About 27.4% of financial services employers plan to hire in the December quarter, down 9.8 percentage points, according to recruitment specialist Hudson.

It says employers are more selective when it comes to new hires, with many preferring to recruit staff who can generate more revenue.

“Anecdotal feedback suggests firms are hiring, but what we are seeing is a level of restructuring and redesign across financial services,” EGM Dean Davidson told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

“While headcount might not be rising, the sector is focusing on hiring new skill sets, particularly those that are going to have the largest impact on revenue growth.

“The outlook for innovation-type roles, for example, is positive.”

Mr Davidson says Hudson is “cautiously optimistic” despite the decline.

In Queensland, demand for finance staff with blue-chip backgrounds outstrips supply, he says.