Tue, 8 May 2012

The number of professional job opportunities in Ireland in April (9,246) increased by 5% compared to the same time last year (8,533), according to recruiter Morgan McKinley’s Irish Employment Monitor.

However, it also recorded a month-on-month decline of 4% in new jobs, with chief operations officer Karen O’Flaherty telling Recruiter: “Despite this figure and despite April being a four-week month with two holidays, we would have hoped that to be higher.”

There was also a decline in the number of professionals beginning their job searches in April 2012, decreasing by 15% from 12,200 in March to 10,390 in April.

O’Flaherty adds that there is now a “sense of uncertainty stifling after what was a good Q1… you just cannot underestimate what positive sentiment does”.

She also commented to Recruiter on the government’s Action Plan for Jobs, announced in March and reported on by recruiter.co.uk. “I think it’s all very positive and necessary,” O’Flaherty says, “but I would question how much is a PR exercise.”

She adds that a priority for government should be ensuring that new graduates are work-ready.