a tagline. It’s the lived experience of working with you; your values, your culture, and your reputation in the market. For tech professionals, it’s the difference between scrolling past your job ad and actually hitting ‘apply’.

When your brand is strong, you’ll see:

• More applications from the right candidates
• Higher retention and engagement across your teams
• Lower recruitment costs over time
• A reputation as an employer of choice in a competitive market

And when it misses the mark? You’re left over-relying on contractors, spending big on agencies, and watching the best talent head elsewhere.

3 ways to build a stronger employer brand in higher education

1. Lead with your DNA

Tech professionals want to know the work they do will matter. For universities, this is a big advantage because you aren’t just another corporate. You’re driving research, supporting the next generation of students, and tackling social and environmental challenges at scale.

Bring this DNA to life by:

• Making it visible online: Share stories of innovation on your channels, whether it’s a new research partnership, sustainability milestone, or digital transformation project.
• Owning thought leadership: Get your IT and digital leaders speaking at conferences, writing in industry outlets, or posting on LinkedIn. This positions your university as a serious tech player.
• Highlighting values and wellbeing: DEI programs, wellness initiatives, flexible work models. All of these are key decision factors for tech talent so don’t bury them in policy docs, put them front and centre.

Example: The University of Sydney has consistently showcased its sustainability initiatives and digital research projects in market-facing comms, positioning itself as more than “just a campus job.”

2. Rethink the candidate experience

Your hiring process is your brand in action. If it’s slow, clunky, or impersonal, candidates will assume that’s how your culture feels too.

Best practice means:

• Clear, human job ads (ditch the jargon and “must have 10+ years in…” wish lists).
• Fast, transparent communication: Candidates want updates, even if it’s a no.
• Personal touches: Show candidates you’ve read their CV, tailor interview questions, and connect them with real future teammates.

And don’t forget onboarding. Universities across ANZ are experimenting with AI tools to automate admin-heavy onboarding steps, freeing up People teams to focus on building meaningful human connections from day one.

3. Leverage tech to scale your brand

Higher education can sometimes be seen as “traditional”, but the smart use of tech can flip that perception.

• Video interviews: Break down geographical barriers and open your doors to talent who may not yet be local.
• Data-driven insights: Use hiring analytics to understand what candidates want (e.g. sustainability is a top three decision driver for tech hires in ANZ right now).
• A careers page that works: Include testimonials, videos, and day-in-the-life content from your tech teams. Make it intuitive to navigate and reflective of your real culture.

Example: UNSW’s careers site highlights innovation projects and staff testimonials in a simple, visual format which is far easier to digest than a wall of text.

The takeaway

The race for tech talent is only getting tighter. With a clear, authentic employer brand, universities can punch above their weight against the likes of banks, consultancies, and startups, and land the people they need to keep their institutions moving forward.

At Talent, we help higher education institutions across ANZ attract and secure the right tech talent, building brands that resonate, streamlining hiring processes, and reducing costs along the way.

If you’re ready to strengthen your employer brand and bring top tech talent onto campus, let’s talk.

In a hiring market that feels tougher by the day, speed is everything. But when agencies cut corners in the name of speed, everyone loses.

Thomas Mackenzie, Account Director from our Sydney headquarters, has noticed a new trend:

“There are agencies submitting candidates to clients without ever meeting or speaking to those candidates first. They’re submitting personal details including full name, email, phone and other details they’ve gathered by scraping tools or from previously shared CVs, all without the candidate’s consent.”

On the surface, it looks efficient: more CVs, faster. But here’s the reality:

• Privacy risk – Sharing candidate details without consent runs against the spirit of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
• Ethical breach – Members of the RCSA and APSCo are bound by codes of conduct requiring candidate consent and breaches can trigger investigations and penalties.
• Poor outcomes – When candidates don’t know they’ve been submitted, dropouts and rejections are inevitable, and that wastes everyone’s time.
• Brand damage – To candidates and clients alike, it looks impersonal and rushed. Trust takes years to build and seconds to lose.

Kara Smith, New Zealand Country Manager, has seen the impact firsthand:

“Just this week, another organisation sent a candidate’s CV for a role. We had fully interviewed the candidate, taken a reference check upfront, provided a full summary of the candidate’s fit and motivation and got the candidate’s explicit consent. Guess what? The candidate’s not being interviewed at all now. Is the fact that two agencies submitted the candidate part of the reason why? Could be. It’s just not good enough.”

And Matthew Munson, Managing Director of Talent in Sydney, adds an important reminder:

“Recruitment is, and always will be, a human job. Technology and AI can help us move faster, but it can’t replace the trust the comes from people speaking to people. A CV on its own isn’t enough. What matters is understanding the person behind it.”

As a hiring manager, it’s worth asking: Do you really want CVs at speed, or do you want to know the candidates you’re meeting are engaged, motivated, and have chosen to be there?

And as a candidate, it’s worth reflecting too: Do you really want your CV being flung across the market without your consent? Or would you rather work with a recruiter who takes the time to strategically position your profile and advocate for you with the hiring manager? A good recruiter will prepare you for interviews, share insights about the company, coach you on what matters to decision-makers, negotiate salary, title and terms on your behalf, and ultimately enhance your visibility and network in your market.

For us, placing contractors doesn’t end with the placement. We support our contractor community throughout their engagement, from wellbeing and education around financial management, to our one-stop contractor portal, ENGAGE, networking events, and other employee benefits they might otherwise miss out on. At any stage of the hiring journey, when candidates and contractors feel supported and valued, they bring more energy and commitment to your organisation.

Recruitment is about the people just as much as it is about the process, and when privacy, trust, and candidate experience are protected, outcomes are stronger for everyone.

If you’re looking for a recruitment partner who puts people and process on equal footing, let’s talk about how we can help you.

Across Sydney’s financial services sector, demand for AI and machine learning engineers is accelerating, but supply hasn’t caught up. As banks and financial institutions race to embed AI capability, talent acquisition leaders are asking the same question: Where do we actually find these engineers?

James Bertollo, Account Manager at our Talent headquarters in Sydney, shares his observations.

The sourcing patterns defining the jobs market right now

1. Upskilling internal teams

“CBA’s AI for All initiative is a strong example of reskilling existing engineers and embedding AI capability at scale,” James explains. “For many organisations, it’s faster to build on the people they already have than to compete for external talent.”

2. Academic and research backgrounds

Banks are also opening new pathways for researchers and Python data scientists. “We’re seeing more flexibility in hiring from universities into engineering roles,” James says. “That shift creates opportunities for PhDs and academics who may never have seen finance as a career option.”

3. Consultancy to in-house

Firms like Deloitte and Accenture were once the go-to for proof-of-concept work. Today, banks are hiring their consultants directly. It’s a clear sign the sector is moving from experimentation to execution,” James notes. “Clients no longer want to rent AI expertise – they want to own it.”

4. Start-up talent

Finally, engineers from AI start-ups are entering financial services. “They bring the innovation and problem-solving mindset enterprises need to accelerate delivery,” says James.

What top AI talent really want

While sourcing channels are broadening, James highlights three consistent factors that make the difference in securing top-tier engineers:

Compensation

“Senior and Principal AI Engineers in Sydney are commanding $1,100-$1,200 per day (contract) or $180k-$200k plus super (permanent),” James shares. “Being equal to, or ideally better than, the market is often the first filter when talent decides where to move.”

Clear initiatives

According to James, “Candidates want clarity on the roadmap and how their role contributes to meaningful delivery. Companies that show this quickly stand out over those still testing the waters.”

Strategic involvement

“The best engineers are often those who worked in AI before it entered the mainstream, and they expect their knowledge to be respected, and their input valued in shaping business strategy.” James says, “Those who feel their expertise will influence direction are more likely to choose you over competitors.”

The bigger picture

For financial services leaders, the race to secure in-house AI capability is only intensifying. Success won’t just come down to competitive salary, it’ll hinge on how clearly organisations can demonstrate the impact of AI initiatives and the strategic role engineers will play in shaping them.

If you’re thinking of building out an AI team or exploring the Sydney market for top engineering talent, our team can help. Get in touch.

The Australian telecommunications sector never sits still and August brought no shortage of moves that will shape how the industry looks heading into 2026.

From multi-billion-dollar acquisitions to subscriber shocks, record penalties, and accelerating tech adoption, telcos are navigating a high-stakes balancing act between growth, compliance, and talent.

Network moves and market shifts

Vocus’ $5.25 billion acquisition of TPG Telecom’s enterprise and fixed-line assets marks one of the biggest infrastructure reshuffles in years. With access to around 20,000 buildings nationwide, Vocus now sits as one of Australia’s largest underground fibre owners.

Steve Dybacz, Account Director from our Talent office in Sydney, notes:

“This deal cements Vocus as a serious infrastructure heavyweight. The integration piece is going to be complex but it also opens significant opportunity for skilled contractors in areas like integration, network planning and optimisation.”

Meanwhile, Telstra is facing turbulence on two fronts, announcing a 2% workforce reduction (around 550 jobs) in its enterprise division as part of a broader business reset, and leadership was quick to clarify the cuts were not AI-driven.

At the same time, Telstra reported its first-ever decline in postpaid mobile customers, shedding 132,000 subscribers. Yet, average revenue per user is up 2.5% and earnings climbed 4.6%, buoyed by a $1 billion share buyback.

“The subscriber decline has raised eyebrows, but the revenue numbers tell a different story. The real question is whether this is a blip or a sign of changing customer behaviour,” says Steve.

Regulatory and consumer pressures

If the market news wasn’t enough, the regulatory spotlight is burning brighter. Optus has agreed to a $100 million penalty for unethical sales practices targeting vulnerable customers – the largest penalty of its kind in Australian telco history. And the government is simultaneously toughening industry codes, with fines of up to $10 million for breaches.

“The regulatory mood has shifted. Compliance and governance are now boardroom-level priorities, not just risk team conversations,” says Steve.

Consumer and tech trends

Beyond the boardroom, consumers are voting with their wallets and 5G home internet is gaining traction, providing a faster alternative in areas where the nbn® remains patchy. Plans ranging from $40 to $99 per month are seeing strong uptake, and momentum is expected to continue.

But while consumer adoption accelerates, telcos’ ambitions around AI and automation are hitting roadblocks. Leadership alignment and skills shortages are slowing down projects in areas like network disaggregation and AI-driven network optimisation.

“There’s no shortage of ambition, but the talent gaps are real. Without the right people in integration, RAN delivery, and automation, these transformations stall quickly,” notes Steve.

Why this all matters

For industry leaders, these moves are more than just headlines:

• Infrastructure consolidation creates demand for highly specialised talent to ensure integration success.
• Regulatory heat is reshaping sales conduct, governance frameworks, and corporate strategy.
• Shifting consumer patterns, from postpaid churn to 5G broadband growth, are forcing telcos to rethink their market priorities.

Australia’s telco sector is evolving at speed with plenty of opportunity and risk in play. As Steve puts it:

“The sector’s competitive tension is intensifying. Whether it’s subscriber churn, fibre consolidation or regulatory reform, the winners will be the telcos who align strategy with the right people on the ground.”

If you’re navigating these shifts and need a recruitment partner to help with workforce planning, contractor deployment, or specialist hiring in telco, get in touch with our team today.

What would you take a pay cut for?

It’s the kind of question that sparks a quick gut response but, when you sit with it, the answer gets complicated. For workers across Australia and New Zealand, the trade-offs between salary, wellbeing, flexibility, and values have never been sharper.

According to LinkedIn’s latest Workforce Confidence Index, nearly one in three Australians (32%) say they’d be willing to compromise on their salary if it meant more flexibility. The same number (31%) would do it for stronger values alignment, while 29% would accept less money for a more reasonable workload.

The story slightly shifts when we look at our own survey of 760 professionals. Flexibility ranked lower, with just 23% saying they’d take a pay cut for it. A bigger share of 35% said they’d do it for work-life balance and to avoid burnout. Only 4% cared enough about values alignment to trade salary, while a blunt 38% made it clear: “Pay cut? Hard pass.”

The reality check

The comments from our survey tell a bigger story about trust, trade-offs, and the limits of compromise. A few standouts:

• “Do the top brass ever get asked this question?”
• “I have taken a pay cut when I could get a better work-life balance… but most people need the money as cost of living is not reducing.”
• “I’ll take values alignment, work life balance and flexibility — and expect a pay rise because my productivity will be higher.”
• “Why would anyone take a cut in pay… when you know the CEO and most of the C-suite are still making bank off your personal efforts? Wake up people and demand what you are worth.”

The sentiment is clear: while people want balance and flexibility, they’re not naïve about the financial pressures they’re under, nor the inequities they see in executive pay. Salary remains a non-negotiable foundation and in today’s economy, many feel they shouldn’t have to choose between being paid fairly and working in a way that sustains them.

Flexibility is still king, but context matters

Since COVID, flexibility has stayed firmly in the “candidate need” category. But our teams see nuance emerging across regions:

• In Canberra, Managing Director Rob Ning notes: “While flexibility is still a number one priority, we’re seeing more people being open to full-time office work if all other conditions are right.”
• In Auckland, New Zealand Country Manager Kara Smith adds: “Remote work and work flexibility is still a strong preference. But employers are increasingly requesting 3-4 days in-office. The hybrid tension is back.”

In other words, employees are still prioritising flexibility but it isn’t an automatic “work from home or bust” equation anymore. The conversation is shifting toward how flexibility is structured, and whether it actually helps people live and work better.

Enter: the four-day workweek

This is where the four-day workweek lands. Despite some companies retreating from their experiments, a new Resolve Political Monitor poll shows two-thirds of Australians (66%) support the idea of moving to four days. An almost equal share (64%) back the idea of enshrining flexible work rights in law.

This tracks closely with the priorities we heard in our own survey. Workers are open to new models if it means more balance and less burnout, but they don’t want to see their pay packets shrink to make it happen.

Employers toying with a four-day week as a cost-saving exercise (by trimming pay alongside hours) risk missing the point entirely. As one respondent put it: “If I am asked to take a pay cut, what’s your trade-off?” Workers are watching for genuine investment in wellbeing, not sleight-of-hand productivity hacks.

What employers should take away

The lesson here isn’t that employees are unwilling to bend as many already have; taking lower-paid NGO roles for values alignment, or trading salary for more sustainable workloads. The lesson is that pay cuts are not the lever to pull if you want to win trust, loyalty, and discretionary effort.

Instead, forward-looking employers should be asking:

• How can we offer flexibility that truly supports work-life balance, not just “two days at home”?
• What structural changes, like a four-day workweek, could reduce burnout without reducing pay?
• Are we listening to employee sentiment and closing the perception gap between what workers want and what leaders assume they want?
• How do we address the equity issue when employees see executives rewarded while they’re asked to sacrifice?

In short: workers aren’t against change. They’re against compromise that feels one-sided.

The bottom line

Australians are clear about what they’d like to see: balance, flexibility, and fair workloads. They’re also clear about what they won’t accept: sacrificing pay while living costs rise and executives continue to profit.

The four-day workweek is part of that bigger story and not just a headline trend, but a signal that employees are hungry for smarter ways of working that don’t come at the expense of their wallets.

If you want to know what else our teams on the ground are seeing in the market, get in touch with our experts.

The US Microsoft technology talent market continues to evolve rapidly in 2025, and demand is showing no signs of slowing down.

At the beginning of this year, we reported a 30% increase in job flow across Microsoft Biz Apps and Cloud roles, as organizations in manufacturing, healthcare, and retail kicked off digital transformation projects that had been delayed through 2024. That momentum has only accelerated through the year, with new growth areas now shaping the hiring landscape.

As Dylan Cohen, Director of Microsoft & Cloud Solutions in our New York office, explains:

“Data and AI hiring has increased massively. There is a huge demand for Data Architects and Engineers with AI expertise, mainly to help with AI readiness, Agent readiness, AI use case and value planning, along with AI user adoption.”

Colin Etheridge, CEO of North America adds broader context:

“The US market shows plentiful demand across the core commercial sectors where we operate – Cloud and Microsoft applications, Digital Transformation, Oracle ERP, and Data.”

Dynamics 365: From a slow summer to booming demand

After a relatively quiet summer, Dynamics 365 opportunities have surged back. ERP Consultants, architects, and developers are in high demand, with organizations seeking end-to-end expertise across F&O, BC, and CRM.

It’s also important to note that demand is no longer confined to “classic” ERP. According to Dylan, “There is a clear demand for Power Platform expertise across nearly all Microsoft Biz Apps skillsets. Traditional ERP candidates (D365 BC and D365 FO) need to have Power Platform to keep up with the times.”

This combination of Dynamics 365 and Power Platform is becoming the new baseline for Microsoft professionals.

AI, security & software engineering in focus

AI is reshaping hiring across the Microsoft ecosystem. Companies are moving quickly to secure contractors for AI-specific projects, while consulting firms are locking in AI thought leaders as full-time employees to future-proof their delivery.

Colin notes, “AI is a high-growth area for the top 1% of engineering talent but it is yet to reveal significant impact in the wider market.”

Beyond AI, security remains a consistent priority, with ongoing investment across industries. At the same time, we’re seeing an uptick in software engineering hiring as product companies build out new IP.

“Go To Market and business development emphasis is a huge demand driver in the broader technology space as companies large and small look to monetize investment,” says Colin. One of the most encouraging signs is the huge increase in sales hiring across Microsoft Partners and SaaS product companies.

Dylan shares, “This is generally a good sign of things to come; companies hire salespeople, they sell more projects, and this creates more demand for the delivery consultants, engineers, and architects needed to bring those projects to life.”

What hiring managers need to know

• Flexibility is still critical: Employers demanding 100% onsite Dynamics 365 professionals – particularly in non-metro locations – are struggling to attract top talent. Remote and hybrid models continue to win. That being said, there is certainly a return to office theme, most enterprises are preferring hybrid models; this differs from 2021-2023 where it was primarily 100% remote.
• Canada is part of the solution: US companies are increasingly hiring remote Microsoft professionals from Canada, widening their candidate pool and leveraging the exchange rate advantage.
• Workforce planning matters: With AI, Dynamics 365, Power Platform, and security talent all in short supply, proactive planning is essential to secure the right expertise before demand peaks further.

Colin sums it up, “Overall, the market remains full of opportunity and growth. Remuneration has also stabilized since the heady days of 2022-23, giving both employers and candidates a more predictable baseline as they enter negotiations.”

The Microsoft talent market in the states is as competitive as ever, with demand for Dynamics 365, Power Platform, sales, and AI skills redefining hiring strategies in 2025. As we continue to venture into the second half of this year, business leaders who move quickly, think flexibly, and plan ahead will have the advantage.

If you’re planning your Microsoft workforce strategy, get in touch with our team to discuss how to secure the talent you need.