The South African job market experienced the same level of hiring activity over the past two years (from Quarter Four (Q4):2021 to Q4:2023), according to the Pnet Job Market Trends Report, which provides insight into recruitment and employment trends in the local market.
Pnet’s research revealed that year-on-year, hiring activity has neither increased nor declined (0%).
The local job market saw a -1% decline ‘quarter-on-quarter’ in the fourth quarter of 2023. This was driven by a significant decreased in hiring activity in December, it said.
The 2024 Salary Guide found that earning was the number one reason why people looked for a job, took up a job or found a new job.
However, talking about salaries was still said to be a taboo topic, and most people simply speculate about what others earn.
According to Statistics South Africa (StatsSA), the average monthly salary in South Africa is R26 086.
In the interest of jobseekers, employers and recruitment specialists and experts, Pnet said it had taken a deep dive into market-related salaries, providing insight into what the job market was offering for specific job roles and professions. Pnet’s analysis was based on actual salary offers from advertised vacancies advertised over the past 12 months.
– Year-on-year increases in salary offerings were evident for admin clerks (between 5% and 7%), personal assistants (between 40% and 46%), secretaries (between 47% and 60%), and switchboard / reception staff (between 9% and 25%).
– The significant increase in salaries for personal assistants was driven by a 34% yearly increase in demand for executive assistants, while the significant increase in salaries for secretaries was driven by a 57% yearly increase in demand for legal and litigation secretaries. Top earners in admin, office and support were personal assistants, HR professionals and secretaries.
– Year-on-year increases in salary offerings were evident for bookkeeping (7%), credit management (between 20% and 25%) and internal auditing (between 10% and 14%).
– On the other hand, external auditing experienced a year-on-year decrease in salary offerings (between -2% and -6%). Top earners in finance were financial analysts, internal auditors, external auditors and cost and management accountants.
– Year-on-year increases in salary offerings were evident for database design / development / administration (between 25% and 26%). There were year-on-year decreases in salary offerings for business analysts (between -8% and -9%), data analysis / data warehousing professionals (between -11% and -13%), IT project administration / managers (between -24% and -36%), software developers (between -9% and -10%), systems / network administrators (between -14% and -20%), systems analysts (between -21% and -28%) and technical / business architects (between -17% and -21%).
– Top earners in IT were technical / business architecture, database design / development / administration, business analysis and software development professionals.
– There were no year-on-year increases in salary offerings for roles within the manufacturing and assembly sector.
– A year-on-year decrease in salary offerings was evident for quality control professionals (between -17% and -25%). Top earners in manufacturing were supply chain control professionals.
– There were no year-on-year increases in salary offerings for roles within the marketing sector.
– A year-on-year decrease in salary offerings was evident for communications and public relations professionals (between -2% and -9%). Top earners in marketing were product management professionals.
– A year-on-year increase in salary offerings was evident for retail professionals (between 15% and 21%).
– There were no year-on-year decreases in salary offerings for roles within the sales sector. Top earners in sales were account management professionals.
– A year-on-year increase in salary offerings was evident for senior management (between 11% and 20%).
– Year-on-year decreases in salary offerings were evident for employee training / development professionals (between -12% and -14%), executive management / directors (between -4% and -10%), infrastructure / operations consulting professionals (between -6% and -17%) and strategy consulting professionals (between -9% and -17%).
– Top earners in business and management were executive management / director and senior management professionals.
– Year-on-year increases in salary offerings were evident for mechanical engineering professionals (between 25% and 33%) and civil / structural engineering professionals (between 7% and 33%).
– There was a year-on-year decrease in salary offerings for architectural draughting professionals (between -8% and -11%). Top earners in architecture and engineering were civil / structural engineering and mechanical engineering professionals.
– A year-on-year increase in salary offerings was evident for electricians (between 10% and 19%).
– There were no year-on-year decreases in salary offerings for roles within the building and construction sector. Top earners in building and construction were consulting engineering professionals.
According to the report, international recruitment has increased over the last year with significant increases evident for IT and finance professionals.
Provincial hiring
– Year-on-year, the North West province experienced a 42% increase in hiring activity for business and management professionals. Business and management professionals remain most in-demand in the Free State.
– The Northern Cape experienced an uptake in hiring activity for business and management professionals year-on-year.
– Building and construction was the job sector with the most significant yearly growth in the Western Cape where hiring activity grew by 62%. Limpopo experienced a 17% increase in hiring activity for business and management professionals over the last 12 months.
– - Despite a 18% decrease in hiring activity for IT professionals, demand for building and construction staff increased by 36% in Gauteng over the last year.
Mpumalanga experienced significant growth for sales professionals over the last 12 months.
– In KwaZulu-Natal, demand for IT staff declined by 23% year-on-year. However, significant yearly increases were evident in hiring activity for finance and sales professionals.
– Like KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape saw a decline in demand for IT staff over the last 12 months. However, hiring activity for finance, sales, building and construction, architecture and engineering and manufacturing and assembly staff increased year-on-year.
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