There was a 14.6% drop in professional job openings in the last quarter as multinationals remain cautious about the global economy.
The Morgan McKinley Irish Employment Monitor for Q4 2024 also showed niche areas like regulatory compliance, financial services, and emerging technologies like AI and automation managed to buck the overall trend.
While job openings decreased the number of professional job seekers actually rose by 6.8%, increasing competition for fewer roles.
The report notes the “push for more onsite work has clashed with candidates’ desire to maintain flexible arrangements, creating tensions between employers and employees.
“Rising living costs and the ongoing housing crisis, particularly in Dublin, have exacerbated this stand-off.’
Trayc Keevans, Global FDI Director, Morgan McKinley Ireland, said: “The end of 2024 was marked by global economic caution, exacerbated by the U.S. presidential election and ongoing concerns about corporate tax and trade policy changes.
“Multinational firms in Ireland, particularly in technology and life sciences, …