Two years of state borders opening and shutting quicker than you can say the word “Coronavirus” has seen candidates become increasingly reluctant to the idea of relocating for their next role; but one quarter into 2022, and the time has never been better to relocate for your dream job.
Borders are open (and should remain open), competition for jobs is at an all-time high, and employers are more desperate for quality workers than ever. If you’ve been thinking of making an interstate or regional move, there really is no better time than right now!
Borders are open
Closed borders were a frustrating but essential part of Australia’s zero-Covid strategy, but they’re now a thing of the past now. Australia’s Covid strategy has completely changed and it is no longer possible to return to a zero-Covid world. There are no longer any states that are entirely free of Covid, and as such, the benefit of having a closed border no longer exists.
On top of this, Australians are tired… We all know that politics is perception, and any politician that attempts to close borders and bring in harsh Covid restrictions would be signing their own political career death certificate. Australia has well and truly moved past the phase of closed borders and won’t be returning there.
That’s great news for workers who are eager to relocate but concerned about the repercussions closed borders may have on their ability to visit family. The decision to relocate should now come down to other economic and lifestyle factors.
Employers are competing for attention
Seek Australia has just announced two record months back-to-back (January and February 2022) for the number of job ads posted on their website. This alone means that employers are competing against more companies than ever before to get seen by prospective employees and secure whatever talent is out there.
However, it doesn’t end there. With Covid dragging on, the threat of an outbreak of war, and the severe impacts this combination is having on inflation and the cost of living, things have culminated to a point where candidates are only thinking about one thing in 2022—themselves.
Everyone wants one thing out of their career right now—to increase their earning capacity and make life that little bit less stressful. This has meant that candidates are often only in the job market for the sole purpose of earning more money. Others aren’t even entertaining the idea of changing jobs at the moment and are instead focusing on securing a pay rise in their current role.
This has resulted in fewer job applicants than ever before, but this is good news for those looking to make a move. Fewer applications means less competition for you when trying to secure your dream role. Currently, it is undoubtedly a candidate’s market, and you hold all the power. If there is a role you’ve dreamt about for years, there’s probably never been a better time to go for it.
Increasingly desperate employers
The result of a record-high in job ads and a record-low in applications has led to desperate employers who are willing to pay ridiculous amounts of money for hard-to-fill roles. As we mentioned previously, it is undoubtedly a candidate’s market and many employers are starting to realise this.
This means that employers are more likely to take a risk on a candidate who doesn’t tick all of their boxes and would require a bit more training and development. Further to this, employers are having to pay a lot more than they traditionally would have to secure talent, so a pay rise to go along with your new job has never been more attainable!
Teamrecruit is Australia’s most established recruitment agency specialising in truck, earthmoving and agricultural machinery dealerships in Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific and Southeast Asia. Find out more about Teamrecruit and how we support employers and candidates in the dealership industry.
