The Australian IT&T industry has extended its decline in online job ads for the fifth month in a row. The Olivier Job Index fell 4.42% in October with Australian job ads counted per week declining by 20,107 positions over the month. The IT sector continued its poor year falling 2.28 % for October to bring its annual rate of decline to 22.81% compared to last year. Olivier Group director, Bob Olivier, warned there was no relief in sight for IT workers as Australia teeters on the brink of recession.
Olivier advised contractors to go after permanent roles or seek an extension of their current work at least until the new year, as he does not expect there to be much on offer in the meantime. Even permanent roles and graduates, Olivier said, are in for a tough time ahead as employers focus on their bottom line and try to justify headcount. Only the financial services and administrative sectors suffered greater decline in job numbers than IT over the past year. Within IT the three largest market segments have all taken an annual battering: Multimedia, Internet and graphics grew 5 % this month but annually has dipped 16%; software development dropped 4.6% for the month and is down 24% for the year; and network communications and security is up 1.9% for the month but down 23% for the year.
